24 | The Warren Buffett Plan: Own Other People’s Life Insurance
What if you could invest the exact same way Warren Buffett does without needing millions?In this episode of Truly Diversified, retirement strategist Ben Mohr breaks down how the ultra-wealthy use life settlements to generate competitive returns with no stock market risk. For decades, hedge funds, banks, and major institutions have quietly bought life insurance policies as assets… and now, for the first time, everyday investors can finally do the same.Ben reveals how direct policy ownership works, what kind of returns are possible, how life expectancy reports guide the process, and why buying the actual asset (instead of a fraction of a fund) means even bigger upside. If you’ve ever wondered how to play the game the 1% plays, this episode shows you exactly how.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why CDs and annuities leave investors frustrated long-term[00:00:44] – How the market swings impact returns in ways you can’t control[01:00] – Why the wealthy invest outside the market[01:23] – How life settlements actually work[01:40] – What an 82% return looks like inside a life settlement fund[02:18] – The game-changer: direct policy ownership[03:00] – How Warren Buffett buys policies and waits for payouts[04:00] – Cutting out the middle layer and doubling potential returns[05:14] – What servicing a direct policy looks like behind the scenes[05:54] – Example #1: $150K policy you can buy for $60K[06:29] – Life expectancy reports and what they reveal[08:22] – Expected timelines and real-world maturity patterns[08:51] – Example #2: $500K policy available for $130K[10:31] – Even if someone lives twice as long as expected… still profitable[11:34] – In nearly 3 decades, Ben has never seen a policyholder reach 100[12:55] – Real case study: a 4.5-year maturity on a 9-year expectancy[13:43] – How early maturities create 20%, 30%, even 40%+ APRs[14:26] – Smaller vs. larger policies: what changes and why[15:43] – How to start: $50K minimum for direct ownership[17:00] – Why accredited investors can now “play Warren Buffett’s game”Mentioned ResourcesLife Expectancy ReportsPrevious Episode About Life Expectancy ReportsEcho Life (Barry Neal’s company)AXA and Equitable (A-rated carrier)Universal Life PoliciesImportant LinksBook a call to speak with Ben: https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-consult Watch our webinar (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/ben-mohr-56b45e Grab our ebook here (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-ebook Truly Diversified is an original podcast brought to you by Ben Mohr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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23 | This Year’s Big Wins in Life Settlements, with Barry Neal
Ben sits down once again with Barry Neal, CEO of Equity Life LLC, to break down real-life performance from this year’s life settlement maturities. If you’ve ever wondered whether life settlements actually deliver competitive returns without stock market risk, this is the episode to listen to. Barry walks through four actual maturities from 2025, including one that doubled its life expectancy, one that paid out early, and a headline-making $3 million payout that delivered a 20 percent annualized return for investors. It’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at how these portfolios behave across the full spectrum: the early wins, the on-time cases, the long-tail maturities, and what happens to reserves when policies mature ahead of schedule.Timestamped Highlights00:00 Why life settlements work even when the market is shaky00:19 Ben reintroduces returning guest Barry Neal of Equity Life LLC01:10 What EquiLife actually does and how investors buy policy fractions01:28 Snapshot of this year: 4 maturities totaling over $5M paid out03:34 Policy #1: Expected 3-year LE… matured at 6 years… still a 5–7% APR09:49 Policy #2: Expected 8 years… matured in 6… about a 13% APR12:20 Policy #3: Expected ~35 months… matured in 38 months… about a 10% APR14:45 Policy #4: The big one… $3M payout… matured in under half the expected time15:15 Why that early payout produced a 20% APR17:03 Inside the 2023 round: previous maturity delivered ~33% APR18:17 Why investors in that round already recovered 94% of their original principal22:11 How reserve funds from early maturities boost returns & reduce premium-call risk25:40 Why spreading your capital across multiple portfolios improves blended APR28:40 The reality: longevity variance is rare across multiple policies29:54 Final recap of the year’s returns and what investors can expectMentioned ResourcesEquity Life LLCLife Asset LLCLife Advisor Solution (for agents)About the GuestBarry Neal is the CEO of Equity Life LLC, a California-based life settlement investment firm focused on building diversified life settlement portfolios for everyday investors. With nearly a decade of performance history and multiple multi-million-dollar payouts, Barry’s approach centers on transparency, actuarial discipline, and providing investors with a way to earn competitive returns without stock market exposure.🔗 LinkedInImportant LinksBook a call to speak with Ben: https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-consult Watch our webinar (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/ben-mohr-56b45e Grab our ebook here (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-ebook Truly Diversified is an original podcast brought to you by Ben Mohr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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22 | How much should I invest in Life settlements?
How much of your portfolio should go into life settlements and other alternative investments?In this episode of Truly Diversified, retirement strategist Ben Mohr breaks down his simple and effective 70/20/10 rule for smart portfolio allocation. He explains why most investors are overexposed to the stock market, how to think differently about diversification, and where alternative assets like life settlements fit into the bigger picture.You’ll learn how to balance market opportunities with predictable income streams, and how even 5–10% of your portfolio in life settlements can deliver competitive returns—without stock market risk or outside influences from politics, inflation, or global events.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The question every investor asks: “How much should I invest?”[00:00:45] – Why alternatives make people nervous and why they shouldn’t[00:01:21] – How traditional advisors make money through AUM fees[00:02:00] – What “decent returns without stock market risk” really means[00:03:49] – Why diversification inside the market isn’t true diversification[00:04:54] – The 70/20/10 rule: market, safe money, and alternatives[00:06:00] – What a safe money bucket looks like and the only annuity Ben recommends[00:08:00] – Turning part of your IRA into a personal pension plan[00:11:13] – Why safe money isn’t sexy but helps you sleep at night[00:11:50] – The 10% alternative bucket: life settlements explained[00:12:57] – Real payout examples: 10%, 12%, and 20% APRs from life settlements[00:14:20] – Why Ben starts clients at just 5% and never takes more than 10% total[00:16:00] – The key question: “Where is your worst-performing 10%?”Mentioned ResourcesEquity Life LLC payout case study (20% APR)Rule of 72 for compounding returnsFixed Indexed Annuity with Income Rider explanationImportant LinksBook a call to speak with Ben: https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-consult Watch our webinar (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/ben-mohr-56b45e Grab our ebook here (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-ebook Truly Diversified is an original podcast brought to you by Ben Mohr and Podcast Your Brand. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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21 | Answering Those Tough Questions: The Truth About Longevity and Risk
What really happens if everyone lives to 150 or if your insurance carrier suddenly disappears?In this episode of Truly Diversified, retirement strategist Ben Mohr takes on two of the most common (and misunderstood) questions he hears at investor dinners: longevity risk and carrier stability. Drawing on decades of experience in the life settlements industry, Ben explains why both fears are statistically unrealistic and how data, history, and logic prove it.He walks listeners through real-world probabilities versus possibilities, how A-rated insurance carriers like New York Life are financially stronger than most major banks, and why the “what if” scenarios that worry new investors rarely play out in reality.If you’ve ever wondered how life settlements really work behind the scenes, this episode clears the air. Press play now to hear Ben’s straightforward answers to the most common fears about life settlements and find out why probability, not possibility, drives real investment success.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – What a life settlement is—and why Warren Buffett buys them[00:02:30] – The dinner seminar that sparked this conversation[00:03:50] – “What if everyone lives to 150?” The truth behind longevity risk[00:05:20] – Why unhealthy policyholders change the math entirely[00:07:00] – Understanding probabilities versus possibilities in investing[00:10:00] – Real data: hundreds of policies, zero reaching age 100[00:13:21] – The second big question: what if an insurance carrier fails?[00:15:09] – How insurance companies make money (and why they’re so stable)[00:16:40] – Why A-rated carriers like New York Life are worth more than big banks[00:18:45] – If New York Life ever failed, your stock portfolio would already be crushed[00:20:30] – Ben’s reassuring answer: what’s possible vs. what’s probableMentioned ResourcesLife expectancy reports and medical underwritingNew York LifeU.S. Treasury bonds and corporate bond investmentsHistorical data on insurance carrier stabilityImportant LinksBook a call to speak with Ben: https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-consult Watch our webinar (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/ben-mohr-56b45e Grab our ebook here (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-ebook Truly Diversified is an original podcast brought to you by Ben Mohr and Podcast Your Brand. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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20 | Think Before You Click: Warning to Smart Investors
What if the “next big investment opportunity” in your feed is nothing more than a cleverly packaged scam?In this episode of Truly Diversified, retirement strategist Ben Mohr exposes the alarming rise of fake investment companies on social media and the shocking claims they’re making to attract unsuspecting investors. From “crypto funds” promising 7% a month to “40-year track records” built on someone’s dad’s real estate license, Ben breaks down exactly how to spot a scam before it costs you your retirement savings.He also reveals what a real proven track record looks like, shares red flags every investor should watch for, and explains why life settlements remain one of the few alternative investments with verifiable results and transparency.Press play now to hear Ben’s unfiltered breakdown of the biggest social media scams and learn how to protect your portfolio from frauds posing as “alternative investments.”Mentioned ResourcesCalifornia Guaranteed Health and Life Association ActU.S. Treasury Notes & FDIC-insured CDsImportant LinksBook a call to speak with Ben: https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-consult Watch our webinar (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/ben-mohr-56b45e Grab our ebook here (no opt-in): https://rebrand.ly/life-asset-ebook Truly Diversified is an original podcast brought to you by Ben Mohr and Podcast Your Brand. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
Welcome to Truly Diversified. The podcast show for smart investors who refuse to settle for Wall Street’s one-size-fits-all playbook.
Hosted by Ben Mohr, a retirement strategist with nearly two decades of experience, this podcast pulls back the curtain on how the ultra-wealthy actually build and protect their wealth.
From life settlements to alternative investments that hedge against volatility, Ben breaks down the strategies that offer true diversification beyond just stocks and bonds.
So if you're ready to think differently, protect your retirement, and grow with confidence in any economy, you’re in the right place.
Learn more: https://www.lifeassetllc.com/
USA