Annuity and life insurance salesman use market downturns to sell a "guarantee" which is often hollow under full scrutiny.  The reality is that investors who have a plan they can stick to that involves getting out of debt including getting out of their mortgage creates much higher confidence in the ability to have an income for the remainder of their life.  As a fee-only planner we have found that the overwhelming majority of our clients strive to be mortgage free.  They also don't want to be sold insurance products they don't need.  If you think you might need insurance, you probably should ask a planner who doesn't have a conflict of interest.  That would only be a fee-only guy who is a CFP(R).  Don't ever ask an insurance agent ... he is paid to sell insurance so has a conflict of interest.

We help our clients implement sophisticated strategies that maximize their odds based on reasonable choices we can make in the current difficult investment environment.  There is no magic bullet, but by looking at choices and odds we can inch our clients toward a worry-free state.

Click here to see 2015 Employee Benefit Research Institute Study.