Which is better for investments—Dem or GOP president?

 

Are 401k fees still right for you?

Our current system favors costly middle people who are superfluous today with computers. The average fees levied on 401(k) savings cost us 0.5% to 2% annually (small employers). Compare that to today’s index and ETF funds which cost 0.04% or less. The overcharges we pay do NOT guarantee superior long-term success. In fact, most studies show we lose up to 63% of our total accumulations. Given today’s average earnings of 6% with 4% for us and 2% for Wall Street, we are the Big-time losers. No matter our portfolio—conservative or aggressive—we cannot help but do better with a new system for tax-advantaged investing. Fees are no longer deductible so even in a taxable account; the new system gives you more. Such a system is easily available to any working person without costly trusts, foreign tax havens or tax-avoidance schemes used by the wealthy.

Even if you have only 10 years to retirement, this system can benefit you. The longer your NEW retirement system runs, the more tax-FREE money you have to spend.

Go tax-FREE: https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-ReserveTM/dp/1461030072/

 

 

 

Which is better for investments—Dem or GOP president?

Wall Street gurus are currently going through their eternal talk about which party president is better for investors. As you might expect, this is not the right question. There are so many factors in the success of any particular investor that we should not even read these advice statements. Unless we know when exactly we will need our money or when the markets will fail, these pronouncements are just B-D propaganda. Most of us have learned that the stock market advances about 11% per year nominally over time. We know that in any given period, there are times when the market or our portfolio will rise and fall. This is why Warren Buffett, surely a wise investor, bet a million dollars on the S&P 500 stock index run by low-cost Vanguard to beat 5 guru hedge funds. Buffett gave the $1 million to his charity. The gurus are still in business so some of us still want to pay excessive fees to feel they own a superior strategy or portfolio. Unless we have insider information like our representatives in Washington, we are rewarded for just following the wise investor’s proven way. Lose 18.6% or gain 11.09%, your choice.

https://www.amazon.com/Building-Wealth-Like-Brushing-Teeth/dp/1470141469

 

What fuels the market climb?

Fixed income market provides low yields so investors poor into junk bonds. Our government is buying the bonds of private enterprises so the wealthy receive special treatment from the national deficit spending. The working person has no wage improvement power. The wealth gap gets wider so the rich can afford to stay in the bull market. They don’t have to worry about their company or investments going broke like the local mom and pop business so they can afford to keep putting money in the stock market to increase their wealth. Pension funds must stay in the market since many are under funded for their future liabilities. Wall Street no longer has to worry about a political meltdown so future growth looks promising. GOP Senate control will assure wealthy investors of no significant tax increases on non-wage income or wealth. Most wealthy people are not taxed on income and a wealth tax is very unlikely. Even Romney knows his offshore wealth is not in danger. Despite his protest, Warren Buffett, with $86 billions does not expect his tax rate to go up. Which is better: earning 1% or 12%?

https://www.amazon.com/You-Beat-Wall-Street-professionals/dp/1986031373

 

Wealthy finding ways to avoid new taxes

With clearer future, the wealthy are scrambling to get their money hidden from the new tax proposals sitting in Dem inbox. Because the tax rates are probably going to be higher in the future, they can move their IRA balances into Roth tax free accounts now. They know the budget deficit has reached $3.3 trillion, a level not seen since the end of World War II. Since they already got the benefits of overspending, they will want McConnell to kill any stimulus for working people. The wealthy can use QCDs. They are the most tax-efficient way to reduce taxable IRA balances which have remained high with the government support in 2020. Gifts can reduce tax now and lower estate taxes later. Use Trump’s example of a $21 million deduction by giving away the right to build on your forest that never would have been developed anyway. Wealthy tax avoidance loopholes may be closing with the new regime in 2021. They need to act soon to keep the wealth gap growing. We working people can avoid paying the taxes avoided by the wealthy.

Use it or lose it: https://www.amazon.com/Trump-Tax-Shelter-Avoid-taxes/dp/1985448300

 

Biden’s new regulation: brokers must disclose conflicts of interest

Biden will need to return to the regulations that Obama instituted just before he lost to Trump. Obama’s Fiduciary Rule required that product sellers help us buy the best product available, ignoring seller commissions and fees. On April 6, 2016 the government limited the billions of dollars the financial industry could take from our retirement-savings products and advice. The final Fiduciary Rule was weakened by product sellers so they could take some of our transfer money out of 401(k)s. Trump reversed Obama’s rule and helped product pushers hide fees. Brokerage firms have hidden their bad acts. In the future, advisors will act like accountants not like used car salesmen. Some sellers have already lowered fees due to competition. We will still have to learn and shop in order to get the BEST for our particular situation but at least the industry will need to be more transparent in its offerings. Now we can get the BEST available for us because sellers will need to disclose conflicts of interest more fully. Under Trump, sellers are NOT telling us the whole truth about their bad acts and hidden fees. Now they will have to.

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

 

Is a Robo right for you?

The use of automated advice platform, or so-called robo advisors, is continuing to rise, with about 8% of U.S. households having money invested with a robo. Robo advisors are popular with millennials that have significant investable assets; nearly half of millennials with more than $500,000 to invest use a robo, according to the survey. But for mass affluent millennial households with between $50,000 and $500,000 in investable assets, only 20% reported they used a robo, along with 15% of Generation X families and 5% of baby boomer families in the same sphere. Not to lose market share, Fidelity, Schwab and Bank of America, offer new applications or features. By offering such options, the big firms were succeeding at creating a “natural funnel from a free service to their trading or managed account platforms.” But robos are not free, just lower costs than full service brokers. And so robos don’t provide higher returns necessarily. Robos offer some hand holding compared to flying solo. Vanguard is owned by us shareholders so fees/charges are at cost—profits go back to us investors, like a co-op.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Robo-Advisor-Ultimate-Automatic-Management/dp/1537111957

 

Deduct $300 from income in 2020

Here’s how the CARES Act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020:

Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions. However, taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The CARES Act also suspends limits on charitable contributions and temporarily increases limits on contributions of food inventory. More information about these changes is available on IRS.gov.

Use all your credits: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Credit-Class-your-credits-ZERO/dp/1539462382

 

 

 

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

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—NO we don’t want a Dictator?

 

GOP 6-3 Supremes primed to reverse US back in time

Yes, courts used to put women in jail for wearing slacks

Supreme Alito: rights only for likes

 

Dictator: “It’s going away.” (No you are)

Dictator’s staff: “It’s out of control:” 244,000+ dead

why everyone wears seat belts now

 

Dictator’s Sunday 11/8 at his Church

 

Dictator’s armed terrorists standing by

Biden has to run the country from Delaware

 

 

How Govt wastes our money: Our Representatives gave 3.7 Trillion to the wealthy! 

Trump, defeated, holds election rallies from AirForce1: costs us $77,000/hour: He lost!

Trump Plaza Casino Atlantic City blown up for Biden inaugural: Trump tax deduction?

Trump put his anti-racial justice, anti-climate change ideology into our retirement funds.

 

Trump’s ‘voter fraud’ proof: Philly, NY, PO DeJoy, NJ, LI, PA, PA, NC, which fraud?

World dictators still back ours: USSR, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Hungary, Philippines, Saudis

Trump tells Justice to find the ‘voter-fraud’ smoking gun: DoJ Investigator quits

Trump lawyers: “will we get paid for challenge work”?: Trump notorious for not paying

 

Mel hired movers already: Baron to military school? FL removes heliport from Marlago

Congress needs “eviction” marshal for tenant in our White House: Germany shows how

How much?: Trump may give up top secrets: he did it before: beat Impeachment once too

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Trump’s mail slowdown delivers 40,000 more ballots after judge orders PO come clean

Trump orders legal military ballots to be thrown out: absentee overseas votes legal

Qanon terrorists caught w/ fake ballots, AR 15 storming Philly counting center

 

Only 1 Republican offered hand to new president: Biden has 200 exec orders ready

GOP still afraid of Trump’s tweets will not speak to Biden: no reconciliation in US

Trumpers angry with FoxNews for NOT airing fake “voter fraud” news & calling AZ

TX will pay $1 million: find 1 voter fraud case:  a bribe for gov official is legal in TX?

 

Doe GOP exist with “Trump is the GOP” lost presidency? “Let’s give him a chance”

 

Ex Prez fires Pentagon chief: apology for Bible walk: military used against citizens bad

 

Can Trump’s Supremes reverse the will of the voters? GOP courts make up ‘justice’

 

PA voting outcome shows how much the color line still decides America’s path

Most of the military leaders sighed in relief: the “stable genius” almost gone

GOP still rules state legislatures; religious right; Trump cult: Dem work just starting

 

AR police to Trumpers: “death to all Marxist Democrats” “leave no survivors”

 

Trump refuses to start transition process: McConnell: “peaceful transfer of power”??

 

How a cult dies: Jim Jones took his ‘world’ with him: couldn’t face ‘the music’ real life

Trump refuses to reduce environmental pollution killing corona virus patients

 

 

Cheryl Broussard FL caught defrauding sorority investors; fake statements: 2 years jail

Robert Morgan caught running Ponzi in real estate; promised high returns, fake docs,

Local papers/websites turned into PR production for politicos/corporations. ‘news’?.

Gummies Promise to Decrease Stress: Martha Stewart leads the pitch for bad teeth

 

Census takers told to enter false info: Trump closed census early: change future Congress

Beam Financial caught blocking bank withdrawals: yes some banks fail

Kraig Gier Security Planning caught stealing $1 million from elderly fake docs: 5 yrs jail

 

HD Graham, DL Howard LL Matyas caught taking $920,000 fees no license: defrocked no jail

Ransomware thugs failing to delete stolen data after a victim pays a ransom: Thieves 2X

How easily we fall for misleading videos: ballot stuffing in USSR, burning sample ballots

 

Trump’s Financial ‘Protection’ lets debt collectors hound us: call, email, text, 24/7

FL court allows Prevagen promising improved memory to keep claiming and sales

Robo “collector” from 608-371-6666:  https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-608-371-6666

 

 

Vatican silent child/adult sex abuser slept w/ boys: not sorry, no jail, no confession

Religionist with popular power support Trump: move state governments to extreme right

 

Is it a scam?  Check AARP scamline 877.908.3360.

 

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

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

Check Social Security: https://blog.ssa.gov/

Safeguard data: ConsumerReports help: https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/

 

Jobs

Trump hires hundreds to overturn election: then defend him from many indictments

Biden hires scientists pandemic team: Trump plays golf & does more campaigning

Health care lost with job: Supremes may increase health emergency for 30 million

 

This is where our raises have gone: “matching pair” Porsche and Embraer Phenom 300E

Fidelity Investments To Hire 4,000 People In Next Six Months

Florida passes $15 minimum wage—but only by 2026 in fight for fair wages. 

 

 

Who owns your account now?

J.C. Penney's defined benefit plan to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp: fewer benefits

Safe hotel list: travel is hard enough so check before check-in

 

Miracles:

Despite all the bad news we hear now, we have a democracy; we can vote and change!

Vaccine maker: 90% effective: Trump military/vendors to ship around: side effects?

Un-scalable wall around our White House still blocks citizens: ‘say goodbye’ fence

 

Two members of Biden virus panel worked inside the Trump administration: experts

 

GOP 6-3 Supremes primed to reverse US back to 1950s: abortions illegal, dirty air, no wildlife reserves, no voting rights, 0 immigrants, no health care, red-lining housing, no interracial couples, Trump self-pardon, cancel IRS audit, no gays, discriminate by religion, decide our elections, dismiss suit Trump as rapist, etc

 

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/

 

Dem wish list: healthcare, infrastructure jobs, restore environment, unite 545 kids

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

 

Make sure all your tax documents come before you file

Make sure all your tax documents come before you file

Since there is no enforcement of tax document mailings by mutual funds, banks, brokerage and advisors as well as employers, check last year’s filing to make sure you have everything to file BEFORE you go to your preparer. Few keep the deadline of January 31. Call IRS if not by February 28. If you have a kid in college, make sure they do NOT take your dependent exemption themselves. They don’t need it to get their job withholding tax refund. You need it to claim deductions and an extra $500. Kids should check the box “Someone can claim you as a dependent.” https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf. When you are ready, IRS has efile partners that have easy software programs that may allow you file for FREE. Some charge depending on your state and level of income. Most will cost less than the advertised brands ($50+$30) unless you must use a paid preparer. Trump has doubled the number of forms required to file many middle-income returns so the average price will be higher. And you won’t pay a penalty if you paid 85% of what you owe. Many of us will pay MORE than Trump promised since the wealthy and corporations pay less. January 28 is the first day of FREE ‘human’ preparation by AARP tax-aides. Make sure you have all of your docs: https://www.irs.com/articles/tax-form-checklist. Sign up at locations near you: https://secure.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.

Long term care policies benefits and prices vary by 243%

If you are wealthy you may not need a policy. If you are NOT wealthy you may not be able to afford this coverage. You can buy from a new insurer with better understanding of the cost profile. Most advisors say buy at a younger age and change the benefits to meet your needs. Great for them but how to cope with increasing prices for what may be a very long time—age 55-85 means 30 years at $3-4,000 a year. AND you may not need coverage. That’s $100,000 wasted cash vs. $500,000 invested at 8%. Unless you know you will need it soon, you may be better off paying cash when the time comes. $4,750 to $2,500 per year LTC policy prices vary greatly.

Shop around: https://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-Updated/dp/148274001X

A pathway to health care for all

CA new gov proposing extending ACA ObamaCare to insure more residents. This incremental move may light the way for other states concerned for its citizens. Newsom uses state funds to fill in the gaps for those without coverage and ignores the mandate. More carrot and less stick may help CA do what others haven’t up till now. About 10% of its non-elderly population lacks coverage. A study last year projected a steady rise, finding that Republicans' Obamacare sabotage and other factors would increase the un-insurance rate to 13% by 2023, with about 1 million more uninsured Californians, barring a policy shift. Massachusetts has its own mandate and subsidy program, and it has the lowest uninsured rate in the nation. Families are working hard to pay medical bills but still need help even with 4 part-time jobs and working mom.

Buy only what you need: https://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Are ‘Target Date’ funds right for you?

A recent survey of employees enrolled in TDF shows they are misunderstood. The industry does its best to keep those with low pension balances in the dark. The industry is a for-profit one and has no interest in explaining this low-cost high-return strategy for retirement funding. Instead of showing how this option gives employees the best shot at a successful pension fund, working folks have the idea that this strategy will assure a safe retirement income, will never go down, is guaranteed by the government and becomes a cash asset in retirement. Workers do know TDF asset allocations shift from stocks to bonds over time. Most employees have had no investing experience and so if their 401k default is TDF, they never learn what they really own. Employers are not in a position to teach investing and the fund complex they use has no responsibility to provide this service. Employers have all but abandoned paid worker pensions. And no one has stepped up to provide the basic financial education all of us need at our first job. https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Literacy-Steps-Success-Money/dp/1491044616

Avoid double taxation when you inherit an IRA

When you inherit an IRA from someone, you need to know the amount they contributed over the years as after-tax non-deductions. Since IRA accounts have been around, contributors who wanted to keep on investing even without current tax deductions because of their incomes, were able to keep building their retirement nest egg. If they started taking distributions mandated by the IRS as RMDs at age 70 1/2, they had to calculate the amount to exclude from taxation as regular income since they had already paid tax on the contributions. They should have filed a form every year (Form 8606) keeping track of this so called ‘basis’—the amount they already paid tax on. The financial trustee for this account never had to keep this information so you as the beneficiary must go back into the tax records to compute the excluded ratio. Otherwise the IRS will treat the whole distribution to you as taxable at your rate. The last tax return should have the Form 8606 so you and your tax preparer can take it from there. Of course, now we have the Roth IRA which shields all the growth in your IRA contributions from taxation. Use the Roth for your current investing or convert your old IRA to the Roth for totally FREE distributions when you take them. You do not have to take them so they are the perfect working-person’s estate plan. Heirs pay no tax.

Use the best for your heirs:  https://www.amazon.com/401k-IRA-Tax-FREE-Tax-Deferred-retirement/dp/1475057938

What did John Bogle give us?

John Bogle died Thursday. John Bogle created The Vanguard Group—the mutual funds owned by us—the investors—at cost, so we could keep more of what we earned. At work in a financial firm one day, he responded to the fall of his clients’ accounts by noting that speculation was not in the best interest of the firm’s clients. Bogle fixed on the role of a firm as steward of the clients’ funds. In 1976, his new firm introduced the index fund to individuals. Indexing was run by banks for some large investors. In 1977, Bogle stopped selling funds through brokers. The company eliminated sales charges and became a pure no-load mutual fund complex—a move that would save shareholders $ billions in sales commissions and fees—increasing their gains. Stewardship is the attitude of salaried workers at Vanguard which is now the largest provider of funds to investors. Noted economist, Paul Samuelson ranked "this Bogle invention along with the invention of the wheel, the alphabet, Gutenberg printing." Jack Bogle’s legacy is rooted in the concept that investing should be conducted solely in the interest of investors. Bogle’s single mindedness on fiduciary stewardship finds its meaning in the company he founded, the (low cost and simple) product strategies and corporate governance reforms he champions, and the nine books he wrote. The industry has followed Bogle’s lead—almost every investor is now paying less and earning more because of this industry disruptor.  See attached.

Industry disruptor--Pay less; earn more: https://www.amazon.com/Disruptors-Three-Innovators-increase-WEALTH/dp/1720857563

Real estate moguls lick their chops at Trump’s ‘opportunity zones’

Trump did Jared and friends a big favor. Moguls who develop real estate or fund businesses in these areas are able to defer capital gains on profits earned elsewhere and completely eliminate them on new investments in 8,700 low-income census tracts. The goal is to reinvigorate these areas. But the question is whether the 2017 tax law will, as Mogul Mnuchin predicts, pump $100 billion into places that need it most, or if investors will play it safe by funding projects in a few zones already on the upswing. But like most deals, there are hidden terms. Investing in a relatively illiquid partnership or corporation with the intent of holding the investment for as many as 10 years in order to maximize the available tax benefits requires a strong conviction regarding the merits of the investment itself. Some areas are just not ready for money without people. And state tax codes may not help. The Federal tax benefits don’t exist until the property is sold—no gains; no deduction. And be careful about rolling over their eligible gains into a QOF within 180 days. The rules are complicated.

Use your simple tax credits first: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Credit-Class-your-credits-ZERO/dp/1539462382

**************

Make America, “The Don”, Great Again

Senile Psychosis or Parkinson’s delusions? quetiapine and clozapine

Truth isn’t truth, his lawyer says

Two Americas: A Banana Republic? Do we really want an infant king? Daddy Putin!

McGahn was ‘lodestar’: Told Trump ‘NO’ - saved Mueller!

J F Kennedy was 43 when he beat Nixon

***********************

How Govt wastes our money: Congress spends $1.3 Trillion we don’t have! 

Sec. Defense, former Boeing exec, OK paying too much for Boeing tanker for AF. Graft?

Mortgage approvals delayed by gov verification on hold; IRS, VA and FHA closed.

SCAMS/SPINS:

Deming Payne caught lying about fake $800,000 client redemptions. 3 mo suspension

Robert Kahn, MO; Andrew Schade, MI; John Wheeler, FL caught misleading clients.

VanEck Vectors BDC Income ETF (BIZD), charges 9.41% a year: you lost money?

Gary Basralian NJ caught stealing victim’s accident settlement money

Idealogs Coulter/Limbaugh cost us $25+ billions as Trump’s confessors

Trump to farmers: I’ll “make it easier” for some immigrants to come into the country.

GOP supports lifting sanctions on Putin friends: Trump rewards Russia for election win.

Trump, as dictator, puts 50,000 in slavery chains—says work without pay is good thing

Trump, as dictator, takes revenge on Dems: Pelosi secure flight cancelled: ‘stay here’

Trump, as dictator, lied about how many kids were separated: still don’t know where.

Lettuce growers begs FDA to come and inspect so no more die of  E.Coli

Flight-safety systems at risk with no inspectors & fewer TSA checks.

MetLife stole pension payments to 13,500 retirees claiming they were dead. No jail time.

PA state pension fund overpaid managers $1 billion in 2017—retirees lose; cronies win.

Sterling Jewelers caught opening charge acct without consent: owns ALL jewelers

Hyundai, Kia recall 168,000 for fuel leaks and fires and software

Brokers who might owe you an arbitration settlement or award --filed bankruptcy?

“Individual 1” could be a Russian “asset”: Why FBI opened a file on The Mob Boss.

GOP can’t say “You’re fired” to The Boss because his voters will ‘kill’ them in 2020.

The Mob Boss can never go to jail: Trump has Kava as Supreme so no indictment.

‘No man is above the law’ … well up till now. Dictators nullify courts first, then votes.

Supremes protect Don’s ‘Orders’? – GOP: ‘Sure, pres can change Constitution anytime.’

----------------------------------

Jobs:

Work for free: TSA and flight controllers and Coast Guard need replacements now.

Jobs that pay in health care: leader in job growth.

Nissan lays off 700 in MS

Who owns your account now?

Trump to take TX homeowner’s property: Is land like a gun 2^nd amendment?

ATT has been selling my location data and I didn’t get a cent. Past royalties?

Save money 18 ways: https://www.stretcher.com/stories/11/11jan17e.cfm?DS0114-1

Your investments are back to where they were last April and climbing.

WA cancels NRA insurance for killing people: illegal “to insure criminal activity."

Sears bought by Lampert for $5.2 billion

Miracle:

Bishops ‘forgot’ everything they learned about sex. Cardinal: I forgot sex abuses !!

A gymnastic milestone and a ’10’ to Make America Feel Good Again: Twitter

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts 

Another corporation leaves US with their tax bill

Another American company moving to Mexico after taking our tax money

Carrier made air conditioners in Indianapolis. Mexico did not suck the jobs out of America. We sent them the jobs. American businessmen decided to move 1400 good-paying jobs to Mexico so United Tech’s group could get a bonus to cut costs. This violates their mission Core Values and history.  CEO Nelson claims he is dumping 1400 workers to “maintain quality.” Quality comes from design and employee commitment. The company received a $5.1 million tax credit from the Department of Energy — for the sole purpose of creating and maintaining green jobs in the United States. They broke promise to these workers and America. No wonder Trump and Sanders have voters.

Avoid paying the taxes Carrier used to pay: http://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Income-000-tax-free/dp/1477472584

Did you get a 23% or 35% pay raise for your work in 2015?

Bank of America CEO Moynihan received a massive 23% pay hike in 2015, pocketing over $16 million. What did you do for your raise? Moynihan drove the company stock DOWN 28% in the last year (down 73% in 10 years). The market rose 48%. He DOUBLED the loss in stockholder equity. This usually means the boss did a bad job but not for bankers. Like the crisis of 2007-8, bankers are rewarded for losses. Chase’s Dimon's 2015 compensation increased by 35 percent to $27 million. They get credit for increased earnings even though it was the economy not brilliant management that did the trick. Brian, as manager, actually lost $10 BILLLION in legal costs from bad decisions.

Be your own banker with a tax-FREE account: http://www.amazon.com/Tax-Free-Living-2012-strategies-build/dp/1477452702

Investment advice you won’t get from your broker/advisor

The investors who actually make money from what they know and NOT from your money say: “the time to buy is when blood is running in the streets." Your broker makes money from your money when you trade so their advice is BIASED. They are just salesmen not knowledgeable investors. Real investors are patient and know it is time to buy oil-driven stocks now AFTER they have fallen 30%. When they rebound, real investors will profit BIG. Master investors Warren Buffett, George Soros and David Tepper have bought Phillips66, Kinder Morgan and other energy related stocks. Since regular investors don’t know energy companies well, they invest in the group like Vanguard Energy Fund. It is one of the Vanguard Top Ten: http://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X

Uncle Sam will pay you to save for retirement

Saving for retirement is hard but you can get help. First, make an IRA contribution for 2015 by April 18, and reduce your income taxes. Second, take the Savers Credit up to $4,000 for your IRA, 401k, SEP, SIMPLE, etc contributions. Third, reduce your payroll tax withholdings to match your current refund so you can start saving this year. You will have more money in your paycheck each month to save and invest. This will put the Miracle of Compounding to work for you now. $250 a month is worth $1,000,000 later: http://www.amazon.com/The-Miracle-Compounding-Turn-into/dp/1470176513

Get your refund quickly

File using an IRS approved vendor and file for FREE electronically. Have the IRS credit your bank accounts in 2 weeks. Most states follow the same pattern. Most vendors do Fed for FREE. Some charge for state filing. The nice part is that once you use them, they carry forward your data and credits for next year. Usually, you just copy your W-2, 1095, etc forms onto their screen forms. Fairly easy and most offer all the forms and worksheets you need to file. If you ever have a mistake it is easy to file an amended return since you have the old data in your file online. Prices increase later in the season so file early. Remember, IRS does NOT call you asking for money. Ask scammers for letter. 

Fast refunds: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free

What do the GOP candidates say they will do?

They don’t all agree but these seem to be the things they agree on.

No abortions even for incest or rape or to keep mom from dying.  Rubio

No immigrants: must wait/pay fees/file forms even if life is threatened at home. Trump

No/low taxes for those that live on their wealth—0 tax on dividends/gains. Rubio

No complicated tax rules for wealthy and corporations. Cruz

No hold on corporations: cash is speech, unlimited promotion, inequality OK, no jail

No welfare: everyone must work or use soup kitchens, ER, church gifts and shelters.

No healthcare for all: use hospitals for routine care. But Cruz has ObamaCare!

No control on guns: shoot if you feel threatened by music, popcorn, people, etc. Bush

No regulations on commerce: bad drugs, bad air, bad water, bad products, bad serviceOK

No tolerance for non-Christians—War on Christianity ended by Trump

No sexual activity other than marriage—abstinence only. Rubio Cruz

No government programs to help people less fortunate--cut SS benefits Cruz

No government spending for non-defense—increase deficit. Cruz by $8.6 trillion.

No cuts in military spending--increases even in peacetime. Cruz

No plan for global environmental destruction, scientists are wrong Carson Cruz Trump

Conservatives want to keep social issues as they used to be, so they delay, delay delay in Congressional matters except military spending and tax cuts for already wealthy. “Starve the beast” (no taxes) is their motto but 2017 GOP tax plans increase deficits to pay for greater spending. GOP has become the NO tax and spend party—run up deficits.  

"Bush I. handed Clinton a $269 billion budget deficit.

Clinton handed Bush Jr. a $127.3 billion surplus.

Bush II handed Obama a $1.4 trillion deficit.

Obama has reduced Bush Jr.’s deficit to just $492 billion.

GOP = Tax (cuts) and Spend Party

Bush III $3.5 TRILLION over 10 years.

Rubio $6.8 TRILLION over 10 years.

Cruz $8.6 TRILLION over 10 years.

Trump $12 TRILLION over 10 years.

Yes, the market is down 8%. What should you do now?

Franklin Resources said Wednesday that investors withdrew $20.6 billion in the fourth quarter. Franklin saw investors pull $28 billion in 2015, the biggest quarterly redemption in its history. Investors have locked in a loss. They have lost ground but might be a good buy now near bottom. Franklin’s assets under management fell 13 percent over the past year. Vanguard has been taking in assets from many other fund managers because fees have been reduced as market returns have fallen past 0%. Low fees means you lose less. Consider your long-term investment returns. Stocks have provided 10-12% for any 15 year period. Balanced (stock/bond) funds like Wellesley Income have provided 10% a year since 1970 with only 2 down years. This year the stock market is down 8.5% but Wellesley is down only 0.8%. If the market regains its momentum in 1 week, you will have missed an 8% gain. You never know and so “stay the course.”

Wellesley is one of the Vanguard Top 10 funds you keep for life: http://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X

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 candidate by Feb 17)

Trump: “Cruz can’t run against me” suit because not citizen—new Apprentice show?

            TrumPAC takes money despite pledge not to be bought.

            “We’re voting with our middle finger,” Trumper said.

Cruz: Trump defended PParentd, attacked Bush II, and dirty tricks/lies.

Rubio: Tax for wealthy will be ZERO, China lends US another $6.8 trillion.  

Bush III: I spent $36 million to lose in NH and my brother will win SC for me. (63% of GOP still thinks Iraq had WMDs). Trump “fears me” because he attacks me.????

Palin dumping her AZ home cheap so she can be Sec State for Trump in DC.

Trump’s immigrant First Lady--Melanija Knavs knows clothes’ design.

Sanders: A Wall Streeter wants his reform to eliminate cheating. It is Fairness stupid. 

            Financial crisis put no one in jail, thousands in jail for 1oz pot.

Scalia legacy:  Bush illegally installed as President, ‘corporations are people’ ideology: “money is speech” so OK to buy elections (Bush III still running after IA, NH loss), corporations can pick which birth control employees use/can’t use, SCOTUS decisions—4-4 ties for over a year bec Senate won’t consider Obama’s legal pick. Is Senate racist? GOP fears Obama confirmation now hurts 2018 elections. Scalia death suspicious: declared ‘heart attack’ by TX JP yet did NOT actually SEE the body and did not order autopsy. How can decide heart attack without examining body? "My gut tells me there is something fishy going on in Texas."

So YOU can be declared dead in TX without being seen? JFK killed in TX without exam too. It required Warren Commission to guess at death and now we will never know.

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!

Gregory Ruehle, Oceanside CA, caught stealing $1.9 million in stock resale scheme.

Timothy Dembski Walter Grenda, Buffalo, caught misleading investors who lost 80%.

Former head, bank bailout: bank-busting is necessary or we have another 2007 meltdown

Future voters: under a new Oregon law, all eligible voters are registered automatically.

We need regulation—GOP is wrong—companies/cities wouldnt fix bad products on own

Tax regs in future may change value of your Roth IRA

Obama has proposed changes in retirement funding that may change how you structure your future retirement income. Changes are unlikely this year but could be included in “the middle of the night” budgets like the recent ban on Social Security strategy of “file and suspend.” Retirees who were unable to find work could tape their spouses’ benefits early to offset the 25% cut by filing early. Some benefits of a Roth IRA could be dropped: Required RMD, no IRA conversions, no contributions after age 70.5.

Plan your retirement spending wisely: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough/dp/1461084016

  

How our government wastes our money

OR terrorists left booby traps to kill FBI/police. Go to Gitmo?

Cuba returned US missile that was “inadvertently” shipped to Cuba by Spain, 2014.???

SCAMS

I’d give my right arm for a pair of Air Jordan 8 Retros. But only cost $184???

Vatican ignores serial (50 events) child abusers/molesters. Living in paradise?

Pope OKs contraception for Zika: “avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil.” WOW

IRS warns of e-mail schemes rose 400 percent in phishing and malware incidents.

Hollywood Presbyterian paid a $17,000 ransom for hacked patient records. Our Future?

IAN

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