I sat down with my dad, Steve Shea, and our first-ever guest, Val Zarn, an advanced market strategist from Symmetry Financial, to tackle one of the most polarizing topics in personal finance:
👉 Should you protect your money, or use leverage to grow it?

Moderating this debate felt like watching two great coaches argue the same playbook — one wants to protect the ball, the other wants to score faster.
Both are right — they just play on different sides of the field.

The real takeaway?

Don’t just watch — join the MBMC Money Community on Skool.
👉 $5/month, and if you bring 2 friends, it pays for itself.

Join the MBMC Community →

“The Great IUL Debate: Protection vs. Growth with Steve & Val Zarn”

Dan:
Welcome back to Millennial & Boomer Money Concepts.
I’m Dan, the Millennial, here with my dad, Steve — the Boomer.

Today’s special because we’ve got our very first guest: Val Zarn from Zarn Group Financial Services. Val’s an Advanced Market Specialist with Symmetry Financial Group and has over 20 years of experience.

We’re diving into advanced solutions for families, retirement, and financial protection.

Val, thanks for joining us.

Val:
You bet, Dan — thanks for having me. I appreciate the chance to share a little with your audience.

Dan:
Before we get into it, what exactly is an Advanced Market Specialist?

Val:
Great question. My background — I’ve been a licensed agent since 2004, focused primarily on what we call advanced markets — things like Indexed Universal Life (IUL) and retirement protection. I’ve specialized in those since about 2007.

My main job is education. When people hear about these products, I constantly get: “This sounds too good to be true,” or “Why isn’t everyone doing this?” The answer is simple — most people don’t even know these solutions exist.

Dan:
Yeah, before meeting you, I didn’t know either.

Steve:
I might’ve heard of them, but they weren’t common back then.

Dan:
So what kinds of problems do families usually come to you for?

Val:
Most often, people come because they’ve heard about an IUL — maybe they saw “tax-free retirement account” somewhere, or they’ve lost money in the market. My role is to identify whether there’s even a problem and, if so, offer possible solutions.

Dan:
We’ve mentioned IULs a few times already. For someone new, what exactly is an IUL?

Val:
An IUL is an alternative retirement vehicle — think of it like a 401(k) or Roth IRA.
Its key advantage is its tax-favored status.

Let me ask you a question, Dan — would you rather pay a lot or a little in taxes?

Dan:
Ha, legally? As little as possible.

Val:
Exactly. Here’s what most people don’t realize — your 401(k) or traditional retirement account has a silent partner: Uncle Sam. When you contribute to a 401(k), you’re not avoiding taxes; you’re just deferring them.

So, imagine this:
You fund a business completely, take all the risk, and when you retire, your partner — Uncle Sam — tells you how much you owe him. That’s your 401(k).

Steve:
As a former tax preparer, I can confirm — that’s exactly how it feels.

Val:
Right? And that’s why IULs can be such a powerful tool — they’re structured for tax-free growth and protection.

Val:
Think of a farmer with a 10-acre field. He can pay taxes now on a small bag of corn seeds or later on the entire harvest.
Wouldn’t you rather pay on the seeds than the full field?

That’s the logic behind Roth accounts and IULs — pay a little now, save a lot later.

Dan:
So, with an IUL, that “L” stands for Life — meaning it’s life insurance, right?

Val:
Exactly. If you put $100 into a traditional IRA and pass away tomorrow, your family gets around $70 after taxes. But with an IUL — if that same $100 equates to a $100,000 life policy — and you passed away tomorrow, your family gets $100,000 tax-free.

That’s protection and growth in one.

Dan:
Dad, from your Boomer perspective, how do you see IULs compared to traditional life insurance?

Steve:
Back in my day, I focused on simplicity and cost. I had a family of seven kids.
I got renewable term life policies to cover basic protection — just enough to ensure my wife could get the kids through school if I died young.

I didn’t chase complex policies. My approach: bare-bones insurance + consistent investing in a 401(k).

Dan:
So Val, who’s the ideal person for an IUL — high earners, average families, or anyone planning retirement?

Val:
Honestly, anyone can benefit. I’ve written policies for families making $30k–$50k a year. It’s scalable.

A good rule of thumb: about $100 per month per decade of age.
So if you’re 30 — $300/month.
But even $25–$50/month is better than nothing.

It’s great for retirement and legacy planning. The earlier you start, the more it compounds — and the life insurance component provides immediate protection.

Dan:
Would you say families should focus on getting out of debt first before thinking about retirement and legacy tools like this?

Val:
That’s a fair question. Ideally, yes, eliminate high-interest debt. But most people juggle both.
We help families find that balance. Some use IULs while also rolling over 401(k)s into more secure, no-risk options.

It’s not one-size-fits-all — the plan adapts to your life stage.

Dan:
Let’s talk about that “money working twice” idea you mentioned earlier.

Val:
Right. In traditional banking, when you spend a dollar, it’s gone.
With certain life policies — like participating whole life — your money can earn interest while you borrow against it.

That’s the foundation of the Infinite Banking Concept — becoming your own bank.
But yes, you have to fund it. It’s not magic money — it’s structured leverage.

Steve:
I like the concept but prefer flexibility. Back when I started, whole life felt too rigid.
For me, term + invest the difference worked better.
Not everyone has the discipline to do that, but it worked for me.

Dan:
Let’s pivot to retirement — how concerned should families really be about market losses eating into their retirement?

Val:
If you’re 10–15 years away from retirement, it’s a 5 out of 5 concern.
Market timing is everything. Imagine retiring in 2007 with $1 million — then watching it drop 38% in months.

The solution: vehicles with a guaranteed floor (you can’t lose principal) and a cap on gains. You might earn up to 12%, but you’ll never lose.

Steve:
True — 2000 to 2009 was brutal.
But if you’re younger, you can afford the market’s ups and downs.
Just understand caps exist on these products.

Val:
Exactly. Some caps are low, but others reach 10–12%. Choose the right product.

Steve:
When it comes to debt, my rule’s simple: eliminate bad debt (credit cards, student loans).
I don’t mind good debt like a fixed mortgage, especially with tax benefits.
But pay off high-interest debt before chasing investments.

Val:
Couldn’t agree more. Most people think their home is their greatest asset, but for many, it’s their biggest liability — especially early in a mortgage.

Dan:
Can you give a real-world example of someone who used these strategies successfully?

Val:
Sure. A 50-year-old client funded an IUL at $400/month for 10 years.
After 15 years, the policy projected tax-free income until age 95, plus a death benefit 10x what they paid in.
It’s not magic — it’s math and structure.

Dan:
Dad, what’s your litmus test for deciding between traditional investing and these newer strategies?

Steve:
If you can do the math and stay disciplined, great — manage it yourself.
But most people won’t. For them, working with someone like Val makes sense.

Dan:
Exactly. That’s why we started MBMC — to help people see both sides.

Dan:
Val, thanks for joining us today and sharing your insight.
Where can people reach you if they want to learn more?

Val:
You can book a 10-minute Discovery Call at the link below — quick, simple, and no obligation.
We’ll see if there’s a way we can help.
Text preferred: 951-440-4046.

Dan:
Perfect. We’ll link that below along with Val’s info.

Steve:
Thanks, Val — great discussion.

Val:
Thank you both — really enjoyed it.

✅ End of Transcript — “The Great IUL Debate: Protection vs. Growth”
Guests: Steve Shea • Dan Shea • Val Zarn