Your Personal Bank

Ferenc shares several interesting recent client meetings. Many listeners will gain valuable financial insights.       1. An annual review with a client who received 20% return with their index annuity this past year.      2.A review with a client that invested in index annuities and high cash value policies in 2007, then guaranteed lifetime income later. Very interesting story through the Great Recession..      3. Planning meeting that potentially doubled income for retirement. US household debt has hit new records. It has doubled in the past 20 years. This will likely lead to a weak economy, possibly a recession.  Average rent has declined in markets that are overbuilt. Some markets have dropped 20%. The Brookings Institute estimates there are 300,000 fewer people in the US than the previous year.This was the first time in 50 years that more immigrants left America than entered it. Brookings projects about 1,000,000 will leave in 2026. Rents will likely continue to decline. Housing buyer demand has hit the lowest level on record. In 2005, the median income was $46,000 and the median house price was $184,000. In 2026, the median income is $59,000 while the median house price is $450,000. In 20 years, income increased 20% and house prices increased 150%. Homebuilders continue to build new homes. The number of unsold completed new homes have hit the highest level since 2011. Building permits hit a five month high. Despite increased inventory, homebuilders are continuing to build. Home prices are likely to continue to decline. Realtor.com states one of the following needs to occur for homebuyer demand to return:    1. Mortgage rates fall to 2.65%.    2. Household incomes rise 56% to a median of $132,171.    3. Median home prices drop 35% to a median of $273,000.

Gold dropped 5% while Silver fell 10% in one day recently. The S&P 500 Index has stayed in a range between 6800 and 7000 since the beginning of the year. 2026 may become known as the year of volatility. This is not a surprise. I stated about a month ago that gold and silver had increased in value so quickly that it was unsustainable. I also stated it would be a good time to lock in some gains. When assets increase in value rapidly, they typically correct and have a period of volatility. The US economy is in a period of historical change. This creates uncertainty. Uncertainty leads to volatility. A correction is probable. Index products allow you to participate in potential upside gains while protecting your downside. This is the best time in 40+ years for index product returns. 

Gold prices have dropped suddenly after a historic increases over the past year. Silver plunged 26% in one day, the largest drop in history. Gold and to a lessor degree silver prices had increased dramatically due to concerns about inflation and excess money printing by the Federal Reserve. Leverage exaggerated the rise in prices and the crash. As prices dropped, many investors faced margin calls which forced them to sell at any price and created a cascade. This is a common cycle of asset bubbles and when the bubble bursts. This changed when Trump announced Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve Chair. Kevin served as a Federal Reserve Governor from 2006 thru 2011, during the Great Recession. He was highly critical of the Federal Reserve continuing to print money after the crisis was over. He eventually resigned his seat in protest. This appointment shocked the markets and signaled a major change in future Federal Reserve policy. The current asset bubble in the stock market, real estate, precious metals, and cryptocurrency was largely created by money printing. Kevin Marsh will likely stop excess printing and sell down the Federal Reserve assets.  Volatility is expected as the economic policy changes are implemented. This could be a bumpy ride, even stomach churning for investors.  If you want to participate in future potential upside gains without the stress of potential significant losses, index products could be the best solution for you. Index products allow unlimited upside potential gains with no downside market risk. Principle is guaranteed. We have several indexes that have generated about 7-11% average annual returns the past 10-20+ years. Some have earned up to 27% in one year recently! All with no cap, no fee, and no downside losses.

A household needs $132,000 income to afford the median home. Only 31% of households can afford the median home. The median age of homebuyers is 59. The average age of first-time homebuyers is 40.  77% of households earning $132,000+ already own their home. Therefore, 50% of the housing market is chasing the 7% of total homebuyers that can afford a home that do not already own. This will not end well for real estate values. Our government gave illegals loans for homes and welfare to pay for them. This contributed to increasing home prices. That left millions of Americans unable to buy a home.   These illegals built up equity that taxpayers paid for. Many have more money in equity than the average American who was stuck paying rent. Where in immigration law does it say you can enter illegally and stay as long as you don't commit a violent crime? Who voted for this? No one. Yet American are supposed to ignore this?

Trump just issued an executive order to ban large institutional investors from purchasing single family homes. He stated "A person sweats, works, buys one house and can't take depreciation". The average age of first time homebuyers is 40, the highest ever recorded. The average age of all homebuyers is 59. Homebuyers over the age of 70 outnumber buyers under 35. This is not a healthy market. Trump's ban will likely reduce home prices in the short term.  Lennar, the second largest homebuilder in the US, has dropped prices 27%, below pre-pandemic prices. New home inventory especially in the Southeast are at all-time highs. The homebuilders felt comfortable building homes because if they were unable to sell to a homebuyer institutional buyers would purchase the property. The US dollar as reserve currency status has been strengthened. It is based primarily on the petrodollar. The US and Saudi Arabia agreed to price its oil in US dollars in exchange for military protection and economic cooperation. The relationship was strengthened recently by Trump. This ensures steady demand for the dollar. In 2019 the US became a net exporter of oil. This further strengthens the US dollar in oil trade. All major oil benchmarks, West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude are priced in US dollars. US and Venezuelan combined oil reserves account for over 50% of the total world's oil reserves. As long as the US controls Venezuelan oil, the US will dominate the world oil market. The US has prevented China from controlling Venezuelan oil. This is a significant hit to China and the BRICS currency.

The mortgage lock-in effect may be starting to ease. There are more mortgage holders with 6%+ rates than sub 3% mortgages for the first time since 2020.  As more existing homeowners have higher interest rates they may be more willing to sell their homes. More houses for sale likely will lead to reduced prices. Lennar, then second largest homebuilder in the US, were selling homes for $500,000+ in 2022. Now, they are selling new homes for $375,000. This is is a 27% price drop in 3 years. Inventory influences housing prices. Housing prices are projected to decline an additional 10% in areas that inventory is at or above pre-pandemic levels. Pandemic boom areas are projected to decline an additional 20%.

Will Trump's proposal to ban large institutional investors from buying single family homes reduce housing prices. His statement "People live in homes, not corporations" sounds good on the surface.  The housing affordability crisis was caused by: 1. The Federal Reserve reduced interest rates too low for too long. This created an asset bubble.  2. Many homeowners/real estate investors have significant appreciation subject to capital gains if they sell. 3. Many homeowners are "locked in" with historical low mortgage interest rates. 4. Shortage of single family homes. When the government tries to solve a problem it typically creates another unintended problem. The solution is not to ban a class of investors. The best solution is for the government to get out of the way. If the government really wants to improve housing affordability they should: 1. Reduce taxes, fees, zoning rules, and delays for home builders who build affordable single family homes. This will increase inventory. 2. Offer a capital gains tax holiday for homes owned for 5-10+ years. Many homes would become available.

Citizen journalist Nick Shirley posted a documentary exposing the fraud perpetrated by the Somali community in Minnesota.He visited multiple daycare centers that have received multiple millions of dollars annually yet there is no evidence of any children ever being present. The fraud is estimated to be over $8 billion dollars over the past several years. This is fraud on an industrial scale. This may be the largest organized crime scheme in the history of the US. Fraud at this level is organized. Government agencies had to be involved to be successful. Government agencies and non-governmental organizations provided cash, food assistance, transportation, driver's license, housing, insurance, free health care (some states), college tuition, social security, mortgages, and business loans. The government continued to fund social services, like daycare, adult care, special needs services, children's meals, transportation services, etc, yet thousands of businesses provided no services. There was no oversight. The government agencies sent checks for years. The FBI has stated the fraud exposed so far is only the "tip of the iceberg". Not only for Minnesota, but many other states. Investigations have been launched due to Nick Shirley's documentary. The Small Business Administration has frozen all loans and is clawing-back all grants for the state of Minnesota.  Nick Shirley was asked if Minnesota governor Tim Walz knew about the fraud. He stated that the fraud is so obvious and pervasive that a 5-year old could figure it out. He explained Tim Walz and other politicians wanted votes from the Somali community. Whistleblowers warned Tim Walz and the Minnesota attorney general. The whistleblowers were retaliated against. Nick Shirley warned if there is no real accountability people are going to explode. "We work too hard not to know where our money's going. They work for us. Not the other way around." 81% of Somali households in Minnesota receive some form of government assistance. 78% of Somali households that have been in Minnesota for 10+ years are still on government assistance. Welfare is not supposed to be a lifestyle.  The levels of fraud being exposed is so much that it accounts for much if not all of the increased government spending since COVID. This negatively affects our economy, creates inflation, creates housing unaffordability, increases crime, and strains medical and educational services. I don't remember voting for the mass admission of millions of foreigners who we as taxpayers are forced to pay all their living expenses. How much longer do we let these fraudsters and corrupt politicians rob us blind with our own taxpayer money? Wait until the younger generations figure out the reason they can't get ahead is not due to the Boomers. It is because of the government's generational theft of their heritage.

Ferenc shares his popular annual successful goal setting message! He shares life-changing ideas on how to identify areas of your life that could use improvement using the Wheel of Life. Ferenc also shares the 4 steps to successfully accomplish goals.  Many listeners have shared successful goal setting stories over the years that were inspired by Ferenc's message.

Ferenc shares deeply personal triumphs and tragedies that affected his life. This will help you better understand how he comes to his ideas and conclusions.

Officially, there are 53 million foreign-born people in currently in the US. That is about 1 in 7 people.  This is higher both in total number and percentage than the peak of the Ellis Island period.  42 million people currently are on the food stamp program (SNAP). 48% are illegal aliens, 34% are legal immigrants. Neither should be receiving benefits. Ellis Island immigrants mostly wanted the opportunity of the American Dream. Millions of current immigrants, both legal and illegal, do not want to assimilate or contribute. They are freeloaders. If an immigrant you cannot afford food, they should go home. Taxpayers should not have to pay for food for people who should not be here.  Fewer people equals lower cost of housing, rent, food, and insurance. Fewer people equal less crime, less crowded schools and hospitals.

Index Annuities and Index Universal Life products sometimes receive a bad reputation due to low returns.   To win a horse race you need a fast horse and a good rider.   The index is the horse. An index that has a strong history of returns is more likely to continue significant future returns vs an index that has never produced decent returns.   The Index Performance Report shows the 1, 5, and 10  year returns of indexes offered by index annuities and index universal life policies. There are 50+ insurance companies and 600+ index options. About 80% of the indexes average low single digit returns while about 20% indexes of the indexes have 10-17% average annual returns for the past 10 years. The Index Performance Report is the only way to find the indexes that offer the highest potential returns.    Index returns are not typically public info. It is difficult to find. The Index Performance Report provides the return history. This is proprietary software. Very few advisors/agents have access to this info. Most are not aware this info is available. Without the index return history the agent/advisor has to rely on marketing recommendations and is mostly "flying blind". This is game-changing.   Ferenc also shares when to use and not to use a bonus and common misconceptions regarding cash (accumulation) value and guaranteed lifetime income.

Ferenc shares how he can help you increase your index returns 2-10X annually on your index annuity or index universal life policy while eliminating downside market risk. Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang, recently stated "The whole world would've fallen apart" if Nvidia missed earnings expectations. The world economy dependent on one company is not a good thing. The US State Department has warned that mass migration poses an "existential threat" to Western civilization. HUD Secretary Scott Turner states mass deportations would have an immediate positive impact on the housing crisis in America. Only 30% of 2025 graduates and 41% of 2024 graduates have found entry-level jobs in their fields, per Forbes. Why are we still importing over one million foreign workers annually?

The medium age of all homebuyers is a record breaking 59. First-time homebuyers average age 40, up from age 29 in 1981. This is the result of not building enough houses and allowing too many people in our country, both legally and illegally.  We need big solutions to solve big problems. Some are calling for a Marshal Plan for housing. Many ideas are being floated to improve housing affordability.  50 year mortgages are a particularly bad idea for many reasons. The one positive would be lower monthly payments than a 30 year mortgage. But interest rates would likely be higher on a 50 year mortgage than a 30 year similar to 15 year mortgage interest rates are typically lower than 30 year. This would eliminate most of the benefit of lower payments. The American dream includes owning your own home, not renting an apartment. This is a supply problem. Solutions: 1.There need to incentives to build affordable single family homes.  2. Permit and infrastructure fees average 24% of the cost of the average home.  3. Deport illegal immigrants and fraudulent legal immigrants. HB-1 visas are supposed to be for the rare "genius". No one would have an issue if a few HB-1 visas were needed to train Americans to build high-end computer chips. The reality is HB-1 visa's are currently about 750,000. About 80% take entry-level and junior-level jobs from Americans. Some work visas do not require the company to pay payroll taxes. The foreign worker's job is typically tied to their job. If they lose their job they have to back home. This gives the company control over the employee. The company saves taxes, can pay the foreign employee less, and has more control. It is a form of indentured servitude.  The US Census counts illegals and the 55 million visa holders. This gives more seats in the House of Representatives and Electoral College votes. The majority of illegal immigrants and visa holders live in blue states. It is about political power. Fewer people in the US would the quickest method to increase affordability.

This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. This is the best time in 40+ years to establish an index product! This is due to many factors, including higher bond yields (interest rates).   Index annuities and Index Universal Life (IUL) allows you to:  Grow your money safely, without market risk. Principle is guaranteed. Once gains are locked in, they are guaranteed against market loss. Double digit potential annual returns on good market years with no losses on bad market years. Ability to lock-in gains at any time. Strong fixed interest option. If interest rates remain high and/or increase, you have good options. How to ensure you have the highest potential upside gains: We are independent and have access to 50+ annuity companies, including all the top carriers. There are 600+ index options.  We have proprietary software that provides the one-, 5-, and 10-year historical returns of the index options. There is a wide variation in index returns (0 - 17% average 10-year annual returns). Without this info, an agent or advisor is "flying blind".

Ferenc Toth discusses the extreme overvaluation of the stock market, citing four major valuation indicators that are overvalued by three standard deviations, with the S&P 500 at its highest levels ever. He highlights that the top 10 US stocks account for over 41% of the S&P 500's market cap, and AI-related stocks make up 47%. He also mentions the risks of non-bank private credit and sovereign debt contributing to an economic bubble. Ferenc warns of potential market corrections or crashes, suggesting investors protect themselves with index products like annuities and life policies, which offer unlimited upside gains with no downside risk. Principle is guaranteed. Gains can be locked in at any time. There are 600+  index strategies. Ferenc has access to proprietary software that tracks the one, 5, and 10 year returns of the indexes. The indexes have up to 17% average annual return for the past decade. This ensures Ferenc can recommend the indexes that are most likely to have the highest upside potential. Very few advisors or agents have access to this info. Without the historical return info, the annuity agent is "flying blind". This is a game changer.

Ferenc shares the S&P500 continues to rise despite historically high valuations. As the valuations rise, risk increases. This is driven by emotion, not logic. Index annuities and life provide unlimited upside potential with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. This ensures you never lose money.  Gains can be locked in at any time. Also, you can set automatic high and low bands to lock in gains.

Ferenc discusses the unprecedented valuations of the S&P 500, noting that 19 of 20 valuation metrics are above historical averages, including the Buffett indicator at 217%, the highest ever recorded. He warns of the AI bubble, citing a Bank of America survey where 54% of investors believe AI stocks are in a bubble. Ferenc highlights the concentration of wealth in tech stocks, with the top five companies representing about 30% of the S&P 500. He emphasizes the risks of market corrections, potential volatility, and the importance of diversification. Ferenc promotes index annuities and life products to continue unlimited upside potential while protecting downside market risk.

Ferenc Toth discusses the potential AI bubble, citing Jerome Powell's belated acknowledgment of asset purchases and the overvaluation of tech stocks, with 55% of fund managers believing tech stocks are overvalued. He highlights the lack of energy to power the AI needs. It is estimated the U.S. will need 70 new nuclear reactors to meet the needs of data centers by 2028. Ferenc also notes the disparity between high and low-income consumer confidence, with the top 1/3 of earners feeling 25% more confident. He advises reducing market risk through annuities and index products, emphasizing the importance of long-term investment strategies and risk management