Do you feel you should be doing something with your investments now?
All the things I hear and read say our economy is bursting out of a
depression from millions of folks being out of work and out of money. The
Fed controls the money supply and they don't see inflation. It is still
supporting business by buying their bonds--giving them money to survive and
expand. When you begin flying again, so will everyone else. The hospitality biz
will explode with all that pent up demand from lockdowns. Authors are selling
books on the fear of a bubble. No one knows the future. Readers expect the
market will go down and up in the next few years, but unless you plan on taking
out all your money now so you can go live on an island in the Pacific, what do
you care? Let's say it goes down by 10% for a couple of years. You will need
your money for another 20 years. So it will grow back and give you even more
for the 10 years hence. Don't worry about the market. Look at the big picture:
click 'max'
https://www.google.com/search?q=vanguard+500+index+fund+graph&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS899US899&oq=vanguard+500+in&aqs=chrome.8.0j69i57j0l8.23884j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
If you are age 65-85 I would suggest you still keep 50% in stocks because you
don't know how long you will live and still need more money. IF inflation was
7%+, then you might be better off in CDs paying 8% but that won't happen
anytime soon. When you start to worry about a market ‘bubble’, go back to
the chart above and think what you would do if you sold at the bottom of the
'V' of Mar-Apr last year. By Sept you are back on track. If you had sold then,
you would have kicked yourself from missing a jump of 50%--212 to 320 by
Sept.
Ignore the fortune tellers: https://www.amazon.com/Money-Ball-Investing-Winning-unfair-market/dp/1548831409
How much do you have to save/invest for solid retirement income?
Myth: you only need to save “10 times your income” to retire. This is a
true and a false statement. When you start investing, type of investments and
how long you let your money grow are the important factors. Readers have
started investing with $250 a month by age 25 ($99,000 total) and end
up with $ millions in retirement. It is possible to invest only 10 times
your income but that assumes you invest in
stocks early in life. Saving for retirement with bank CDs will cost you a
lot more than 10 times income. Folks who start at age 55 will need to invest much
more than 10 times income. Use
this calculator to see how much you will accumulate in 20 or 30 years at 2%
from CDs vs 10% from stocks: http://www.moneychimp.com/calculator/compound_interest_calculator.htm.
$99,000 grows to $600,000. It is compound
interest that makes you rich. And don’t forget taxes. Saving in your
employer plan is tax-deferred not tax-FREE so you may pay 12% or 22% on your
money along with up to 85% of
your SS benefits.
Invest tax-FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Mutual-Funds-Save-taxes/dp/1534939490/
Reader’s choice investment for 2021
As we climb out of this economic and social malaise, our readers are
eager to get on with their money goals. Managing money goals has been
difficult. Some have had to take money out of their savings to live on. Some
have had to stop saving entirely—there was no money left after expenses. Some
employers stopped matching savings or paying a bonus that went to savings. Now readers
are more cautious and need to make sure that their saving/investing Dollar will
be effective. It is time to go back to basics: a broad mutual fund with both
stocks and bonds provides growth and protection from market correction. And
because taxes are likely to go up, a low-cost tax FREE account provides another
layer of protection. An employer Roth 401k or personal Roth IRA with a low-cost
“balanced” fund fills the need. Your best deal may be the Vanguard Roth IRA
with Target
Date 2055 fund. With 0.15% expenses and $1,000 minimum, you keep more of
your earnings than if you paid someone 1-2% each year. You would earn over 11%
over time instead of 9% from an advisor. You don’t need a money manager to
rebalance your portfolio from stocks to bonds for retirement income. Start income
anytime.
It is automatic… and tax FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Robo-Advisor-Ultimate-Automatic-Management/dp/1537111957
Is living on your investment income right for you?
What happens when you retire early and live on your investment income?
You can spend much of it extravagantly or try to beat the market with one
“future” Apple or Amazon super stock purchase. But like most lottery
winners, you might lose most of your retirement nest egg in a few years.
Inexperience with money makes people think they are invincible. Readers who
grew their $1 million retirement fund by investing systematically every
paycheck look at money differently. They appreciate the freedom it gives them
to live on their interest and dividend without worrying about tomorrow. This is
what many do: most years their low-cost
diversified stock and bond portfolio (balanced funds) produces over 10%.
They pay all their expenses from the SS benefits and pensions they receive. That
10% or $100,000 income supplements other activities like travel, gifting,
business, family. A well diversified portfolio of funds has provided many
readers with over
11% per year. Readers use the annual earnings over $100,000
(11-31%) to build a Wealth Reserve. Any year they earn under $100,000, they
cut spending or they sell a few securities. They use their Wealth Reserve to
buy cars, vacations, whatever they want.
Build a Wealth Reserve: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Wealth-Reserve-Save-year/dp/107028288X
Is a non-traded REIT (real estate investment trust) right for you?
This security is useful to folks who want to diversity their holdings
into real estate over the long haul but it is not guaranteed. It comes in 2
flavors—private and public. Public shares of these securities are sold by a
manager for a fee. Their value and dividend yield doesn't fluctuate daily with
the stock market. Non-traded REITs typically have long holding periods. So
it's much harder to cash in these non-traded ones than the traded version.
The fees can add up too. Non-traded REITs have historically charged investors
an upfront fee of as much as 5% of their initial investment. It may take a long
time to offset the original and annual fees to the manager who get paid from
the revenue BEFORE you do. If the shares you buy own poorly-run or highly-mortgaged
commercial buildings, you may earn less than a bank CD. You have no control
over the manager’s asset choices. Managers
often boast of returns higher than the stock market index so examine the
period they chose in the offer. See
returns since 2001.
Pick better diversity: https://www.amazon.com/You-Beat-Wall-Street-professionals/dp/1986031373
How insurers calculate your auto premium
Insurance companies make money two ways: earnings from your premiums
and NOT paying excessive claims. Wise investing means matching their
liabilities to their assets. They know how much they will pay in claims each
year and invest enough in short term instruments to match. They don’t lose
money if they insure only good drivers. Good
drivers don’t take risks: good credit scores usually match good
neighborhoods and better jobs, males have more accidents especially if they are
single and older folks have more to lose than the “invincible” young. If you
enjoy speeding and driving to your favorite watering hole, you might have to
pay more. Some insurers think they understand some drivers better than others
so they lower their premiums: GEICO, AARP, AAA is anexample. You have to shop
every 5 years to learn which insurer is best for you.
Shop and save: https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634
Avoid future taxes like the wealthy are doing now
Accountants and advisors to the rich are preparing their clients for a
tax increase. We can avoid taxes too. Even though we don’t have the resources
to go off shore, there are ways to save on future tax liabilities that don’t
cost a fortune. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act isn’t set to expire until 2026,
but lawmakers may opt to hike taxes sooner. The current political
climate is forcing high-net-worth folks to hedge against rising taxes—now. For
high earners, the two most common strategies are investing in Roth 401(k)s and
Roth conversions and investing in managed portfolios in health savings accounts
(HSAs). The
wealthy are also using ‘overfunded’ life insurance. In addition to
providing tax-FREE growth, policies can be structured to offer policyholders
the option to buy property, cars, and other large purchases from themselves
while retaining unlimited access to policy principal. You can have the best of
both worlds too.
Start now: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Advantaged-Wealth-mutual-funds-Tax-FREE/dp/1481215906
Is your advisor “shrinking to grow”; dropping you?
Advisors are canceling accounts and that could mean you. The
best advisors make more working with their most wealthy clients ONLY. If
your advisor is leaving their big firm to start their own, they many not want
you with them. Unless you have a lucrative pay package for your person, you may
be left with the old firm or left out in the cold. Instead of paying another
unknown asset manipulator, ask yourself what you really need. You may be better
off using a low touch, low cost online Robo. In the last decade, Schwab and
Fidelity have slimmed down because most people don’t need a full service
provider. You may be better off at Vanguard, where you can get help whenever
you ask for it for 1/4th the cost. Some of my AARP tax aide clients
have brand-name firm accounts that charge $ hundreds to provide nothing more
than dividends and tax-advantaged mutual fund reports. Paying $200 for a broker
to sell a few shares for a $20 gain is a waste of money. The client did not know
why the sale took place but they had to pay tax on the transaction.
Low cost beats high cost every time: https://www.amazon.com/Lies-Financial-Advisors-Told-me-better-alternatives/dp/1478281545
Where is that refund?
The Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers that the most
convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool at IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go Mobile App.
Where is the stimulus 1 or 2? If you did not receive stimulus 1 or 2,
start filing here: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit
Have tax forms; will file … for FREE but WAIT . . .
If you have unemployment income, ObamaCare coverage you should wait to file since the IRS has not yet implemented tax-FREE provisions of the new Covid law. Taxes due MAY 17 not April 15. Input the W-2, unemployment, SS benefits, IRAs, pensions, RMD, brokerage, etc. forms you have. You can file for FREE online. If you didn’t receive a correct form, file a Form 4852. Usually filing your state return costs as little as $15 unless you buy the Pro helpline. Avoid $300-400 paid preparer fees—new IRS forms mean higher fees. Unemployment insurance is TAXABLE on the Federal income tax return; not on some state returns. Some states do not tax your SS and pension benefits. Retirees did not have to take their RMDs in 2020 so taxes may be less: it was a good time to convert IRA to Roth IRA for tax-FREE future. Unless you were self-employed, you can’t deduct home office expenses of working from home. Some states continue the health insurance mandate and penalty unless you have an exemption. Since the IRA contribution deduction has no age limit now, you may reduce your income/taxes by making a contribution of up to $7,000. The standard deduction went up to $12,400 single; $24,800 joint. Jan 15 last day to make 2020 estimated payments. You have to report your April/May and December/January stimulus payments even though they are not taxable. Some of us receive a bank credit; some a debit card; some a check. Even if you don’t have to file, you should file so scammers can’t use your SS number to mess up your IRS file. Tested E file software ratings. Efile Jan 15; IRS processing Feb 12.
E file avoids covid at your preparers’ office: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free
**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************
Like 1776, this
period is a test
of democracy—We
rejected an "American
fascist"
Trumpists
limit Black/Hispanic voting
Our ‘Truth
and Reconciliation Commission’?
How Govt wastes our money:
Trump avoids taxes by $21 million deduction on his NY ‘forest’: we pay 33% he pays 0
Biden’s tax planners must end deficit spending: Trumpists’ tax breaks dig deeper hole
Wealthy
broke IRS audit code: rich
underreport their income far beyond what is known
Congress takes 2 weeks at taxpayers’ expense but they don’t ban guns of war on people
We buy more vaccine but 40% don’t want it: WHY: 550,000 dead already. Still Hoax?
State GOP building walls against American voters to assure Trumpists win 2022, 2024
SCAMS/SPINS:
The greatest
enablers of these domestic
terrorist enemies’ are within
Congress
GOP
allows our stimulus money to be taken by bill collectors: industry lobby
pays them
AVOID TX: FBI concern that radical
ideologies are going mainstream in North Texas
QAnon
now pushes alarming conspiracy myths targeting
Mormon Church caught
fraud: used donation to run businesses: tax exempt jeopardy
Ronald Stevenson
Jason Wootten caught
Ponzi in EquiAlt 100+ investors: class-action
UBS questioned by
court: helping
clients launder funds via numbered accounts/trusts?
Stein, Corey Agee caught
tax fraud: over-valued land deducted as conserved; Trump
tried
John Spiller Jakob
Mears caught
billion Robocalls sell fake health insurance: fine, no jail
DNA
tests like palm-reading: you can read anything into what they find
TV antenna fakes caught
promising cable channels: no free lunch
USC to pay $1.1
billion to former patients of campus gynecologist George Tyndall
Gwyneth
Paltrow’s health remedies claims under attack: NOT inflammation treatments
UV Sanitizer USA NOT
sanitizes and protection
against the coronavirus in secords
Supplements do NOT “the
best treatment for
depression, anxiety and stress”
Covid
mutants may keep us in masks for years: new normal?
Good News: 70
percent of adults age 65 or older have received at least one dose
CA bans
misleading adverts that divert us from content to sale w/o explanation
Video
fakes change our perceptions: Biden not pretending to be president
CO
shooter used an Automatic Rifle: kills
10 in secords: gun totters can’t draw faster
IRS: Easy Steps to Protect Your Computer and Phone and Avoid Phishing Emails.
IRS: Free special ID
protection PIN goes on your return so scammers
can’t take refund
IRS: Previous tax
returns available online: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript
IRS tips to avoid
scams: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
Is it a scam? Check AARP scamline 877.908.3360. BBB
Scam tracker
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
Find tax preparer: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional
Check Social
Security: https://blog.ssa.gov/
Safeguard data:
ConsumerReports help: https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/
Jobs
Job
scams: Before submitting an application, verify there is really an offer:
Never SS#
Who owns your account now?
BEWARE: trusting media gurus or “successful” financial advisors can be dangerous
Miracles:
Asian
woman, 75, beats back man who punched her: turn other cheek to racism?
Science: we do not
know what 95% of the Universe is made of: new particles found?
Earth just missed
meteor crush: we
are lucky to be alive today
summer
has increased by 17 days on average across the globe: soon, hot half a year
We can apply for
Medicare online: https://blog.ssa.gov/apply-for-medicare-online
We can apply for
Social Security online: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/
We can apply for
health care online: https://www.healthcare.gov/
IAN
41 Watchung Plaza,
B242
973.746.2014
www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com
Alerts available at http://dankeppel.blogspot.com/
