Money Ripples Podcast

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4paT1nh  Is it really possible to stop paying your mortgage forever and actually have your mortgage pay you instead? In this episode, I dig into one of the most misunderstood tools in retirement planning: the reverse mortgage. If you're in your 50s, 60s, or beyond or you have parents in that stage of life and you're "equity rich but cashflow poor," this conversation could be a game changer. I'm joined by Marc Gertz, mortgage broker and founder of Reverse Your Thinking Mortgage, who has been in the mortgage world since the 1990s. Marc doesn't just dabble in reverse mortgages; he specializes in them, along with divorce-related lending and private lending. More importantly, he spends most of his time educating people, clearing up the myths and fears that have surrounded reverse mortgages for decades. We start by tackling the biggest misconception head-on: "Do I have to give up the title to my home?" Marc explains why that hasn't been true since the 1980s and how today's reverse mortgages are simply liens on your property, just like any other mortgage except you have the option not to make payments. Instead of your balance going down, the interest simply accrues and the loan balance goes up over time, while you keep ownership and control of your home. Marc and I walk through the history of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program, originally signed into law under Ronald Reagan as part of a broader effort to help middle-class Americans supplement Social Security and retirement savings. We talk about why the government created this program, how actuarial tables and age-based loan-to-value limits work, and why younger borrowers (even as young as 55 with certain products) might want to set up a reverse mortgage before they actually need it. You'll hear how reverse mortgages can: Eliminate an existing monthly mortgage payment Turn trapped home equity into a tax-free source of cash Be structured as lump sum, monthly payments, a growing line of credit, or a combination Help protect investment portfolios by allowing you to live on your home equity in down Marcets Even be used (in some cases) on second homes, vacation homes, and short-term rentals We also address the number one emotional concern: "What happens when I die, and what about my kids?" Marc explains how heirs can still inherit remaining equity, how they can sell or refinance the property, and why these loans are designed so that your family is never personally on the hook if the loan balance ever exceeds the home's value. If you've ever worried that a reverse mortgage meant "giving your house to the bank," or if you've been looking for ways to create more passive income and reduce your monthly overhead in retirement, this episode will help you see this tool in a very different light. As always, my goal is to help you become work optional so you work because you want to, not because you have to and for some people, the right reverse mortgage strategy might be an important part of that plan. Marc's Links: - Website: https://www.reverseyourthinking.com/  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathius-marc-gertz/  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rytreverse?igsh=MWVkbnd0M2xneHplbQ== 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4a5w0NL  Can AI actually give you better financial advice than a real human who's been in the trenches? In this episode, I put that to the test. I sit down with ChatGPT and ask it to build a full retirement plan for me as if I were a typical disciplined saver: 35 years old, earning $150,000 a year, with $150,000 in a 401(k), a mortgage, a car payment, and a goal to retire at 62 with at least $100,000 a year in today's dollars. Then I start pressing the AI with the same tough questions I ask Wall Street–trained financial advisors. What you'll hear is how quickly AI financial advice starts sounding like the same old traditional playbook: max out your 401(k), open a Roth IRA, throw extra money into a taxable brokerage account, buy index funds and bonds, rebalance, hope the 4% rule works, and cross your fingers that inflation stays low and the markets cooperate. On the surface, it seems logical. But when I start pushing on the assumptions higher inflation, lower safe withdrawal rates, realistic market returns the numbers explode. Suddenly, you "need" $10–12 million saved and you're supposed to be putting away 25–30% of your income for decades. I walk you through how those tiny tweaks moving from 3% inflation to 4.5%, or from a 4% withdrawal rate down to 3–3.5% completely change the math and expose how fragile traditional retirement planning really is. I show how even advanced AI financial planning tools are still drinking from the same well as Google and mainstream financial media: they're optimizing the wrong game. Then I shift the conversation to what actually works in the real world. I press AI to talk about alternatives: real estate, private lending notes, cash-flowing businesses, syndications, and infinite banking using high cash value life insurance. I highlight where AI finally starts pointing to multiple streams of passive income, tax-efficient strategies, and becoming work optional in 10–15 years instead of waiting until your 60s. But even then, it can't tell you who to follow, how to vet deals, or how to integrate strategies like max ROI infinite banking the way I do with my clients. I also share why tools like ChatGPT are great for speed and research, but dangerous when you blindly trust them with your financial future. Algorithms haven't retired early. Algorithms don't invest their own money. Algorithms can't sit down with you, look at your situation, and design a custom game plan that gets you to freedom faster and with less risk. If your goal is to become work optional, retire earlier, and create real financial independence; not just hope your 401(k) lasts this episode will help you see the difference between theory and results. I explain how I've used passive real estate investments, private lending, and infinite banking together to create a more predictable path to financial freedom, and why my mission is to help 1,000 families become financially independent by 2030. If you're ready to stop getting the same old advice dressed up in AI clothing, and you want a plan that actually works in the real world, this episode is for you. And when you are serious about becoming one of those 1,000 families, you can connect with me at MoneyRipples.com and start building your own work optional blueprint.

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4ppT7ax  If you've been watching the markets lately, you know something is off. The stock market keeps climbing even though the fundamentals are wildly out of balance. And while everyday investors are being told to "buy and hold," Warren Buffett arguably the greatest investor alive is quietly doing the exact opposite. He's sitting on more cash than at any point in his 73-year investing career. Berkshire Hathaway is now holding $381.7 billion in cash. Not stocks. Not crypto. Cash. And he's been selling more than he buys for twelve straight quarters. In this episode, I break down exactly why Buffett is hoarding cash, what he's preparing for, and what that means for you if you actually want to keep your wealth intact and position yourself to profit when the tide finally goes out. Because make no mistake it will go out. And when it does, those who've been overleveraged, overconfident, and oversold on hype will be exposed. Buffett knows it. That's why he's holding more than thirty percent of his portfolio in cash-type instruments like T-bills. And he's still outperforming the market. I dig into the Buffett Indicator, which now sits at more than 220 percent, meaning the market is more than double the valuation of the actual economy. That's not sustainable. That's not normal. And that's not something a value investor ignores. While most people are chasing overpriced stocks, Buffett is bargain-hunting, just like he did during the Great Recession when he swooped in and made deals on Bank of America, Apple, and others. History may not repeat itself perfectly, but patterns absolutely do. So what does that mean for you? Do you dump your stocks? Do you wait for the crash? Do you sit on cash making nothing? Not necessarily. I walk through practical, real-world alternatives that give you the liquidity and safety Buffett seeks, but with better tax advantages and stronger growth than parking your money in a savings account or money market fund. That's why I show you how I personally use Max ROI Infinite Banking to store my cash, earn tax-free growth, stay liquid, and prepare for the next big buying opportunity whether that's in real estate, businesses, or discounted assets. I'm not predicting the market will crash tomorrow or even this year. But the math doesn't lie. We are in the late stages of an everything bubble, and leverage, speculation, and emotion are driving prices not fundamentals. If you want to be prepared, you need to think differently than the amateurs. You need to act like the pros do, not like they tell you to. You need liquidity, safety, and strategy. This episode gives you clarity on what Buffett is signaling, what I'm doing personally, and how you can position yourself so that when the correction comes whether that's 2025, 2026, or later you're not the one swimming naked. You're the one with cash, opportunity, and confidence.

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/48leYtH  Are you a real estate investor who's frustrated with rentals right now? Tired of tenants, vacancies, repairs, and rising expenses eating your cash flow? Wondering how in the world you're supposed to make rentals work in a market with higher interest rates and squeezed margins? In this episode, I break down a powerful alternative with my friend and note investing legend, Eddie Speed, that can help you cash flow better without being chained to traditional landlording. I start by calling out what many of you are feeling: rentals that used to work just a few years ago now barely break even. Eddie and I talk about how cap rates have compressed from around 8% in 2018 to closer to 4% today in many markets, even while expenses like taxes, insurance, and maintenance have climbed two and a half times faster than rents. On top of that, DSCR loans might charge you 6–7% interest while your rental only nets 4%. That math doesn't lie, and it's not in your favor. That's where seller financing and note investing come in. Eddie explains, in simple terms, what it really means to "be the bank" instead of the landlord. Instead of collecting rent and paying all the expenses, you sell the property with owner financing, collect a down payment, and receive monthly payments as the bank. No toilets, no tenants, no mid-night repair calls. You keep the interest, not pay it. In many cases, the net income from a seller-financed note can be more than double what you'd make as a landlord on the same property. We also dig into today's market cycle. Eddie's been through six different real estate cycles since starting in 1980, and he explains why we're currently in a "note cycle," not a rental cycle. This isn't about chasing appreciation and hoping the market saves you in ten years. It's about increasing cash flow now, using present value and real numbers. You'll hear a simple example of how converting a rental that nets $1,000 a month into a seller-financed deal that nets $3,000 a month can create a six-figure difference over a few years. If you already own rentals and you're frustrated with thin cash flow, this episode will give you a new way to look at those properties. If you've been wanting passive income without the headaches of tenants and property management, you'll see why being the bank can be a better fit than being a landlord. Eddie also shares how his team at NoteSchool has built done-for-you systems to handle underwriting, paperwork, loan servicing, and even strategies to sell part of your note for liquidity while keeping the cash flow. Most investors are still stuck in the old "buy, rehab, rent, refi" mindset, even when the numbers no longer work. My goal with this conversation is to show you that there is a smarter way to create passive income in this market without depending on appreciation, and without locking yourself into low-margin rental deals. If you've ever looked at your rental spreadsheet and thought, "There has to be a better way," this episode is for you. Eddie Speed's links: - Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thenoteauthority?igsh=MWFlOGxkZWt1OGt4Zg==  - Website: https://noteschool.com/  - YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteSchool  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiespeed/ 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/3XldkSV  Middle America is drowning and not because people are careless with their money. It's because the cost of simply staying alive keeps climbing while wages can't keep up. In this episode, I break down what's really happening beneath the surface, why it's more dangerous than most people realize, and how it threatens not just lower-income families but every American… including the wealthy. Today I'm exposing the uncomfortable truth behind the affordability crisis in America. We're watching inflation quietly erode purchasing power, credit card debt hit all-time highs, delinquencies climb, and homeowners tap into their equity out of desperation. And it's not because people are buying luxury items, it's because basic necessities have become unaffordable. Right now, 30% of low-income Americans cannot meet basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. Middle America is barely keeping their head above water. Even high-income earners are feeling the squeeze with rising insurance premiums, food costs, taxes, and still-increasing service expenses. This isn't just an "inflation problem." It's a systemic affordability issue that's creating cracks in the economy that can easily widen into something more dangerous. I dive into the explosive growth of credit card debt, skyrocketing auto loan delinquencies, and the shocking surge in cash-out refinances happening at higher interest rates. Why would anyone do that? Because people are out of options. They're using home equity as a lifeline while hoping the economy magically fixes itself. But hope is not a strategy. I also break down how the government's own spending behavior mirrors what's happening on Main Street, why the Fed fears deflation far more than inflation, and why deflation could crush the stock market harder than most investors realize. AI-driven job displacement, slowing rehiring trends, and seasonal employment band-aids only add more fuel to a growing economic fire. But this isn't a gloom-and-doom message. It's a wake-up call. I explain what you can do right now to protect yourself and your family how to get liquid, how to prepare for coming opportunities, and why waiting on "hopium" will put you in the danger zone. When the wealthy start holding record levels of cash, like Warren Buffett sitting on over 380 billion, it's not an accident. It's a signal. There are moves you should be making today. There are real assets that can protect you. There are ways to build cash flow even when the economy tightens. And there are decisions you must stop putting off if you want to stay ahead of what's coming. This episode might make you uncomfortable but it will also get you prepared. And right now, preparation is everything.

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4o2e5eo  If you've ever wondered whether you really have the time, energy, or bandwidth to work a full-time job and build a real estate portfolio, this episode is for you. I'm talking with my friend Leon Barnes, Director of Membership at the Collective Genius mastermind, and someone who not only helps top-tier investors grow their businesses, but also quietly manages his own rental portfolio on the side. In this conversation, I pull back the curtain on what it actually looks like to balance a demanding role with actively buying and holding real estate. Leon shares how he went from the traditional "go to college, get a good job" path into corporate sales, burned out on the rat race, and then pivoted into real estate by helping grow a high-volume flipping business. That journey eventually led him into Collective Genius, where he now serves as a true connector for some of the best operators in the country. We talk about what makes Collective Genius unique as a mastermind community: the culture of leaving your ego at the door, learning from investors doing hundreds of deals a year, and the power of being in a room where someone with "only" a handful of deals can still teach something valuable to the big players. Leon also explains how he personally scaled his own rental portfolio strategy not by doing everything himself, but by finding the right "who's" to partner with, including a long-time friend who now handles acquisitions and day-to-day operations. We dig into the hard truths around unit counts and cash flow. Leon talks openly about chasing the vanity metric of "100 doors," and how rising interest rates forced him to re-evaluate everything. Instead of focusing on door count, he now prioritizes cash flow vs equity, sanity over vanity, and the freedom that comes from fewer, better, and eventually free-and-clear rentals. His perspective lines up with what I've seen over and over: you don't win just by stacking properties, you win when those properties actually support your life. If you're new to real estate, still stuck in Wall Street-only investments, or nervous about your first step, Leon shares practical advice on how to start. We talk about finding trusted advisors and mentors, using turnkey options wisely, and learning to underwrite deals so you're not flying blind. Whether you want to stay passive or eventually build a more active investing business, there's a path that fits your season. We wrap up by talking about Leon's personal ripple effect using his role as a connector and community builder to help entrepreneurs grow businesses that change their families' financial futures for generations. If you've been questioning whether you can realistically build wealth in real estate while working full time, this episode will show you that it's not only possible, but doable with the right people, strategy, and mindset. Leon's Links: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-barnes-79a71652/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AcfVqEhHa/?mibextid=wwXIfr  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leongbarnes?igsh=YzhxNXRtNjlhN2k4 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4ifBrvS  Could your 401(k) or IRA actually be costing you more in taxes than it's saving you? In this episode, I dive into a powerful Roth conversion strategy the wealthy use for tax-free growth and how artificial intelligence is changing the game for tax planning and long-term wealth. I'm joined by Kenner French, founder of Vast Solutions Group and Vast Asset Defense, a pioneer who started using AI for tax planning back in 2010, long before it was trendy. He's been recognized by Kevin O'Leary (Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank) for his innovative use of AI to help entrepreneurs save on taxes. Kenner's background runs from Harvard to Wall Street, to partnering with Sharon Lechter (co-author of Rich Dad Poor Dad) and now to using AI to help business owners and high earners make more, save more, and protect more. We break down what a Roth IRA really is, who it's best for, and how a Roth conversion works in plain English. If you've ever wondered whether you should convert part of your traditional IRA or 401(k) to a Roth, we walk through the scenarios where it can make a lot of sense especially in low-income or "down" years, after a layoff, during a bad business year, or when your tax bracket temporarily drops. Kenner explains why those "ugly" years can become golden opportunities for strategic Roth conversions and long-term tax-free growth. We also compare Roth strategies with properly structured life insurance (what I often use with my clients), and we talk about when life insurance can offer even more flexibility than a Roth especially for business owners, real estate investors, and people who care about asset protection. We dig into why I use life insurance as a tax-free safe storage place for cash that I can then deploy into real estate, private lending, and businesses while keeping the tax advantages and lawsuit protection that many people overlook. Kenner shares how his AI model "Einstein" works behind the scenes to analyze tax returns and identify strategies, and why AI alone isn't enough you still need experienced CPAs, tax attorneys, and advisors to review, guide, and interpret the recommendations. We also talk about my own journey from resisting AI to embracing it inside my business and how it's allowed me to be more effective, not more passive. If you're a W-2 earner at a place like Google, a successful entrepreneur, or somewhere in between, this episode will help you rethink where your money is growing, how it's being taxed, and what you can do starting this year to legally and intelligently reduce your tax bill. We tie it all back to the Money Ripples mission: helping you become work optional by building sustainable passive income and keeping more of what you make. By the end, you'll see why the wealthy are so intentional about Roth conversions, tax-free growth, AI-driven tax planning, and asset protection, and how you can start using the same tools in your own financial life.  Kenner's links: - Website: https://vastsolutionsgroup.com/  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-kenner-french-8138211a6/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/r.kenner.french  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r.kennerfrench?igsh=ZDBpZW92dDF0djhy 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/3M4gDv0 Everyone's talking about the new 50 year mortgage, and a lot of people are either hyping it as the key to homeownership or condemning it as a debt trap. In this episode, I break down the math, the myths, and the reality so you can decide if a 50 year mortgage actually moves you closer to financial freedom or quietly keeps you stuck. That's why I don't just react emotionally to headlines; I run the numbers. Today, I compare a 50 year mortgage to the traditional 30 year mortgage and even the 15 year mortgage that gurus like Dave Ramsey often push. We talk interest rates, amortization, total interest cost, and the impact on your monthly cashflow and long-term wealth. I walk through specific scenarios: a $500,000 home with 5% down, a 30 year mortgage at 6.25%, and a 50 year mortgage at 6.75%. On paper, the 50 year mortgage sounds like it should radically lower your payment and make homeownership more affordable. But when we actually do the math, we find the difference in monthly payment is surprisingly small around $150 per month not the life-changing savings many people are expecting. So if you're already far from qualifying for a home, stretching to 50 years probably won't magically fix that. We also tackle the biggest fear: "You'll pay a ton more interest and never build equity." I explain why mortgage interest is simple interest, not compounding, and what that means when you stretch out a loan over 50 years. Yes, you will pay more total interest if you keep the loan that long but the real question is: how long are you actually going to live in that house? For most people, the answer is closer to 7–10 years, not 50. From there, I dig into the real-world risks and opportunities. If you're a spender and you never save the difference, a 50 year mortgage will not save you. If you're a disciplined steward of your money and you use the lower payment (even if it's modestly lower) to build liquidity, emergency reserves, and investments, then the flexibility of a longer mortgage can actually protect you during job loss, business downturns, or medical surprises. I share why I'd rather see you keep cash in your hands than trap all your dollars as home equity you can't easily access in a downturn. We also look at appreciation and inflation. A longer-term loan lets you repay your mortgage with devalued future dollars, while your home value may be rising over time. I show what happens to a $500,000 home growing at just 3.5% annually and how that compares to the "extra" interest you pay on a 50 year mortgage. We also stress-test the idea of "investing the difference" what rate of return would you really need to offset the longer term? Finally, I give you my honest take: when I would consider a 50 year mortgage, when I'd avoid it, and why I personally still like a 30 year mortgage for most situations even though I'm absolutely not in a hurry to pay mine off early. If you've been wondering whether this new 50 year mortgage is a blessing, a scam, or just clever marketing, this episode will give you the clarity and context you're not getting from the headlines.

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/43t4xle  A lot of people have heard of the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, but very few actually know how to apply it in real life, right now, in the 21st century.  In this episode, I sit down with David Meltzer, the chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute, to break down how to truly live these principles so you can create real wealth, real impact, and real happiness. If you don't know David's story, it's powerful. He made over $100 million, ran the iconic sports agency that inspired the movie Jerry Maguire, and then lost it all. Bankruptcy. Starting over from below zero. What changed everything for him was coming back to the timeless philosophies of Napoleon Hill and learning how to engineer wealth instead of just chasing money. In our conversation, David and I dive into how to move from "I'll be happy when…" to living "for the sake of what." We talk about what it really means to define a definiteness of purpose, why so many people drift without clarity, and how your behaviors what you consistently think, say, do, believe, and feel either move you toward your potential or away from it. David shares how mentors like Bob Proctor, Sharon Lecter, Greg Reid, Jack Canfield, and even the work of Wayne Dyer helped him reframe his failures, rebuild his life, and apply Hill's principles from books like Think and Grow Rich, Three Feet from Gold, and Outwitting the Devil. We dig into his concept of "a thousand steps" and why 90% of the time it takes to achieve anything meaningful is spent on the first 250 steps right where most people quit. We also tackle why people struggle to ask for help, and how the fastest way to get where you want to go is to help someone else get where they want to go. David explains why comparison is the thief of joy, how social media has created a generation of "virtual Great Gatsbys," and why chasing an image of success keeps you broke, frustrated, and exhausted. If you've ever felt like you're three feet from gold, this episode will give you a new way to interpret pain, setbacks, and "failures." David explains how to see them as promotion, protection, love, and perfection, not punishment. That shift alone can completely change the trajectory of your financial life. We wrap up by talking about David's mission to empower over a billion people to be happy by teaching them to make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and have a lot of fun. He even shares how you can get a free signed copy of his book, straight from him. If you're serious about passive income, financial freedom, and building a rich life with purpose, this conversation will help you connect the dots between timeless wisdom and modern application. You'll walk away with practical ways to align your mindset, your habits, and your money with the person you're truly meant to become. David's Links: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/davidmeltzer/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidmeltzer11/  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmeltzer/?hl=en 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4ozuSq1  What if you could access 0% funding from $50,000 up to $250,000 and strategically use it to grow your business, invest in real estate, and even stack rewards so the money effectively pays you? In this episode I sit down with Ari Page, owner of Fund&Grow, to unpack how 0% business credit cards and a smart card-stacking strategy can create real, usable liquidity when traditional banks say "no." Ari's story starts in 2007 inside a mortgage company as LTVs shrank overnight and deals collapsed. The workaround they found business credit cards that don't report to your personal credit and offer 0% introductory periods (six to as long as 22 months) became a scalable system for entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals who need fast, flexible capital. We break down why these products are treated more like micro-loans than mortgages, why they're less regulated, and how banks use 0% offers to attract high-quality business clients (so you can benefit from the teaser rates, points, and perks). We go deep on the card-stacking sequence: which issuers to start with, how merging limits works (e.g., opening a new 0% card and combining it with an existing line to make the larger line 0%), and why keeping utilization off personal cards preserves your FICO while you continue stacking on the EIN side. We also cover the DSCR-style thinking for small business owners why liquidity at 0% can be more valuable than chasing higher-cost lines and how to avoid the biggest mistakes (like using this for personal bills or speculative trading). If you're a dentist buying equipment, a contractor scaling crews, or a real estate investor funding marketing and light rehabs, this is built for you. One of my favorite tactical nuggets: using a business credit card for contractor payments. If workmanship isn't up to code or a project stalls, you have chargeback/dispute protection forcing the vendor to respond to the bank (not just you). That leverage can get the job finished, protect timelines, and preserve capital. Add in 2% cash-back options and the airline transfer sweet spots (move points from the card portal to the airline account for outsized value), and your effective cost of capital drops even further. Who is this not for? Folks with poor credit, people trying to make next month's mortgage payment, or anyone looking to punt into bonds/crypto directly with cards. Who is it for? Responsible entrepreneurs, professionals, and real estate investors who want low-cost working capital to buy equipment, fund marketing, bridge project timelines, and scale with discipline. Ari also shares a no-inquiry, soft-pull prequalification to see your potential total limits and a consult to map your sequence. If you've felt boxed out by today's tight lending, this episode shows a practical, compliant path to work-optional faster: build liquidity, protect your credit, and put other people's money to work at 0%. Ari Page's links: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aripageceo/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aripage.fundandgrow/  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aripage.fundandgrow/  - Website: https://funding.fundandgrow.com/f-g-organic-linkedin1724878205877 

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/3Xdyhim  Everyone tells you mutual funds are the "safe" bet for retirement. But what if I told you they carry an almost 99% failure rate when it comes to actually creating financial freedom? In this solo episode, I separate risk from failure and break down what really works if you want your money working harder for you so you don't have to work so hard for that money. I start by defining terms most people mix up: risk is the chance of loss, while failure is the likelihood you'll hit your goals namely, sustainable income that makes you work optional. A savings account has near-zero risk, but it's also almost guaranteed to fail at creating freedom. Mutual funds and the S&P 500 might not go to zero and over long stretches they often recover but recovery isn't the same as success. If you arrive at retirement needing real income and your strategy only "works" on paper, that's a failure. I walk through the data most people ignore: industry headlines brag that over 1 million Fidelity clients now have seven-figure balances, yet Transamerica reports that 35% of savers still believe it would take a miracle to retire. Do the math: out of tens of millions of accounts, only a tiny fraction feel genuinely free. Add in taxes, low withdrawal rules (3–4%), and inflation, and you see why traditional accumulation falls short. Even Vanguard's forward return estimates are sobering yet Wall Street still sells the same set-and-forget plan. Then I contrast that with alternative investments designed to produce stable cash flow. I don't sugarcoat anything: certain real estate or syndication deals can go bad. Risk is real. But failure doesn't have to be. When you understand structures like debt vs. equity, collateral, and conservative underwriting and when you diversify intelligently your odds of success can drastically improve compared to relying on market appreciation and hoping sequence-of-returns risk doesn't hit you at the worst time. I also show three side-by-side scenarios using a $600,000 nest egg over 10 years: A mutual fund path (even granting a friendlier return and a 4% withdrawal) that still struggles to create meaningful income after taxes. A properly structured whole life insurance approach ("infinite banking") producing tax-free distributions with contractual guarantees and over a century of paid-out performance by the right carriers. And a diversified cash-flow investing path targeting ~10% that, even after accounting for setbacks, can deliver 2–3x+ the income of the Wall Street plan without selling off principal. Bottom line: don't confuse "lower chance of loss" with "higher chance of success." If you want freedom sooner not someday you need vehicles built for income, not just accumulation. My mission at Money Ripples is to help you reduce risk the right way while increasing the probability of success. If you're done gambling your future on hope and averages, and you want predictable cash flow, it's time to pivot from "set it and forget it" to a cash-flow first strategy that aligns with the life you actually want. Names & terms to help you find this episode later: Fidelity, Transamerica, Vanguard, S&P 500, mutual funds, 4% rule, infinite banking, whole life insurance, alternative investments, passive income, tax-free income, Central Lending, Money Ripples.

Hitting 1,000 episodes is wild, and I wanted to celebrate it the right way: by flipping the mic and letting you ask the questions. In this special, unscripted, zero-rehearsal episode, I bring two Money Ripples listeners, Jeff Holbrook, a physical therapist and father of five from Salt Lake City, and Jen, a Montana farmer and rancher, straight onto the show to ask the questions so many people quietly carry around. If you've ever wondered how to apply these strategies when you're living paycheck-to-paycheck, how Infinite Banking really compares to my Max ROI System, or how to mentor teens with their first $10,000 in savings, this one is for you. Jeff kicks us off with the most honest question there is: "How can an average Joe become financially free when there's no 'fat' left to cut?" I walk through the same process I used when I was more than a million dollars in debt. It starts with cash flow first: freeing up monthly money using the Cashflow Index, identifying tax inefficiencies, restructuring payments, negotiating when needed, and then relentlessly focusing on income creation instead of only cutting back. Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger both emphasized that the first $100,000 is the hardest, and I explain why that milestone should be the near-term target before worrying about investing. This is the entire philosophy behind the Work-Optional Blueprint and the Wealth Accelerator Academy. Jen brings the conversation into Infinite Banking and asks how my Max ROI design differs from Nelson Nash's original approach. I break down the key difference: the concept is solid, but the policy design is everything. Many traditional structures delay cash value for years. I show why I prioritize liquidity, investing utility, and reduced internal costs so clients often see significantly higher early cash value — which in real life can result in tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings over time.  Jeff then asks about the part of my story I usually gloss over: how I climbed out of seven-figure debt without filing bankruptcy. I talk about selling off everything from toys to cars, turning in a Mercedes, facing foreclosures, slashing expenses to the bone, accepting help when needed, rebuilding income, and stacking passive income streams one at a time until I reached financial independence again in late 2016. It wasn't glamorous, but it was real, repeatable, and grounded in principles anyone can apply. Jen closes by asking how to guide teens who have saved their first $10,000. I share the playbook: keep the money safe in high-yield cash while they work toward their first major financial milestone, consider a properly structured parent-owned policy as a long-term growth tool, and let them co-invest in small slices of your deals so they learn through real numbers, real returns, and real responsibility. That's how you build wise stewards, not just savers. We wrap by talking about what's ahead: David Morgan's conversations about central banks, the concerns around CBDCs, and why I continue to favor real assets like real estate. Thank you for 1,000 episodes and 11½ years of ripple effects. My goal is simple: help at least 1,000 families reach financial independence by 2030.  Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/4qPxvpu  The Work Optional Blueprint: https://a.co/d/fFzl9Zw  

👉 Pre-order your copy here: https://a.co/d/3DFRqXy  Ready to build your Money Habit? - Pre-order The Money Habit today and take the first step toward mastering your finances and creating lasting wealth. What if one simple change with a credit card could free up hundreds of dollars in cash flow every month? In this episode, I sit down with my friend and bestselling author Mike Michalowicz (Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, All In, and now The Money Habit) to unpack a deceptively powerful tactic you can implement today and the money psychology behind why it works. We start with Mike's ultra-practical subscription audit move: open an additional credit card, write "SUBSCRIPTIONS" on it with a Sharpie, and route every subscription streaming, software, app trials, memberships, even that "smart" mattress plan onto that one card. When the monthly statement hits, you feel a productive dose of pain and clarity. That visibility exposes zombie charges you forgot about and forces better decisions. Mike's seen people reclaim hundreds to over a thousand dollars a month using this alone. I've felt that sting myself. Even when you think you're tracking everything, consolidation turns "invisible" expenses into obvious targets. From there, we zoom out. Mike shares the hard-won story behind Profit First how chasing revenue without true profitability led to a crash in 2008, a humbling reset, and the system that's helped entrepreneurs (me included) run healthier businesses and lives. We translate those principles to personal finance with his new book The Money Habit: don't try to become a different person; channel your existing habits to win with money. You'll hear two big frameworks that clicked for me: Optimal Foraging Theory (hunt → preserve → consume). Most of us "hunt" income and immediately consume, but the win is in preservation first automating how every incoming dollar gets stored and allocated before you ever spend. Then there's Parkinson's Law applied to money: expenses expand to the cash available. That's why "I just need to make more" rarely fixes anything. More control before more income is the unlock. We also hit the myth of lottery-winner doom. Mike's research shows winners with a money system become measurably happier; those without one spiral. Same income, different outcome because systems beat willpower. On a personal note, I share how adopting Profit First years ago helped me carve out real profit, invest, and ultimately become work optional with enough passive income to let me choose how I spend my time. If you're serious about building cash flow and living a rich life now (not someday), this conversation gives you a fast, implement-today tactic plus a durable framework to keep what you earn and multiply it. Mike Michalowicz's links: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemichalowicz/  - Website: https://mikemichalowicz.com/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeMichalowiczFanPage/  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemichalowicz/    Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/43LgjY9  Buy our book: https://a.co/d/fFzl9Zw  

Start making passive income here: https://bit.ly/3LkShNi  Buy our book: https://a.co/d/fFzl9Zw  Is investing in car wash businesses the best thing to add to your real estate portfolio right now? In this episode, I sit down with Chris Larsen of Next Level Income to unpack why "operating real estate" (assets with both land + business components) can boost returns if the operations are rock solid. Chris shares his journey from a Virginia Tech engineering grad and Category 1 cyclist to building financial independence through rentals, multifamily syndications, and now car wash roll-ups. A pivotal moment losing his best friend (also named Chris) on June 21, 1997 reframed his view of time, purpose, and the need to control capital to live life on his own terms. We talk candidly about where multifamily sits today: high prices, high rents, and high interest rates have compressed margins. So how do you still get attractive yields? Chris explains why he's still bullish on apartments (especially affordable housing with municipality partnerships and tax abatements), but also why he's allocating to operating real estate like car washes, senior housing, mobile home parks, and even private credit while banks are constrained. You'll hear a simple, tactical playbook for de-risking car washes: Memberships to stabilize cash flow against weather and seasonality (he added memberships at an in-bay automatic wash in Asheville, North Carolina, where his son even worked this summer). Operational excellence as the #1 driver of returns either run it well or partner with a proven operator. Technology & pricing: use modern software (dynamic pricing, ML/AI tools) to optimize revenue just like best-in-class STR operators do. Roll-ups: buy mom-and-pop sites from retiring baby boomers, improve operations, and package multiple washes to expand the EBITDA multiple from ~8x at purchase to potentially ~12x on exit creating value through scale, not speculation. We also cover why senior housing is poised for a powerful decade as boomers begin turning 80 at 10,000/day, how private lending/private credit can offer double-digit coupons in today's tighter banking environment, and why the quality of the operator has never mattered more. If you're earlier on the journey, we revisit house hacking, small rentals, and when to consider moving up the "Monopoly board" to larger, more efficient assets. Finally, Chris opens up about infinite banking a tool his family has used for 16 years as a core liquidity hub showing how properly structured cash value policies can store dry powder, protect families, and be redeployed into opportunities (from crises to car wash acquisitions). We close with ripple effect stories from disaster relief fuel runs after the Helene impact near Asheville to helping listeners build work-optional lives that free them to use their God-given talents at scale. If you want to think bigger than "one more door," understand where operations create alpha, and see exactly how a car wash + real estate hybrid can fit beside multifamily, affordable housing, and private credit, this conversation will give you a practical, step-by-step lens to act not just listen. Chris' links: - LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nextlevelincome/  - Website: https://nextlevelincome.com/  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.a.larsen/ 

Book a call here with our Infinite Banking Specialist: https://bit.ly/4qGvonC  Buy our book: https://a.co/d/fFzl9Zw  We're seeing cracks everywhere right now real estate pressures, stock market volatility, AI disruptions, tariff threats, and a whole lot of uncertainty. If you've been asking, "Is there anywhere I can put cash where it's truly safe, accessible, and still produces dependable passive income for life?" this episode is for you. I'm Chris Miles, your cashflow expert and anti-financial advisor, and today I break down exactly how I create guaranteed, tax-free income using my Max ROI Infinite Banking approach. This isn't theory. I walk through real scenarios I recently ran for clients including a dentist in his 30s and a 60-year-old high-earner so you can see how the numbers actually work and how soon you could turn on income. I start by addressing the natural temptation to "do nothing" when markets feel wobbly. Doing nothing is like balancing on a rocking boat you will eventually fall in. Real freedom comes from playing offense and defense at the same time: holding truly safe cash reserves while still investing for growth. Infinite banking, structured properly with a high-cash-value whole life design (not universal life), gives me a guaranteed foundation that grows, stays liquid, and can be tapped for opportunities then later converts to reliable, tax-free income. You'll hear me map out: A 30-something dentist funding $60k/yr for 15 years (total $900k) and then taking $75k/yr tax-free for 43 years, still leaving a seven-figure death benefit. A 60-year-old funding $60k/yr for 10 years (total $600k) and then drawing ~$52k/yr tax-free for 20 years. A lump-sum variation where $600k is earmarked once, automatically drafts premiums via a 5.5% side account, and later pays ~$65k/yr tax-free for 20 years—a payout many investors struggle to match even with a doubled brokerage balance (and that would usually be taxable). I also explain why the income you can sustainably pull matters more than an account's headline growth rate, how whole life dividends (historically around the 6% neighborhood in recent decades) translate to spendable, tax-free distributions, and why universal life is not the tool for this strategy. If you've ever worried about outliving your money, this episode shows a path to certainty without giving up flexibility. I keep my emergency/opportunity fund inside these policies, earn far more than a bank, maintain access for deals, and later flip the switch to lifetime income often coordinating with Social Security to boost results. Bottom line: turbulence happens. Winners prepare in advance. Build the defensive base that lets you stay calm, seize deals, and sleep at night. If you want to see how Max ROI Infinite Banking fits your plan or run your own numbers use the Work Optional Calculator on our site and click the Infinite Banking tab to book a call. The best time to create certainty is before the storm hits. Let's design your one-two punch and make work optional for life.