Episode #95: Becoming Better than Debt Free with Mark Willis

For a long time, it seemed that the only way to increase your wealth was to invest in the stock market. And while Wall Street wants us to believe that this is still true, it is far from being the best option to ensure long-term financial prosperity. Investing in real estate, while not the be-all-and-end-all, is a far more stable and predictable way to grow your wealth. Our guest today, Mark Willis, has experienced the value of real estate investing first-hand. He is a certified financial planner, a two-time number one bestselling author, and the owner of Lake Growth Financial Services, a financial firm in Chicago, Illinois. He has not only helped hundreds of clients in taking back control of their financial futures, through tax-efficient solutions, but he has also changed his own life by altering his investment strategy. Along with his impressive resume, Mark is also the co-host of the Not Your Average Financial Podcast. In this episode, Mark sheds light on why tax-deferred accounts are traps to keep you poor in retirement. He shares the importance of asking what you want your money to do for you to understand how to structure your investment portfolio.

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Learn more about Mark’s background and what led him to start Lake Growth.
  • The ticking time bomb: Why Mark advises against tax-deferred retirement accounts.
  • Find out what the real rate of return on the stock market over 30 years has been.
  • Some of the characteristics of the ideal investment portfolio.
  • Why we have to accept that we are all part of the banking system in one way or another. 
  • The difference between whole life insurance and infinite banking.
  • The importance of using a suitably qualified financial professional for infinite banking.
  • Rate of return vs rate of income: Why we should always be looking at ROI.
  • How a whole life policy with non-direct loans and other features are better than debt-free.
  • Final four questions with Mark: Investment tools he can’t live without, his biggest real estate mistake and more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mark Willis on LinkedIn

Mark Willis on Twitter 

Lake Growth Financial Services

Not Your Average Financial Podcast

Robert Kiyosaki

Ted Benna

DALBAR

Morningstar

Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior

 Bank On Yourself Authorized Advisors

Wade Pfau

David Blanchett

Dave Ramsey

Asset Protection Attorney Wayne Patton

The Vision Driven Leader

Bank on Yourself

APT Capital Group

APT Capital Group – YouTube Channel

Passive Income Through Multifamily Real Estate Facebook Group

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