Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Could your retirement income plan use a boost? Nationwide's peak ten fixed index annuity gives you a 20% immediate bonus added to your income benefit base right from the start. When you choose the Lifetime bonus income plus rider for an additional cost. You will also receive an 8% guaranteed simple interest roll up for the first ten years or until your first withdrawal, whichever comes first. Guaranteed lifetime income and protection for your principal. Even during market downturns and periods of volatility, this combination can offer a strong foundation for your financial future. Call us now at (855) 246-9211 or go to take pride in retirement. Com to connect with an advisor and learn how peak ten can help secure your financial future. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, BCM, a registered investment advisor. Guarantees and protections referenced are subject to the claims paying ability of Nationwide Life and Annuity insurance Company. Nationwide. Peak ten is issued by Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio. Neither nationwide nor its other entities are associated or affiliated with Active Wealth Management. Any examples used are for illustrative purposes only, and do not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs and may not be suitable for all investors. It is not intended to predict the performance of any specific investment, and is not a solicitation or recommendation of any investment strategy. Welcome to Take Pride and Retirement, the podcast dedicated to helping members of the LGBTQ+ community protect and grow their hard earned money.
[00:01:31] Get set for a show full of education and insights with your host and advisor, Matt McClure. We recognize every family is unique. The goal of the show is to help you achieve financial freedom so you and your loved ones can have the retirement you've always dreamed of, a retirement you can take pride in, no matter who you are, where you're from, or who you love. So now let's start the show. Here's Matt McClure. Hello and welcome to another edition of Take Pride in Retirement. Matt McClure here with you, your host, your advisor, your friend, your pal and your confidant. I really do appreciate you taking time to join me each and every episode. If this is your first time listening, hey, thank you so, so much for being a part of things. I really do appreciate you. You know, as I say, spending some time with me, uh, here as we talk about all things retirement, finances, planning, living authentically and with pride most importantly, and giving you that retirement that you can take pride in as well. And today I'm going to talk about something a little bit different. It's going to be about your mind, quite frankly. And um, how what's going on, you know, kind of up here is directly tied to your money. Um, and yeah, you know, we're exploring the connection between financial stress and mental wellness in the LGBTQ plus community.
[00:02:58] Can I talk about that here on today's show? I got to tell you, though, first of all, if you haven't done so already, a couple of things I want you to do. Number one is to subscribe to the YouTube channel. Yeah, youtube.com YouTube app. All the things go to the that search for Take Pride in retirement. You'll find it if you're watching on YouTube. Hey, how's it going? Thank you for for watching. It's really easy to just look below. Click the subscribe button there. Uh, like the video. Also, um, give me some views and some hits and all that and help spread the word about take pride in retirement. Super easy to do and it really does help me out a lot. So I would appreciate that. Subscribe to the podcast as well. You can get it anywhere you listen to podcasts. Uh, Apple, Spotify, iHeart, audible, um, any others that you can think of? Pandora. Um, is Sirius XM like all of the big places where you can get a podcast, you can get my podcast, take pride in retirement, so just search for it there. I would really appreciate that. Also take pride in retirement, search for take pride and retirement all over the socials including blue Sky which is the newest one for me just a couple of weeks on there. So, you know, get those subscriber numbers up or those follow numbers up on the on the old, uh, blue sky machine.
[00:04:13] Um, and of course, go to take pride in retirement. Com as I say. And you can also schedule an appointment there if you'd like to meet with me about your finances. I would love to do that. I am a fiduciary. I have to act in your best interests when I work with you one on one. Of course, the show is just for educational purposes here, but the working with you in a one on one or a one on two or whatever the scenario might be, that is where the fiduciary part comes in. Because then I know I get to know you, I get to know more about your situation, and then I get to act in your best interests. And so that's what that's all about. You can also take pride in your retirement by giving me a call 85524692 11 (855) 246-9211. That's the number. And you can call me with any questions that you might have. Um, also starting this week, a new sort of, uh, video series online, on the socials, on your blue skies, your Instagrams, your, uh, YouTubes in the YouTube shorts and all of that on Facebook as well, and on threads, um, doing a new series featuring questions from listeners to the show. So that's going to be really cool. I've got a lot of them to to kind of be putting out there. So just be watching for those and, uh, you know, spread the word.
[00:05:30] Hopefully, you know, one of those questions will hit home for you and we'll answer something, maybe pique some interest. And of course, feel free to reach out at any time with any questions that you may have for me as well. All right. So, you know, the whole show today is about the fact that the stress is real, right? The retirement planning is not just about things like spreadsheets and account balances and even taxes, which is a huge consideration for just about everybody here. It's really about the kind of those those intangible things, the confidence, peace of mind, freedom to live the life that you want to live. And if you've ever felt anxious about your financial future, you are not alone at all. I have been there. Um, you know, on occasion, I sort of feel like I continue to be there. Uh, although it's much better than it used to be. But, uh, you know, I'm only human after all. But, I mean, I talk to and meet with so many people who just have so much stress and anxiety regarding their finances, and I get nothing more fulfilling than helping them get rid of that stress and get rid of that anxiety and just all of the worry that goes along with it. Right. So let's get some inspiration for this conversation we're about to have. Shall we? We'll do that with our quote of the week.
[00:06:56] And now for some financial wisdom. It's time for the quote of the week.
[00:07:04] And this week's quote is an anonymous one from someone called unknown. Whoever you are out there. Um, now, if that's your real name unknown. The quote is actually a very good one, and it really goes to the heart of what we're going to talk about here. And it's this true financial freedom isn't just about dollars. It's about peace of mind. Yeah, it's not just about those Benjamins. It is about peace of mind. And that's the way that I try to approach working with just about, you know, really every situation, um, that I encounter as a financial advisor here. You know, I mean, it's it really is so important to me to give people peace of mind, to give people, um, less stress in their life. Um, there's enough stress in life, especially amongst LGBTQ plus folks. Um, that I want to just take that off the table, not put more on. Right. So this is really a truth that doesn't get talked about enough. I feel like we, at least in the past few years, maybe have gotten better about talking about, um, emotional stress, mental health and that kind of thing. Um, but still, I don't think it's talked about enough money. Stress is mental health. Stress, period. Um, it really, really is. I mean, according to the American Psychological Association, finances consistently rank at the top, if not the very top, one of the top sources of anxiety for adults and for LGBTQ plus folks.
[00:08:41] Those numbers are often worse. Those numbers are often worse. And many of us face this, um, economic inequality in our lives. Um, whether it's being passed over for promotions, being denied housing, losing a job, like I've talked about myself in the past, losing a job simply based on my identity, um, simply growing up in households where we didn't feel safe or supported or seen. All of that shapes how we feel. Not about life in general, not just about life in general, I should say, but about money as well. Um, because it just, you know, it doesn't happen on an island, right? It doesn't happen on, you know, all by itself. Um, you know, just being stressed about money is this one thing that happens in isolation inside a bubble and doesn't affect anything else in your life? Boy, wouldn't that be nice. Um, it doesn't quite happen that way. It affects everything else, and vice versa. You know the stress that we go through in our everyday lives, whether it's, you know, about, um, you know, growing up, as I said, kind of in that household, whether where we didn't feel, um, seen or supported or safe or anything like that, or whether it is things directly related to our, our very local economy amongst ourselves. Um, it spills over into stress about our finances. And I've had a lot of people tell me to, I mean, as a result of all those things I just talked about, I've had a lot of people come up to me and say, Matt, I feel behind.
[00:10:22] I should have started saving earlier or something like, you know, I'm embarrassed that I don't understand investing. Well, let me let me just put this out there right now for you toward the beginning of this show. It is not a thing for you to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. There is no shame in not knowing. There's only power in learning, right? There's no shame in not knowing. There's just power in learning the things that you don't know in life. Many of them you can learn. And that's really kind of the point of the show when it comes right down to it. And, you know, we all have a financial past. Um, it really is different for everybody. I say this often, everybody's situation is different. But for many people in the LGBTQ plus community, it comes with baggage. You know, that emotional baggage, practical baggage as well. Like those things I just talked about, you know, being denied for housing or passed over for promotions or fired from jobs or pressured out of jobs, that kind of thing, just based simply on who you are. So yeah, it is it is real. It's a real thing that is, You know, very has such a huge effect on so many people. And so the thing that I want to kind of launch into here is looking at kind of what really does happen in our brains when we think about money.
[00:11:58] Now, disclaimer here, I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist or any sort of mental health professional, but, um, there are things out there that get talked about is the term you might have heard money scripts, right? These are unconscious beliefs that we form early in life that shape how we think and act with our finances. And, you know, some people might avoid looking at their bank accounts because they grew up associating money with fear or conflict or just stress in general. You know, other people might feel guilty spending, even if they can afford to spend because they were taught that, you know, maybe wanting nice things is selfish. Does that sound? Does that sound familiar to you? Um. I know several people in my life who that should sound familiar to, um, as well. But here's the thing, though, about these mental habits. They don't necessarily go away as we get older. Um, you know, for example, let's say if you are one of those people who avoid looking at your bank account and you're in your 20s, that probably is only going to get worse unless you unlearn what you've learned. As as Yoda would say, unlearn what you have learned about finances later in life. People, often as they approach retirement, they'll see some of these habits kind of intensify. And so you add in uncertainty about health care and housing and longevity.
[00:13:26] It's no wonder that people get overwhelmed. I know I felt overwhelmed about my finances many times in my life, so I get it. I have been there And again, as I said at the very beginning, nothing gives me greater professional joy than really helping people get through that stress. Get over that stress to a place where they can be more confident in themselves, more confident in their finances, and have that retirement they can take pride in. So your mindset can be changed. That is the good news. And having support, getting some clarity. Those old scripts can be rewritten. That's the thing. They send money. Script. It's been written for your life, right? The things that you learn early on are often the script that you keep repeating later on, but you can rewrite those scripts. That doesn't have to be the final draft, right? It can be. It can be just an early draft and you can rewrite it. And so, you know, one of the best antidotes here, of course, is clarity, as I just mentioned. And you know, you got to know where you stand. You've got to be. In a place where you have a realistic view of what your finances are now, and you're going to feel more in control. When you know that, and when you've got a roadmap that shows you where you're going and you know if you feel more in control, then that's going to lead to more confidence.
[00:14:57] So that is such a beautiful thing, such a beautiful thing. Having more confidence about anything, but especially about your finances in life. And so some practical steps here to help you get more confidence. One of them is to create a monthly spending plan. Notice I did not use the term budget. A lot of people hear that word and they're like, oh God. You know, they tense up and and they're like, I can't do anything with the budget. The budget is bad word. Bad word. You know, it's often seen as a four letter word with more than four letters in it. Um, but Because there's that connotation that a budget is restrictive and it's going to tell me what I can't do. Think of it as something that is actually going to tell you what you can do. Right. It's it's a realistic map of your cash flow. That's what you can. You can look at it as. So talk about it as a spending plan or as a look at your cash flow. Don't think about it as this restrictive thing that's going to shackle you into only doing x, y, z. And I think that just sort of mindset switch can really, really help a lot. Um, also, you know, pick your financial goals, maybe just one financial goal at a time. Um, you know, whether it's it's boosting your emergency fund or starting an emergency fund, if you don't have one, you should you should get one going.
[00:16:18] Right. So make sure that you have at least 3 to 6 months, six months, preferably of living expenses, somewhere in a liquid account where you can get to it. So that's, you know, covering things like the mortgage or the rent. It's covering things like, you know, the car payments, the insurance and all that kind of stuff. The utilities, all of the essentials. Make sure you have that amount enough for six months saved somewhere where you can get to it. So in case of emergency, in case of job loss, in case of something, you can get to that money. Super important to have that. That is one of the biggest confidence boosters that you can can get for yourself. It's a gift you give yourself when you do that kind of thing. Um, and so, you know, maybe rollover an old 401 if you recently left a job or if you left a job. A long time ago, it talked about those old kind of orphaned 401 K's before on the trail. Um, you know, maybe do that and focus on progress. Don't let the, you know, perfect be the enemy of the good or whatever that old saying is. Um, focus on just making progress toward your goal and not perfection in it. Because if you get into a mindset where you're like, well, I can't if I didn't do it right, so I'm not going to do it at all.
[00:17:34] No, it's easy to get frustrated. It's easy to get into that mindset, but get yourself out of it because progress is a good thing. You may not make it all the way to your goal at one time in one fell swoop, but as long as you're making progress toward it, that is a good thing, right? Also, you know, Social Security is something to focus on no matter what and no matter what age you are in, in life, really and truly. Um, but especially as you get closer to retirement because, you know, check in on that Social Security statement. You've got to know what you've earned and what you're entitled to. An easy, easy way to do that is just to reach out to me. 85524692 11 or go to take pride in retirement.com. You can make an appointment right there directly on the website. And when you do that, I will be glad to get that Social Security statement from you. I can run a report called an RSA roadmap, and that will show you your different options for filing. It will show you, you know, map out how much you're projected to be eligible for in your retirement years and how much your spouse could be eligible for whether your spouse is eligible for a spousal benefit, how much the survivor benefit would be, all of those different things and those different scenarios will be mapped out there, and I'll provide that for you, absolutely free of charge.
[00:19:00] There'd be no charge for that whatsoever. So yeah, reach out. Take pride in retirement. Com or call 85524692 11. And get a better idea of your Social Security because then that's going to give you more information to better, you know, kind of frame of mind for your finances and your overall income picture in retirement. And that is going to mean a lot when you get there because, you know, having a good, solid picture of what retirement will hold for you as far as your income goes, then gives you a great starting point to say, okay, now I know what I need to focus on as far as generating other income streams. Is this Social Security check going to be enough to cover my expenses? Chances are no. So let's build an income plan for you that you can have guaranteed income for the rest of your life, and then Social Security can be the cherry on top or the gravy or whatever food related metaphor you want to use. Um, automate your savings. My gosh, this is such a good one. Automate your savings. Let technology reduce the stress and make good habits just happen, right? So I mean, it really is, um, so easy to let technology do something like this for you. I know we're all kind of still figuring out the whole A.I. thing. Um, you know, it does some wonderful stuff and it does some kind of scary stuff, but the, you know, good thing that technology in general can do.
[00:20:44] Not that this necessarily is AI related, but this just I popped in my mind talking about technology and automation and that kind of thing. Um, but, you know, if you can just literally set it and forget it as far as your savings go, like, say, set yourself a dollar amount every time your paycheck comes around and then have that paycheck be split up into two different accounts. One account you're checking, one account your savings have a portion go into savings. Have a portion go into checking. And it's even better if those are at two different banks, so that you can't then dip into that savings just on a whim. Right. Only, you know, get to it when you absolutely need it in case of emergency or that kind of thing. So just have your technology, whatever technology is available to you. Be the thing that helps you along in making better habits for yourself. And so just some small steps there. But they can really have a huge, huge payoff not only in your everyday practical financial life, but your emotional life as well. If you eliminate confusion, as many chances as you get to do that. And if you, you know, just make your life easier by using things like that automation that I was just talking about, then you also eliminate a good deal of the fear that leads to financial stress.
[00:22:11] And so that is super helpful when it comes to your, um, the amount of gray hairs that you have on your head, which anyone, um, watching the video knows I got plenty of those these days. Um, but it's okay, because my husband loves it, so there we go. I mean, that's the reason I don't dye my hair anymore. I was keeping the good people just for men in business. Um, but anyway, reach out to me. Take pride in retirement. Let's take pride in retirement. Schedule an appointment there. You can also go. Um, and give me a call. 85524692 11. That's the thing. Not a lot of people use their phone as an actual phone these days to, like, call somebody. But you can do that. Um, just to, you know, give a little ol me a call, and if I don't pick up right away, I will get back to you just as soon as I possibly can. 85524692 11. And leave a message. I'll get back to you. Definitely. All right. So, um, here's the thing. People often are afraid to ask for help. Um, you know, especially I feel like so many people in the LGBTQ plus community, and this is just from me speaking anecdotally, just from my own experience. A lot of times I am afraid to ask for help just because in a lot of ways I've had to help myself so often in life.
[00:23:35] Um, and I've, you know, always been somebody who enjoys helping others as well. But, um, it's difficult a lot of times to ask for help. I sort of have this just ingrained in me that I need to do what I need to do on my own. And asking for help, though, is not a sign of weakness. It's not a sign of you being less than. It's not a sign of anything negative like that. It's actually self-care. Really. It is self-care. It is you making sure that you are taken care of And, you know, asking for help with your finances, I think super important, I know. I am a financial advisor, so maybe a little bit biased in that, but from my experience, working with a financial advisor can really, really help in that. I mean, especially one who understands the LGBTQ+ community and the experience as a member of the community as well, that can be a game changer. And I'm I'm grateful to have, you know, clients now who say, you know, I, I'm working with you because I know you, like you and trust you at this point, but also because you are a member of the LGBTQ plus community. And I feel comfortable with you. I feel that you know what I'm going through, at least on some level. And so I want to support you and you to support me. In other words, it's it's it's a very it's a very cool thing for that to be the case because, yeah, I just feel like we gotta.
[00:25:18] We gotta stick together, you know? And so understanding that, you know, asking for help is not a sign of weakness is a super big thing. And then really, you know, working with someone who gets you and gets your situation, um, will be just a even bigger deal for your retirement. I mean, whether it's, you know, that retirement income piece that we were talking about, whether it's Social Security, you know, optimizing Social Security with the SSA roadmap I told you about a few minutes ago, or whether it's estate planning, um, whether it is planning for chosen family, you really do deserve advice that fits into your life. And that's why I always say here on the show every time around, no matter who you are, where you come from, who you love, how you identify, or how much money you have, You deserve a retirement you can take pride in. Period. End of story. Everybody deserves that retirement that they can take pride in. And I hope that you feel comfortable enough with me to let me help you along that that road, you know, I mean, I've gotten certifications and training and all of the things. And I work with people day in and day out of all stripes, you know, from the LGBTQ plus community and beyond, um, to help them achieve their retirement goals, to give them guaranteed income in retirement through the different tools that we have access to.
[00:26:49] So I really do hope that you would look at it to not that. And again, I have mentioned it before on the show today, but I'm not I'm not a therapist. I'm not a psychiatrist, I'm not a psychologist. But sort of part of my job as a financial advisor is to be kind of that financial therapist. Pissed, right? It's it's kind of like, um, you know, no matter what somebody is going through and especially, like, you think back to about April, right, when everything was just kind of tanking in the markets. And, and I heard from so many people, so many clients during that time. Oh, I'm freaking out. Should I be selling this? Should I be getting out? Should I be moving to cash? Should I be doing this, that or the other? And part of my job then was to be like, hold on, take a step back, breathe, take the emotions out of it, and let's look at it from a logical, rational and mathematical standpoint. In the markets, what goes down must go up, right? And at the same time, and obviously no guarantee there are no guarantees in the market, right. I mean, market could go down. But as past has shown us, if past is prologue, the markets will eventually go up over a long period of time.
[00:28:11] That's why you got to look at the stock market as a long term affair here, not just a short term. Oh, I'm going to. And I said this on last week's show too, I think I'm, I'm going to Vegas and I'm going to hit the jackpot. That's not what it's about. It is about long term gains. You've got to be in it for the long haul, not just trying to make a quick buck. And so that is a super important thing to keep in mind. Um, another super important thing to keep in mind is that, you know, working with a financial advisor can really help with the financial stress, because I will give you a plan if you're like, oh my gosh, what a revelation. An actual plan. Yes, a plan in writing that you can look at. And we'll check in on, on an annual basis and say each and every year, um, what is the performance of your financial portfolio versus what the plan had projected in the beginning. Are we still on track? Do we need to reallocate? Do we need to look at putting some more, um, money, some more funds into safety, some safer, um, vehicles? Are we still too invested in the market as you get closer to retirement? What is your risk tolerance and how do we invest based on that? All of those things and having that plan, even though I am not a therapist, I'm not a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
[00:29:39] I can sort of take that all and say, hey, we got a plan. So that no matter what happens, if the market does tank like it did in April, but then it bounced back in a big way. Um, if the market does tank, we can say, look, we got a plan. It's in place. No matter what happens, we're covered. You're good. And, you know, get some guaranteed income in retirement. Get that personal pension that I often talk about. Get that working for you. And, you know, just make sure that you are on a solid financial footing because and I can say this with confidence, the more solid your financial footing is, the better your emotional footing will likely be. Um, because of all the things we talked about here on the show today, the fact that the, uh, you know, financial stressor is the biggest stressor for a lot of people, according to, you know, study after study. We've seen it. And that's amplified many times in the LGBTQ plus community. So I want you to take control of the things you can control. I want you to be prepared and not scared. I want you to have a retirement that you can take pride in. And so that is why I do what I do. That is why I do this show and why I work as a financial advisor. Um, with clients one on one. So, you know, I mean financial stress.
[00:31:10] Yeah. It's real. That's part of what we've learned today. But the biggest part of what we learned today is, yeah, financial stress is real. But you're not alone. You don't have to face it alone. Your money sort of mindset may have been shaped by your experiences, but that's not a thing that's fixed in place. We can change it. We can rewrite that script. We've also talked about how clarity is confidence, and that really is so key. Do you have a clear picture of where you are and where you're going? Do you have a financial plan in writing? If not, if you said no to either of those things or both of those things, I would encourage you to give me a call or go to the website. Take pride in retirement. Take pride in retirement. Com give me a call 85524692 11. 85524692 11. Easiest thing to do. Probably go to the website and then up on the upper right hand corner of the screen it says schedule an appointment. You can click there. That takes you directly into my calendar. You'll see my real time availability, and I look forward to speaking with you and meeting with you one on one. We can do it via zoom. If you happen to be in the metro Atlanta area, we can meet in one of our offices in metro Atlanta as well. So yeah, just, um, super hope that you got something out of this show today, this conversation.
[00:32:32] And, you know, if you are ready to take kind of that next step toward peace of mind and less stress, doesn't that sound good? Less stress in your own financial life? Just reach out to me. All right. Let's talk. And you know, whether it's coming up with that plan or just answering some questions or helping you breathe a little easier, I want to be here for you. And I am. So just reach out to me via any of those ways that I just mentioned the the methods that I just mentioned there, because there is a method to the madness. All right. Well, that's going to do it for this edition of Take Pride in Retirement. Thank you so much for being a part of things once again this time around. I so appreciate it. Every time you're able to join for the show, I may not necessarily be able to see you, but you can see and hear me. So hey, that is a great thing and I do appreciate it that you are seeing and or hearing me wherever you might be. Thank you so much for doing that. Please do like and subscribe. Follow me on all of the socials out there to search for. Take pride in retirement wherever you are. Well, until next time, take pride in yourselves and take care of each other. We'll see you then. Thanks for listening to Take Pride in Retirement.
[00:33:42] Members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve to work with a fiduciary financial advisor who puts their needs first to schedule a free, no obligation consultation with Matt McClure and the team at Active Wealth Management. Call (855) 246-9211 or go online to take pride in retirement investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, BCM, a registered investment Advisor, BCM and Active Wealth Management Incorporated are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BCM, but are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents. Matt McClure, an active wealth management, are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency.
[00:34:26] Hey, it's Matt McClure with Active Wealth Management and host of Take Pride in Retirement. When it comes to your family's financial future, Peace of mind is everything, and Nationwide's Peak ten fixed indexed annuity can help with a nationwide peak, and you'll benefit from joint income options to help provide lifetime income for both you and your spouse. A death benefit to provide more security for your loved ones, and protection for your principal so your initial investment is safe for market downturns. Plus, you can receive an immediate 20% bonus added to the income benefit base when you choose the Lifetime Bonus Income plus rider for an additional cost. Call Me now 85524692 11 or go to take pride in retirement. Com to connect and learn how peak ten can help protect the ones you love. Let's take pride in retirement.
[00:35:06] Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, BCM, a registered investment advisor. Guarantees and protections referenced are subject to the claims paying ability of Nationwide Life and annuity insurance company. Nationwide peak ten is issued by Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio. Neither nationwide nor its other entities are associated or affiliated with Active Wealth management.
[00:35:26] Registered investment advisors and Investment advisor representatives act as fiduciaries for all of our investment management clients. We have an obligation to act in the best interest of our clients and to make full disclosures of any conflicts of interest. Please refer to our firm brochure, the ADV 2 a.m. for. For additional information. Any comments regarding safe and secure investments and guaranteed income streams refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not in any way refer to investment advisory products. Rates and guarantees provided by insurance products and annuities are subject to the financial strength of the issuing insurance company, not guaranteed by any bank or the FDIC.
