Your Unbiased Advisor: November 2021

Friday, November 26, 2021

Retirement budget: do a dry run now

Is Warren Buffett’s portfolio right for you?

Why does Buffett recommend buying and holding only two Vanguard funds for retirement? Is this strategy right for you too? In his letter to stockholders of his business, he wrote: "I believe the long-term results from this policy will be superior to those attained by most investors -- whether pension funds, institutions, or individuals -- who employ high-fee managers." Buffett credits “compounding” for his astounding investment success. So he advocates a low-cost index fund of the 500 largest companies as the best investment for most of us. He warns us against giving high-cost advisors our money since they can’t beat the index and their costs can take up to 63% of our potential accumulations. Nearly 92% of advisor funds have trailed the index of S&P 500 firms over the last 15 years. Over time, Vanguard’s 500 Index earned over 11% a year. That means your money doubles every 7 years. Your $250 per month contribution can provide you with $1 million in 35 years. Buffett proved his advice by beating a Wall Street guru with 5 hedge funds. Unless you are smarter than Buffett, Buffett’s way is right for you: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

What do you own if you own a 500 Index fund?

Why is a 500 index fund growing so much? The Vanguard 500 Index fund has grown at 30% over the last year, 16% over the last 3 years, and 16% over the last 5 and 10 years. This is very unusual. Historically this index has grown at 11% per year. Info tech is the main reason for this trend as you can see by the largest contributors to the index’s growth. These corporations make up 30% of the Vanguard 500 Index fund:

1 Microsoft Corp.

2 Apple Inc.

3 Alphabet Inc.

4 Amazon.com Inc.

5 Tesla Inc.

6 Meta Platforms Inc.

7 NVIDIA Corp.

8 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

9 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

10 UnitedHealth Group Inc.

If you own the companies in the index, you own some of these companies and their gains and dividends. If you pay low-fees like Vanguard’s version at 0.04%, your account grows faster than if you pay 1-2% a year. You own a broad diversified part of the world stock market. Use Warren Buffett’s strategy "A very low-cost index is going to beat a majority of the amateur-managed money or professionally-managed money."

Less you pay; more you earn: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffett-Millionaire-money-snoring/dp/1508887381

Retirement budget: do a dry run now

What will you have to spend and what is your spending plan? Going on a journey like this one without a plan is asking for a disaster. You may need money to last 30 years—60 to 90—for at least one in your family. Stay ahead of inflation—the silent ‘killer.’ Unless you plan to work till you drop, a plan can help you succeed not just survive. If you began early enough you could have $2 million to spend without income taxes with the New American Retirement System. If not, you need to make a dry run now so you can make adjustments. You will need to make a Spending Plan for both of you. Estimate your Required Minimum Distributions from pensions and IRAs and how much tax you will have to pay. Find any old pensions and accounts you may have left behind.

You will need every penny. https://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Budget-Investments-Income/dp/1483946487

Is a 401k annuity right for you?
Several mutual fund firms are offering an annuity guaranteed income from your 401k or 403b. Many workers have said they are interested in putting some of their retirement savings into an investment option that would guarantee them monthly income when they retire and help ensure they don’t outlive their savings. This makes sense for many since the guaranteed pensions of the past are gone. Employers do not want the risk of maintaining a pension payout for their employees for life. Recent law has reduced the fiduciary risk for employers and made it easier for them to provide annuities as a retirement plan distribution option. This may be a great option for you if you have other money invested to help defeat inflation during retirement. However, the monthly income guarantee comes at a cost. Firms take 1-3% annual fees to provide “monthly income you can’t outlive.” But the amount is cut in HALF by inflation over time. There are less expensive ways to obtain a “steady, reliable stream of income to help cover your expenses in retirement.” Be careful. Annuities are not cancelable.

Look at all options first: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Annuity-Strategy-Income-Growth/dp/1497532019

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Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

The Path to Dictatorship

“The Coup is ongoing”

Vigilantism backstop

GOP: ”Be armed, be dangerous and be moral."?

GOP paying Trump’s defense

How Govt wastes our money:

Biden lets corporate taxes fall 21% to 15%; $80,000 SALT deductions for wealthy

Wealthy are outbidding each other for private airplanes: Biden gives them the money

Down HALF: IRS collections from estate tax dive from $20 billion to $9 B: GOP tax cuts

Manchin dictates what he wants in final Dem spending: parent help cut,

TX pays for Trump’s audit even though he won TX: TX GOP finally admits Biden won

SCAMS/SPINS:

WI: you can legally shoot three people during a protest and get off scot-free.

CO police: “too many guns are in the hands of too many students”: kids with guns!

Covid could take baby without mom’s vax: stillbirths likely for infected moms

Killing in “self defense” after you start the fight with weapons: victims don’t have a case

Children are allowed to carry loaded 30-round AR guns in WI streets: if over ‘foot’ long

What is with WI? driver kills 5 defenseless kids & marchers with SUV

Kenny Wells: illegally bringing/shooting his weapon in public: will this guy get off too?

Mesa County, CO clerk, swept by conspiracy theories, compromised election equipment

More Covid deaths in 2021 than 2020: more infections; fewer vax

FL gov no mask mandate gives parents no school choice: FL government like fed

Ron Molo IL caught stealing $800,000 using fake account: promised tax-free income

Evan & Avi Schottenstein FL caught abusing mother and accounts: failed fiduciary duty

Gregg Brie NY caught stealing $640K promised high returns in airline: 5 yrs jail

Mark D'Amico caught duped public $400,000 in GoFundMe scheme: fake homeless

Serena Shi caught selling condos in California that did not exist.

Stores caught claim original prices discounts when no such price listed

Goods caught fake “made in USA” sticker: trick of meaning

Tom Selleck caught pushing reverse mortgage product: Joins Madoff on Wall of Shame

Onion recall: Potandon Produce and Alsum Farms salmonella concerns: toss

Jobs

CVS closing 900 stores: reopening as health-care clinic: flu shots to diagnostic tests.

Amazon's buyout of Hollywood studio MGM

Unvaccinated employees are lying about their status to retain their jobs: peer pressure

Taylor TX new $17 billion Samsung chip plant: 2,000 jobs; 6,500 construction jobs

Germany raises min wage to €12 ($13.46) an hour, from €9.60 ($10.77) an hour.

Who owns your account now?

10 used cars that are going fast: demand raises prices—maybe you should wait

10 Least reliable new vehicles: most cost a lot for troubles: winner: Mercedes-Benz GLE

Verizon acquisition of TracFone Wireless

Miracles:

Child brings automatic weapon to protest in another state, kills 2: gets job in Congress

12 yo saves family and injured dog using Boy Scout-learned skills

TX voters don’t trust politicians to ban the right books: lynching by whites happened

Arbery judge: “self-defense laws do not apply to the person who is the aggressor in a confrontation.”

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

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

Friday, November 19, 2021

Great gift idea: tax-free ‘Wealth Reserve’

Help you child or grandchild get off to a great start in life: open a tax-FREE account for a secure future. You can open an account with them for $1000 and as they make contributions from earnings and holiday gifts, you can show them how their money compounds at over 11% a year. There are no broker fees, charges, or commissions so every $1 works for their future benefit. They never have to pay Uncle Sam either. This is a legal IRS tax shelter. It is the ultimate wealth management system for their whole life. A ‘Wealth Reserve’ is the New American Retirement System: all earnings are tax FREE.

Get them started right: https://www.amazon.com/Give-your-child-leg-manage/dp/1096505355

GE: corporations and the decline of middle class

75% of jobs at GE are now overseas where the pay is less no unions. In the heartland factories, “There’s no machines running. There’s not any work.” Corporations are using the tax code to move work and official business address so they pay little or no taxes: we pay them. GE has drawn roughly $1.6 billion in federal money since 2000, plus $687 million in state and local awards since 1992, totaling more than $2.2 billion, according to a nonprofit’s subsidy tracker that the report uses. Over roughly the same period, the report says, three out of every four GE jobs in the U.S. disappeared. Our representatives voted to give them a lower rate AND subsidies when they make bad business decisions. They can’t lose. Taxpayers via the Federal Reserve give some business our money to keep them afloat. The PPP provided money to keep workers employed and some businesses sent the jobs offshore and kept the money. Some got PPP money just to add to the salary of senior management. After the pandemic, some workers refused to return to the jobs that pay $7.25 an hour. Since the government created more money to keep Wall Street wealthy happy, inflation has risen the highest rate in 31 years. So if I get a raise, the 6% inflation rate wipes it out in 6 months. The wealthy get to keep their subsidies.

Socialism, American style: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-little-people/dp/1535218584

Driving less? Get your discount

When your driving situation changes, check with 3 car insurers to make sure you receive the discounts you deserve. I have saved by moving from State Farm, GEICO, Liberty and AllState. I proved we were driving less since we were not going to the mall, restaurants or the in-laws. We qualified for the discount. We took a driver improvement course and qualified for the discount. We bought a new used car with safety equipment and qualified for the discount. We have driven many miles without an accident and qualified for the discount. We were paying for 3 coverage items we didn’t need and qualified for the discount. We got older and qualified for the discount. There are over 20 discounts and over 100 carrier premium formulas. You have to shop to save.

Get yours/save: https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Is managing your own money right for you?

About 70% of households with a net worth of $500,000 or more headed by a person 45 years old or younger largely did self-directed investing in 2019, up from 57% in 2010, according to an analysis of Federal Reserve data by Aite-Novarica Group. Nearly half of them took an above-average risk level in exchange for an above-average rate of return, up from 35% in 2010, the study found, according to the Wall Street Journal report . Advisors who have won back clients use tax planning as the carrot. Some claim they have saved clients $100,000 or more. Advisors convince DIY clients that they need financial planning and are willing to pay never ending fees as percentage of their hard-won portfolios. We don’t know if they could have done the same with a one-time fee-only planner. Some advisors have earned the trust of DIY clients especially after a big loss. Other advisors say that no one person can know everything so DIY will come to them as one who knows things they don’t know. The question is not, ‘do the DIY investors know everything’: the question is, ‘are you will to give up 1-2% of your money ($10,000-$20,000) each year for life.’ Would it be better to pay $1,000-3,000 one time for help when you need it?

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

Inflation and the stock market

Historically, stocks tend to do well even during periods of inflation. Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, said the average annual return on stocks between 1990 and 2017 was 11%. Even when you factor in the cost of inflation, the average annual return was 8%. You can also do better by avoiding the assets that may suffer during inflationary times. Long-term bonds and certificates of deposit suffer because buying them during periods of inflation means you might miss out on higher rates later. No one wants old low-rate bonds. Short- to intermediate-term bonds are a better choice. Real estate can be a positive investment since rents can match increases in inflation. However, our recent pandemic caused many vacancies and real estate development declines. The bottom line is we just don’t know which investments will hold value during this inflationary period. There are special circumstances at this time. Usually a well diversified portfolio is still the best position for your future. Focus on what you can control—steady contributions. Warren Buffett has a plan for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

DIY investors hire only the specialist needed

Most DIY investors have a strategy to make and maintain a portfolio. They usually use a fiduciary (no product pushing) when asking for help since they don’t need a new product just advice. A financial planner can be helpful when charting their future. When they need to avoid taxation or create an estate or family legacy, they find a specialist. Perhaps a Roth conversion will help if done correctly. Perhaps the new RISE Act can help them pull all the retirement options together. The person could be a lawyer. Hiring a specialist for a specific need at a specific price requires checking creds and reputation. There are vendors who can help them find a specialist. However, asking a large brokerage firm, with a commission/fee business model, is usually not helpful. Most successful fee-only planners have the contacts to provide a valuable referral.

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

?**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************?

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

Our Jan 6 ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’

“The Coup is ongoing”

Congress subpoenas can be ignored?

“Hang Mike Pence” OK to threaten the life of VP

Jacob Chansley terrorist gets 3 years

How Govt wastes our money:

Manchin decides to cut social services but voted for Trump/GOP tax breaks for rich

We will spend $93 billion on the moon to “establish human presence there”

Despite promises no more drilling, Biden’s is bigger than any lease sale: US pollution

Will Congress give IRS tech upgrade to collect $100 Billion from tax avoiders?

SCAMS/SPINS:

Biden lied: drugs up not down: Medicare up 15% $21.60: from $148.50 to $170.10

Manchin opposes electric cars: favors coal mining tax credits and subsidies instead

Manchin gets delay in global coal use limits: earns $500,000 per year from coal co

Unlawful firearm charge dismissed: Child takes loaded gun to riot far away, kills 2.

Advisors caught overcharging us: poor math skills, delay, fraud, lazy, no mgr check

Amazon order email scam: call to speed order by giving up our credit card number

FirstCash Cash America West caught charging military >36% rate on pawn loan

Brian Wedgeworth FL caught using fake Dr line on dating sites steal $750K 21 women

Lina Maria Garcia FL caught steering profitable trades to lover’s account: $5 million

Our spices contain heavy metals: toxic for kids: CR reports

Dallas BEWARE: driverless UPS big rigs are coming to town from Houston. Stay away

“grandparent scam" relative in trouble 82-year-old Florida grandMom lost $700,000

Fake landlord scam: evictions ruin families

So easy to mislead fellow internet users: without trust, can democracy survive?

Holodeck future: playing with yourself? Back to the 50s The Weldt

Child cries as tells how killed 2 men during protest: attacker claims ‘self defense’?

3 White men with guns chase Black, kill him and claim ‘self defense’ How?

FBI, DA & police admit hid evidence of real killers of Malcolm X system racism

Trump’s General Flynn calls for 1 national religion—2020 pledged to follow Q

Trump needs cash for failed businesses: sells marquee Washington Hotel near WH

Trump’s litigation delay tactic worked for taxes and now for Jan 6 Coup-attempt docs

Chants calling for hanging of VP is just “common sense” says president Trump WOW!

Are death threats to Congress person legal? GOP Gosar not arrested! But we are

140,000 children lost a parent/caregiver to Covid: get vax for your kids’ benefit

Jobs

Solution to low-pay jobs unfilled by Americans: immigrants have taken them for 200 yrs

10 Fastest-Growing Jobs for Young Professionals: tech and helping others

500,000 nurses quitting early due to pandemic overwork schedules

Who owns your account now?

Electric SUV bottom CR reliability survey: Lincoln, Tesla, Jeep, Genesis, VW bottom

Miracles:

Can a miracle change world climate deniers’ opinions? Catastrophe usually needed

2/3 of vaccinated Americans are banning unvaccinated family members from holidays

Abraham Olagbegi 13-year-old gets bone marrow then feeds homeless with grant

Saving the beauty of the old crafts for the next generation in LA: Thanks

2 - 3 cups of coffee, 3 - 5 cups of tea had lowest risk of stroke and dementia

MI church shelters 10-point buck on opening day of deer hunting season.

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

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

Friday, November 12, 2021

Three principles of investing

Your car premium and credit score

Insurance industry has your data proving that if you have a bad credit score, you're more likely to slam on the brakes or step hard on the gas. The premium you are charged is determined by your demographics: less educated, unmarried, sell real estate. They released a white paper that it says validates auto insurance pricing decisions based on credit scores, marital status, education level and occupation. The research paper says telematics data collected from January 2017 to June 2019 shows that two behaviors that are known to correlate with increased claims cost — hard braking and hard accelerating — also correlate with insurers’ pricing practices. However, credit scores may penalize people for events they cannot control, such as loss of a job or a death in the family. The use of credit-based insurer scores is banned in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. Unless you live in these states, your option is to eliminate any negative and incorrect information at the credit bureaus. If that is not successful, you must shop a new insurance firm that many not use your negative score. A local insurance agent may help you find the right carrier for your needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Industry-Insiders-Guides-Buying-Insurance/dp/1466435712

Three principles of investing

One: no advisor, broker or Wall Street guru can predict the future of a security. Two: the more you pay for investing advice the less you get to keep. Your costs include fees, commissions, taxes, charges, and buying/selling at the wrong time. Three: over the long term, steady investing and re-investing provide the highest return. The Miracle of Compounding is the central factor in building wealth. Any person can achieve all three. John Bogle founder of Vanguard gave us easy low-cost index funds. Warren Buffett proved index funds beat managed funds. Senator William Roth gave us accumulation without taxation. Investing is easy but hard—hard to control our emotions.

https://www.amazon.com/Disruptors-Three-Innovators-increase-WEALTH/dp/1720857563

90% of wealth is controlled by 10% of the population

To prop up Wall Street wealth, the Federal Reserve, bought bond ETF mutual funds in 2020 and bailouts in 2008. That is, you and I as tax payers used our borrowed money to give money to companies so they would not go out of business and the wealthy lose money. When a government enters the private financial markets, this is a classic example of state socialism. “state ownership of the means of production, either as a temporary measure or as a characteristic of socialism in the transition from the capitalist to the socialist mode of production or communist society.” In a capitalist system, investors are rewarded if the business succeeds. If the business fails, the investors lose their money. In the American style of socialism, we taxpayers are forced to save the businesses that would have failed: “no-lose casino.” Our representatives write the laws (with lobbyists’ help) that allow this socialism to continue claiming that poor workers would suffer from lost jobs if government did not bail out failing businesses. Our representatives are elected using funds supplied by the businesses that receive the money. And why are we still giving subsides to Farm, Oil, Export businesses and our state/local money (gov subsidies) to big businesses like Royal Dutch, Intel, Alcoa, Boeing? Only socialist countries give tax money to private businesses and their wealthy owners/shareholders.

Socialism, American style: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-little-people/dp/1535218584

How to eliminate your income tax

When you have securities in your Wall Street firm account, you don’t need to produce income the old fashioned way. Our tax system taxes “earned income” and capital “gains” when you recognize the gains from selling the asset. What if you don’t earn income or sell assets? What if you take a loan using your securities as collateral? A loan is not taxed so you don’t pay taxes on the money you have to spend. Many brokerage firms are willing to lend against up to 60% or 65% of a client's portfolio, depending on its level of risk. Morgan Stanley and Merrill are lending mostly to their proprietary clients. Anyone who wants to access low-interest cash without incurring capital gains and, more importantly, giving up the growth of the securities can do so. You can ‘borrowing on margin’ through your investment account or borrow against the cash value in your life insurance policy. If you never pay back the loan, your heirs can skip paying taxes too since the cost basis of the security or real estate will step up to the fair market value on the date of the owner’s death. This strategy is better than Trump’s trumped up real estate losses strategy since you don’t need to dabble in real estate or casinos to make it work. Avoid taxes even without borrowing from Wall Street.

https://www.amazon.com/Your-ZERO-Tax-Account-Wealthy/dp/1482772795

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

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

Our Jan 6 ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’

“The coup is ongoing”

"Presidents are not kings" but do delay

Bannon above law: ignores Congress

Trump’s CoS Meadows ignores Congress

Just a ‘riot’? Attempted overthrow of US government Jan 6

Beware: our police linked to Oath Keepers

“we don’t obey order we believe violates Constitution”

Scott Fairlamb, Jan 6 terrorist gets prison

How Govt wastes our money:

Drug lobbyists claim lower prices mean we won’t get drugs anymore: just scare tactic

Oil gas subsidies: we tax payers still paying oil gas production after world declaration

Big Coal lobbyist Sen Manchin has power to change US social & energy policy
GOP billionaire Langone giving money to Manchin to stop pre-K, climate, Medi needs

Federal Reserve created too much money since 2020: inflation greater than wage hikes

270 billionaires with $5.7 billion income got stimulus checks: claimed ‘negative income’

Many middle-income households would pay more in taxes in 2022 unless have tax haven

2/3 people making $1 million see a tax cut next year averaging $16,800: we pay for it.

SCAMS/SPINS:

GOP: VA folks don’t want their kids to “hear about Whites killing Blacks” anymore.

GOP: TX folks don’t want their kids to read about “Whites killing Blacks” anymore.

TX sex-race-book banning: teens may rebel and read all the books—OH NO!

At-Home Abortion: choice for some women with new procedure/pill

FBI: unruly airline passengers criminals? Unruly offered parachutes or sit/shut up

Only 58% US got vax: 765,000 dead: will you be next?

TX study: unvaccinated 20 times greater risk of Covid death: Texas data alarm

Do it for the kids: human community means NOTHING if a “personal decision”

TX Gov tells Austin: no freedom to make Covid rules

“pandemic of the unvaccinated”: can ‘after pill’ save them and stop spread to me?

Religious ‘exemption’ to vax: all religions recommend vax except made-up ones

VA women went GOP: Covid messed school year: Covid was Dem’s fault?

Biden vowed to close federal private prisons but prison companies found loopholes

Andres Pena Meneses CA stole $50,000 promised cure parasites & end family curse

Subscriptions you cannot cancel: illegal subscription tricks and traps complaints up

Evan Neumann Jan 6 terrorist applied for asylum in Belarus: FBI arrest?

John Piccarreto NY stole $18 million 400 investors: promissory notes Ponzi: prison

Robinhood brokerage negligent: email hacker stole 5 million addresses

Fake vax info: so easy to spread lie: vax makes you glow, track, miss school, hated

Ellume Covid-19 test kits recalled: high false positives—not accurate

Cheney: Trump “at war” with Constitution: GOP “embraces the lies and enable the liar”

GOP OK with Gosar death threats AOC: ‘war footing’ approach to overthrow our gov

How many 17 yr old have AK-15 to kill people who they think threat to them? You?

Jobs

Who owns your account now?

Lemonade to acquire Metromile: pay as you go car insurance

College fund incentives: your state may help you pay for college fund

Miracles:

9 year old saves her parents from CO death by quick knowledge of tech trick

50 cancers found with blood test but not approved yet

Tuvalu South Pacific atoll losing land every year: melting raises sea: Miami next

House prices bottom as doomed Welsh village overcome by sea

New energy source: oceans go up and down: making power for whisky

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

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

Friday, November 5, 2021

Is a traditional 60/40 portfolio right for you?

Savers and investors who tell their advisor that they do not want to take excessive risk are usually given the 60/40 option—60% of their investments are in stocks and 40% are in bonds. If you pay an advisor to pick your stocks and bonds, this traditional portfolio may work for you and let you sleep through the night. When they quit working, their stock holdings are reduced to 30%. But what if you have not saved enough for the retirement you envision? Buffett has suggested a 90% stock 10% cash position for his eventual widow's retirement portfolio. This does not work for most of us since we don’t have the level of assets Buffett’s widow will have. Some of my readers operate on a LOW-COST 70/30 option in retirement since they have a balanced portfolio and large pension/IRA/SS income. Others have been lucky to rely on a “total return” strategy during one of the longest bull markets in history. They try to reduce their taxable income by buying non-dividend stocks like Buffett’s well-diversified firm with no commissions. They built emergency funds to pay for 2 years of expenses to survive a market drop. For most of us, the Target Date funds offer the best compromise for pre- and post-retirement portfolios. The key to success is low-cost funds or securities since we earn more when paying less.

https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

Should you invest 10% or 20%?

This is a constant question I hear. Answer: it depends. First, more savings is always better since we are living longer and the prices will be higher later. Talk of higher inflation is already moving money from bonds to stocks. Second, if we have time to invest (retirement is 5+ years away), we should be investing in stocks not bonds. Yes, the stock market has already gone up over the historical average of 11% per year but there is no alternative. Savings at under 2% per year will not even cover the price increases for one year let alone for our future. Third, given the historical inflation rate of 3%, we must invest in stock or balanced funds and the cheaper the better. There is no reason to pay 2% commission, fees, trading timing failures to someone who cannot guarantee inflation-beating returns. Most of us have not invested enough during out working years, so starting at 10% and increasing the percentage each time we receive a raise makes sense. Obviously, if your nest egg is low due to low returns or employment pause, you must increase it to stay on track for the future benefits of income. You can run simulations of your final nest egg balance and how long it will last here: https://retirementplans.vanguard.com/VGApp/pe/pubeducation/calculators/RetirementNestEggCalc.jsf

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Plan-Live-Age-100/dp/1548180793

Is AFLAC insurance right for you?

This pays you cash if your accident or illness is covered. You will not receive what you might expect given the premiums you have paid. The insurer pays claims at about HALF what you might expect to receive after your health insurer pays your medical bills. This is an insurance company and they determine how much your payout for an illness or accident will be. Not every situation is covered. For many folks, this is a “forced savings” product. That means you might be better off putting your premium into an emergency fund—a balanced mutual fund at low cost or high-paying bank CD. A disability policy that your employer pays means that the benefit you receive is taxable income to you.

https://www.amazon.com/dont-have-money-Financial-Emergencies/dp/1537636707

Will any of these 55 tax avoiders actually pay the 15% global tax?

The global minimum tax is a way to prevent large multinational corporations from shifting their profits to low-tax countries, such as Ireland (12.5% corporate rate) and Switzerland (8.5% corporate rate). Until now, this has been done by setting up subsidiaries in these tax havens. By maintaining a minimum tax rate of 15% in the vast majority of countries, there is virtually no place remaining (other than Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which have not yet agreed to the rate) to shift profits to—particularly from intangibles (patents, trademarks, software, royalties on intangibles). Those who support the tax expect it will boost the global economy and incentivize multinationals to keep more profits—and the tax on them—at home. As it stands now, the tax would only apply to large multinational corporations. This means corporations with profits outside their borders exceeding $868 million. It would not impact the tax rate charged by the corporations’ home countries. Yet another layer of the global minimum tax is for the largest multinationals, with excess profits (profits in excess of 10% of revenue). The tax rate here would be 25%. The law has not yet been enacted by the U.S. So only the little people pay tax and the wealthy pay our Reps to keep it that way.

https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-only-little-people-pay/dp/1535218584

Wealthy folks avoid taxes by claiming dual citizenship in city, beach, mountains

You have your choice of 25 capitals and cities around the world where you can acquire residence through investment migration programs. The places are ranked according to 10 main categories that represent the most pressing relocation considerations: lifestyle, tax, education, real estate, health care, security, infrastructure and stability, as well as COVID-19 safety and the relevant investment migration program. All 25 locals are proactively welcoming foreign investors, and while some are clearly leading the pack, each has its strengths and particular appeal. And special companies will help you make it happen. Zurich, St. Helier, Lisbon, Rome, Monaco, Cyprus, Athens, Malta, Kuala Lumpur, etc. Avoid bad weather and taxes.

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Hidden-Wealth-Reserve-Reduce-Taxes/dp/1540435148

Is working as long as you can right for you?

One of the biggest regrets some folks have is not seeing their co-workers on a regular basis. Many say they plan to get together but somehow it never happens. The benefits of working, even part time, are many. Many feel lost in retirement since their lives revolved around their mates at work. ‘Friends for life’ is how they describe those they have seen for 5, 10, 20 years. Unless you are working in a coal mine or warehouse, you should stay connected to your network. 1^st health benefits of seeing your group and receiving health care benefits can’t be discounted. Working requires using your body parts. The old saying, “use it or lose it” is true for many retirees. You may enjoy many more years with family and friends when you are active. You don’t have to gym or golf or run to stay healthy according to new research. Walking is fine. 2^nd because you are called upon to make decisions—any decision—you will ward off the onset of some possible memory or dementia problems. You won’t get stuck watching TV, playing computer games or staring at the monitor all day. You may even increase your skills in case you want another career. 3^rd you can spend more money. In fact, adding more to your nest egg will provide you with peace of mind. Your SS benefits will be greater since every year you do NOT take benefits adds 8% to your payout. You can work and take extra benefits after your Full Retirement Age without penalty. After age 70, your benefits do not grow larger but they may have doubled from the amount you would have received at age 62. If you are still working and contributing to FICA after FRA, your benefits are recalculated each year. So instead of $1,463.80 a month you could receive $2,975.00. Eventually, you will have to withdrawal funds from your 401k, IRA, etc so you need to plan your spending.

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

Can you live on dividends alone?

Some investors accumulate enough stocks that pay dividends they can live on them as retirement income. The list of so called Dividend Kings provides a broad selection of stocks with a solid history of dividend payments. You know many of these firms already: Coke, 3M, J&J, but there are many not well known. Now you have mutual funds and ETFs of these stocks. The downside to ever increasing dividend income is dividend tax. To become a Dividend King, a company must have at least 50 consecutive years of dividend increases. Because of that high standard, it likely doesn’t come as a surprise that only an exclusive list of firms make the list. In 2021, there are just 31 Dividend Kings. This strategy provides the value tilt to your portfolio—growth stocks are light on dividends. “Dividends can offset losses if the market is declining and help with inflation.”

Make your plan complete: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough/dp/1461084016

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Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

Our Jan 6 ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’

“The coup is ongoing”

Sentence for overthrow government: free to do it again

Judge: “attack on democracy ... unparalleled in American history.”

GOP aided and abetted the coup attempt

Supremes: overturn 700-year tradition restricting weapons in public?

How Govt wastes our money:

Manchin cancels paid leave for family health: women have baby on lunch break?

Manchin demands getting his way or gut services and structures: coal pays $491,949