Showing posts with label I like to fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I like to fire. Show all posts

Friday, August 31, 2012

Is timing our Social Security benefits important?


Is timing our Social Security benefits important?

When planning retirement benefits, know the rules:

1. Starting benefits at age 62, cuts benefits for life. Women live longer and are more likely to end up with SS benefits alone. Women who wait to age 70 receive ¼ more than at age 62 or 65, so waiting may be best for her.

2. Coordinating benefits and working may help both of you. This recession’s structural unemployment affects men more than woman. Men can take benefits at age 62 if they cannot find meaningful work. Women can continue working to age 70 to maximize their benefits and take ½ the man’s benefits if they have attained their full retirement age. http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/retirechart.htm The total benefits may equal what the man would have received if he started later. This preserves the woman’s increase in benefits for the rest of her life. She loses nothing of her own work credits by taking his too.

3. Medicare can be engaged at age 65 but may not be needed if the woman’s coverage is better or cheaper through her employer. Medicare does not cover all expenses. Medicare supplements and Part B are usually necessary. http://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/decide-how-to-get-medicare/original-medicare/how-original-medicare-works.html

It may be helpful to meet with a SS official when one of you reaches age 62 to find out what works for you. Call your local office for an appointment and free analysis.

 

CAUTION: Advisors giving poor advice to clients on SS, survey says

The newly released findings from the Wharton School's Pension Research Council concluded that “many advisers still approach Social Security claiming as an individual decision rather than a household decision (even though) clients would be better served if a household- approach was utilized.”

 

Financial Power in the 21st Century: $1,000,000 Tax-FREE

Accumulate $200,000, $500,000, $1,000,000 with NO taxes …  EVER.

Financial power in the 21st century is tax-FREE income

  • Use a special tax haven to protect all your dividends, interest and capital gains
  • Contribute $9 a day to your tax-free account
  • Earn 9% a year on your wealth with no income taxes
  • Spend 9% of your wealth with no income taxes

Isn't it time you started using the tax laws to your benefit like the people in the top 1% ! How does Warren Buffett pay only 17% total tax?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu5B-2LoC4s

How does Mitt Romney pay less than 13.9%? You may not receive $21 million a year like Romney does but you can use a tax haven he can't use to compound $9 a day into $1,000,000. Compounding high investment earnings is “the most powerful force in the universe.” Compounding is money earning money on its earnings over time. Simple but powerful and ... no tax … ever.



 

Two Americas—states providing health insurance to uninsureds

California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and Vermont have received new grants to help support the establishment of Affordable Insurance Exchanges. GOP states have said no to Exchanges for us.

 

TX voters will NOT need special ID to vote—GOP lost voter supression tactic

A federal appeals court in Washington Thursday struck down the Texas voter ID law requiring photos for voters at the polls, calling it racially discriminatory.

The decision is a major victory for the Obama administration and its Democratic allies, which had challenged the law.

 

Is critical illness insurance right for you?
This insurance is being pushed as a group plan in small companies. However, it only covers the unusual illness-- such as cancer, heart attack or stroke. If you have to go the hospital for other reasons, you may be faced with a large bill you can’t pay. This kind of policy is popular in Canada because everyone is covered already by national health and it is the only product insurers can sell. If you cannot afford a comprehensive policy which covers all the expenses of these illnesses, compare a high-deductible comprehensive plan. You will have a limit on your expenses but large bills will be covered. You do not need critical ill policy if you have the more comprehensive one. http://www.amazon.com/Industry-Insiders-Guides-Buying-Insurance/dp/1466435712/

 

 

SCAMS           “Only the little people pay taxes.” Leona Helmsley

 

Romney/Ryan claim to cut taxes AND not increase the deficit—except for workers!

Romney is still committed to making his tax cuts "revenue neutral"--in other words, not leading to an increase in the deficit.

When asked how this was possible, given the magnitude of the cuts (20% across the board on personal income taxes, along with a 10-point cut to corporate income taxes), Hubbard, his spokesman, explained that the cuts would be offset by:

  • Stronger economic growth, and
  • "Broadening the base" of taxpayers (in other words, having poor and lower-middle-income Americans pay income tax)

In the past, Romney has also promised to increase revenue by eliminating some loopholes and deductions. Romney has never been specific about which loopholes he would eliminate, and Hubbard did not provide any specifics.

Earlier this year, the Tax Policy Center concluded that it would be impossible for Romney to cut income taxes across the board and make the cuts "revenue neutral" without also effectively increasing taxes on the lowest-income Americans (and that was when the Romney plan called for merely maintaining current tax rates, not cutting them). The Romney campaign dismissed this conclusion as factually wrong and "partisan."

But stronger growth means LESS revenue for government when rates are cut and taxing low-income working people means LESS demand for products in US.

 

We saw this movie before. The job ‘creators’ moved their Bush tax cuts to Bermuda and left us with the debt. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-firms-move-abroad-024200566.html. Reagan and Bush started the deficit climb; Bush II added to it. See chart at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/05/national-debt-by-president/

 

 

 

Why my IRA has not grown to $10l.6 million like Romney’s has.

Mitt Romney made use of arcane techniques in several of its Cayman Islands-based funds to avoid U.S. taxes, according to a trove of Bain Capital's private audit and finance records made public on the website Gawker today.

The audited financial statements of one of the Cayman Islands funds make note of the use of "blocker" entities, which are used to help retirement accounts and nonprofit entities avoid some taxes. Financial statements for another fund note that it "intends to conduct its operations so it will … not be subject to United States federal income or withholding tax ..."


 

Congress allows hedge funds to rip off the gullible

New rules allow any manager to sell “private placements” to those who wish to become “instant millionaires.” One commentator wrote: ‘The “JOBS Act” has authorized virtually any company to offer securities to the public without review or registration. This event is as catastrophic as the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act. Within the year, there will be horrendous stories of fraud by companies using this act and of the powerlessness of securities agencies to take any action because of the act.’

 

Who owns your account now?

TD Insurance, a subsidiary of TD Bank to USI Insurance Services

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014


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

 

Friday, January 13, 2012

Larrysaved $774 on auto insurance
Larry spent one hour with twoalternative insurers to find a better rate than he had for two cars—a 2005 and1998. He found out he was paying for services he did not need, like PIP health
insurance. He has adequate health insurance and is covered by the policy if he
and family are injured in a wreck. He went through the charges with his current
carrier to see if he could drop some other items. His ‘98 car doesn’t need
comprehensive/collision. He raised his deductible too. His new carrier gave him
their alum discount. Find out what you could save using our Guides: http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/

Maybethe health care mandate is not such a bad idea
Healthinsurance premiums for California families rose 153% since 2002, more than five times the29% increase in the rate of inflation, according to a new survey released
Wednesday. The CHCFsurvey found that annual premiums were higher in California than nationally forindividual coverage ($5,970 versus $5,429) and family coverage ($15,724 versus
$15,073). 35 states have some authority to approve or reject health insurance
rate increases, while California has none.
Health care mandate was a GOP idea but it is worth a try. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/27/republicans-hatched-idea-obamas-health-insurance-mandate/

Some to see lower health care policypremiums drop
TheFeds have determined that Trustmark Life Insurance Co. proposed unreasonable
rate increases in five states _ Alabama, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. Trustmark must withdraw hikes and explain why it wants
more. This is part of the new health care law to reduce costs.

Which discount broker was tops forConsumer Report?
Reader score: 93
Customer service: Top
Website usability: Good
USAA is the winner. Beat other brokers in the business. This is a company run
for our armed service members. They have excellent service and low fees. We
can’t buy their AUTO but we can use all the other financial services with
confidence.
Results from online survey of 7,327 ConsumerReports.org subscribers
reporting on their experiences between Oct. 2010 and Oct. 2011. The reader
score represents overall satisfaction with the firm and is not limited to the
factors listed.

Yourbroker may be forced to change its business model
Ifa strict definition of a fiduciary standard of conduct (NO product pushing)
becomes the fate for broker-dealers owned by U.S. life insurance companies, they could be forced tocompletely revamp their sales and distribution business model. The U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2011 recommended the standard to
Congress. It would apply to broker-dealers and investment advisers when they
provide investment advice about securities to individual investors. GE just
sold its broker-dealer so it would be free of this rule. GE can now push its
products without running into trouble with the SEC. Bank America has now outlawed Merrill broker accounts of less than$250,000 so they can collect the annual fees not just commissions.

Howdid your advisor do in 2011?
Our clients’ portfolio did not lose valuelast year. Our clients use a low-cost provider so when the market is down theypay little in fees. Fees are the best indicator of performance according to
fund tracker Morningstar.

2011 Return Fund Long-term Return* Longevity
1.97% 500 Index 10.36% since 1976
-1.74% Energy 12.71% since1984
-3.73% Extended Market 9.96% since1987
11.45% Health 16.30% since1984
-13.68% International Growth 10.50% since1981
-1.84% PRIMECAP 12.79% since 1984
-2.80% Small Cap Index 10.26% since1960
9.63% Wellesley Income 10.16% since 1970
-4.00% Windsor 11.00% since 1958
2.70% Windsor II 10.18% since 1985
__________________________________________
0.00% Average 11.42%

*AverageAnnual Returns as of 12/31/11.
Seeamazon.com/Working-Millionaire-Tax-FREE-Self-insure-Self-fund/

IsAllstate’s satisfaction guarantee right for you?
Underthe program, eligible Allstate customers who aren't happy with service they
receive on a paid auto claim can write a complaint to the company within 180
days of the incident. If a policyholder complains, Allstate will credit the
customer's account an amount that's equivalent to a six-month premium on the
car involved in the claim, said Allstate spokesman Kevin Smith. The company
tested the program in 2011 in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Georgia on its standard auto policies, and Allstate saw a limitednumber of requests in those states, Smith said. As of Jan. 2, the company madethe program available in 31 states, with more states planned later in the year.
Allstate’scredit is not cash. This is not a big deal. You can complain anytime. Claims
are handled by local adjuster. Working with them is the best way to obtain
fairness. If you are paying too much, you don’t get a refund for all those
years you overpaid. Safe drivers shop for the best price not guarantee of what
might not happen. Accidents are infrequent. Use our Guides: http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/

Weare more likely to need extra income later in life
U.S.life expectancy climbedto a new high in 2010 as fewer people died from heart disease and cancer, andhomicide was no longer among the 15 leading causes of death. Life expectancy
increased to about 78.7 years. Now is the time to plan to have enough for
longer income needs: amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough

Romneyis the only person who could FIRE his health insurance company
Where has this manbeen living? The rest of us could NOT fire our insurer because we did not liketheir refusal to pay for our cancer treatment or whatever. We would then be out
looking for new coverage with a “pre-existing condition” which insurers loath.
Only Romney could afford to self-insure—pay for treatments out of his $250
million
pocket. The rest of us would need a health law that guaranteed
coverage with pre-existing condition. That system was what Romney put in place
in Mass and what Obama has to defend against the GOP Supremes this year. We all
need that guarantee because we could not get health care in the present system.
No insurer would sell us a policy for any price. Just ask the 50 million
without coverage.

SCAMS
Why do we havea deficit and high unemployment? Taxes go to foreign governments!
Cutting taxes tocreate jobs is a political gimmick—it does not work.

Taxesof $385 billion went unpaid in 2006, according to new estimates by the IRS. IRS
says biggest cheats are small business and corporations who hide revenue and
add expense. For instance, Exxon employed 50 lobbyists, and spent $12,450,000
to influence lawmakers, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. What
does that buy you?

Little tax AND oil subsidies of $4B.

Exxon,which last year reported a record $45.2 billion profit, paid the most taxes of
any corporation, but noneof it went to the IRS: 20 wholly owned subsidiaries domiciled in the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands that (legally) shelter the cash flow from operations inthe likes of Angola, Azerbaijan and Abu Dhabi. No wonder that of $15 billion in income taxes lastyear, Exxon paid none of it to Uncle Sam, and has tens of billions in earnings
permanently reinvested overseas.

Manycorporations send profits overseas so they don’t pay tax at all.

GEearned $14.2 billion in profits in 2010, but it paid not a penny in taxes
because the bulk of those profits, some $9 billion, were offshore. In fact, GE
got a $3.2 billion tax benefit. GE laidoff 21,000 American workers and closed 20 factories between 2007 and 2009.More than half of GE's workforce is now
outside the United States.

Why are people upset?
55%of US corps paid no tax some years: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08957.pdf
GOPdebate statements and the facts: http://news.yahoo.com/fact-checking-hampshire-debate-023952440--abc-news.html

Who owns your account NOW?
MorganKeegan to Raymond James
GenworthFinancial has agreed to sell its broker-dealer unit to Cetera Financial Group
GE want to be free to push its products. Ifa strict definition of a fiduciary standard of conduct becomes the fate forbroker-dealers owned by U.S. life insurance companies, they could be forced tocompletely revamp their sales and distribution business model. The U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2011 recommended the standard to
Congress. It would apply to broker-dealers and investment advisers when they
provide investment advice about securities to individual investors.

Starry starry night
On average, each of the 100 billion or sostars in our galaxy hosts at least 1.6 planets, according to the study,bringing the number of likely alien worlds to more than 160 billion. "This is a major milestone on the road to finding Earth's twin,"Douglas Hudgins, Kepler program scientist at NASA headquarters in Washington,D.C., said in a statement.

Letme know what you think. Editor@TheInsidersGuides.com
IAN
41 Watchung
Plaza, B242
Montclair, NJ 07042
347.746.2014
www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com
Alerts available
at http://dankeppel.blogspot.com/