Don and Hill will need more revenue

Don and Hill will need to raise taxes to pay for walls or wars

Don’s wall and Hill’s return to Iraq and Afghan will cost us more taxes. Both want to spend more on guns and war and that ain’t cheap. Her plan will cost $1.1 trillion. His tax cuts will cost $9.5 trillion and he will cut “waste”—Medicare and SS benefits—to limit borrowing. Both will need to raise revenue one way or other since more 1%ers and corporations are using loopholes to avoid paying any tax. Don can avoid taxes for years with his $50 million loan write off.

Start your tax-FREE account now so you don’t get stuck with taxes later: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Shelter-Young-Americans/dp/1500426520

Put your advisor on a diet—Market returns will remain low—hedge funds close

Economic gains will be slower with Don or Hill so stocks will be pressed to break 7% return. It is time to put your advisor on a diet and cut their share of your gains. If their fees, trading charges and taxes continue to take 2%, you could end up with only 63% of your potential nest egg. Taking more risk for greater yield is not the answer you want from them. Fees will continue even if no gain. Better to go with par, the average return. Try an ETF or index at 0.05%. You may clear 7% not 5%.

Get back to basics:  https://www.amazon.com/basic-facts-about-learned-before/dp/1534665544

ETF or index fund?

Advisors are all excited about the ETFs they have to offer you. Why? Index funds have been out there since 1976. Perhaps it is because index funds are packaged in a commission product. Yes, the sales person who once hated index funds can now praise them. Excitement over exchange-traded funds continues among financial advisors, according to Journal of Financial Planning. ETFs are the preferred investment vehicle for 83% of advisors up from 40%. Advisors are selling them to clients using ‘lower cost’ as the sizzle. What advisors don’t disclose is that the fund version is much cheaper than the ETF commission/fees. Don’t be fooled.

Save $100,000: https://www.amazon.com/Money-Scams-2014-financial/dp/1505437962

Is a homeowner policy Virtual inspection right for you?

Esurance offers a do-it-yourself Home Inspection app, which allows policyholders to self-inspect their homes and receive policy discounts. For instance, the insurer needs you to fix broken sidewalk. Now you can prove it yourself. No need to wait for inspector to show when you have a claim. Just record what the insurer asks for to prove you lost your siding or roof. Insurer promises quicker service. They don’t need to send a drone or adjuster. But sometimes you do better with private expert on your side.  

Save with 15 discounts: https://www.amazon.com/Homeowners-Insurance-Beware-Coverage-Policy/dp/1480100870

What is the most important predictor of your investing success?

According to an unbiased Morningstar study, low-cost funds beat high-cost funds PERIOD. It is a myth of Wall Street that you must pay more for good performance. You are just paying for the Wolf of Wall Street's toys. Other Wall Street myths: Buy low, sell high; manager tenure; proven performer; get in on ground floor; concentrate portfolio.
Warren Buffett, the master of investing, disagrees:
            "A very low-cost index is going to beat a majority of the amateur-managed                                money or professionally-managed money."

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Predictor-Investment-Success-Cost/dp/1502524082

Income inequality, rising since 1970s, link to frozen wages?

New study, which measures income inequality by state, metro area and county, shows that inequality has risen in every state since the 1970s. Most of the income change has gone to the more senior corporate chiefs and not in salary. Corporations are escaping taxes and shareholder limits on excesses. Your Apple gear costs a lot to buy but little to make. Your shoes don’t cost $150 to make. Verizon service doesn’t cost Verizon $200 a month to provide. Corporations have digitized and outsourced for the last 40 years and haven’t shared the increased profits with workers or shareholders. Is David M. Zaslav’s labor really worth $156 million a year? Yahoo’s CEO got a 69% raise for ..? Chipotle’s head found $29 million despite sickening patrons. His 1^st boy got $28 mil. Chase gave its CEO a 134% raise. Another study shows higher CEO pay; worse performance.

If you are NOT the boss, do this: https://www.amazon.com/Working-Millionaire-Tax-FREE-Self-insure-Self-fund/dp/1460945484

Is a Goldman Sachs CD right for you?

The commercial bank famous for creating the mortgage meltdown by packaging bad mortgages with pretty ribbon is now in need of money. They offer savings CDs for the non-1%ers. You only need $500 to obtain 2% for a 5 year CD. So if rates go up you will have the privilege to be stuck with $52 profit over 5 years. If you need it back, you lose part of your $52. If you want most of your money to grow above the inflation rate, you will need to keep it in stocks and bonds at the lowest cost you can find. Your money is actually safer in stocks than with Goldman because you lose half your purchasing power over time: 47 cent stamp used to cost 33 cents just 15 years ago.  

Go long for SAFETY: https://www.amazon.com/Go-Long-Reach-Wealth-Starting/dp/1519376189

Auto insurer’s satisfaction falls 7 points

Overall satisfaction declines by a significant 7 points. The 17 largest insurers are the primary drivers of the overall decline. Satisfaction among the smaller insurers increases 1 point from 2015. JD Power survey found the top insurers for each region were NOT all large insurers even though they had best digital scores. Winners:

California: Ameriprise (846)

Central: Shelter Insurance (819)

Florida: The Hartford (834)

Mid-Atlantic: Erie Insurance (829)

New England: Amica Mutual (855)

New York: GEICO (828)

North Central: Auto-Owners Insurance (842)

Northwest: PEMCO Insurance (847)

Southeast: Farm Bureau Insurance – Tennessee (870)

Southwest: The Hartford (829)

Texas: Texas Farm Bureau Insurance (836)

New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company (NJM) and USAA also achieve high levels of customer satisfaction in the study, although they are not included in the rankings due to the closed nature of their respective memberships. 

Buy the best and save: https://www.amazon.com/Industry-Insiders-Guides-Buying-Insurance/dp/1466435712

Does our President need to be smart and truthful? Do they even care about truth?

            (a summary of the GOP Presidential debates) (history: GOP has the final candidate by Feb 17)

                        What does Trump’s National Socialism stand for?

Increase subsidies to oil gas, corp farmers, Boeing, big business tax cuts

Don will cut Medicare and SS benefits “if tax cuts don’t make big surpluses”

Cut funding for un-wealthy, poor, schools. seniors, underemployed, kids, etc.

Reinstate older white male value system: Make ‘WASP” America Great Again

Reinstate Christianity as the state religion—bar all others from public office

Reinstate Christmas and Christian observance in schools, home, court, stores, etc

Put successionist’s flag back in public spaces - cemeteriess, courts, state houses.

Put up a wall, end trade, bring back repetitive “robotic” jobs back from low wage areas.

Cut regulation of all business activity, lower wages for women, pregnancy

Climate change is a hoax. Let oil companies drill anywhere. XL pipeline approved

Replace ObamaCare: no mandate (tax credit so you can try to find your own like before)

Cut federal spending on health especially when control women clinics

Cancel immigration for all from non-EU countries. Deport them

Voter suppression of DEMs (even in Brooklyn) Latins, blacks, poor, students.

Replace judges whose parents came from a non-EU country or any non-Christians.

Limit rights of non-Christians, Muslims, gays, Indians, Asians, protesters, press

Increase debt and devalue debt. Let Mexico pay for the Wall by taxing imports we buy

Create tariffs on imports so we pay $6,000 more for stuff we buy. Middle class tax.

Trade pacts are no good for us and no good for our workers.

Abolish IRS, EPA, Education, Dodd-Frank financial protections, consumer protections

National right to buy and carry any firearms anywhere anytime by anyone age 2 and up.

Install voter ID restrictions designed to lower Dem voter participation – proved in court

Install state gov that cuts Medicaid, education, federal payments, infrastructure like KS.

“Lust for executive power”—GOP House leader thinks Don wants to just snap fingers.

“I could stand in Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” 

Don’s rallies begin with crazies denouncing supporters--thrown out as “protestors.” 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” E Burke

Don: I found my running mate: Ken Lewis. He doesn’t like Orlando’s non-whites.

            I just took $1million from campaign. I’m not a charity. I need to be reimbursed.

            I’ll help Christians dominate American social life: remove church/state barriers.

            It’s “my greatest contribution to Christianity” advisors Michele Bachmann, Ralph Reed.

            ‘I’m really rich, I don’t need donors. Fundraising for to make wealthy feel good.     

            I’m in Scotland to open golf biz since I still have a job (Scots love me I’m sure!)

            I don’t care if Reagan gave 2.9 million illegals amnesty “legalization” in 1986.

Hill:  Looks like 1964 all over again. Goldwater had similar message for racists and lost.  

Paul: ‘This is one of my big concerns:’ Don’s “lust for executive power.” He’s OK now?

           

Bern: “It looks like I will not be the nominee.” More energy than Hill! 2020?

            Millennials, wanting to remain, did not turn out like older BRexit voters

Regulators are the only protection we have since we can’t sue anymore

            “It is nearly impossible for one individual to take on a corporation with vast resources.” (GOP bill requires impossible: every person in class action suffer “same type and scope of injury”)

               Supremes stop us from suing—State courts no longer available to sue corporations!

.Congress votes for more killings: terrorists on watch list CAN buy assault weapons.

.GM wants judge to dismiss claims that your car lost value when recalled 

.Judge: KS can’t bar DEMS from voting because non-KS form to register, yet KS does.

.NJ says NO to more open carry guns—Christie embarrassed—NJ is NOT wild west!

.Nissan recalls 60000 Q50 for steering problems with software.

.Another child dies handling gun with no safety. Guns kill people. Fear not crime drives.

.Fiat/Jeep with trans problem kills Star Trekker Yelchin—Grand C rolls in ‘Park’. 

.Hyundai Kia recalls 400,000 cars and minivans many things wrong.

.NYC rescinded Don’s property tax rebate meant for middle class homeowners. What?!

. Merrill Lynch fined $415 million for using customer cash to generate own profits 

.VW pays $10.3 billion to settle claims from diesel emissions cheating scandal

We need regulation—GOP wrong—companies/cities wouldn’t fix bad products on own

SCAMS

Worst offender in 2007-8 mortgage crisis, Angelo Mozilo will NOT face Justice lawsuit

Why do star athletes have to prey on unconscious women? Too obnoxious or too mental?

Salesmen forgot to tell you: Is your car one of the most regretted cars sold?

Orlando killing was gay revenge?—self-hate crime—Muslims can’t be gay so terrorist

Muslim got FBI to start file on Omar—he was not radicalized enough maybe never.

Guns kill people many at a time. Congress fails to stop even highjacker terrorists.

Tombstone had gun control for good reason—it reduced deaths. Congress helps terrorists  

Ignoramus Award: Congress represents the American people. Right. Except on the topic of guns. This is the 3^rd rail that can kill politically. When assault rifle kills 26 kids and now 49 gays, is that enough to pass just a background check? Does your rep fear your vote more than NRA? Even in 1686, NJ recognized that people get afraid and into quarrels when they carry guns. 2^nd Amend was for militia not average Joe.

How our government wastes our money

Crazy Dems Go on Strike in Congress—Work stoppage to get a vote on guns

            Civil rights leader John Lewis and Katherine Clark conspire to force GOP action

            First time in US history House members sit-down strike their own jobs.

Zika protection used as tool to defund ObamaCare so not passed. FL hurting for $.

55 percent of Democrats say the Republican Party makes them feel afraid and

49 percent of Republicans said the same about the Democratic Party. Try socialism?

We are loaning Iran money to obtain Boeing jets ImEx bank and ex credits.

General Electric decided to move some production overseas to use foreign export credit.

Who owns your account now?

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts 

Best Annuity Strategy: Income and Growth

The Best Annuity Strategy

^Create a stream of income at low cost

^Keep your nest egg growing to beat inflation

^Build assets for medical emergencies and a legacy

^Use the Warren Buffett retirement strategy

We need a strategy to succeed in retirement too

We want to have enough money to do whatever pleases us and yet we don't know how long we will be able to do those things we love. We can create an inflation-proof income for the rest of our lives without giving up control of our assets.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Annuity-Strategy-Income-Growth/dp/1497532019/

Is your employer costing you HALF your retirement money?

Employers like ABB are warned—cut 401k fees or pay $13 million to reimburse employee participants. ABB, Inc did not “monitor its plan’s internal costs and paid excessive fees by not negotiating for rebates from investment companies whose funds were offered in the plan.” According to Vanguard’s John Bogle, you can give up 63% of your nest egg when your 401k mutual fund fees are high. Don’t let your employer gamble with your future: http://www.amazon.com/Tune-your-401k-EARN-Tax-FREE/dp/1490591028

Your fees give brokers big raises

Major firms boosted payout for their top managers last year as they place more emphasis on advice division. Gregory Fleming, the president of Morgan Stanley's wealth and investment management units, saw his bonus jump to $4 million, up 62%, according to filings. “And if you're charging fees on average assets over each year, it can provide predictable fee streams over multiple years.” When your account grows, your advisor’s grows even more. Keep what you have earned: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

WARNING Variable annuities can hurt you

Variable annuities could spell double trouble for brokers who eye fat commissions but ignore the rules in place for protecting investors.

Brokers can earn 7 percent or more in commissions on these insurance products, but when they sell them to consumers who aren't a good fit for them, they can face the wrath of regulators as well as investors who try to reclaim their money by filing securities arbitration cases.

At the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Wall Street's industry-funded watchdog, variable annuities follow stocks and mutual funds as the third most common source of complaints. They include one from an elderly investor who will be 102 before he can access the money he locked into his annuity. This warning was sent to your broker:

http://www.fa-mag.com/news/variable-annuities-trigger-big-paydays--red-tape-for-brokers-17428.html

MetLife brokers caught pushing annuity scheme

Two former brokers for MetLife Securities allegedly engaged in a seven-year scheme to inflate commissions by having customers switch $21 million in annuities, says regulator Finra in a complaint. Use the annuity without a 7% commission:   http://www.amazon.com/Your-FREE-Annuity-Stream-Lifestyle/dp/1497438616

GOP Presidential slate being decided this weekend!

Potential 2016 GOP candidates court mega donor Adelson ($38 Billion) during Vegas weekend. If Adelson likes what he hears at his Republican Jewish Coalition, he might give winner $100 million like last election. Always follow the money.

Supremes decided to let the rich decide election results from now on

If you're rich and want to give money to a lot of political campaigns, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that you can. Just like their Citizens United decision, those with money can now have unlimited influence on who becomes President and Congress so they can provide subsidies to their friends. If you are rich, you can pay the candidates for access on your issues. If you have a company, you can let your lobbyist pay the candidates indirectly. Either way, your taxes will go to what they want not what we need. Two Americas.

Koch brothers can now pay for any and all elections—President and Congress

Total spending in the 2012 federal election - for the White House and every open seat in Congress - was $6.3 billion. Each of the Koch Brothers is now worth about $40 billion. They each gained about $6 billion (15%) last year.

How much does our vote count?

ObamaCare saves money for young insured too

Young people with expensive health insurance (employer does not offer coverage) may be saving hundreds a month due to the ObamaCare subsidy for low wages. Subsidies can be over $200 a month, paying almost the total cost of a silver comprehensive plan. Don’t let Exxon take all the subsidies. Use your share to get what you need: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Ted Cruz asks his Facebook ‘friends’ about Obamacare, gets an earful
It's probably fair to say that he didn't expect the tsunami of "YES" votes that have shown up on the page among the 47,000 that Facebook says have been posted. Respondents have listed, among other things, their newfound ability to obtain coverage despite preexisting medical conditions, the right of young adults to stay on their parents' policies to age 26, lower premiums and the end of lifetime benefit limits. 

Tax overhaul domed before it even gets a hearing—lobbyists kill it

The twist reflects how lobbying in Washington — and the millions of dollars in fees that lobbyists collect — are often about stopping action and preserving the status quo. Whenever Congress considers major changes to the tax code, lobbyists buy “insurance” on both sides of the fight. It also reflects a pivot by lobbyists who had spent months cheering Mr. Camp’s three-year effort to draft this giant package, given that its stated purpose was to lower corporate tax rates and simplify the tax code, and who are now working to make sure that the tax package never becomes law.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/business/tax-lobby-works-to-defeat-overhaul-it-once-cheered.html

Cellphone use causes accidents

The National Safety Council's annual injury and fatality report, "Injury Facts," found that the use of cellphones causes 26% of the nation's car accidents, a modest increase from the previous year. The 2014 edition of the report compares data from 2013 and earlier. Only 5% of cellphone-related crashes occur because the driver is texting. The majority of the accidents involve drivers distracted while talking on handheld or hands-free cellphones. It is the distraction of communication that kills. IL bans hand-held cell use.

Why let people build in unsafe areas?

After Sandy, the Oso landslide in Washington State brings this question again. But things are rarely simple when government power meets property rights. The government has broad authority to regulate safety in decisions about where and how to build, but it can count on trouble when it tries to restrict the right to build. “Often, it ends up in court,” observers say. Perhaps as more expensive cleanups raise all our insurance costs, it may occur to Congress to ask those who live in dangerous areas to pay more for the “right” to live dangerously. Our “Reps” in Washington just did the opposite. They reduced the cost of flood insurance for homeowners living in the new flood zones. This means we will all pay more. Many clients in NJ saw rates soar even though they had no claims from Sandy. So, danger lovers, enjoy the shore and mountains while you can!

“Deficits don’t matter” Dick Cheney told the Treasury Secretary in 2002

As of March 2014, American consumers owed $11.52 trillion in debt, an increase of 1.6% from last year. The average household owes $7,115 on their credit cards and the average indebted household owes $15,252. A 2013 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that nearly half of workers had less than $10,000 saved. http://www.amazon.com/The-Simple-Financial-Life-paycheck/dp/1441499326

Torture helped us find terrorists, Cheney said—also a lie

Torture does not produce good answers according to FBI and actual CIA officers. Americans need good analysis of actions to made good decisions. We aren’t like military regimes that make up the “truth” to do what we want … or are we?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-cia-should-cooperate-with-the-senate-on-the-torture-report/2014/03/16/59008384-aa1e-11e3-8599-ce7295b6851c_story.html

Killing people OK in FL and at auto makers

Apparently, it is OK to kill people in FL if you SAY you FELT threatened or if you are a big company making cars that you know can fail from preventable cause and people are killed. GM is the latest auto maker to hide behind legal BS to avoid responsibility, just like some people in FL. Romney was wrong: Corporations are NOT people. They don’t go to jail, they just go bankrupt, get bailed out and pay a fine.  

SCAMS           Why are we still paying $700 Billion a year for WWII deployments?

We are paying for 164,253 of our active-duty armed personnel to be in 150 countries around the world. We have about 50,000 in Japan and 50,000 in Germany.

Are we preparing for WWII again? There are 1,208,083^[1] armed personnel in the United States. Our taxes pay for about HALF of the WORLD’s military expenditures every year.

We just can’t afford to pay for everyone else’s defenses anymore.

DoD head Hagel proposes budget cut but still pay for Lockheed F35 plane failures.

Transamerica Financial Advisors overcharged thousands of clients by failing to uniformly offer breakpoint discounts across the firm, even after regulators pointed out the problem at one branch office, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

The St. Petersburg, FL firm agreed to refund or credit 2,304 current and former client accounts a total of $553,624 and to pay a fine of the same amount to settle the commission's allegations, which were announced in Washington on Thursday.

Who owns your account now?

Lincoln Benefit Life to Resolution Life Holdings

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts 

Buy financial services like you buy groceries not perfume

Buy Value: Buy financial services like you buy "groceries, ... not perfume."

Accumulating wealth requires that we buy value—quality at the right price. We want to avoid the KILLERS of building wealth—fees and taxes.
We avoid fees by buying only the financial services we need. We avoid taxes by using an IRS-approved account to keep ALL our earnings. We accumulate $1 million by leveraging the Miracle of Compounding.
Tax-FREE growth and income can provide 30% more to spend for the rest of our lives.http://www.amazon.com/Buy-Value-financial-services-groceries/dp/1489513078/

RI health care premiums up 10%

Health insurers in Rhode Island are seeking double-digit increases in the premiums that individuals and small businesses will pay for coverage next year -- the largest increases in years -- as the federal health care law takes full effect. Comparison shopping may avoid any increase. Compare health plans to a high deductible HSA plan tailored to your health profile: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Lobbyists stop online car sales

NC is the latest state to ban car sales without a dealer. Electric car maker Tesla doesn't yet have a showroom in North Carolina, where it has sold about 80 cars to date. Consumer Reports gave its Model S electric sedan a near-perfect rating. Tesla currently operates 29 stores and galleries across 14 states and Washington, D.C. Customers can order a car online at a sales location or at home but not at galleries. Dealers feel threatened by buying online. But at about $70,000 before rebate, dealers will have lots of business for a while yet.

Health care costs rise

Annual Health Care Cost For A Typical American Family Is $22,030 according to Milliman. Compare health plans to a high deductible HSA plan tailored to your health profile: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

If you receive a phone call from an insurer, don’t hang up!

Insurers like Nationwide are calling beneficiaries about benefits they are owed due to a recent settlement with all states. Carol did not know her sister Judith had paid for a policy long ago so she couldn’t make a claim. Until recently, the insurer just pocketed the money. Now that states have no money, they are forcing insurers to find beneficiaries or send the money to the treasury. It is a law that states never used till now. Good luck.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2013/05/26/out-of-the-blue.html

Women have 2^nd job in 40% households but get paid less

America's working mothers are now the primary breadwinners in a record 40 percent of households with children — a milestone in the changing face of modern families, up from just 11 percent in 1960. The findings by the Pew Research Center, released Wednesday, highlight the growing influence of "breadwinner moms" who keep their families afloat financially. Of course women receive only 81% of the male wages. While most are headed by single mothers, a growing number are families with married mothers who bring in more income than their husbands. Women can do it all:http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466388293

Do you need to start a college fund?

Save $20,000 on the cost of private schools.

++Use your Wealth ReserveTM for tax-FREE cash.

++Accumulate $100,000 in 15 years to cover most expenses. 

      Never give up your retirement savings to pay for college. There are NO low-cost student loans for retirement. Let a tax-FREE account and the power of compounding help you help your kids pay for their educations. Why not let them provide as much of the cost as they can? After all, they will be the ones that double or triple their lifetime earnings because of this education. Studies show students get more out of it when they pay for it. 

http://www.amazon.com/Education-Funding-Save-right-plan/dp/1482549956

SCAMS           “Deficits don’t matter” Republican godfather, Dick Cheney, 2002

Two Americas

For millions of people below the poverty line, no assistance for health insurance will be available in states that have refused to expand Medicaid—Texas, Florida, Kansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia. More than half of all people without health insurance live in states that are not planning to expand Medicaid. People in those states who have incomes from the poverty level up to four times that amount ($11,490 to $45,960 a year for an individual) can get federal tax credits to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance. But many people below the poverty line will be unable to get tax credits, Medicaid or other help with health insurance. Their “reps” don’t want it.

Biblical hypocrite: Wealthy take welfare but cut food stamps

Stephen Fincher, a Republican and a farmer from Frog Jump, Tenn., collected nearly $3.5 million in subsidies from 1999 to 2012. Mr. Fincher was one of the biggest proponents of $20 billion in cuts to food stamps in the legislation. At times he quoted passages from the Bible in defending the cuts.

“We have to remember there is not a big printing press in Washington that continually prints money over and over,” Mr. Fincher said during the debate. “This is other people’s money that Washington is appropriating and spending.” Washington gave him subsidy!

Want to see how Congress votes on the issues (in advance)

With an eye on collecting their US pensions AND their bigger pension from “influence peddling” in their 2^ndjobs, look at where our Congress persons go AFTER sitting in the hallowed halls. Our “representative” gets paid to take their buddies still on the Hill to lunch and dinner and whatever. Find your “rep” in the line up:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-23/one-day-a-congressman-next-day-a-lobbyist#r=auth-s

Bankers using new tactic to stop law to avert another meltdown

U.S. bankers and insurers are trying to use trade deals, which can trump existing legislation, to weaken parts of the Dodd-Frank Act designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis. Bank lobbyists call it “enhancing regulatory efficiency.” Sounds good enough to vote for. “The trade talks could easily become a Trojan Horse,” said Marcus Stanley, the policy director for Americans for Financial Reform.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Raise your net pay

You can raise your net pay

Yes, it is possible to counteract the hike in payroll taxes. If you normally receive a tax refund each year, you have been paying for a $3.2 billion refund to GE in 2010. You can pay only what you owe each paycheck by raising your exemptions by one or two points. Use form W4: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf. You can recalculate your exemptions with p501:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

Are you using these tax breaks? Use them before the GOP takes them away

There are 35,000 wealthy families who did NOT pay any income taxes. Isn't it your turn?

Employer contributions toward workers' medical insurance premiums and medical care are not taxed: $181 billion.

Retirement plan contributions and earnings are not taxed: $165 billion.

Mortgage interest deduction: $101 billion.

Lower tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends: $84 billion.

Deduction for state and local taxes: $69 billion.

Deduction for charitable contributions: $46 billion.

Social Security and veterans' benefits are not taxed for lower-income filers: $45 billion.

Interest on tax-exempt state and local government bonds is not taxed: $26 billion.

When someone dies, the capital gains on their investments are not taxed: $24 billion.

Income from some life insurance products is not taxed: $23 billion.

The largest of all tax breaks: owning a business. For instance, GE paid no income taxes in 2010 and actually got a tax benefit of $3.2 BILLION. 

Put the code to use for yourself: http://www.amazon.com/Only-little-people-pay-taxes/dp/1478222441/

Can you qualify for any of these tax credits?

Most of what we had in 2011 remains. Only high incomes had a change and most pay the AMT anyway. eFile starting January 30 using IRS approved sites. Take your credits:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cracking-the-2013-tax-code-2013-01-03

Did you get a break on your insurance premiums?

Thirty-seven percent of Americans spent more on insurance over the past year while only 7% spent less, according to Bankrate.com. The only way to reduce your costs is to shop around. Members obtain 3 quotes on policies every 2-3 years because insurers don’t voluntarily cut your rates—We have to ask:http://www.amazon.com/Drop-Your-Insurance-Only-What/dp/1448623391/

Do you work from your home? Deduct $1,500 with no form!

The Internal Revenue Service decided that people who work from home or run a small business from home and have a “qualifying home office” can deduct up to $1,500 a year. That's based on an allowance of $5 per square foot of home office space on up to 300 square feet. This option — easier than filling out the current 43-line Form 8829 that requires burdensome estimates of allocated expenses, depreciation and carryovers of deductions not taken in previous years — will be available beginning in the 2013 tax year. About 3.4 million taxpayers claimed the home office deduction in 2010.

Regulators warn investors chasing yield and using leverage

FINRA has sent a letter to brokers warning them that customers can be hurt by these activities in the markets. A study of what happens to winning stocks after they climb shows that the winners lose money and the losers become winners. Buying winners is a loser’s game. Use a better way: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

Safe public-employment jobs now at risk

Sixty-one key cities across America have emerged from the Great Recession with a gap of more than $217 billion between what they had promised their workers in pensions and retiree health care and what they had saved to pay that bill. Don’t rely on the government completely. Make your own tax-FREE Pension in a Box: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Pension-Box-tax-FREE-employer/dp/1481945157/

Flood insurance rates will rise on coast—no more free rides for water properties!

Many Coast residents will be paying higher flood insurance premiums soon. The increases, the result of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, will be based on individual circumstances, By August, subsidized flood insurance policies around the nation will be eliminated and rates based on risk will be implemented. FEMA plans to phase out grandfathering of insurance policies beginning in January 2014.

A policy's rates will then be based on a property's elevation and risk factors according to the flood zone maps for their areas.

Oceans are rising. In 2012, there were at least 3,527 monthly weather records for heat, rain and snow broken by extreme weather events that hit communities throughout the U.S.

Is your insurer trying to buy back your annuity?

The National Underwriter reports cash buyouts offered by variable annuity insurers for guaranteed living benefit or guaranteed death benefit riders may not be a good deal for us, the annuitant. The value for many annuitants exceeds the cash amount offered by the company. That makes sense since the insurers would not be willing to offer the buyouts if they were not in the company's best interest. 

Just say no!

Wealthy do not let advisors tell them what to do

For the wealthiest investors, the more assets they have the less likely they are to cede control over investment decisions to advisors says a new report. Our members act like the wealthiest so they become wealth by NOT giving up 40% of their earnings to advisor fees: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

How much do you pay for mutual funds?

"In every single time period and data point tested, low-cost funds beat high-cost funds." Morningstar study. 

SCAMS           “Deficits don’t matter” GOP leader Dick Cheney 2002 

Banking excesses begin again with CDO derivatives and new bubble

Currently, the banks now tap into soaring demand for commercial real estate debt by selling collateralized debt obligations, securities not seen since the last boom. Sales of CDOs linked to everything from hotels to offices and shopping malls are poised to climb to as much as $10 billion this year, about 10 times the level of 2012, according to Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc.

The rebirth of commercial property CDOs comes as investors wager on a real estate recovery and as the Federal Reserve pushes down borrowing costs, encouraging bond buyers to seek higher-yielding debt. The securities package loans such as those for buildings with high vacancy rates that are considered riskier than those found in traditional commercial-mortgage backed securities, where surging investor demand has driven spreads to the narrowest in more than five years.

“Investors are willing to go further afield in their quest for yield,” Ed Shugrue comments. “With demand rich,Wall Street is scouring the cupboards to find anything with a cash flow that can be securitized.”

MetLife caught overcharging MA drivers

MetLife will pay at least $50,000 in penalties and refund an undetermined amount of money to customers to settle allegations it imposed costly surcharges on Massachusetts drivers who were found not at fault in auto accidents.

Insurers caught overcharging MA motorcyclists

More than $2.8 million in insurance refunds have gone back to Massachusetts motorcycle owners, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today. Since 2010, 17 insurance companies have settled with the AG's Office resulting in more than $42.8 million in refunds to Massachusetts motorcycle owners.

We are paying for bank mortgage settlement too—rewarding bad behavior!

Banks will take a tax deduction for their bad behavior in causing the recession of 2007-12. We will pay more tax to make up for their deductions for crashing the system and no one stops it.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/business/paying-the-price-in-settlements-but-often-deducting-it.html?_r=1&

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Avoid taxes on your earnings

Avoid income taxes on your investment earnings

In 2013, you can contribute up to $5,500 to an investment plan that grows tax-FREE and commission-FREE. 10 diversified mutual funds provide earning which have compounded at over 10% per year since 1970. Using a special account, you avoid taxes FOREVER. Using low-cost mutual funds, you avoid Wall Street fees of 2-3%. This double benefit account can add 40% to your eventual nest egg over time. NO TAX, NO FEES, compound at over 10%—perfect together: Your Retirement Mutual Funds

Retirement Mutual Funds earn over 10% without broker fees

Your Retirement Mutual Funds: 10 mutual funds to make sure your retirement income last as long as you!

Your investment plan assures you of income AND growth.

Your spending plan assures you of income for life.

Your Wealth ReserveTM provides TAX-FREE income for life.

Your tax-advantaged mutual funds grow at 10-12% per year.

Start today! Every year you delay costs you $100,000 later

Ten diversified mutual funds assure us of retirement income AND inflation-busting growth we can't outlive.

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Mutual-Funds-retirement/dp/1481114026

"My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest." Warren Buffett, $80 billion investor

Teacher pensions sell off gun maker stocks … finally

From California to New York, teacher and public-worker retirement funds are reconsidering their investments in gun makers and confronting an uncomfortable fact: Their pensions have supported the manufacture of deadly weapons, in some cases the same type of gun used in the Connecticut school shooting. For years, the gun industry has been a reliable investment, attracting tens of millions of dollars from some of the nation's largest retirement funds. Now they are taking another look.

How could we improve the economy if players took personal responsibility?

As we make our way out of the financial recession, three suggestions might help: make executives pay for corporate misdeeds out of their own pockets, make regulators pay with their jobs when they screw up, allow lawsuits against those that provide positive ratings to bad products, and ask overly paid CEOs to compete by leadership not greed. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/23/business/four-paths-toward-a-better-2013-in-business.html

Health care changes for the good of patients!

Health-care innovations aren't limited to drugs and devices. Experts increasingly are adopting new ways to treat patients that studies show are better at healing the sick, preventing disease, improving patients' quality of life and lowering costs. Here are 10 innovations that took root in 2012 and are changing the care patients will get in 2013. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324296604578179723798981586.html

Million AL drivers still have no liability insurance

The owners of the 900,000 Alabama vehicles without liability insurance stand a better chance of getting caught starting Jan. 1. That's when the state will start enforcing a law designed to crack down on motorists who don't abide by Alabama's mandatory insurance law.

Do you really need a disability income policy?

..Save $12,000 by self-insuring.

..Create a Wealth ReserveTM. Cash is a better plan.

..Accumulate $100,000 in 15 years to protect your future.

You only need a separate policy if you are self-employed or own a small business, and you do NOT have a “self-insurance” plan yet. Build your own wealth, not that of your insurer—self insure! Our chance of becoming totally disabled for a long period is very small. Disability Insurance by Dan Keppel 

http://www.amazon.com/Disability-Insurance-Cash-better-Self-insure/dp/1481843893/

Nursing Homes with Most Serious Deficiencies

Homes with Most Fines

Use this tool to compare nursing homes in a state based on the deficiencies cited by regulators and the penalties imposed in the past three years. You can also search more than 58,000 nursing home inspection reports to look for trends or patterns. http://projects.propublica.org/nursing-homes/

Women lose their health care at increasing rate

About 115,000 women lose their private health insurance every year in the wake of divorce, according to a University of Michigan study. And this loss is not temporary: women's overall rates of health insurance coverage remain depressed for more than two years after divorce. "Given that approximately one million divorces occur each year in the U.S., and that many women get health coverage through their husbands, the impact is quite substantial," said Bridget Lavelle, a U-M doctoral candidate in public policy and sociology, and lead author of the study, which appears in the December issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

SCAMS           “Deficits don’t matter” GOP leader Dick Cheney

Do you know where our bottled water comes from?

In a lawsuit against Nestlé Waters we learn those bottles contain filtered municipal tap water. The case echoes allegations in a previous case against Nestlé Waters, which sells Ice Mountain and other popular U.S.bottled water brands, including Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ozarka, Calistoga, Zephyrhills and Nestlé Pure Life. Nestlé Waters tops the surging U.S. bottled water market, with a 32% share.

PepsiCo and Coca-Cola also have drawn legal challenges on their popular bottled water brands. A 2007 case filed in New York federal court charged that Pepsi's advertising, marketing and labeling on the company's Aquafina brand "failed to inform consumers that the source of the water was public tap water, not water from an inherently cleaner source, such as a mountain."

Pruco caught overcharging customers

The regulators ordered Pruco Securities to pay more than $10.7 million in restitution, plus interest, to customers who placed mutual fund orders with the company between 2003 and 2011. Finra also fined Pruco $550,000 for its pricing errors and for failing to have an adequate supervisory system and written procedures in this area.

Our personal info sold without our OK or our commission

The FTC wants to know what the brokers do with the information they collect from consumers. It also wants to know if the data brokers let consumers review and correct their personal information or opt out from having their personal information sold to a third party. Data brokers are not required by law to disclose to consumers the information they collect on people's finances, race and ethnicity, shopping habits, social media updates, health concerns and more. By some estimates, these brokers stockpile several thousand details on the majority of adults in the U.S. In June, Pasadena company Spokeo agreed to pay $800,000 to settle charges it illegally sold personal information for employment screening. Congress has yet to pass a law to let us see our data before brokers sell it. Dem Rockefeller said, "American consumers deserve to know who is collecting information about them."

Steve Jobs left his $138 million yacht in hock in Holland. Can’t he use it now??

New York Stock Exchange was purchased by ICE, an Enron-type outfit. ICE trades energy derivatives and has done well and so will pay $8B to own the markets.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com