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In this episode, we ask:
- Who is clocking back in?
- What did the study say?
- What did the recent AARP study with NORC at the University of Chicago reveal?
- Is this about “those people”?
- How many people are reaching retirement every single day?
- What choices are you making?
- What will your retirement look like?
- What is the structure of the problem?
- What are the failures?
- Did the cost of being alive just go up?
- Are the vehicles storing your money liquid and accessible?
- What is the average 401(k) balance?
- How many workers are carrying a loan against a loan against their 401(k)?
- What is the consensus “financial advice” on Reddit?
- Do you get to choose your retirement date?
- What about job cuts?
- What is the American context that we find ourself in now?
- Does the paycheck last?
- Will the house sale cover what comes next?
- Will you run out of money?
- Who has to tell the story when you do?
- How many years of assisted living care do you have saved up?
- Is the nursing home the greatest beneficiary of the life’s work?
- What is the major retirement plan for so many Americans?
- What is the cost of memory care?
- What wiped out the money?
- What happens to the adult children?
- Who tells the story?
- How many days of retirement do you have saved?
- What did the Boston College Center for Retirement research find?
- What do you imagine will happen?
- Were the families planning?
- Were the parents careless?
- How much does a nine-decade life actually cost?
- What’s leftover after you pay the bills each month?
- Is a grown child your backup plan?
- What are the 40s and 50s actually for?
- Do you have a layer of money that you control on your own terms?
- Will you be forced to sell something at the worst possible time?
- How about a case study?
- What changed for him?
- Why do growth assets make terrible shock absorbers?
- What about the part of the plan that doesn’t move with the market?
- What has a 160 year track record?
- What are the guarantees?
- What about access?
- Can you know the guaranteed minimum cash value?
- What does tax law say?
- Do you have to be 59 1/2?
- Can you be declined?
- What accrues interest?
- Can you borrow the same dollar twice?
- What about loan repayments?
- Who sets the terms after a crisis starts?
- Did his kids have to become his backup plan?
- Does a 401(k) loan interrupt the growth?
- What about being double taxed?
- Would you like to hear Episode 206?
- How is a Bank on Yourself® type whole life insurance policy loan under your control?
- Do those dollars have a job to do?
- What choice will you make?
- What is the Not Your Average approach?
- Who gets to write your story?
- What did AARP say is the reason retirees keep working?
- Who is easing back into work?
- Who is being fired from retirement?
- What is the social proof?
- Does Warren Buffet’s rule still apply?
- What are the takeaways?
- Is retirement a date or a duration?
- Is that asset a growth asset or another type of asset?
- Is running out of money a family story or an individual one?
- Is certainty a feature?
- What can you control?
- When does the guaranteed layer start?
- What are the action steps?
Phil Smith is a Financial Planning Associate at Lake Growth Financial Services, bringing more than 17 years of banking and credit‑union experience to the firm. A Bank On Yourself® client since 2013, Phil has personally used the strategy to navigate major life transitions, eliminate debt, fund investments, and build long‑term financial resilience—giving him a rare dual perspective as both a seasoned practitioner and a long‑term policyholder.
Evan Greathouse is a trusted Bank On Yourself® Professional who empowers individuals nationwide to achieve lasting financial independence. He specializes in the Bank On Yourself® strategy, helping clients build wealth with uninterrupted growth, liquidity, and tax-free, penalty-free access to cash whenever they need it. With a strong foundation in business management and real estate, Evan combines practical experience with a passion for financial wisdom. He is dedicated to guiding clients through their financial journeys with clarity, purpose, and integrity. Rooted in faith, Evan believes that a strong ‘why’ can conquer any ‘how’ and strives to help others align their financial decisions with their greater purpose. Above all, he values his relationship with God, his wife, and their three children. 
Amanda Neely
Adam Zuckerman (JD/MBA) is the founder of Buried in Work, a leading resource that helps individuals, families, and businesses simplify estate planning and end-of-life tasks.
