Most people think putting their annuity in a trust is a smart move. Their attorney told them to do it. So they did it.

But that one simple paperwork change could trigger a massive tax bill — and most attorneys don't even realize it.

In this episode, Marty Becker breaks down the trust mistake that blindsides retirees every day. You'll learn the critical difference between a revocable and irrevocable trust, why it matters for your annuity, and how one wrong signature could make $150,000 in deferred gains immediately taxable.

What you'll learn:

• Why trusts are not the tax shield most people think they are
• The two types of trusts and how each one affects your annuity differently
• The real-life example that shows exactly how much this mistake can cost you
• What to ask your attorney before you transfer anything

If you have an annuity and an estate plan — this episode is a must listen.

In Episode 108 of the Atlas Annuity Podcast, Marty Becker, owner and founder of Atlas Financial Strategies in St. Louis, Missouri, explores one of the most creative retirement strategies he has come across in recent memory — using an annuity to pay your mortgage at a discount.

It all started with an email from one of Marty's sharpest clients, Dave, who asked a simple but brilliant question: could an insurance company essentially take over his mortgage payments for the next five years, and do it for less than he actually owes?

After running the numbers, Marty breaks down exactly how a 5-Year Term Certain Single Premium Immediate Annuity works, why the math makes sense, and how retirees can potentially lock in years of guaranteed mortgage payments while putting thousands of dollars back in their pocket — with zero market risk.

In this episode, Marty covers:

• What a 5-Year Term Certain SPIA is and how it works
• How Dave's strategy turned $115,000 into $129,000 worth of mortgage payments
• When this strategy makes sense and what most people overlook
• Why guaranteed income can be one of the smartest tools in a retirement plan

If you are approaching retirement or already retired and still carrying a mortgage, this episode is a must listen.

Record highs are hiding a massive retirement risk—and most people headed into retirement have no idea.

In this episode, Marty Becker breaks down what is really happening beneath the surface of today's market and why the old retirement playbook may not work the way people expect.

The stock market is at all-time highs. Tech stocks are booming and Wall Street is acting like the future is perfectly clear. But underneath that optimism, nearly half of major indexes are still technically in bear markets. Oil prices are surging. Inflation may not actually be under control. And some of the smartest macroeconomic minds out there are now comparing today's environment to one of the strangest economic periods in modern history — the late 1970s.

Marty references The Wellington Letter, written by Bert Dohmen — a man who has called nearly every bull and bear market over the past 40 years — and his team's belief that we are entering a market environment very similar to 1978 through 1980:

• Inflation was soaring and interest rates were rising fast
• Commodities like gold and silver were exploding higher
• And yet — stocks still pushed upward as investors searched for inflation hedges
• Money flowed into stocks, energy, precious metals, and other hard assets

The big takeaway? Markets and economies rarely behave the way people expect. If you are approaching retirement and still relying on the same old strategy, this environment could catch you completely off guard.

This isn't just a market update — it's a warning. And for anyone close to retirement, it's one worth hearing.