Avoid These Traps with Your Retirement Plan with Alan Porter, Ep. 779

Alan Porter is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk instructor pilot turned nationally recognized financial educator, bestselling author, and certified financial fiduciary. After a long military career and success in real estate and mortgage lending, a series of family health crises reshaped his understanding of financial planning, life insurance, and long-term care. Today, Alan specializes in advanced tax-free retirement planning, wealth preservation, business exit strategies, and legacy planning for high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs.

Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.

Key Takeaways

• Understand why health events, not market cycles, are the biggest threat to retirement security

• Learn how sequence of returns risk can quietly devastate traditional retirement plans

• Discover how life insurance can function as a tax-free retirement and liquidity tool

• See why effective interest cost matters more than stated interest rates

• Learn how proactive tax and retirement planning can protect wealth across generations

Topics

Why Financial Planning Became Personal for Alan

• Family health crises exposed major gaps in traditional planning

• Terminal illness rider benefits provided critical, tax-free liquidity

• Firsthand experience reshaped Alan’s career focus

Health Care Costs and Long-Term Care Risk

• Long-term care costs range from $50,000–$200,000 per year and continue rising

• Medicare does not cover long-term care; Medicaid requires asset spend-down

• Health events can erase decades of savings without proper planning

Sequence of Returns Risk Explained

• Early retirement losses can permanently derail portfolios

• Market downturns combined with withdrawals accelerate depletion

• Traditional advisors often overlook this risk

Effective Interest Cost and Hidden Debt

• Mortgages and credit cards carry much higher real costs than advertised rates

• Effective interest cost reveals how much money truly goes to lenders

• Eliminating high-interest debt can outperform traditional investments

Becoming Your Own Bank

• Cash-value life insurance allows borrowing while assets continue compounding

• Loan repayment is flexible and under the policyholder’s control

• Policies can fund education, vehicles, emergencies, and retirement

Limitations of 401(k)s and Qualified Plans

• Fees, taxes, and required minimum distributions reduce net retirement income

• Taxes are deferred, not eliminated

• Most investors underestimate future tax exposure

Tax-Free Retirement and Legacy Planning

• Properly structured insurance strategies can deliver tax-free income

• Policies avoid Social Security taxation and Medicare means testing

• Assets can transfer across generations more efficiently

Round of Insights

Failure that set Alan up for success: Not planning ahead. Failing to prepare for life events led to higher costs and financial strain later.

Digital or mobile resource recommended: Alan’s YouTube channel and educational resources at StrategicWealthStrategies.com.

Book recommended most in the last year: Tax-Free Retirement Solution.

Daily habit that keeps him focused: Early mornings, daily workouts, and structured planning to start each day with intention.

#1 insight for creating long-term wealth: Learn how insurance products work and what they can truly do.

Next Steps

• Visit Alan’s website and check out his retirement tax calculator

• Review your current retirement and tax strategy

• Learn how sequence of returns risk affects your plan

• Evaluate long-term care exposure and insurance options

• Explore tax-free income strategies before retirement

• Get a second opinion on your financial plan

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