Avoid preventable money mistakes

 

Losing money? Avoid preventable money mistakes

If you have experienced a virus-related event—job loss, health issue, family member care, etc—you must now regret overspending. When things are going well, we often forget about that emergency fund we planned to create. We may get in trouble through no fault of our own. Counseling for financial debt is available from reputable non-profits. Consider all the alternatives before you bury your future by taking out money from any long-term investment plan. You can’t get back the time, the creator of the miracle of compounding. If you have overwhelming debt, consider bankruptcy to get a fresh start. No one knows but your attorney. You can keep your retirement accounts, car, house, etc. Your friends and advisor don’t have access to counseling resources. Advisors are trained to sell products not to get you out of debt, find a job, help with health care, etc. 

https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Compounding-Turn-day-into/dp/1470176513

 

Why can’t US control health care costs?

With Trump’s Supremes in power, Americans may never gain affordable health care. Trump has already said that the GOP will end ObamaCare and Medicaid. The virus has caused millions to lose coverage linked to their jobs. A recent study exposes the aggressive pricing by mega-hospital systems that have gained enormous market power through widespread consolidation. It shows that employers in many states are paying much more than Medicare prices for hospital services. WV, TN, SC and FL systems average 340% of Medicare prices. Employers may soon have to jettison coverage for their workers since they are paying much more than Medicare does. If everyone was on Medicare reimbursement, health care firms could not accumulate the huge profits and reserves they have. Consolidation means CEOs and their minions can take $ millions each in salary and bonus. They control pricing and claims-paying standards. They pay (lobbyists) $ millions to slant the decisions in Washington. “Private insurers pay its hospitals four times what Medicare reimburses for care” in some regions. Even for underpaid teachers, the cost is overwhelming. One education client, earning under $100,000, pays premiums of $8,779 + $4,000 deductible/co-pay + the employer pays $28,164 for in-network coverage for two. The insurer even stopped covering the ‘free’ mammogram and colonoscopy screening in 2020. Finally, the quality of care in the US is ranked lower than other countries. For-profit health care systems hurt the American middle-class.

https://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

  

Did researchers find Warren Buffett’s secret?

A study may have cracked the ‘Buffett Code’ — Berkshire Hathaway’s ‘secret sauce.’ Over time, Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway’s stock rose at an 18.6% annualized pace, versus 11.8% for the S&P 500. Buffett owns stocks like Coke and whole companies like GEICO and BNSF railway. He is known for his “buy and hold” strategy as opposed to Wall Street’s buy high and sell low. Buffett’s purchases usually include undervalued companies (when he bought them) and high dividends and few competitors due to their competitive advantage. Few other master investors can claim 55 years of 18.6% returns for shareholders. We might be wise to take his advice.

Buffett as your advisor: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffett-Your-Investment-Advisor/dp/1518690963

 

Other ways the wealthy avoid paying their fair share of taxes

When a wealthy person leaves heirs with $ millions and the estate pays little or no tax thanks to the GOP tax breaks for the rich, the nation suffers. The wealthy are focused on using the current lifetime exemption amounts ($11.58 million per individual). That’s more than double the amount of 2017 ($5.49 million) and ten times the amount of 2008 and before ($1 million). This means a couple can pass on over $23 millions in their lifetimes without paying any tax. Another strategy is lending money to a trust that is established to benefit heirs. The trust earns a higher return than the interest rate owed back to the wealthy grantor. Using a balloon loan (principal and interest accrue for the duration of the loan) the trust grows on a larger base. Then, the difference between the investment returns and the accrued interest accumulate estate-tax free to future generations. Another trick to avoid taxes is to leave an estate to a charity. They provide for their heirs through a gift-tax free estate. Plus they can give $30,000 a year to all the kids/grandkids without gift tax. Next, they can pay for health and education expenses for those they love without using annual exclusions or lifetime exemptions. Thus they assure their children and grandchildren of expensive health care and education. They pay no taxes for the public benefits they use: police, airports, roads, courts, hospitals, Congress people for biz subsidies, and armed forces in 70 countries to protect them on vacation.

Save on taxes too: https://www.amazon.com/Trump-Tax-Shelter-Avoid-taxes/dp/1985448300

 

Is America a socialist country already?

Trump accuses Biden of turning America into a socialist country. But then when it comes to giving away tax money to groups he wants to vote for him, he acts like socialist dictator. He wants us taxpayers to pay farmers $30 billions to get them to vote for him. Who else do we give welfare to besides farmers? Corporate welfare includes coal, gas, oil, banks, cars, airplanes, exporters, etc. We even give our money and troops to prop-up countries. Congress people take subsides too. A big part of our national budget goes to pay interest on the debt created to give the wealthy more money creating a greater divide with the middle class. The middle class is shrinking with 90% of the country’s wealth held by the top 1%. The only people we don’t help are low-wage workers during a pandemic—and also workers who get laid off when their employers can’t reopen. Our millionaire reps in Washington decide workers who need help will not go back to work if we help them. And finally, our central bank is buying up (creating our future taxes) the debt of troubled companies to keep their lobbying CEOs happy. Wall Street takes the profits. Most unbiased Americans think we already have socialism—

Socialism for the Rich: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-little-people/dp/1535218584

 

Is CalSavers retirement account right for you?

Most working people can benefit from an https://saver.calsavers.com/ account. Your savings comes right from your pay. You don’t need to do a thing once you set it up. Younger people can invest in stocks or stocks and bonds. You don’t need a broker or advisor to earn up to 11% per year. This account is a Roth IRA so in retirement you pay no income tax on this money. Most retirement account benefits are taxable in retirement. You can stop it and start it anytime. Most employers in CA will offer this low-cost tool but they have no access to your money. If you leave your job, you can continue with your new employer in most cases—it is a statewide program. Automatic payroll savings is the most successful type of long-term savings plans. In fact, those who end up with the most money in their account are folks who forget they have it. You are not tempted to take out the money or to lose money by trading on someone’s advice. Think long-term!

Enjoy tax-free retirement even outside CA: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Retirement-code-lifetime-income/dp/1475206976

 

When current yields are low, concentrate on long-term investments

Where is the best place to put our money now? Everyone wants high yields and low risk. However, the markets don’t offer such a thing. We have to think in terms of long-term and short-term. If we are investing for retirement, even if is only 10 years ahead, we invest in the only security that has shown it can provide substantial accumulations. Most of us did not learn about the miracle of compounding in school. We never learned that a basket of stocks can double in value in 8-9 years. Over our working lives, a constant investment of just $9 a day can provide over $1 million: invest $250 a month for 33 years in stocks and you can comfortably retire: invest a total of only $99,000 for a $ million.

For short-term needs, a low-cost balanced fund meets the test. Earning a steady 5-7% allows you to own an emergency fund that is better than any bank CD. Use a special IRS account and avoid taxes on your withdrawals now and later too.

https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Advantaged-Wealth-mutual-funds-Tax-FREE/dp/1481215906

 

Phrases that mean you need a new advisor

Salespeople learn specific phrases to keep the conversation going when they have nothing meaningful to say. They can’t predict the future and so they can only deal with what has happened already. This is why more investors are giving up and just leaving their money in a low-cost index fund. In fact, Vanguard just analyzed the panic factor from Feb to May and found the “panickers” earned less than those that did nothing. If you hear your advisor give you these worn out phrases, look for a new one or switch to a salary-only advisor. “Don’t Get Complacent” means only activity in your account pays their fees and commissions. “Profit Taking” implies selling is best now. "More buyers than sellers" means nothing without a price point. “The stock market hates uncertainty” means the advisor has no clue about conditions. "The easy money has been made" means you are a sucker for not trading when advised. "Earnings missed estimates" means someone guessed wrong. “Cash on the sidelines” means prices are low. "On a go-forward basis" means nothing—it is always a future guess. “It is already in the price” means no new guesses. “110%” means very very very or huuuuuge. 110% cannot exist.

You don’t need advisor for success: https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Financial-Independence-Freedom-Workbook/dp/1088908500

 

 

 

 

**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQ’ Mobster?

 

Philly DA: we have an “authoritarian dictator."

 

Dictator: I order “you cannot have [Biden] as your president”

Dictator: “Get rid of ballots, there won’t be a transfer”

Supremes handed Bush victory too

 

Dictator: "We were put in this position of power” to change Supremes

Dictator: ‘re-education’ camps for youth

Dictator: I will tell you which phone apps to use

Dictator: “done a very good job” only 203,000 dead

 

How Govt wastes our money: Congress gives 3.7 Trillion to the wealthy! 

In 2021, Social Security will pay out more money than it collects: Congress ignores our future

Trump’s Space Force sent 20 spacemen to Qatar to fight desert mirage? Wasted taxes.

IRS gives the wealthy another break on taxes they owe: don’t have use available assets to pay.

IRS gives business another tax break: 100% bonus on depreciation expense: write off all in 1^st yr

 

After propping up failing company bonds, Fed bank limits support for cities/states’ bonds

Congress money for masks went to defense contractors and Trump police armor/uniforms

Airlines demand $25 billion bailout: Trump to find money just before election

Biz exec boast about gov reps who take election money for influence: mic'd up

 

Netanyahu brings bags and suitcases of dirty laundry so we can clean his clothes free

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

“They are dying. That’s true. And it is what it is.”: more than Korea, Vietnam, WWI combined

 

Trump cancelled plan to send masks to all Americans: ‘masks might create panic’

Trump cancelled CDC advice on airborne virus and mask protection: going for 300,000?

Virus cases in 20 year olds now largest age group: no mask groups mutating virus strain

 

Trump’s mob now in charge of all foods, medicine, vaccine, medical devices: power play

 

Putin helping Trump: FBI tracking damage to Biden: will Americans vote Putin’s man?

No 2^nd Amendment for phone apps: Trump bans apps from American use or 20 yrs jail

Trump’s campaign head involved in money laundering: how wealthy hide money crimes

 

Trump offers Puerto Rico aid 3 years late but 1 month before election: will it even come?

Trump: “Chinese won’t have anything to do with TikTok” except they own control of it.

Research: junk health plans favored by Trump are rife with deception: You don’t get what pay for

 

Can Trump’s Supremes stop PA voters from casting ballots the way they want to?

Trump to control our 401k investments: investments in new energy source stocks limited

Fox guards henhouse: Trump’s vaccine czar owns stock in firm competing for US order

 

Brokers are 7, 8, 9 times more likely than fiduciary to sell risky volatile products: regulators

Zvi Feiner Erez Baver caught stealing $ millions Ponzi on Rosewood nursing homes

Scam: Call to verify Amazon purchase info: asks for bank info, “listening in,”

 

Lobel Financial caught charging $1,345,224 for LDW product it did not provide: fined

Milton Dosal Jr CO caught stealing from cadets with Ponzi as great stock trader: fined

Raphaelson Zimmerman Kidd WellsFargo execs caught fake account scam: fine no jail 

 

Craig Zabala NY caught stealing $4.4 million: promised profits from new firm

Steven Rodemer CO caught stealing from elderly after 40 yrs as advisor: claimed had OK

BMW caught misleading bond buyers inflated sales numbers 2015-19; fine no jail

 

Is it a scam?  Check AARP scamline 877.908.3360.

 

Check IRS: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-1-taxpayers-should-be-on-the-lookout-for-these-scams

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-2-thieves-work-all-year-to-scam-taxpayers

 

Jobs

Laid-off workers need new careers: recovery thru community college training needs help.

Most workers cut in pay will continue after virus: worker incomes keep falling

Early retirement offer from job: Get help to consider how it fits with your life

Despite working from home, no tax deduction for employees with w-2 income

Life insurance sales attracts jobless: candidates interviewed daily

 

62% of employers feel they are “extremely” responsible for employees’ financial well-being

 

Who owns your account now?

Save fav Ticks before Trump bans them: Dictator decides which apps you can use No 2^nd Amend

Highest rated home insurance company: quality over price

Saving your home; creative solutions: 4 million are past due on their home payments

There are worst places to retire than where you are: Feel better?

 

Miracle:

AstraZeneca’s goal is a vaccine with 50% effectiveness: we will still need masks, 6ft  

Getting a mortgage without color, sex, job discrimination: can it work for all?

Signs of climate change: Sharks are moving north. Redwood growth is slowing.

 

Pensacola under water: storm floods over and over from TX to FL: more glaciers coming

Pope Francis to parents of L.G.B.T. children: ‘God loves your children as they are.’

Miracle: Lower virus deaths in 2021? Scientists share concerns at 970,000 worldwide.

 

Sales of new homes advanced for a fourth month: highest level in 14 years: prices fell

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts

 

Does the SEC’s new regulation ‘Best Interest’ protect us or Wall Street firms?

 Nobel Prize economics/finance investment strategy

Paul Samuelson, head MIT Economics Department, was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Economics and advised various presidents. While discussing stock market strategy with John Bogle and Warren Buffett, he recommended the simple but winning strategy of buy and hold low cost index funds with few withdrawals. That was it. Wall Street has never been happy with this advice because the owners cannot make money with it. They need movement—buy and sell activity. But buy and sell activity may create extra taxes for you—NOT them. So making use of a tax-FREE account has great benefits for you—NOT them. It is impossible for them to make money following Buffett’s advice in a tax-FREE account. There is no movement and there are no tax consequences upon withdrawal/rebalancing. This is why no advisor recommends buy and hold investments at Vanguard. But Vanguard has salaried advisors when you need one—NO product ‘pushers.’

Use the smart strategy: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffett-Your-Investment-Advisor/dp/1518690963

 

Opportunity of a lifetime?

Investors are weighing the leveraging strategy like never before. Investors may earn 6-8% by buying high dividend growth stocks with 2% margin loans. Using borrowed money to invest is a risky strategy but with money so cheap, it is our banks’ current high-profit center. In fact, banks are again engaged in a dangerous game of holding risky assets off their balance sheets in variable interest entities and using our money (Fed funds) to invest in high-risk corporate loans. Some banks are holding $ billions in collateralized loan obligations. Like the CDO that defaulted in 2007-8, CLO are like putting lipstick on a pig. Ratings for the top layer of loans hides the poor commercial loans beneath. Following the “Greed is Good” ideology, banks have again put our legitimate bank system at risk. Like the young man who killed himself because he misunderstood leveraged trading on the long odds, our bankers are taking profits before they have to kill their consumer banks. Unlike personal leverage, we taxpayers will have to bail out our legit banks and send the criminals home with fat bonuses like last time. A safer strategy may be taxable muni bonds which have recently paid over 2%. States and cities need cash to replace falling revenues.

Stick with the Best: https://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X/

 

Does the SEC’s new regulation ‘Best Interest’ protect us or Wall Street firms?

The terminology in the new standard of service gives financial institutions a legal advantage: "informed consent" disclosures are so obtuse they won’t be understood. Firm lawyers write them. The regulatory agency’s test for “informed consent” puts the onus on us and creates a “buyer-beware” trap that will make it difficult for investors to prevail in a FINRA hearing or suit. If we accept the advisor’s recommendation, we agree to any misleading and omitted statements involved. In effect the firm’s “Best Interest” becomes our “best” interest because they will say we should have researched all the conflicts of interest they have before the purchase. It becomes our problem when the conflict was not disclosed because we didn’t even know about it. We couldn’t ask. SEC examiners will not be present when our advisor fails to tell us all the conflicts. Most advisors don’t even know all the conflicts that exist between the firm and its customers. How could advisors disclose them to us? For instance, advisors don’t know about the flow trading deal the firm has with some vendors. They don’t know about the ‘hair cuts’ on securities. They don’t know the stock lending deals. They don’t know the factors in margin loans. They don’t understand the firm’s hype. They don’t know the special deals or kickbacks firms receive for selling certain products and services. Advisors aren’t fiduciaries. The real Fiduciary Rule was cancelled by Trump as soon as he took office.

Best Interest rule is not the Fiduciary Rule: https://www.amazon.com/Fiduciary-Rule-BEST-dont-anymore/dp/1530980275

 

Which is best for you—pension or lump sum?

With companies dropping like flies in today’s economy, you may be faced with this decision. This is not an easy decision because you don’t get a second chance. With most firms, you are usually all in or all out. Usually the financial contract is set in stone. And now is a hard time for workers especially. If you are facing the choice, there are many factors in your decision. First, will the company be around to make its payments. Second, if your company buys an annuity now to make the payments for them, the amount will lower now because interest rates are lower. Third, if you take the lump sum, will you pay someone to manage your investments or will you know how to buy an annuity yourself. Fourth, can you rollover the pension and wait to buy a better annuity. In my case, I found a fee-only planner who walked through the options as part of a complete financial plan. Since that person did not sell products nor could gain from our decision, I was happy to pay the single fee. We got unbiased advice based on all the factors involved.

Be prepared: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough/dp/1461084016

 

Learn how to take your RMD required minimum distributions

The IRS requires us to take withdrawals of a certain amount from our pension, IRA, 401k, 403b and any other tax-deferred accounts starting after age 70. But will we have enough to last, how do we invest our money, how much can we spend safely? We can create tax-FREE income from our IRA and reduce the forced withdrawals. We can take advantage of the miracle of compounding: $100,000 becomes $500,000 in 15 years. We can create an investment plan for 30+ retirement years. We can self-insure and self-fund all your financial needs. We can be ready when Social Security cuts benefits in 2034.

Consider 17 options: https://www.amazon.com/What-your-RMD-much-spend/dp/1718946716

 

 

Are we better off today than 4 years ago?

Average income is down. Unemployment for low-skill workers is up above 10%. Wealthy have more wealth. Fewer taxes are being collected. Budget deficit hits $3 Trillion for first time since WWII. Consumer debt rises again. "14% of Americans say they have wiped out their emergency savings since the onset of the pandemic and 11% have borrowed money to cover emergency expenses." Congress’s millionaires have decided that workers will not go back to work if $600 of unemployment benefits are continued even when their jobs are gone. Since benefits have ended so have job-seeking re-training programs. Evictions stand ready to beat workers even lower or push them into the streets. Some food banks do not accept food donations since they don’t want to infect the distribution volunteers with virus. Robots take more jobs: cut pay. Automation vs workers has changed cost-effective balance. Health care costs rise. Workers lose health coverage with jobs. Even when a test is “free” it isn’t. We deserve better!

Prepare for the future: https://www.amazon.com/Handling-Emergencies/dp/1537636707

 

What if my heirs can’t handle a lump sum?

Heirs who cannot handle your money have options that don’t’ require a high-cost trustee. Typically the wealthy will hire an institution (bank) as trustee to dole out the inheritance for living expenses. But some of these arrangements are tricky and taxed heavily. And what if you can’t afford to pay a lawyer for the trust and bank and investment fees for an heir’s lifetime? Are there viable options? Perhaps a special annuity will help: an immediate annuity that’s non-cancelable. In effect, the individual with spendhrift behavior or addiction will receive a check periodically for the rest of their life and can’t get more than that no matter what they do. Insurers won’t budge. Heirs can’t spend it all or be bullied by an abusive spouse or be swindled out of their total principal.

Consult a fee-only estate planner: https://www.amazon.com/Annuity-Decision-Tree-questions-answers/dp/1546454497

 

 

 

**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQ’ Mobster?

 

Philly DA: we have an “authoritarian dictator."

 

Dictator feared telling the truth: “There’s going to be great death!”

Dictator: Virus is Dem “hoax” & “just disappear”

Dictator’s advisor: “bring martial law if lose”

Dictator: If I lose; I win with Supremes

Dictator: “There has to be retribution” kill for kill

 

How Govt wastes our money: Congress gives 3.7 Trillion to the wealthy! 

Trump “peace” breakthrough: F-35 fighter jets to UAE’s for past relations with Israel. 

We taxpayers are paying for Pompeo’s events to booster his personal brand: criminal

Election timing: UAE and Bahrain already communicate and engage with Israel

 

Fed “printing money like crazy”: “foreigners increasingly unwilling to fund our deficits”

Senate lays itself off with pay: we pay when they DON’T work: why not the rest of us?

GOP health care plan “all ready’ to be announced but no one can discuss it

 

PO turns away money-making shipments since mail slowdown clogs PO: votes delayed

 

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Trump took $4 millions from medical fund for NY firefighters hurt in 9/11 event

Trump promised virus tests would be free: insurers’ own billing too complex: $2,718 lab

Trump fires up his virus crowd: "Now I can be really vicious," more deaths 200,000+

Trump’s old white lawyer: virus life-saving lockdown is like slavery—Barr taking drugs!

 

Trump pays secret ‘TrumpYouth’ to spread propaganda media: no mail-in; no virus; etc

Trump: take a third term as president because he is 'probably entitled' to it: dictatorship!

Trump’s FDA virus vaccine ‘experts’ conflicted: if virus is ‘hoax’ is vaccine worth it?

Trump again claims vaccine will be “free to all Americans:” Insurers not heed before.

 

 “Law and order” president breaks law in Utah in-door no mask rally: hospitalized

This Sunday recorded highest one-day increase in global cases: bars/cafes/event spikes

Trump’s judge says PA virus lockdown unconstitutional: 300,000 dead by Nov 3

 

AG Barr says we are going down the path to socialism: police state necessary now

Trump’s judge has decided the Trump can end humanitarian protections 

Police hide/erase body-cam footage when they kill: so what’s the point of body cams

 

Taking temperature is false security: people with COVID may have no symptoms

Older kids with NO symptoms bring virus home and infect family: need masks, washing

Drug pushers want $10,000 for remdesivir treatment: science exposed overcharge; now $3,100

TX GOP manipulates virus numbers for politicians who fear Trump: deaths result

 

TX GOP blocks county from sending mail-in voting applications to 2 million voters

Trump’s RNC and NJ GOP sues to stop mail-in election in NJ: PO’s delay=no vote

 

GOP Election Division rejects over 35,000 mail-in ballots in recent Florida primary

Trump’s PO sending out misinformation postcard on mail-in voting process

Trump now using Constitution to stop NJ from avoiding Trump mail-in ballot slowdown.

Trump gets 774,000 FL voters off the rolls: his court bans former inmates from voting

Will we all need to go to the streets like Belarus to end dictatorship in Jan 2021?

 

Sports without cable subscription: you may already have access to some games

5G may be slower than 4G: so many variables we don’t control make speed slower.

Boeing execs in charge of bad design defend it: training on new system “not necessary”

How to Spot a Fake Whisky: ways to protect yourself from being duped.

 

MyPillow Lindell claims new cure for virus: oleandrin: Trump provides marketing forum

Long-lost friend contacts you on Facebook: fake friend message asks for info/money

Par Funding caught in fraud high-interest loans to biz; using entities to evade regulations

Navient student loan class-action suit gives $500,000 to lawyers; nothing to students

 

ITT Technical Institute’s student loan lender PEAKS caught using unfair practices

Remington Chase CA Knightsbridge caught stealing $9 million promised movie interest

Dalio king of hedge funds lost 19% and clients, staff arbitration; sells optimism

Financial services firms failing to disclose disciplinary history on their Form CRS 

 

Disinfectants that DON’T kill the virus: antibacterial soap kills bacteria only

 

ClearPath Lending caught with false, misleading, and inaccurate statements

Lauren Wing CA caught buying commissioned CDs without permission

Patrick J. Knox PA caught taking client list to another firm

 

Is it a scam?  Check AARP scamline 877.908.3360.

 

Check IRS: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-1-taxpayers-should-be-on-the-lookout-for-these-scams

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-2-thieves-work-all-year-to-scam-taxpayers

 

Jobs

Biden fails to offer health care for all and infrastructure jobs: tax policy $0 if no job.

FedEx hiring for holidays: temp jobs may result in unemployment in Jan

Using ‘religious beliefs’ talk to discriminate: TX law upholds biz discrimination activity

 

Who owns your account now?

Wealthy have many tax haven and citizenship options: US life with no taxes.

Virus tests: which are accurate; what do they tell you?

Favorite brands without the marketing hype and expense: Kirkland Costco value

 

 

Miracle:

Two women get 19 families to buy GA acres for safe living for Blacks: leave harassment

Ice Age cave bear found in the Russian Arctic with soft tissue intact: quick freeze

42 sq mile chunk of Greenland’s ice cap broke off fjord Arctic: lookout Miami

 

Trump’s troops couldn’t find special weapons to hurt protestors in his ‘Bible stunt’

Pope seeks ‘liberate’ Virgin Mary from Mafia: Church helped Mob ‘fight’ communism

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts

How can you leave more to your kids?

 How can you leave more to your kids?

GOP killed the “stretch” IRA that allowed us to leave our unused retirement money to our kids. The ‘stretch’ allowed them to take the money out over their lifetimes. GOP needed to ‘pay for’ an immediate tax bonus to the wealthy. So now our kids will need to pay tax on the whole IRA amount within 10 years after our death.

What can we do now? We still have the tax-FREE Roth IRA conversion to consider. This requires us to pay tax before we die. We can do it in chunks so it can be manageable. Other options: expensive life insurance, stepped up asset, gift to 529 college account, gift tuition, gift cash, and charitable gift annuity.

https://www.amazon.com/What-do-with-your-RMD-much-spend/dp/1718946716

 

A balanced fund may be your best bet in a storm

We are impressed by a fund that has lasted 50 years producing 9.7% per year with few bad years. This fund has 65% bonds and is actively managed. How many mutual funds have been successful for that long? I guess less than a handful. A recent study showed that carrying a portfolio of a higher stock ratio may not provide higher returns. It does increase the volatility. For retirees and those who see hard times ahead, this may be the place to be for now. Vanguard is famous for index funds but John Bogle, the founder, brought this one from his former employer to Vanguard for good reason: quality, integrity and stewardship.

One of the Top Ten: https://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X

 

6 essentials of auto claim reports

No matter how trivial your accident, be smart. Protect yourself from unseen damage/hidden injuries by making a report right away. Think like a lawyer: the other person’s lawyer. First, report asap. Later their lawyer can’t say “They aren’t really hurt since didn’t report for weeks.” Second, take pictures of condition, road, weather, etc. “Damage not done in accident.” Third, document your loss completely. “There was no laptop and camera in the car at the time of accident.” Fourth, get diagnosis of your own health damage. “They said they were fine when I talked to them.” Fifth, answer questions truthfully. “They couldn’t have had son driving since he was at football practice.” Sixth, stick to facts: don’t offer extra info to other side. “They told the adjuster they had been driving for hours.” Finally, don’t try to outsmart the folks who do claims everyday. Lower your rate by asking for every discount with your new policy.

Shop around: https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

 

Did you leave money with a bank, utility, landlord, IRS or employer?

Millions of folks are hurting for money now. It is worth your time to check all your past deposits for money left by mistake. For instance, I found $450 at my parents’ bank after they passed. As executor I went through all their stuff and found money they forgot about. Since it was in a CD earning little interest, I distributed it to my brothers and me. You can pay to have a firm search for you but try going to the state treasurer for the states you have lived in first. Most states make institutions give the unclaimed funds to its treasurer after a number of years. Florida says 1 in 5 of us have left money somewhere. The federal government also tracks unclaimed property such as tax refunds, pension funds, and unredeemed savings bonds that are no longer earning interest. Unfortunately, there is no central database for locating all forgotten funds. A good place to start your search for federal unclaimed property is the IRS. You’ll find important information on how to claim forgotten funds from the IRS here. Also Savings Bonds stop earning interest so you need to cash them at your bank. I found 3 sitting in a desk drawer.

Save on all your accounts: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-wasting-3000-every-year/dp/146108394X

 

Why costs of our investments matter

What happens if we pay 0.04% or $4 vs 2% or $200 a year on our $10,000 investment over our working years? We can give away up to 63% of what we could have had. If our investments are focused on growth, we might end up with $740,961 instead of $1,243,368. That assumes we invest $3,000 a year for 35 years in a stock fund. If our investments are focused more conservatively, we might end up with $185,854 instead of $357,958. There will be a big difference in our retirement income since inflation will take its toll on the lesser amounts over our possible thirty-year stretch. This does not include the effects of cuts in Social Security benefits and higher health care costs.

Be prepared: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough/dp/1461084016

 

Did your advisor steer you to that bad fund because of free meals?

Bank of America just announced that the bank's nearly 17,900 advisors can no longer accept free golf games or many meals from product and service providers. Yes, the secret to Wall Street selling success is OUT. I remember being told early on that “products are sold, not bought.” I learned quickly in my career that we were to push certain products so we could go to the Caribbean, golfing in Naples, and casinos paid by vendors. Products with higher fees and lower benefits had to be sold because the firm needed revenue. This is why the industry paid to have Trump reverse Obama’s fiduciary rule as soon as he got to Washington. Unfortunately, you may be stuck with a bad fund and we doubt that those BoA advisors aren’t going to get “comped” somehow for sales of less than the best.

Buy the best: https://www.amazon.com/Fiduciary-Rule-BEST-dont-anymore/dp/1530980275

 

Why is Vanguard Group eating Wall Street’s lunch?

Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund has grown by $200 billion since March and is on track to cross the $1 trillion mark in December. Of the world’s top 10 mutual funds, why are they all passive index funds except one? Only one is actively managed by Wall Street gurus. Vanguard funds are owned by us—its retail investors. There are no owners like Fidelity’s Johnson family—one of the wealthiest in the world. John Bogel, founder believed in ‘stewardship’ of other people’s money—opposite of the goal of multi-million dollar salaries/fees. If the stock market provides 10-12% a year over time, we get to keep all of it. We don’t give 2% to those who don’t take the risks we do. Investing is about being rewarded for entrusting our money to profitable companies, not helping the middlemen become rich. Some investors think hedge funds can beat the market and they do for a short time. But they can lose money as quickly as they gain it.

We took the risks: https://www.amazon.com/Pimps-Wall-Street-money-middlemen/dp/151525254X

 

 

 

**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQ’ Mobster?

 

Philly DA: we have an “authoritarian dictator."

 

Dictator declares ‘war’ on blue states

Dictator on chaos: 300 million guns; 10 million AR

Dictator: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.”

Dictator: Taxpayers will pay my rape case damages

Dictator on killer virus: “I wanted to always play it down”

Dictator: Nobel ‘Peace’ Prize winner?

 

 

How Govt wastes our money: Congress gives 3.7 Trillion to the wealthy! 

Today’s US news looks like a story about a heavily armed military in the Third World

Trump made workers poorer: most of us making $50,000 got $307 less in 2017 vs 2016

Folks making $200,000+ increased 20%; folks making $10 million+ increased 37%

 

The sharp decline in IRS auditing means tax cheating has become much less risky.

Folks making $1 million+ but paying NO income taxes soared 41% under new Trump tax

Wealthy take PPP business loans but never recall or rehire workers back: Wasted taxes

 

We are paying for Trump’s rape case expenses: How many more cases are there?

Stimulus payments will come closer to Nov 3: watch for celebration by Congress Nov

Stimulus payment paid to Austrians and others who used to work in US: Citizen got $0

 

Army wasted $ millions on ‘walking’ robot …because Pentagon saw Star Wars movie?

Trump’s Medicare head spends $6 million of our money to improve her personal image

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Scam: Authentic virus contact tracers will never ask for your Social Security number

Newark NJ is model of virus suppression: tracing worked: 86% residents are minorities

 

PO head got job by using his employees to pay Trump for election: illegal, Mr Barr?

Record number rejected ballots ‘trump’s’ voting: signature match is purely subjective!

GOP in charge of counting votes: GA illustrates how Trump can call election “rigged”--not leave 

Trump blocks mail-in ballots in NV, WI court delays mailing out so votes not counted

 

Trump asks trumpers to ‘pack’ polls: “Watch all the thieving and stealing and robbing they do.”

 

For votes Trump bans drilling in FL SC GA : cuts EPA rules/fines everywhere else

For votes Biden quietly assures Wall Street to continue to fleece us: “follow the money”

 

FBI theory: Trump as Putin’s Manchurian Candidate: POTUS motivated to help Putin destroy US

Trump admits lying about virus: kills hundreds of thousands: "I wanted to always play it down."

 

Scam: Beware of a text asking you to "confirm for delivery" for a late package. ID theft

Instacart DC caught taking $ millions in deceptive service fees 

US Air Ducts DLM Services WA caught deceptive adverts/robos, fake reviews, $10 mil  

 

Steven Rodemer CO caught stealing $451,889 from client; promised investments no jail

Hai Khoa Dang CT caught defrauding couple's $2.2 million promised conservative trades

Encore Capital CA Midland Funding failed provide borrowers with proof; 2^nd time; no jail time

API Recovery Solutions, Warner Location Services, etc caught deceptive debt collection

57 people caught stealing $175 million from the PPP virus program for small business

Josh Bellamy Jets caught $24 million scheme to defraud the PPP virus program

 

250,000 coronavirus cases have now been tied to the 10-day Sturgis Rally event

Advisors charging extra fees SEC warns: check confirms/statements: you take the risks!

UBS Plans Higher Fees To Push Rich Clients Out Of Cash: low interest=no revenue 

PO continues to slow pharmacy order: patients (VA) panic when meds sit in PO:

President ‘United’ States mislead us into 200,000 deaths by waiving responsibility no jail

 

Recalls 203,000 Hyundai Santa Fe; 440,000 Kia Optima & Sorento 2013-15: engine fires

Vaccine not a cure-all for everyone: history shows not perfect or effective: 2021-2 masks

TurboTax caught misleading customers regarding free filing: tricked us into paying

 

Drug companies promise to make ‘good vaccine: same folks give us bad meds/high costs

 

Is it a scam?  Check AARP scamline 877.908.3360. Check IRS: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-1-taxpayers-should-be-on-the-lookout-for-these-scams

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-part-2-thieves-work-all-year-to-scam-taxpayers

 

Jobs

100 best jobs: salary matches skills—college needed for most; community college assoc.

Most workers say ‘retirement’ is NOT a full time job: 60% boomers keeping their jobs

 

 

Who owns your account now?

Cult membership knows no bounds: he would cancel sick brother’s insurance for a win

Cult leader knew thousands would die and mislead them: Jim Jones is shocked at 200,000

Cult of NJ white nationalism revives 1950s “Better red than dead” for “Better dead than red”

 

MassMutual’s retirement business to Empower: retirement services record-keeping assets 

 

Miracle:

Tech helped blind person run NY City Marathon unassisted. Vibrates when off path

Judge tells Census to keep counting; don’t listen to Trump

Woodland Hills LA reached 121 degrees at about 1:30 p.m Sunday: highest ever

CA fires started when parents reveal the gender of their child: childbirth is miracle

 

Many in my family served/are serving this country and are NOT “suckers” Greater love hath no ..

Evil: leader of country knew thousands of citizens would die but tells them: “it will disappear”

We have lost Two-Thirds of our wildlife In 50 Years: species declined by an average of 68%

 

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts available at http://dankeppel.blogspot.com/