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Why this blog?
"A lie can be told in one sentence. The truth requires an entire chapter."
A lie fits in one sentence:
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“You’ll be fine.”
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“This is a great return.”
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“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
Simple. Clean. Comfortable.
But the truth?
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The truth takes work.
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The truth needs math.
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It needs time.
It needs someone willing to slow down long enough to actually prove what’s happening.
Because real financial truth isn’t a slogan—it’s something you can see, test, and walk through step by step.
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PSA for Financial Advisors: The Unauthorized Practice of Law Is Closer Than You Think
Where “Helping the Client” Can Turn Into a Legal Problem There’s a growing push in our industry: Advisors are being encouraged to “add estate planning” using software platforms, turnkey systems, and white-labeled solutions. It sounds like a natural evolution: Serve clients more holistically Strengthen relationships Add a new revenue stream And to be clear— estate planning absolutely belongs in the advisor’s world. But here’s the problem: Estate planning and drafting legal doc
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Mar 228 min read
Myth #1: "The Life Insurance Company Keeps My Cash Values When I Die"
First, I’m going to start with a rant and then show some understanding. The training in the life insurance profession is severely lacking, and I don’t just mean selling skills to help agents be successful. In my first agency, we had product training every Monday morning from 9am to 11am. However, this was not GOOD product training. We learned WHAT we could do with the company’s products, but not WHY someone would want to do it. Why would someone WANT to spend $10,000 a
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Sep 22, 20187 min read
Myth #19: “Borrowing Your Own Money” — And the Strategic Truth Business Owners Need to Understand
One of the most common—and misleading—statements about cash value life insurance is this: “Why would you borrow your own money and pay interest on it?” It sounds logical. It feels intuitive.And it’s completely wrong. If you misunderstand this concept, you’ll dismiss a strategy that—when used properly—can be one of the most efficient ways to access capital without disrupting long-term planning. Let’s clarify what’s actually happening. You Are Not Borrowing Your Own Money When
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Apr 24 min read
Consumer Alert: The Hidden Risks of DIY Estate Planning
What You Don’t Know About “DIY” Estate Planning Could Hurt the People You Love Most Estate planning has become easier than ever. You can go online, answer a few questions, click a button, and generate a will or trust in less than an hour. Some financial professionals even offer to “help” you through the process. It feels simple. Affordable. Convenient. But here’s what most people don’t realize: Estate planning is not just paperwork. It’s law. And when it’s done incorrectly—or
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Mar 224 min read
Why Tax-Exempt Retirement Planning Isn’t Just About the Math — And Why That Matters More Than Ever
Most retirement planning discussions begin with numbers. Rates of return. Tax brackets. Projected balances. Distribution strategies. Those elements are important—but they are not sufficient. Increasingly, people are making retirement planning decisions based on something deeper than spreadsheets: trust . And for many taxpayers today, that trust has been seriously shaken. When Taxpayer Anger Is Rational Recent reporting and ongoing investigations in Minnesota allege that hundr
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 316 min read
Why Fee-Only Fiduciary Advisors Often Dismiss Cash-Value Life Insurance — and Why Consensus Is Sometimes Impossible
Fee-only fiduciary advisors are trained to be highly sensitive to cost. In the world of investment management, that discipline is not only appropriate—it is essential. Excessive fees compound negatively, erode long-term returns, and can materially impair client outcomes. Viewed through that lens, cash-value life insurance often appears indefensible. Permanent insurance policies carry mortality charges, administrative expenses, rider costs, and opportunity costs relative to ma
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 28, 20256 min read
Meeting Prospective Clients Where They Are — And Guiding Them to Accuracy
Why Language Is a Process, Not a Punchline One of the most misunderstood aspects of professional advising isn’t strategy. It’s language and terminology . Not grammar. Not jargon. But where conversations begin , how ideas are framed , and whether understanding is allowed to evolve . Great advisors don’t confuse clients by being too technical too soon. And they don’t leave clients confused by never becoming precise. They understand something essential: Language is a progression
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 27, 20254 min read
Experience Over Credentials
Credentials matter. Education matters. Theory matters. But experience matters more —especially when real people are living off real portfolios in real time. Recently, a LinkedIn exchange highlighted a tension that exists throughout our industry: the difference between what the math says should be an opportunity and what actually happens when retirees face a market downturn without the luxury of time, surplus capital, or emotional distance. On paper, market corrections are “o
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 22, 20253 min read
The 50-Year Mortgage: Relief, Risk, and the Real Math of Affordability
Why longer mortgage terms could unlock the housing market — and what it really means for buyers and investors.
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Nov 9, 20254 min read
"I don't want to pay commissions." Understanding Life Insurance and Annuity Commissions
The word 'commission' can bring about a few unpleasant thoughts. It's often associated with over-priced and under-represented items such...
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Oct 2, 20254 min read
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