In this episode of the One of a Kind Financial Show (September 18, 2025), host Mike Milligan and co‑host Gary examine five financial products that have become viral “blue‑light specials” on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X. They begin with a brief reflection on how the internet and AI have transformed financial research, then move into a systematic critique of each trending offer: 1. High‑Yield Savings and Cash‑Management Accounts – promoted with 4% rates versus the 0.59% national average; Mike warns that locking money in these accounts can be inferior to Treasury bills or laddered annuities. 2. Annuities – highlighted for lifetime income guarantees but also explained the downsides (surrender charges, tax penalties, illiquidity). Mike draws on 26 years of industry experience to advise listeners to seek seasoned advisors. 3. Roth Conversion Strategies – debunking “Roth rescue” schemes that promise to pay taxes in exchange for high‑bonus annuities, which ultimately limit growth. 4. Tax‑Free Retirement Accounts (TFRA) – described as after‑tax vehicles that claim tax‑free withdrawals, often marketed by life‑insurance agents using Section 7702, but lacking fiduciary oversight. 5. Index Universal Life (IUL) Insurance – praised for market‑linked growth with downside protection, yet warned that illustrations can overstate benefits and should be used cautiously. Throughout, Mike emphasizes that these viral products are marketing gimmicks (“blue‑light specials”) and that a holistic, personalized “One of a Kind Financial Plan”—covering tax, retirement income, investment, long‑term care, and legacy strategies—is the proper alternative. The episode ends with a promotional call‑to‑action for listeners to contact Mike’s firm (Ideas by Mike) for a customized plan.
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Welcome back to the One of a Kind Financial Show Daily with your host, Mike Milligan. Today is Thursday, September 18th, and guess what? You are still one of a kind, and I think you deserve a one-of-a-kind financial plan to go along with your one-of-a-kind life. 27 years ago today, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers was founded. We call that ICANN today. The formation of this was a landmark in the history of the internet and digital finance. So, I mean, boy, that makes me feel old to think about. The internet was not even really around 27 years ago, and yet here I am getting ready to celebrate my 49th birthday, and it has been around during my whole adult life. Our life has forever been changed. Changed by the creation of the internet. Instead of going to the library, the public library, to research a topic in the Encyclopedia Britannica, I can now go to AI and find out— most reliably find out anything I wanted to. Or I can hop in and I can look and see, you know, online what the scores of my favorite games are instead of going to the newspaper. Or better yet, the instantaneous knowledge of the stock market is right at your fingertip where we can place trades anytime. Recently on the One of a Kind Financial Show, Gary and I talked about AI and how it can be used right from a financial standpoint. Enjoy that segment next.
We all remember the famous blue light specials at Kmart when we shopped there. Today, popular social media platforms Showcasing trending financial specials similar to Kmart's classic Blue Light Deals have drawn people to hot tips and daily deals and stories and reels. Just like Kmart built a big business around that gimmick, here are 5 top 5 viral specials and terms circulating on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X, formerly Twitter, of course, of this year. Here's the first one: high-yield savings and cash management accounts. Mike. Talk about that.
So, I mean, we all remember that blue light special, right? It takes you to a part of the store that they're trying to reduce their inventory. Well, here we go. On Facebook, this is the hottest trending Facebook ad for financial professionals right now. It's high-yield savings accounts and cash management accounts. These are banks and fintechs that are drawing attention with daily rates that, and they're giving you sign-on perks, appealing to people who have money in their banks, savers. Seeking immediate and flexible returns. Here's the, here's the thing here, those guys. All of these savings programs that are out there, the best ones are offering rates at 4% right now. So if you're the greatest high-yield savings account in America right now, you're getting 4%, 4%. And that's according to bankrate.com, right?
Yep.
And you know, on the average savings account right now, rate in America is 0.59%. Guys, you deserve better. Don't, don't fall for these blue lights and lock your money up when you can have something like a Treasury bill or a Treasury note, right? You can have a multi-guaranteed year annuity paying 5% or 5.5%, or you can have other laddered strategies in place that provide more flexibility. Stay away from this blue light special.
Yeah, it's barely keeping up with inflation, Mike. Am I right?
That's exactly right, Gary.
Yeah, absolutely. Annuities, security and lifetime income. That's a big hot topic these days.
All right. Now, this is one that for some people they need to run to, right? Because we've heard of the 4% safe withdrawal rule all of our life now in this, people that are retired now, they've heard of it, the safe withdrawal rule. But social media conversations about annuities center on their ability to provide guaranteed income for life and protection against outliving those retirement savings. Influencers and financial advisors alike break down the pros, unlimited funding, lifetime payments, predictability, and cons, the surrender charge, tax penalties, and lack of liquidity, making annuities a trending topic there. But here's the key to this. Many people who know how to use TikTok and Facebook and Twitter, right, or X, they haven't been in the business long enough to know when it's time to, to know when to hold them. And know when to fold them.
Mm-hmm.
I think with 26 years in the business, I've seen the good ones and the bad ones when it comes to annuities. For those who are seeking secure lifetime income, come to somebody that's not a gambler, but somebody who's an expert. That's where we would take that blue light and push it to the best retirement income for you versus what just the social media wants you to buy their product of the day, right?
Absolutely. The show is the one-of-a-kind financial show with Mike Milligan. Mike is with Ideas by Mike. Let's get you on Mike's calendar, all set up with that comprehensive plan. 800-748-1838. 800-748-1838. Or text the word IDEAS to 600-700. Do it right now. Here's another hot topic: Roth conversion strategies.
Well, listen, this is one that I'm seeing huge calls from people in on because there's something called a Roth rescue that's out there where they're saying, we will pay your tax for you. Well, guys, listen, nobody's going to pay your tax for you. What that offer is, is for some incredibly high, insane bonus annuity that would then offset the taxes you pay. Now listen, bonus annuities have a place in the marketplace, but they don't have a place when it comes to Roth IRAs. Roth IRAs should be, once you convert to a Roth IRA, it should be the place where your highest growth strategies occur. Because remember, you're never being charged, you're never being taxed on the growth again, both during the deferral and when you take money out. So why would you go into a high bonus product at that point in time that's going to limit the upside and the growth. It's counterintuitive to each other. And so on these blue light specials on all of the socials, they're trying to lead you down to, they're trying to give you that nugget, right? We're going to pay your tax or reimburse your tax for you, but they don't tell you on the backside, they're going to limit the growth on the other side. There's really no strategy. So stay away from Roth conversion strategies that avoid, that have high bonuses to them and use bonus annuities for the right thing. So like your traditional IRA to recoup money in the market where the market, where you didn't see losses or to help you get out of a bad contract through a retirement refinance.
All right. Great advice, Mike. I want to make sure we get to the next 2 because we promised 5 tax-free retirement account strategies.
TFRA. It's just, these posts continue to gain traction explaining how your after-tax retirement vehicles allow for tax-free withdrawals and can diversify retirement income streams. They hide behind something called, and we're going to talk about this one in the 5th one a little bit. They talk about tax code 7702. They promise you that you're going to get this tax-free, like if you put in $1,000 a month over, you know, over 20 years that you're going to get some big number. But the thing about most TFRRA campaigns, tax-free retirement account campaigns, is those campaigns are done by life insurance agents only, not true fiduciaries who have the full picture in mind, which leads us to the 5th one. Gary, do you want to go ahead and tell us what that 5th one is?
Yeah, it's index universal life, IULs. Yeah.
And a TFRA is just described, number 4 there, is just described as an index universal life. You know, IULs attract buzz because of combining market-linked growth with downside protection and flexible tax-free benefits, making them a favorite alternative for those seeking both legacy and lifetime financial solutions. But here's the key. IULs are something that on an illustration overdeliver what really is going to happen. Now, again, you got to know when to hold them and you got to know when to fold them. IUL in the right hands can be a powerful tool, but in people that are pushing that blue light around on the internet and say, look at me, look at me, look at me, because I got the product of the day, those are not the people you want to look at to do that. See, annuities, Roth conversions, TFRAs, IULs, and high-yield savings accounts are this month's hot financial products that are on blue light special on the internet. But here's the key. We build, we build some of these into our strategies into the One of a Kind Financial Plan.
All right. Tell us a little bit about the One of a Kind Financial Plan, Mike. We got like a minute left.
Yeah. We, we, we don't ever put up a blue light at the, at the One Oak family at Ideas by Mike Studios, right? What we're not going to guide you to a product, right? We're going to put a plan in place for you that helps you know that you are safe and secure. That plan is based on a tax strategy, a retirement income strategy, an investment strategy, long-term care, and a legacy strategy that is not built on gimmicks. It's not built on one-time sales. It's built on, on you being the center of everything we do. Because at the end of the day, when it's put on paper, it's easy to execute. We then want you to go out and live a one-of-a-kind life.
Get the One of a Kind Financial Plan. Here's the phone number: 800-748-1838, or text the word IDEAS to 600-700.
One last message from our compliance team. As a reminder, Mike Milligan, Certified Financial Planner, is an investment advisor representative of Advisory Alpha, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. All opinions expressed by me, Mike, or any podcast guest are solely our opinions. And do not reflect the opinions of Advisory Alpha. This recording is for informational purposes only, should not be relied on solely for investment, tax, or legal decisions, and it's in no way intended to communicate or guarantee specific performance or suitability of any security instrument or product as we may have discussed. Investment advisory and financial planning services offered through Advisory Alpha LLC, a registered investment advisor. Insurance products are provided by Ideas by Mike, a licensed agency located in Norfolk, Virginia, and licensed to do business in all 50 states. While tax and legal issues may be discussed in the general course of financial and investment planning. Advisory Alpha does not provide tax or legal services. Please consult with your tax or legal professional prior to making decisions related to these issues. If you want us an appointment with Ideas by Mike or One Oak Financial, please reach out via our website. This podcast is produced in conjunction with Mike Milligan LLC.
