BetterWealth with Caleb Guilliams

Learn the early warning signs that preceded Ohio National's demutualization and PHL Variable's collapse, spotted years before the public knew. In this interview, Caleb Guilliams sits down with forensic accountant Tom Gober (Deep Dive Analytics) to break down how secret captives, offshore reinsurance and XOL assets hide trouble on a life insurance company's books.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/CPraAU_UmxMWant Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/CPraAU_UmxMWant Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here:https://betterwealth.com/vault/yt/CPraAU_UmxMChapters:00:00 Introduction and Trailer02:36 Ohio National Before the Warning Signs03:21 Captives Showing Up at a Mutual04:44 Why New York Life Stayed Mutual05:51 Why Captives Help a Company Sell07:39 How Captives Inflate Surplus08:30 The Canadian Buyer and the Fallout08:47 Caleb as an Ohio National Agent10:48 What Happened to Policy Performance12:13 Liabilities Hidden, Not Removed12:44 Your Claim Is Only on the Named Insurer14:18 Executives Who Denied the Sale15:00 Captives Exploded Under Private Equity15:46 What PHL Variable Actually Was17:00 The Rate Lock Riders That Broke PHL17:43 Moving PHL Out of the Group18:28 Connecticut Approves Secret Captives19:17 What an XOL Agreement Really Is20:44 Booking XOLs as Admitted Assets23:36 How Black Holes Form in Secret24:09 Golden Gate Refuses to Fund the Hole25:02 Permitted Practices Explained26:40 Why Captive Financials Stay Secret29:43 Conning Report Confirms XOL Problem30:46 Actuaries' List of Excluded Assets31:53 Annuity vs Life Insurance Reserves34:03 What PHL Should Have Done Instead35:24 ACAP's Insolvent Companies Still Open37:02 Pension Risk Transfer Red Flags38:50 Guarantee Association Caps and Delays41:30 Policyholders Are Taking Hidden Risk42:31 Red Flags Shared by Every Failure43:44 Where to Get a Carrier ReportLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/CPraAU_UmxM====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Brad Owens joins Caleb Guilliams to break down ICHRA (now called choice) and how it lets employers cut health insurance costs while giving employees more options.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/7lNLEgDG008Want Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/7lNLEgDG008Want Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here:https://betterwealth.com/vault/yt/7lNLEgDG008Learn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/7lNLEgDG008====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Learn how a 65-year-old can turn $300,000 into roughly $2,000 a month of guaranteed income for life. In this interview, Caleb Guilliams sits down with Dr. Michael Finke of the American College of Financial Services to break down how to cover fixed retirement expenses with annuities and Social Security before investing the rest.Connect with Michael on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-finke-8134808Are You a Financial Advisor or Agent? Further Your Education Here: https://www.theamericancollege.eduChapters:00:00 Introduction and Trailer02:02 Why Savers Also Eat Healthier05:05 Investing In Health Before Retirement06:40 Why He Studies Retirement Income09:12 The Economist View Of Retirement Risk11:38 Where The 4% Rule Came From13:37 Why Dave Ramsey's 8% Rule Fails15:19 Sequence Of Returns Risk Explained17:09 The Case For 5% And Flexibility18:31 Bucket vs Annuity Strategies21:29 Using Home Equity And Reverse Mortgages23:38 Why Advisors Resist Annuities25:26 Why Annuity Payouts Are So Generous Now27:18 Cover Fixed Expenses With Annuities28:07 How Insurers Pool Longevity Risk30:18 $2,000 A Month For Every $300,00031:33 How He Builds His Own Retirement Plan33:15 The RMD Effect And Underspending37:01 Ants vs Grasshoppers In Retirement40:43 Die With Zero And Giving While Alive42:38 Can Annuities Help You Live Longer?45:02 Permanent Life Insurance Tax Benefits48:26 Life Insurance As A Permission Slip51:16 Will Longer Lifespans Break Annuities?55:03 Private Equity Owned Insurers Risk57:58 What To Do Before Retirement Age59:01 MYGAs: A CD In An Annuity Wrapper59:55 Mindset: The Best Retirement PredictorLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/YsJyaQrPByY====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Learn how to build the best retirement plans based on your income level as well as how to create a 'super Roth' with as little as $100,000 a year. We walk through the ladder of retirement plans based on wealth status, from the Roth IRA up to cash balance plans and tax-deductible life insurance. In this interview, Caleb Guilliams sits down with Paul Sundin, CPA and founder of Emparion, a company which has been recognized on the highly prestigious Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/3SV_CgIIQzUWant To Learn More About Working With Paul? Click Here: https://www.emparion.comChapters:0:00:00 Introduction0:01:43 The Best Tax Advantaged Retirement Accounts0:04:37 Traditional IRA and Roth IRA Basics0:05:58 How the Backdoor Roth Works0:06:40 Why Roth Income Limits Still Exist0:08:56 Funding a Roth for Your Kids0:10:06 SEP IRA: Best Fit and Limits0:12:00 Control Group Rules Explained0:13:33 SIMPLE Plans for Small Teams0:14:51 Solo 401(k): The Bread and Butter Plan0:16:56 Adding a Roth to a Solo 401(k)0:18:30 Safe Harbor 401(k) and Employee Match0:20:16 Mega Backdoor Roth: 3 Components0:24:06 Cash Balance and Defined Benefit Plans0:25:29 Rules for Combining Retirement Plans0:27:30 Will Taxes Really Go Up? Paul's Take0:31:52 How a Defined Benefit Plan Works0:35:43 Why Age and Income Drive Contributions0:37:26 The Tesla Analogy for DB Funding0:40:40 Who Cash Balance Plans Are Built For0:42:36 Your Funding Range and the 50% Kicker0:45:27 Investing Inside a Cash Balance Plan0:49:29 Who Is a Bad Fit for These Plans0:50:26 Life Insurance Inside a 401(k)0:53:40 Rolling an IRA to Buy Life Insurance0:56:22 Why Buy Insurance Inside a Plan0:59:47 Long-Term Care and Section 105 Plans1:03:31 PPLI: The Super Roth Explained1:05:11 Upgrading a Policy With a 1035 ExchangeLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/3SV_CgIIQzU====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Our most complete whole life insurance masterclass: the best moments from our interviews and explainers on how whole life works, how to design a policy, retirement planning and more, all in one video.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/GVbtfZlz9F0Want Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/GVbtfZlz9F0Want Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here:https://betterwealth.com/vault/yt/GVbtfZlz9F0Learn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/GVbtfZlz9F0Chapters: Intro - 0:00 Permanent Vs Term Life Insurance | Bobby Samuelson - 0:59 Tax Benefits of Whole Life Insurance | Karlton Dennis - 11:42 Intro To Retirement Benefits of Whole Life | Tom Wheelwright - 34:04 The IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of Whole Life Insurance | Todd Langford - 42:42 Whole Life Insurance Vs Bonds | Dr. Tom Wall - 1:03:40 The 5 Cons of Whole Life Insurance - 1:16:13 Five Ways To Design Whole Life Insurance - 1:25:19 How To Fix An Old Whole Life Insurance Policy | Alden Armstrong - 1:44:50 When Can You Borrow Against Your Whole Life Policy? - 2:02:54 Buying Real Estate Investments with Whole Life Insurance | Dom Rufran - 2:08:12 Whole Life Insurance For Retirement Planning | Ed Slott - 2:39:42The Volatility Buffer Strategy - 2:57:18 Four Whole Life Insurance In Retirement Case Studies | Walter Young - 3:07:11 How To Pass On Generational Wealth Forever (Waterfall Method) - 3:58:05====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Learn what the $235 billion problem hiding inside the life insurance industry means for your policy and how to tell if your carrier is financially sound. In this presentation, Caleb Guilliams hosts Tom Gober (Deep Dive Analytics), a 41-year insurance examiner, who explains how to read a carrier's statutory annual statement to judge surplus, reinsurance and transparency.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/Ythmh6OyrYIWant Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/Ythmh6OyrYIWant Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here:https://betterwealth.com/vault/yt/Ythmh6OyrYIChapters:00:00 Introduction and Trailer00:56 Why Carrier Choice Matters Most02:32 Statutory vs. GAAP Accounting03:05 You Can Only Claim the Carrier04:03 Surplus: The Only Solvency Buffer06:25 Private Equity vs. Mutual Surplus07:12 Pensions Being Moved to Insurers08:05 41 Years as an Insurance Examiner09:16 Risky Assets, Liquidity and Opacity10:02 Two Years Undercover on Fraud Cases10:40 Iowa Made Captive Filings Secret13:13 How Black Box Captives Underfund15:05 Regulators Too Cozy With Carriers17:03 Athene's $235 Billion Offshore Deal18:29 From Athene to Chairing the NAIC Group20:37 The Biggest Threats to the Industry20:54 How Carriers Create Fake Surplus21:13 Illiquid Assets Pushed by Private Equity21:58 The Insurer as the Group's Cash Cow23:12 The Whirling Dervish Reinsurance Map25:59 Building the Deep Dive Risk Report28:11 Compare Risk to Surplus, Not Assets28:49 The Carrier Risk Spectrum Explained30:12 The One Question to Ask Any Carrier31:14 How to Get Your Free Carrier Report34:59 Your Policy Is Only as Strong as CarrierLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/Ythmh6OyrYI====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

See why whole life insurance agents get called crooks, and what that claim gets wrong. Caleb Guilliams reacts to Dave Ramsey and George Kamel telling a caller to run from whole life, breaking down the tax, safety and commission claims and the case for a non-correlated volatility buffer.Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/CyjBvKzWoWkWant Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here:https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/CyjBvKzWoWkWant Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here:https://betterwealth.com/vault/yt/CyjBvKzWoWkChapters:00:00 Introduction and Trailer00:40 Caller's Advisors Recommend Whole Life01:34 Why Whole Life Triggers Dave Ramsey02:20 Fear Mongering vs Diversification04:19 If the Insurance Company Goes Kaput04:46 State Guaranty Funds as a Backstop05:25 Are Life Insurers Safe or Risky?07:00 Mutual vs PE-Backed Insurance Companies08:52 Is Whole Life Really Tax Exempt?09:59 Cost Basis and Taxes Explained10:57 Policy Loans vs Withdrawals11:52 Buy, Borrow, Die With Life Insurance13:09 Tax-Free Cash Flow Is Not Income14:50 The Atomic Bomb Financial Plan16:26 Running Gray and Black Swan Scenarios17:29 Why Keep 1-4 Years Out of the Market19:15 Whole Life vs Savings and Bonds21:41 If Your Account Drops in Retirement24:29 Are Insurance Agents Really Advisors?25:34 Are Agents Just Chasing Commissions?27:23 Term Insurance Commissions Explained27:53 Why Canceling a Policy Blindly Is Bad28:20 How Policy Design Changes Returns29:29 Commissions vs AUM Fees30:43 What Good Planning Looks LikeLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/CyjBvKzWoWk====================DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

In loving memory of John Noel who passed away peacefully at his home Sept. 30, 2026With the recent passing of my dear friend and mentor, John Noel, I wanted to reshare my interview with him in 2019, not only to honor his legacy but share the stories and lessons he left behind.John Noel was the founder and visionary behind Travel Guard, a multi-million dollar travel insurance business that pioneered the industry itself. In this podcast he shares the stories and lessons that made him into the man and successful business owner he was.

Learn how buy and hold real estate investors can potentially double their long term returns by storing reserves and down payment capital in whole life insurance. In this interview, Caleb Guilliams sits down with John Stewart (Paradigm Life) to break down why real estate and permanent life insurance work together instead of competing, how a policy functions like a piece of property you finance over time, and the hierarchy of wealth framework he uses to decide how much capital sits in reserves versus gets deployed into deals. Watch the Interview on Youtube for Visuals - https://youtu.be/FSK_DzM9UR0Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here: https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/FSK_DzM9UR0 Want Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here: https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/FSK_DzM9UR0 Want Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here: https://betterwealth.com/guide/yt/FSK_DzM9UR0 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Trailer 01:53 What a Family Loses Without Insurance 03:02 Why the Wealthy Buy Whole Life 03:34 Why Real Estate Investors Need Liquidity 05:20 Asset Protection and Tax Free Access 05:55 How His First Policy Was Set Up Wrong 07:55 Fixing a Bad Policy With a 1035 09:19 From $1M a Month to Laying Off 100 13:18 The Only Asset Banks Couldn't Touch 14:01 Life Insurance Is Like Buying Property 15:40 How Tax Free Growth Actually Works 16:55 Why Investors Resist It Until a Crash 17:56 Why You Were Never Taught About This 19:39 How This Doubles Real Estate Returns 20:38 Where Rental Cash Flow Should Sit 20:54 Optimizing vs Building Real Margin 21:33 Being Liquid When Deals Go on Sale 24:11 How Much to Hold vs Deploy 24:59 Whole Life vs UL, VUL and IUL 27:28 How He Uses His Seven Policies 28:47 How Much He Keeps in Reserves 30:07 When He Deploys Into a Deal 32:08 What Return Justifies a Policy Loan 32:41 How Much to Fund Into Life Insurance 34:57 The Hierarchy of Wealth Explained 35:55 Why Both Assets Get Tax Benefits 38:44 Build the Foundation Before the Pyramid Learn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/yt/FSK_DzM9UR0 DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy *This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice. Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

This one investment cost Michael Isom $4.8 Million, losing everything he had built but laying the foundation that would teach him the most important lessons in building wealth. Caleb Guillams learns from Michael Isom on what it means to build true, lasting wealth. Micahel teaches his framework of Human Life Value (HLV) as the fundamental source of all property and financial wealth.Watch the Interview on Youtube for Visuals - https://youtu.be/AlErICGuYQgWant to See If Whole Life Insurance Makes Sense for You? Click Here: https://betterwealth.com/go/yt/AlErICGuYQgWant Us To Review Your Permanent Life Insurance Policy? Click Here: https://betterwealth.com/review/yt/AlErICGuYQgWant Free Whole Life Insurance Resources & Education? Go Here: https://betterwealth.com/guide/yt/AlErICGuYQgChapters:00:00 Introduction and Trailer 07:10 Early Years and Business Journey 14:23 The Collapse and Personal Rock Bottom 19:22 Human Life Value Framework: Number One Asset 26:24 The Number One Investment 33:01 The Number One Strategy & Whole Life Insurance 39:25 Final Thoughts and ReflectionLearn More About BetterWealth: https://betterwealth.com/home/ytDISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy*This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.