Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts

Friday, December 29, 2017

GOP spending our children's future income

GOP spending our children’s future income
In exchange for our $60 to $400 tax cut for just 7 years, we and our kids will be working off the extra $1.5 Trillion of principal and interest on the national debt forever. Right now your share of the debt is about $60,000 so our kids will be paying interest every year of about the same as they would be for a small house. Unfortunately, the principal of the loan is going up; not down. Our extra $60 for 7 years is nothing compared to the average millionaire’s $30 million tax bonanza FOREVER. The GOP has made our cuts END and theirs last with the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax. They don’t pay the 37% tax rate. Most of their income is capital gains and they pay 17% or less. Since there will be less revenue in the future and GOP never stops buying military stuff, there is only one way for GOP—cut programs for those without power—cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health, ObamaCare, arts, environment, regulation of air, water, consumer finance and others. GOP said it will have to cut ‘entitlements’ even though we paid for them. We paid for them—Social Security and Medicare are not revocable benefits.
GOP: the party of spending for the rich and the hell with the young, old, poor and sick.

This is what American Socialism looks like now
Our so-called ‘representatives’ got a $1.5 Trillion loan from China and will pay it to the wealthy to forward to their offshore tax shelters. 323 million working Americans will have to pay back the loan: From 323 million to the 400 oligarchs. (Socialism: from the many to the few). The GOP killed the ObamaCare mandate, so the healthy will stop paying premiums and those left in the coverage pool will need to pay more—almost like another tax. Premiums will go up 10% or more so our temporary (ends 2025) ‘tax cut’ of $60-$400 will not be spent on more goods to fuel the economy as promised. No corp CEO has passed out ‘permanent’ wage increases: a 1 year bonus doesn’t count. GOP will cut our social benefits starting 2018 to pay loan interest to China. Tax the middle-class.

“What should I do with my 401k now that I am retiring Dec 31?”
I was asked recently about this situation. You may work after retirement too. IMPORTANT: DO NOT LET HR CUT YOU A CHECK: you lose 20% to taxes.
Call Vanguard or your current IRA Trustee and have THEM move your 401k or 403b from your employer’s trustee to theirs as a tax-FREE ‘trustee to trustee transfer’ IF IF IF you don't want to contribute or are no longer allowed to contribute to the old 401k. 
First, determine if you want to contribute. 2-3 days of work may not pay enough to make contributions. Your taxes should be lower now and you don't need to defer paying tax on the money now. You can contribute to a Roth IRA now and even after age 70.5. The only rule is you must have income! Part time or self employment work is great.
IRS rules: traditional IRAs require you to stop contributing by age 70½. But a Roth IRA has no age limit on contributions and has no mandatory distribution. The Roth IRA is perfect for an estate plan. You can keep contributing to the 401(k) until you retire if they allow it. You gain 8% a year if you wait and you lose 25% of your benefits by starting Social Security at 62. However, you will have to pay tax later and the distributions might require more tax on your Social Security benefit. Best: Roth IRA for your estate plan as long as you work/self-employed. A small business may boost your tax-FREE estate.

What American corporations do with new tax cuts
Since many corporations pay NOTHING and very few paid the 35% rate, cutting their tax to 21% may not have much impact on jobs or wages. Most businesses have enjoyed high earnings in this growth economy. They hide their money overseas to avoid $ billions in taxes. Host countries have already lowered their rates under 21%. Apple hides its money on the island of Jersey. There are scores of countries where corps can hide money. No CEO has announced a large expansion plan here—most of the tax cuts and subsidies will go overseas to hire more cheap labor. IBM needs 1600 people in Bangalore and Shanghai. There are temporary jobs in Houston, Key West and Puerto Rico but they were not created by the anticipated tax ‘reform.’ The tax reform actually benefits real estate developers like Trump the most. James Repetti, Boston College Law School, said: “This is a windfall for real estate developers like Trump.” Trump had already learned how to avoid corporate taxes by manipulating special provisions of the tax code. Golf courses are a big tax right-off. His businesses are set up as ‘pass-throughs’ already so he benefits from his special new rate of 25%. Follow the money for peace and quiet.


A few reasons to be grateful this holiday season: America is GREAT already!
See specific numbers for your own age at Your Life in Numbers.
  • In 1966, average life expectancy was only 56 years. Today it’s 72. That’s an increase of 29 percent.
  • Out of every 1,000 infants born, 113 died before their first birthday. Today, only 32 die. That’s a reduction of 72 percent.
  • Median income per person rose from around $6,000 to around $16,000, or by 167 percent – and that’s adjusted for inflation and purchasing power.
  • The food supply rose from about 2,300 calories per person per day to over 2,800 calories, an increase of 22 percent, thus reducing hunger.
  • The length of schooling that a person could typically expect to receive was 3.9 years. Today, it’s 8.4 years – a 115 percent increase.
§        The world has become less authoritarian, with the level of democracy rising from -0.97 to 4.23 on a scale from -10 to 10. That’s an improvement of 5.2 points. 
Happy Holiday      Happy Holiday            Happy Holiday

Is your advisor a sales person first and foremost?
Your ‘advisor’ is a salesperson first and foremost. They would not have a job otherwise. Contrary to the Wall Street hype, your ‘advisor’ has no special information. They are not a therapist/doctor curing your financial problem or sickness. Few sales people use the products they sell because of costs. The most successful Wall Street executives are NOT traders. They do NOT try to time the market. They have learned the lessons of the financial legends: “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient,” Warren Buffett said.    
In fact, the average managed-account equity investor earned just 3.79% a year over 30 years! A simple index fund earned 11%. Buffett, perhaps the greatest investor of all time, with 60 years experience, boils down the stock market to patience.   Mr Buffett's strategy of patience is the most successful. He earns about 20% a year compounded over time. He does NOT buy and sell stocks frequently. In other words, he does the opposite of what Wall Street 'advises' us to do. Wall Street is a sales industry not an advice industry. Do we ask a barber if we need a haircut?

Trump and his tax-credit class take at least $30 million EACH from working Americans
New tax cut does not reform the code. It repeals the personal AMT and some personal deductions and exemptions and expands the benefits of businesses. The AMT was one of the only ways the wealthy had to pay taxes. It added back all their deductions and special situations. Thus wealthy business people who were ‘self-employed’ and deducted all their expenses from their profits had to pay something. EG: Trump paid $36.5 million instead of $5.3 million due to the AMT. We have his leaked tax return from 2005. With the AMT gone, he will avoid at least $30 million in taxes. He will probably start using overseas tax shelters like his fellow tax credit class:

Aren’t you glad you did not fall for the Bitcoin scam
It went from $19,000 to $10,000 in one week. ‘Pump and Dump’ has been a favorite Wall Street scam for a long time. Watch The Wolf of Wall Street before you ever invest in anything. There are many participants who drive up the price by using social media and stories and then their computer sells before you have a chance to cash in. Bitcoin and other VIRTUAL currencies don’t actually have any physical value—there is no bullion or government like a normal currency. It’s pretend and the scammers owned it when it cost nothing. In five days in 2010, the price grew 1000%, rising from $0.008 to $0.08-8 cents. Your advisor/broker has sales stories to enhance their offerings of real company stocks or bonds too. Puerto Rico bonds fit that measure. Many investors are holding worthless paper now even though they paid a pretty penny for them plus commission. Your advisor may tell you that this or that opportunity is ripe but remember, your money can be wiped out in an hour and advisors don’t give refunds for bad advice. Reconsider what your advisor costs you—maybe now is the time to switch to a low-cost balanced fund so your stock market exposure is less and earn 9% over time too: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Robo-Advisor-Ultimate-Automatic-Management/dp/1537111957


“We think, as a result of lowering business taxes, wages will go up,”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on CNN but he is not counting on wages going up. He is set just like his cabinet mates under The Don. He has his money safe in a Cayman tax shelter and other undisclosed hideouts. None of Trump’s tax-credit class works for wages so they never pay the new 37% rate. Their interest and capital gains go up at tax-advantaged rate. They pay 17% or less like Mr Buffett. Trump’s aim, ‘make America great again’ for the rich works. Wages for most workers have not risen and we actually subsidize job-moving expenses to any country. Under Trump’s education plan, taxpayers are paying for the kids of the wealthy to attend private schools, not to make our public schools great. Instead making America’s schools great again, he is putting the voucher plan in place. After 5 year test in Pence’s IN, half the non-public school kids on vouchers are actually from wealthy families. “Taxpayers are now covering private and religious school tuition for children whose parents had previously footed that bill.” 

Homeowners may pre-pay 2018 property tax in 2017 for deduction
Homeowners in high property tax states like NY, NJ, CT, CA, etc may pay property tax early so they do not lose the deductions above the $10,000 limit set for 2018. Each jurisdiction has their own rules on pre-pay tax, so this may not be for everyone. You may also consider charity (buy land to keep from development) and sales tax on a new car since these are restricted in 2018. Many deductions are restricted in 2018 but can reduce tax on a biz. Consult your tax preparer.

What can you do if you expect your taxes to go up in 2018?
Many in the blue states need to plan for their GOP increase in federal taxes due to the repeal of or limit on their deductions and exemptions. If you used to deduct over $10,000 in property and state income taxes, you may find you will owe more tax in 2018. There is a penalty for underpaying your taxes so you might want to increase your withholding by DECREASING your allowances on a W-4 at work and/or having Social Security withhold 7, 10, 15, or 25% from your benefits each month on W-4V. Sign the form and return it to your local Social Security office by mail or in person. If you find you have no deductions to offset your increased tax liability in 2018, you can send the IRS estimated tax payments using form 1040 ES:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040es.pdf.

Is your college saving plan the best?
The rating firm, Morningstar, places three 529 college savings plans at the top of state plans: UT, VA and NV. Most of these plans are open to any state resident. However, some state plans also provide residents with a state tax deduction which may reduce the cost. All plans allow tax deferred income to be saved and used for education with tax on the growth. Let’s say you start your college savings plan at age 5. With low fee stock funds, you egg may grow to $100,000 with $250 a month. That is tax-FREE money and you have no student loan obligations.
            If you now must pay the loans off, you may have options that help you cope. Federal borrowers can apply for income-based repayment plans like Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or Income-Based Repayment (IBR). Private borrowers often have fewer options than federal borrowers and the options available can vary significantly from lender to lender. You will have to contact your lending institution to learn whether you can adjust the terms of your loan.
Consider setting up auto pay, consolidating loans and paying down your most expensive debt first (to the extent your budget allows). For example, setting up auto pay can reduce your interest rate by 0.25 percent for some federal loans. It saves you a lot of money over time.


****************
TrumpWorld

Mandate: ‘I was elected President’ like Washington, Obama and Hitler
Except Bannon and I wish to “destroy the state”–our government.
Trump cancels housing for homeless veterans after taking credit—‘new low’

Trump is still just a mafia contractor from Queens—Dad taught him to be The Don.

Smoking gun: “Our boy can become president of the USA and we can engineer it,” Sater wrote in an email to lawyer Cohen. “I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this.” Manafort tells Russian mob he will keep them informed about “our boy.”

Putin sent 60 money wires to US marked “to finance election campaign of 2016.”
Russia manipulated our votes: Pizzagate: from Ms Campbell to Mr Welch’s AR-15.


LOCK ‘EM UP--Mueller draining the swamp!—Everyone gets pardon!
Papadopoulos rolls: Trump-Putin liaison pleads guilty.
Manafort rolls: Trump’s money launderer manager indicted: conspiracy against US.
Flynn rolls: Trump’s national security advisor and foreign agent pleads guilty to lying. “my actions were wrong” "if I did a tenth of what she [Clinton] did, I'd be in jail today.” I am not a traitor. Right, but he also said he never talked to Russia and had no connection to Russia and said was not paid by Turkey to change policy.
McFarland (“If there is a tit-for-tat escalation, Trump will have difficulty improving relations with Russia which has just thrown U.S.A. election to him.”)


Regulation is necessary: We need protection. Saves $12 billion of our money!
            (No one person can afford to sue a bank: class actions banned by GOP now.)

Robert Shapiro, Woodbridge, Boca caught stealing $1.2 Billion in Ponzi with 275 LLCs.
Fiat recalls 1.8 million RAM trucks that can ram you in back—Drives itself when parked.
Aston Martin recalls 5,500 models that roll by self and battery cables make fire 
John Rogicki, Train Babcock Advisors, stole from foundation of elderly widow 


Another special person dead—“guns don’t kill people” for fun. Is your wife next?


Ministry of Truth’ 1984 novel: Government propaganda is ‘truth’ when they say it!

  
My Theory on Trump/Putin ‘love’:
Trump got Russian help/funding for business from business/mob ties to PutinUS banks not interested in more bankruptcies. No one expected him to win so no harm getting Putin help. Don owes Vlad’s mob money so they sent mob gofer Manafort to run the campaign. ‘Colluding’ Putin style. Trump always has a fall guy to blame when caught in lie. Sessions claims campaign execs all too inept and overwhelmed to collude on purpose.
Putin gives The Don a big kiss—first name basis—Don made markets hum

TrumpWorld – using presidency to make money the old fashioned way: theft

President’s coin lost the 13 original states and motto, “E pluribus unum”: name 3 times.



McMaster, National security adviser: Trump has intelligence of a “kindergartner”


Dictator talk time:
“When the president does it, that means it is not illegal,” Richard Nixon

Trump” not ready ‘YET’ to give Flynn his pardon for conspiracy against US 

Banned words -- Burning books next?
Trump’s Disease Control has banned words he does not like as if disease disappears

So Trump like Putin is a dictator. Trump is no longer claiming Russia just fake news—collusion/conspiracy real—but he can do it cause he is prez, they say.

Trump storm troops arrest people who look like immigrants.

Trump considers secret mercenaries he will direct to undermine CIA, NSA: like Hitler’s SA?

Make American ‘Conservative-White’ Again
Trump packing in young Scalia-type judges to kill abortion, liberal rights across US.

Obama: we must protect democracy from Nazi-style dictatorship—vigilance and press

            I can never be wrong: “The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!”



The president can’t have a conflict of interest.” The Don is above the law?
Fires FBI head because he was investigating The Don’s Russia mob ties then blames FBI.
  
Fear is a ruler’s weapon: “Media is America’s enemy” but 1st amendment still US law.


Ideology can justify any policy: At RedState, there has always been one hard and fast rule: Oppose abortion at all costs. Christian Right is not Christianity but ideology.
Today child molester; tomorrow rapists? How GOP religionists justify crimes of the Fuehrer and followers. He can pardon every crime.


1998 the House of Representatives approves two articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, charging him with lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice.

2017 Nov. House of Representatives introduced articles of impeachment against President Don Trump, charging him with firing FBI Comey, violations of the Emoluments Clause, actions "undermining" the judiciary and freedom of the press.

2018 the House of Representatives approves two articles of impeachment against President Don Trump, charging him with lying under oath and obstructing justice. Trump was told that Flynn lied to FBI so he commanded Comey to drop it. Lied on TV about why he fired Flynn. Fired Comey to end inquiry on Trump’s conspiracy with foreign power to destroy lawful election admitted on TV. Fired NY AG who was investigating his laundering Putin money via real estate.

TX Rep Al Green’s Articles of Impeachment failed Dec2017. WWIII next?



Quid pro quo: "something for something."


We have given The Don time to act like president: Time to Impeach for obstructing FBI



How Govt wastes our money:
Corporate subsidies AFTER ‘tax overhaul’: $6 billion for sugar processors, $1 billion for dairy, $800 million for marketing to foreigners, $370 million for peanut corps, $650 million for manufacturer’s consultants, $2.5 billion for F-35 problem fixes, $1.2 billion to subsidize southern power, $1 billion for TVA parks etc, and thousands more. 

SCAMS:

Jobs:

Who owns your account now?
Cape Cod chips to Campbell’s, 21 CenturyFox to Disney, Regal Theaters to Cineworld, Au bon Pain to Panera, TaskRabbit to Ikea, Uber to Softbank
2.8% best 5-year CD even if you must pay penalty to withdrawal

Miracle:
Sheriff saves 8 year old from frozen pond after 30 minutes breaking ice with hands.

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ 07042
973.746.2014
Alert

Friday, February 22, 2013

Use your tax refund to insure future needs


Lifestyle Insurance: Use your tax refund to build a tax-FREE trust
...Most of us are overpaying for insurance, investments, taxes, etc
...We “waste” our $3,000 tax refund each year.
...We could be building assets to insure our “lifestyle.”
...We could use an IRS §408 trust for tax-FREE income.
...Each $3,000 invested is worth $100,000 eventually
Most of us waste our largest savings amount: our tax refund, average $3,022 a year. Most of us waste more than $3,000 every year on financial products and services. If we invested that $3,000 a year, we could have all the assets we need to protect our families and futures using a tax-FREE trust. Author, Dan Keppelhttp://www.amazon.com/Lifestyle-Insurance-refund-build-tax-FREE/dp/1482516411


Check the real costs and benefits of the colleges you consider


Wealthy are better off now, even with taxes
A survey from Northern Trust found that three quarters of millionaires surveyed said they are better off, or as well off, as they were in 2007 - the peak for both wealth and sheer numbers of America's millionaires. Most cited improved investment returns as their reason for feeling better off. Where should you live if you want to be a millionaire?
Try Houston or San Jose. According to the new Metro Wealth Index from Capgemini, San JoseCalif. andHouston recorded the fastest percentage growth in the number of millionaires among the top 10 Metro areas.

Is your mutual fund really overcharging you 12% per year?
New analysis shows that the real cost of managed funds is close to 12% when you own large stock funds run by a manager charging you 1% per year. This is why: investors should consider fees charged by active managers not as a percentage of total returns but as incremental fees versus risk adjusted incremental   returns above the market index. In other words, if a low-cost index can produce 7% return and your manager earned 8%, you should only pay for the extra 1%. If the manager took $10,000 (1%) on your portfolio of $1 million, and added only $80,000 (8%), you paid 12.5% for the increase--10K/80K. 
Time to save 40% of your accumulation over time by going low-cost: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137


Are you being forced to buy an annuity by your employer?
Time Magazine reports some employer plan sponsors are looking at restricting the lump-sum payouts most 401(k) account holders take from their retirement savings, an attempt to get more people to convert their defined-contribution assets into annuities. The movement is aimed at getting investors to make their retirement funds last longer. Many laid-off workers use their retirement savings for expenses instead of continued savings. There are annuity alternatives: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Buy-That-Annuity-Guaranteed/dp/1466494573

FL uninsured have hope
Governor Rick Scott's decision to take Obamacare money to expand his state's Medicaid program was unsurprising. Amidst declining political fortunes, he was under intense pressure by local healthcare firms to accept the new cash. Hospitals make money from new patients. 

LTC insurance group opposes IL move to cap rate increases
An insurance group is opposing new legislation under consideration by the Illinois state House that would impose a 15 percent annual cap on premium rate increases on new and existing long-term care insurance regardless of age. Members compare alternatives: http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-better-alternatives/dp/147006877X


Bait and Switch: Health insurers raise the price AFTER you compare to other plans
Eighty percent of U.S. health insurance plans raise premiums above the original quoted price for a portion of their applicants, a health consumer firm says. HealthPocket analysis found on average, plans increased premiums for 18 percent of applicants. However, plans in some states rarely increase premium.Pennsylvania health insurance plans raised premiums for 32 percent of applicants. Premiums are typically the largest out-of-pocket healthcare costs for the average consumer and a major factor in health plan selection.
Companies that increased premiums on applicants most frequently were for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield companies. Anthem Health Plans in Virginia, part of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, raised premiums for more than two-thirds of applicants. The non-profit Pacific Source Health Plans in Idaho was second highest within this ranking. Buy only what you need: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Have dispute with your health insurer over reimbursement or care payments?
This foundation can provide assistance in resolving problems. It is dedicated to providing the patient's voice in improving access to, and reimbursement for, high-quality healthcare through regulatory and legislative reform at the state and federal levels. 

File your insurer complaint here:


Insurers fight state laws requiring gun insurance
Insurers are resisting a push by state legislators to mandate that gun owners buy coverage tied to the weapons’ risk, saying such laws may encourage irresponsible behavior. Lawmakers want gun owners to cover the losses from gun accidents. Insurers think that mandating gun insurance will make gun use more likely because owners “will not have their own assets, property or income at stake.”  “I’m really looking at people who are injured as a result of somebody’s negligence in the way that they store a gun or the way that they handle a gun,” Democratic state Representative David Linsky, who proposed the bill in Massachusetts. Insurers should set rates that reflect the types and number of weapons owned by a policyholder and how the guns are stored, he said. Insurers can’t insure intentional acts but could require gun locks and safety training.

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

Senator Warren asks bank regulators about “Too big for trial.”
“Tell me a little bit about the last few times you've taken the biggest financial institutions on Wall Street all the way to a trial," the Massachusetts lawmaker said to applause, speaking to the federal regulators gathered for a hearing on Wall Street reform.
No witnesses spoke up.
Warren raised her eyebrows. "Anybody?" she asked.
Thomas Curry, head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, spoke up: "We've actually had a fair number of consent orders. We do not have to bring people to a trial..."
"I appreciate that you say you don't have to bring them to trial," Warren said. "My question is,when did you bring them to trial?"
"We have not had to do it as a practical matter to achieve our supervisory goals," Curry said.
"I'm really concerned that 'too big to fail' has become 'too big for trial,'" Warren later said.

Insiders made 1700% on Heinz deal—but $1.7 mil “profit” is now frozen
The SEC is alleging that the traders must have known in advance about the pending transaction based on inside information. The traders bought call options to make a huge profit of roughly 1,700 per cent after the acquisition was announced.
Call options let “investors” place a bet on a stock without committing to buy the shares. The insiders have the option to buy the shares later for a set price. The Swiss account hadn't traded securities related to Heinz for nearly six months before purchasing the options, the SEC said in a complaint filed in federal court in New York.
"Irregular and highly suspicious options trading immediately in front of a merger or acquisition announcement is a serious red flag that traders may be improperly acting on confidential nonpublic information," Daniel Hawke, an SEC official, said in a statement. The brokerage account at GoldmanSachs probably handles trading for a number of foreign banks that allow customers to use a trust or other entity that masks the identity of the true owner.
Will we ever collect taxes on this profit?


IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ 07042
973.746.2014

Friday, January 4, 2013

Double Your Wealth Power


Double Your Wealth Power
Use compounding of low-cost mutual funds and a tax-FREE account to double your power to build wealth. Even in 2012, with a slow economy, our members’ 10 Vanguard funds continued to earn over 11.5% averaged over the last 30 years. You avoid ALL taxes on accumulations now, and, even better, when you take the money out. You benefit from the two most important investment engines of all time—NO TAX and COMPOUND INTEREST. As Warren Buffett said, "My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest." http://www.amazon.com/Double-Your-Wealth-Power-Compound/dp/1481863029/

Did you consider these “Best public college” choices yet?

19 States To Have Own Health Care Exchange – check state map below
The exchanges set minimum standards for healthcare and allow those who don't have insurance through their employer to comparison shop for the plan they like best -- much like how travel websites allow comparison shopping for airline tickets.
The Obamacare law does not mandate a state create a health insurance exchange, but does hold that if an individual state does not create their own exchange or partner with the federal government to create one, the federal government will create one for them. Most Democratic states have moved to create their own exchange while most Republican-controlled states have resisted. Only four states with Republican-controlled legislatures have created the health exchange -- IdahoNevadaUtah and New Mexico -- the Times said.http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Maps-and-Data/State-Exchange-Map.aspx

Vanguard leads price reductions in the cost of stock ETFs
Most of Vanguard’s U.S. equity sector ETFs now charge 0.14%, which is down from 0.19% and well below the 0.18% charge for equity sector SPDR funds. This could mean an extra 50% in your nest egg over time. Low-cost stock funds beat high-cost funds over every time period, according to independent rating firm, Morningstar.


Have you made these common financial mistakes?  The experts make them
Even John Bogle, founder, Vanguard, made them.
http://www.investmentnews.com/gallery/20130103/FREE/103009999/PH&Params=Itemnr=1  Bogle tells how the investment industry changed from putting the customer first to putting the managers’ bonuses first. Video:http://www.investmentnews.com/section/video?playerType=CMWealth&bctid=1990485981001

Has your company pension been shorted again?
A new study indicates that the aggregate pension funded status is estimated to be 75% at the end of 2012, compared to 78% at the end of 2011. Overall, pension plan funding decreased by $79 billion last year, leaving a deficit of $418 billion at the end of 2012. Results are from pension plan data for the 429 Fortune 1000 companies that sponsor U.S. defined benefit pension plans and have a December 31 measurement date. http://www.towerswatson.com/united-states/press/8790

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.

Watch out where you drive!
According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, 22 percent of drivers in Alabama do not carry mandatory liability insurance. Those records also show Alabama is the sixth-highest rate of uninsured drivers among the states. In Mississippi there are an estimated 28 percent of motorists uninsured. In New MexicoTennessee,Oklahoma and Florida, about one-quarter of drivers have no insurance. In New Hampshire you are not required to have insurance but 90% have it.

Safest cars 2013
Winners include the Acura TL; Dodge Avenger and its twin, the Chrysler 200 4-door; Ford Fusion; Honda Accord 2-door; Honda Accord 4-door; Kia Optima; Nissan Altima 4-door; Subaru Legacy and its twin, the Subaru Outback; Suzuki Kizashi; Volkswagen Passat and Volvo S60. The Acura TL and Volvo S60 are midsize luxury cars. The other models are midsize moderately priced cars.http://www.iihs.org/ratings/tsp_current.aspx

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

Are any of the 2013 tax credits for your benefit?
New tax law includes 50 tax breaks including credits for race track owners, moviemakers, electric motorcycles. Our rep are digging a bigger hole

Insurers and Feds dragging out Sandy payment process
Hopes of getting the hardest-hit stretches of the Jersey Shore rebuilt by next summer are fading, as delays in insurance settlements mount and uncertainty hangs over federal aid. Insurers used the same tactic for Katrina repairs. Some are still unpaid.
More than 70,000 property owners have filed claims with the National Flood Insurance Program, according to FEMA. The agency would not say how many of those claims had been settled, but in communities up and down the Shore, property owners and local officials reported that only a small percentage of homeowners had seen flood insurance settlements two months after Sandy made landfall.
Some property owners filed with FEMA and were sent small business loan applications instead of receiving help. The application is longer than a new home mortgage app.

Why Sandy help was not approved—more Washington games
The Sandy bill contained pork—spending for projects that have nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy or the victims, including millions of dollars for tree planting in areas untouched by Sandy and a new roof for theSmithsonian Museum. Only $1 out of every $6 — $9 billion of the $60 billion will be spent in 2013. That means 85 percent doesn’t come until 2014 and beyond.
The bill also provides $336 million for Amtrak (10 times President Obama’s request of $32 million), $150 million for fishery disaster relief, for which recipients in Alaska and Mississippi will be eligible, $50 million for the National Park Service’s historic preservation fund (twice its annual funding), and $50 million for employee retraining programs.  According to the Heritage Foundation’s Matt A. Mayer, there is $28 billion for “future disaster-mitigation projects on the East Coast,” which is a large component of the 64 percent of the funding that will be spent after 2014.  Whether or not these unrelated spending initiatives are worthwhile, they deserve more scrutiny than they will receive as part of an enormous Sandy relief bill being rushed through a lame-duck session of Congress.


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Friday, July 20, 2012

Americans denouncing citizenship to avoid tax are still here


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2,000 Americans denounce citizenship to avoid taxes; but still enjoy it here

Americans are finding more reasons than ever to take the drastic step of giving up their U.S. citizenship, and the gridlock in Washington may push even more people to run for the borders. Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in Singapore since 2009. Socialite Denise Rich just moved. Of course, these folks still own property here and “party” here but just don’t want to pay for the priviledge. With all their money overseas, will they ask for the American ambassador to bail them out if they get in trouble over there? Use our: http://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Wealth-How-laws-free/dp/1475089236





AL reniges on promise to pay for college

Alabama's prepaid college plan is a step closer to an agreement with the state that would cap the amount those students receive at an amount less than the full tuition they were promised when they signed up for the contracts. Alabama's prepaid college plan suffered financial trouble in 2008 and its board doesn't expect to be able to pay the remaining 37,000 participants full tuition as it increases each year. The state already has agreed to add $548 million to the program in future years, but that still won't be enough to cover full tuition in the future if it keeps rising at the current pace, according to experts. Members use low-cost 529 plans with Vanguard mutual funds. http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/dp/143480593X



Study shows ETF for traders not investors

The study found that 62% of ETF shareholders exhibited buy-and-hold behavior, defined as ownership of more than one year. Though that is less than the 83% among mutual fund shareholders, Vanguard claims the difference is attributable more to the type of investor drawn to ETFs than to the products themselves. ETF investors are more likely to be male and over 60, and to check their account balances daily, according to Vanguard. Investors in each of those categories tend to trade more than the average investor. ETF traders tend to try to time the markets and usually earn less than buy-and-hold investors. There's no question that ETFs are the greatest trading innovation of the 21st century,” Mr. Bogle said at a conference in February. “But the question is 'Are they the greatest investment innovation?' and the answer is 'no.' ”

Mr. Bogle recalled seeing an ad for the S&P 500 ETF that touted the ability to trade throughout the day and thinking, “Who the hell wants to do that?”

ONLY the fools think they can outsmart everyone else. Members invest like businesses: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Keppel/dp/1442168137







Insurers ask colleges for more safety plans for children—Act like adults!

Penn State issue highlights the need for risk management awareness and having policies in place to ensure a safe environment," said Waldorf, president of Waldorf& Associates, a broker that specializes in insuring colleges. If the whole administration ignores the rape of children, are all college kids at risk? What if the footballers rape a girl on campus? Would PSU prosecute footballers? Would they just hide it? Insurers fear future claims. It is as if there are no adults at Penn State.



Women say they are not confident about financial decisions

A Prudential survey shows that while 53% of women in a survey said they are the primary wage earners in their households, just 20% say they feel confident with financial decision-making. On the other hand, about 45% of the surveyed men expressed confidence in making financial choices. Women are better investors than men since they are more patient with their investments. Members use our Guide: http://www.amazon.com/Ensure-Your-Financial-Health-Wealth/dp/1466388293



Pru out of LTCi market

The insurer announced Wednesday afternoon that it will discontinue sales of new group LTCI policies starting in August in all states. The carrier will continue to offer the product in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and South Dakota for “a period of time,” as per state law requirements. Prudential will continue accepting group LTCI enrollments until June 30. Low interest rates are blamed for the decision.



Small employer 401k plans charge THREE times the rate of large ones: Use IRA instead

Participants in 401(k) plans with less than $1 million in assets pay average fees amounting to 1.41%. Disclosures show that is more than three times the fees paid by participants in larger plans. Member use tax-FREE IRA with costs of 0.07%. http://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Retirement-code-lifetime-income/dp/1475206976/







FL takes care of poor children health but what about adults?`

Florida surpassed 2 million participants in Florida KidCare, a collection of government programs that partially or completely cover preventive and acute health care for state residents age 19 and younger. Family income dictates whether applicants' children enroll in the programs such as Medicaid, for the very poor, or Medikids or Healthy Kids, modified plans that charge a monthly premium ranging from $15 to $196 per child.

For adults, Rick Scott has rejected Fed money for Medicaid for the poor.

Hospital associations around the country have already signed off on cuts to reimbursement rates under the health care law on the assumption that the new paying customers they would gain, partly through the Medicaid expansion, would more than cover their losses. "If we're going to walk away from that coverage, we'll simply see those dollars we contributed through cuts in hospital payments go to covering people in other states," said Bruce Rueben, president of the Florida Hospital Association.

"It's a bad deal for people in Florida if it plays out that way."



GOP House votes to keep healthcare plan in retirement for themselves

"House Republicans refuse to admit they voted to give themselves taxpayer funded lifetime guaranteed health care instead of having the same health care as their constituents," said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "House Republicans didn't just vote to protect insurance company campaign donor profits this time, they're even helping themselves to lifetime taxpayer-funded government health care and now they need to be honest with their constituents and admit it." http://www.businessinsider.com/republican-health-care-repeal-hypocrisy-congress-2012-7



Supremes upheld ObamaCare but split country in half—1/2 get care, ½ don’t get care

Scalia not unhappy since they took away the federal government’s ability to force states to join the expanded Medicaid program. Some states are balking, potentially leaving millions to continue with no coverage.

Republicans, meanwhile, offered no healthcare relief and even threatened to eliminate existing programs.



State uninsured and hospitals expecting Medicaid funds are denied by GOP

West Virginia hospitals currently provide $740 million in charity care to the uninsured. Many of those uninsured people will be eligible for Medicaid if the state decides to expand the program.

Texas’ Gov. Rick Perry, saying “no” to the federal health care law could also mean turning away up to 1.3 million Texans, nearly half the uninsured people who could be newly eligible for coverage in his state.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie not only would be saying “no” to President Barack Obama, but to as many as 245,000 uninsured New Jersey residents as well.


Alaska will not set up a program allowing residents to buy health insurance across state lines as envisioned under the Obama administration's new healthcare law





GOP Bachmann alleges Muslim spy in Sec of State Clinton’s office

Bachmann charges that a Clinton aide may be acting as the secret agent of a foreign organization. Charges were made in a letter to the State Department signed by Representative Bachmann and three other members of Congress. “Having worked for Congressman Bachmann’s campaign for president, I am fully aware that she sometimes has difficulty with her facts, but this is downright vicious and reaches the late Senator Joe McCarthy level,” wrote Mr. Rollins. Bachmann also said that the Founding Fathers eliminated slavery in 1776. She also thinks the British attacked NH not Concord MA. She is now a Swiss citizen so it doesn’t matter anymore what she thinks.



GOP Allen West (FL) claims 80 House members are communists and social security is a "form of modern, 21st century slavery." http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-social-security-slavery-florida-rep-tea-party-2012-7#ixzz216RcXhWG



These weird claims must be in the GOP fundraising manual to help stupid voters make up their minds. West and Bachmann are US Congress who represent some voters.



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



AXA Equitable found cheating health reimbursements

Regulators exact fine from AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company after an investigation revealed that the corporation made an undisclosed change to its medical claim reimbursement policy resulting in lower reimbursements for many members.



Socialism for the rich—Farm land owners get double the rents due to subsidy to renter

One of the largest farm real estate booms in decades could be getting a boost from an unsuspecting player: the US taxpayer. The government foots the bill for a large chunk of the nation's enormous crop insurance program. Our subsidy pushes the rent higher for the actual producers so land owners, not farmers, get the benefits without the risk.  The rent on part of the land he farms in MN doubled last year to $280 an acre, up from $140 in 2010. GOP Bachmann owns a farm with subsidies but is Swiss citizen now.


           



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Presidential Life to Athene Annuity & Life



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