THE GAME PLAN · ISSUE #1

The Halftime Adjustment Nobody Makes 🏈

Why most people play offense their whole lives, and how to fix it

Hey there,

Welcome to The Game Plan, the newsletter from PIKNIC Group where we break down the money plays that protect your family and build generational wealth. No jargon. No fluff. Just real strategies you can run.

Let's get into it.

The halftime adjustment

In football, the first half tells you one story. Champions are made in the locker room at halftime, when you look at the tape, see what's not working and adjust.

Your money game works the same way. The first half of your financial life is all offense: earning income, building your career, maybe stacking a 401(k) or savings. Most people play that half pretty well.

The problem: most people never make a halftime adjustment. They keep running the same plays and stay exposed on defense:

▸ No tax-advantaged income plan for retirement

▸ No death benefit protecting their family if something happens tomorrow

▸ No plan for a market downturn hitting their retirement in one bad year

▸ No plan for passing wealth to the next generation

That's not a game plan. That's hoping the clock doesn't run out.

💡 The play: Indexed Universal Life (IUL)

An IUL is one way to keep scoring and play defense at the same time:

1. Tax-deferred, index-linked growth
Cash value is credited based on a market index like the S&P 500, with a 0% floor, so a down year won't credit you negative. A cap limits the upside, and policy fees and charges still apply.

2. Tax-advantaged access
You can access cash value through policy loans, which generally aren't taxed if the policy is set up and kept in force correctly. Loans accrue interest and reduce cash value and the death benefit.

3. Death benefit from day one
Your family has protection while you build. The death benefit is generally income-tax-free to beneficiaries.

4. Passing it on
Life insurance goes straight to named beneficiaries, usually outside probate. That can hand the next generation a head start.

📊 Real talk: 401(k) vs. IUL

	401(k)	IUL
Growth	Tax-deferred; withdrawals taxed	Tax-deferred; loans generally not taxed
Market risk	Full exposure to losses	0% floor on credits; fees still apply
Access before 59½	Usually 10% penalty + taxes	Policy loans; reduce cash value
Death benefit	None	Yes, from day one
Required distributions	Yes, starting at 73	None
Trade-off	Employer match = free money	Costs more, takes years to build

I'm not saying ditch your 401(k), especially if your employer matches. But if your entire plan is a 401(k), you're running the same play every down and wondering why the defense keeps reading you.

🎯 YOUR MOVE THIS WEEK

"If the market dropped 30% tomorrow, what happens to my retirement plan?"

If that answer makes you uncomfortable, let's talk. Free 30-minute Game Plan meeting, no pressure.

Book Your Free Consultation →

Stay locked in,
Parry Nickerson
Founder, PIKNIC Group Agency

P.S. Know someone who needs to hear this? Forward this email. Building generational wealth is a team sport. 🏈

For educational purposes only; not tax, legal or investment advice. Any examples are hypothetical. Policy guarantees depend on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer. Loans and withdrawals reduce cash value and the death benefit and may cause the policy to lapse. Parry Nickerson, FL Agent License G117953. PIKNIC Group Agency, FL Agency License L135450.

🏈 The Halftime Adjustment Nobody Makes

The Halftime Adjustment Nobody Makes 🏈

The halftime adjustment

💡 The play: Indexed Universal Life (IUL)

📊 Real talk: 401(k) vs. IUL

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The Game Plan by PIKNIC Group