Ep 541: Protected vs. Growing: The Split Your Portfolio Actually Needs

When's the last time you looked at your portfolio and felt genuinely confident it could weather a bad year? For most of us, the answer is some version of "I'm diversified — stocks for growth, bonds for safety — so I should be fine." But in 2022, stocks and bonds both posted double-digit losses at the same time, and the "safe" part of the plan turned out not to be so safe after all. That gut-check sent researchers looking for a third option, one that doesn't make you choose between growth and protection, but blends the two. This episode, sponsored by LIMRA, digs into that research with Dr. Wade Pfau, a fellow with LIMRA's Retirement Income Institute and a leading voice in retirement research, and Brad Pistole, President and CEO of the Ozarks Retirement Group and host of Safe Money Radio. We cover: Why 2022 was the wake-up call that made people question the classic stock/bond mix What "protection" actually means as its own asset class, and how fixed index annuities fit in The tax advantages that can help protected assets outperform bonds on an after-tax basis Why there's no universal "right" ratio for stocks vs. protected income, and how to find your own number Ready to take the next step? Get up to speed on annuity solutions that can help you build a more secure retirement by using this guide from LIMRA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices