Purpose with Mark Bertrang

Do you judge too quickly? Thirty-five years prior to entering the financial services industry, Mark Bertrang began his career as a broadcaster. This meant working on-air for five years. Realizing that job would never 'pay-the-bills' long-term, it was suggested that he climb the ladder of broadcast advertising sales. No one ever told him that his very first client, on his very first day, of his new...

I am often amazed when I enter a brand-new building. I love looking at the architecture. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, the furniture. Everything that has made the new building, the wonderful structure it is. Yet, below it all lies the foundation of that building. The foundation is where you begin. The foundation is what holds it together. The foundation is what allows the building to be built...

Other than your home, your single largest asset may be your retirement account. Many older folks want to leave their 401K, IRA or other retirement account to their kids or grandkids. They believe they're doing to wonderful thing; but, are they? Instead are they setting themselves up to providing a big, fat 'gift' to the government in the form of a huge check in the form of taxes due? Is there anot...

Other than your home, your single largest asset may be your retirement account. Many older folks want to leave their 401K, IRA or other retirement account to their kids or grandkids. They believe they're doing to wonderful thing; but, are they? Instead are they setting themselves up to providing a big, fat 'gift' to the government in the form of a huge check in the form of taxes due? Is there anot...

The road ahead might be one less traveled; but what if it's a road that's been closed to you? Then it doesn't matter, because it now becomes a road you could never experience. We're told that we can do anything we wish, we only need to dream it. That's a great saying, but it's not true. We need to plan, execute and put forth the effort to make things happen in our lives. Yet most important, we nee...

We would all like to think that our life's projects can simply be 'one and done'. Last year, the street in front of our home was torn up during the entire summer as sewer pipes, water pipes, wiring and electrical hidden underneath the pavement of our street was replaced. We literally lived with a mud bog in the front of our house for three months. Once this project was completed, we were told our...

Grapevines have been plagued by pests that can leave a vineyard void of fruit. Olive trees has been dying in many countries due to pests and disease that has killed off entire hillsides. Have you felt that same frustration with your 401(k), IRA or other retirement account? Specialized grafting has saved many vineyards and olive groves. Could a graft of a whole life insurance policy into your plan...

Words can be confusing. Why? Sometimes we simply don't speak the same language. During a recent trip to southern Italy, this became very clear to me. Sometimes just holding up the wrong fingers during a simple conversation can confuse one another. So, why is it that when both speakers are speaking English, there can still be confusion? They're both speaking the same language, yet there's a misunde...

You've heard of the story about the Achilles Heel or a Glass Jaw. Today, Mark Bertrang shares the story about The Glass Bull. Decades ago, Mark purchased this bull in the village of Murano on an outlying island of Venice, Italy. A small group of world class glass factories are located there, where handblown works of art are produced. Mark carried this bull throughout Italy fearful it would break....

There are those folks who sit in the stands or armchair quarterback from their mancave. Yet, to win you actually have to get off your duff and get into the game. Playing is oftentimes difficult. It takes training, practicing and endurance. That's why most of us simply sit in our overstuffed Lazy-boys and yell at our big screen televisions after each play of the game. For some, money is also a game...

You may live in a world of scarcity or a world of abundance. Often, we choose the world in which we live, because of our own upbringing. We bring our own circumstances to the world that we live in. Many believe that their world is out of their control and sometimes it is; but maybe our mind limits us more than our own individual circumstances. Mark Bertrang uses a simple story about dryer sheets w...

People talk about 'averages' as if they actually live in an average world, where everything plays out in average-ways. Is that really how life works? Do you want to be average or are you an Outlier, who wants to live in a non-average world, a world full of possibilities which aren't average, but are unique? Let's discuss averages, outliers, your life and the options to live a more impactful life u...

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed recently and saw this post from a client and friend of mine, lamenting on how his four-year-old refrigerator died. It was brand new in 2018 at a cost of $1,900. He and his family had to move all of it contents to a nearly thirty-year-old refrigerator in their basement that has now outlasted two modern refrigerators. He went on to say - "The new stuff just s...

In the mid-1960s Michael Caine starred in a British comedy/drama title: Alfie. It might be better known by the question which was also part of its title and a song which became famous by Dionne Warwick - "What's it all about?". Today is Mark Bertrang's birthday and it is not unusually for each of us to ask this same question of ourselves. Mark shares an intimate story of what he believes his calli...

: If you research down through the ages, you can actually see how your simple cup of morning Joe has been maligned. Coffee was thought to make you weak, lazy and of questionable value. Coffee? This simply tells of a then popular opinion before people actually knew the facts. Some of these researched opinions were still considered valid as little as thirty years ago. Think how your days would be di...

What does the upcoming acquisition of insurer Alleghany Corp. for $11.6 billion dollars by Berkshire Hathaway have to do with Pampered Chef parties? It's all about having the cash to take advantage of opportunities. You probably think you have to be Warren Buffett to have 'cash-on-hand' to build your future. You can also make a difference in your financial future with a simple loan against a mutua...

People gamble. They love to gamble. Unfortunately, there is always someone willing to help us depart from our hard earned money. It doesn't come as a surprise that during 2021 casinos took in more money than ever before, even during a time of limited public contact with one another due to Covid-19. What once was taboo is now embraced by the states, by national sports leagues and your local conveni...

We have experienced little or no inflation for decades in the United States. Now inflation is hitting people where they live - groceries, cars, gasoline, auto, homeowner and health insurance premiums. There is still an asset that you can buy for pennies on the dollar and that can provide you with a place to store your safe money for emergencies and future opportunities. Mark Bertrang discusses the...

This is a free chapter from Mark Bertrang's book - Investments Don't Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset, taken from Chapter six, titled "We thought we invincible". Enjoy this gift as read by the author and consider your purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or listen to the audio through Audible or iTunes.

A recent article from the Wall Street Journal outlines exactly how an employer can take away a retirement benefit its employees' thought was untouchable. At the end of 2021, as many as 220,000 AT&T retirees had their life insurance benefits drastically reduced. After working for this company; many for their entire careers were affected. Could this happen to you? What can you do? Where do you begin...

The government regulates the safety features in every car that drives off the production line of America. Last year the safety features of each automobile were approximately four percent of its total price, not including the cost of the title, licensing and taxes. What can we learn about this four percent average and how the same four percent can safely protect our dignity and future incoming earn...

It's time to talk year-end taxes. This is not a boring conversation. This is an extremely interesting visit with my guest is Mary Jo Werner, Attorney, Certified public account and Certified in Financial Forensic who is a partner with Wiplfi, who ranks among the top 20 accounting and business consulting firms in the nation. Mary Jo Werner specializes in litigation support for law firms and assists...

What can you learn about an 80-year-old woman who needed three things to happen with her safe money? Number one – A better return than the bank. Number two - No taxes due on her gains, and Number three - an immediate increased estate for her children; Plus, the availability and liquidly of her money, if needed. Here's a real-life story using the Life Insurance Asset.

News anchors usually ask the questions. In a role reversal, Amy DuPont-News Anchor at WKBT-News 8 is asked questions about her decades-long career in reporting and delivering the news; a journey of serving multiple diverse communities. You will feel like you are visiting an old friend, who shares the heart of the ups and downs of television news, concerns for local news outlets and poignant storie...

Walt Disney partially financed Disneyland with a loan against his Whole Life Insurance Policy. The Bushes Baked Bean Company was partially financed with a Whole Life Insurance Policy. The Pampered Chef Company was entirely financed through a loan against a Whole Life Insurance Policy. A Whole Life insurance policy provides a place to store your safe money. Learn what Milly did with the cash value...