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Richelle's money room.
15 short lessons, 5 guides, a readiness check, and the money words explained. All free, all yours to browse.
A lesson, and what is in it
Every video comes with what it covers, so you know before you press play.
When Should I Start Drawing Social Security?
Richelle walks through the questions to think about before you decide when to claim. There is no single right age.
Things to weigh
- Your age and full retirement age
- The income you need now
- Your health and how long you expect to live
- Your spouse and what happens to their check
- Your other retirement income
- Taxes on the benefit
Richelle Explains
Money questions. Plain answers.
Be Your Own Bank
What the strategy is, in Richelle's own words.
Annuities
How a fixed indexed annuity actually works.
Retirement Planning
When to start, how much is enough, and what to move.
Social Security and Taxes
Two decisions that shape your monthly income.
Legacy
Passing money on the way you meant to.
Women and Wealth
Longer lives, career breaks, and staying in control.
Richelle's Story
Why she does this work.
Articles and guides
Five plain steps to help protect your retirement savings when the market drops.
Read 02Retirement Income That LastsSimple ways to turn savings into steady retirement income you can count on.
Read 03Be Your Own Bank, ExplainedA plain explanation of the Be Your Own Bank strategy and who it is for.
Read 04IUL vs a 401(k): The DifferenceA simple side by side look at IUL and a 401(k) so you can see the difference.
Read 05Retirement Planning for WomenRetirement tips for women, who often live longer and face different challenges.
ReadAre you ready for retirement?
Ten questions. One clearer picture. Your answers stay in this browser and are never sent to us.
Most people we meet answer no to four or five. That is the normal starting point, not a failing grade.
Money words without the jargon
Short, plain meanings for the words you will meet on this site.
- Annuity
- A contract with an insurance company. It can grow money and can pay you income, sometimes for life.
- Principal
- The money you put in, before any growth.
- Fixed indexed annuity
- An annuity built to protect your principal from market losses while earning interest linked to an index.
- Index
- A list that tracks a group of stocks, like the S&P 500. Your money is not invested directly in it.
- Cap
- The most interest you can earn in a period on an indexed product.
- Participation rate
- The share of an index gain that is credited to you.
- Spread
- An amount taken off the index gain before interest is credited.
- Surrender charge
- A fee for taking out more than the contract allows during the early years.
- Surrender period
- The number of years the surrender charge can apply.
- Tax deferred
- You do not pay income tax on growth until you take money out.
- Death benefit
- The money a life insurance policy pays to the people you name.
- Cash value
- Money that builds inside a permanent life insurance policy over time.
- Policy loan
- A loan from the insurer backed by your policy's cash value.
- IUL
- Index universal life. Permanent life insurance with a cash value linked to an index.
- Premium
- The payment you make to keep an insurance policy in force.
- RMD
- Required minimum distribution. The least you must withdraw from certain retirement accounts once you reach the set age.
- Lifetime income
- A payment option that lasts as long as you live.
- MDRT
- Million Dollar Round Table. A group recognized for top advisors.
Ask Richelle
The questions people actually ask, answered in plain words. There are 106 of them.
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