The Volatility Shield: How to Vanquish the 4% Rule & Maximize Your Retirement Income

Most people think that the primary value a financial professional brings to the table is increased investment performance. But the truth is that investment performance normally plays a very minor role in the overall financial success for most retirees. The most important factors that determine success or failure for most retirees is risk mitigation and income tax planning. David McKnight covered income tax strategies in his first book The Power of Zero. Now McKnight brilliantly illustrates risk mitigation in The Volatility Shield where he shows the main character going broke despite very acceptable investment returns and what seems to be a sustainable withdrawal rate. When I received my copy of the book I decide to read a chapter or two before putting it down and taking it home. Instead, I read it cover to cover in one sitting. It was refreshing that a book dedicated to some pretty hefty financial concepts was written as a financial novella. You actually get emotionally invested in the characters. While the story itself may be a bit far-fetched, the financial concepts are sound. And, most importantly, McKnight refrains from hyperbole which is often prevalent in these types of books.

I like the fact that Jane Fletcher kept the suspense growing, increasing Jack’s curiosity as he wonders what would become Ted’s end of life. I like how Jack, who discarded the idea of Permanent Life Insurance submits to a health screen required for approval or otherwise for a policy. He was was misconstrued about Permanent Life Insurance. Such an insightful and thought-provoking read. I love the book.

Great book. I work in financial advising, and while I don’t agree with everything to a “T” I think it talks about great concepts that are often over looked. The author does a great job presenting these concepts as a story and makes them very easy for a reader to understand. We have started sending a few books to some of our clients on there birthdays and I think this would be a great addition to the list.

Fantastic way of highlighting what should be a major concern of anyone planning for their retirement years. This story is a powerfully simple way of turning the established paradigm way of thinking about saving for retirement and is extremely effective in educating us on an outside the box use of a proven financial instrument. You owe it to yourself to pick this up. It is a quick read and will open your eyes to the realities of retirement savings issues and provides a simple way to avoid some dangerous pitfalls.

This is a GREAT book. I read it in one sitting this afternoon! McKnight uses the powerful tool of story to teach some Financial principles that many people are not aware of! Honestly, when I read the Epilogue, I started to weep. A TERRIFIC read!

I wish I could explain as eloquently as the author how powerful permanent life insurance can be in retirement planning

If you have any interest in living a life in retirement free from financial stress and worry, you MUST read this book. By the way, the year you retire is entirely up to YOU. Retirement simply means not HAVING to work in order to fund your living. You could retire at age 40 if you had the means to pay for your lifestyle for the remainder of your life. How long will that be? Will you have enough money accumulated to pay for that period of time? Throw out your conceptions of finance and read this book. David McKnight’s brilliant story-telling here highlights some of the misconceptions of finances, retirement, legacies, etc. with a sweet story that, frankly, had me shed a few tears, all while educating about the traditionally boring world of money and retirement. I’ve seen David speak at an event, I’ve read his other books, and I’ve seen his movie The Tax Train. Not only is this man passionate about the work he does, he is a crusader to change the financial future of every American! Talk about Making America Great Again - read this book!! You will be a believer!

Two of the most dreaded retirement risks the vast majority of retirees have no idea exist, sequence of return and market draw down, are fabulously explained and solved in this very simple and everyday story. The myths of Wall Street like average rates of return, the 4% Rule and their hatred for the “volatility buffer” are all dealt with in a way every person can understand and feel. Ask yourself one question; If what Wall Street and brokers and the government has been telling you is true about retirement planning for the last 50 years, then why is it that 75% or more of all retirees and soon-to-be-retirees are afraid of either not having enough money or running out of money in retirement??? This book tells you WHY and how to SOLVE that problem.