Showing posts with label factor-investing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label factor-investing. Show all posts

Friday, October 30, 2020

tax-FREE retirement income

 Make your retirement nest egg tax-FREE

Because the wealthy have many ways to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, we will have to carry double the burden for the rest of our lives. Exhibit 1: Trump paid $750—paying more to China, Panama, India, Philipines, etc than to US. Not only do the wealthy avoid paying taxes, the corporations they own have paid $0 taxes for many years. So are there any LEGAL accounts we can use to avoid taxes, especially during our more vulnerable years in retirement? We can’t live on Social Security benefits alone so we need to make our savings and pensions worth more—FREE of tax obligations. There is still a way for us to avoid having to pay off the federal debt ourselves. We will have an extra 20-25% in retirement income when we need it. This legal saving and investment account costs little: free of lawyers, accountants and money manager fees. We don’t have to go offshore, use fake empty shell entities, or play accounting tricks to have more income later. The account is approved by the IRS so we don’t have to fear an audit.

Make your income tax-FREE: https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-Reserve/dp/1461030072

 

Give your child a leg up

Investing is about TIME: starting early can create a tax-free $1 million Wealth Reserve for your child’s security. Yes there are self-made millionaires but the real money is in family legacies over time. Think Rockefeller family. Most of us don’t learn about the Time Value of Money until it is too late. $100 per month in a tax-free account is worth over $1.6 million after inflation in 65 years. How can $78,000, invested over time produce $ millions? When you invest for your child, you are loaning profitable corporations your money. They share the profits as dividends and increases in value over time. “Over Time” is the critical part. Because we can’t predict the next Apple to invest in, we invest in many large profitable companies. Over time, studies show a low cost index mutual fund provides growth of 11% a year. Why “low-cost” is important? Using a middle person can rob us of 2% per year in growth. The myth of Wall Street is that we need middle people to make successful investments. We now know that means we give up 63% of possible accumulation with no guarantee Wall Street will make us successful. Give your child a leg up—start your family legacy today while stocks are down (on sale)

Create a legacy: https://www.amazon.com/Give-your-child-leg-manage/dp/1096505355

 

What are your biggest investing mistakes?

No matter how much money you have saved/invested, your mistakes could be the same as those of the wealthy. In a recent survey, they said they did not seek guidance and looked at historical returns. In the past, they said they did not diversify their portfolio and did not have a financial plan. It is very true that times change, but the basic capitalist world still exists. Stocks still earn more than bank CDs, especially in a crisis. The Harvard endowment, valued at $41.9 billion, returned 7.3% in the last fiscal year. You are still better off with a diversified stock/bond portfolio than a money market account. What does Warren Buffett advise? His advice is NOT biased by fees, commissions, kickbacks, broker vacation trips, prizes, packaged-product bonuses, etc.

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

 

GOP’s idea of socialism

Our Federal Reserve, our central bank, is buying trillions of assets to keep wealthy investors wealthy and struggling firms alive. We will be paying the interest for our lifetimes while the investors and managers will be taking the gains. This is the essence of socialism: Private gain, public loss. The Fed has propped up the prices of corporate and municipal bonds, and bailed out “airline bondholders.” According to conservative George Will, “the pandemic has propelled government toward promiscuously picking economic winners and losers. Instead of giving 3.7 Trillion to the rich, we could have fixed our crumbling bridges and saved $ millions in unemployment comp. Meanwhile our ‘leaders’ ignore 30 million who are out of work. And execs of big companies give themselves $ million bonuses while screwing workers, suppliers and investors with bankruptcy. Private gain; public loss: profiting from their own mismanagement crimes, the American way!

Socialism for the rich: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-little-people/dp/1535218584

 

How can we beat the Wall Street “professional” players?

We don’t have super computers, talented analysts, large leverage or fast traders. We only have the facts of investing like Billy Beane did in baseball. He knew he could not afford the famous “professionals” so he listened to a man who knew the facts about how wins happen. He learned that steady slow growth won over a long season. His “expert” scouts quit—his coach did not use his picks. We can win. First, we acknowledge that we have no budget for investing. We can't afford the hedge funds, offshore tax shelters, and expensive Wall Street money managers taking 2-3% a year. We use the strategy of the long-term master, Warren Buffett: We beat the famous over-paid Wall Street stars.

https://www.amazon.com/Money-Ball-Investing-Winning-unfair/dp/1548831409

 

Why it is so hard to save for retirement

We don’t make enough money. Since 1980, worker wages have lagged productivity increases. Businesses have found ways to increase their gains while paying less for labor. Since 1979, productivity has increased 69%, while wages have increased 11.6%. Before 1979 wages increased with productivity after WWII. The middle class especially skilled blue collar work in factories paid well enough to buy a home, have children and save for retirement. The American Dream was realized for unionized white skilled labor. More modern and efficient business processes changed all that. Many middle class families had to start working more hours and enlisting both husband and wife for the same real income level. Education replaced skilled labor as the business management became sophisticated. For instance, in the 1980s I had to type my own reports, answer my own telephone, automate information systems and do my own budgets. The “good old boy” salesmen were out and modern statistical marketing was in. In 1976, the new American retirement system was born. It got better in 1997. It can provide tax-FREE income.

Start now: https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-ReserveTM/dp/1461030072

 

Why child life insurance is NEVER a good deal

Most of us have received a flyer in our junk mail, Sunday paper or online adverts for child life insurance. The selling “hook” as they call it is simple: buy life insurance now while your child or grandchild is healthy or young. It’s cheap and no tests. When my parents were first time parents, this kind of insurance was purchased as a substitute for saving/investing too. This type of policy grew out of the time in our history when many kids died. Families were larger because farmers needed a lot of free manual labor. Unfortunately, the pitch still works for some insurers and they are making a ‘killing.’ One company in McKinney, TX took in $4.304 billion in 2018. Few parents collected the $30,000 death benefit because very few kids die today. Plus how many parents want to make money from their child’s death? So instead of spending $25 on a policy that makes sure they get “coverage in the future,” use the money to help pay for their education. There are insurers for every illness or accident that may happen. Most young people can buy a $300,000 benefit for $10 a month by age 30. Children don’t need it; you do.

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Insurance-Need-Save-right/dp/1480002178/

 

Is a deductible IRA contribution right for you?

The rules changed for 2020: IRA contributions after age 70½ are permissible.

The SECURE Act repealed the age restriction for Traditional IRA contribution eligibility. Effective for 2020 and later taxable years, individuals with earned income can make Traditional IRA contributions at any age, not just for years before reaching age 70½.

For 2020 and later, there is no age limit on making regular contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs if you have earned income. If you had self-employment income or W-2, that income qualifies. If your spouse had income and you did not, that qualifies too with some limits depending on participation in a retirement plan. Spousal IRAs: If you file a joint return, you may be able to contribute to an IRA even if you didn’t have taxable compensation as long as your spouse did. Each spouse can make a contribution up to the current limit; however, the total of your combined contributions can’t be more than the taxable compensation reported on your joint return. See the Kay Bailey Hutchison Spousal IRA Limit in Publication 590-A. If neither spouse participated in a retirement plan at work, all of your contributions will be deductible. The annual contribution limit for 2020 is $6,000 or $7,000 if you're age 50 or older. For many of my tax clients, this means they can reduce their income and thus their taxes for 2020 due April 15, 2021.

Alternative tax-FREE IRA: https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Afford-Retirement-FEE-FREE/dp/1517738253

 

 

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

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want a Dictator?

 

Supremes decide election … again?

 

Dictator: It’s going away.”

Dictator’s chief: “It’s out of control:” 230,000+ dead

Dictator: F*ck Obama: “It’s America’s last climate sanctuary.”

 

Dictator: “I am the only one who can make America truly great again.”

 

Trump wins: have mail delayed and have Supremes void all votes received after Nov 3!

 

 

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

TX using armed troops to intimidate Dem voters in 5  cities

Movie moguls ask Congress for bailout too

Trump biz soaking US $ millions for his $3 glasses of water, bed, snacks, guests, friends

 

We pay $375 million for virus antibody: $1,500 ea and don’t even know if it works yet

TrumpWall maintenance costs TRIPLED: military suffers; no bid vendor is T’s donor

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Why no Americans are concerned about facts: trust comes from integrity

Even with a job, we are worse off now than in 2008 recession; more folks tap savings.

Can Republican Party survive the election: party with only Trumpism as its principle

 

HALF the 2016 total already voted: crisis: will GOP Supremes make Trump president?

Federal crime to delay mail: why is Postmaster not in jail? Trump’s Supremes stop count

 

GOP 5-3 Supremes back WI GOP cut in vote counting due to Trump’s mail delays

GOP 5-3 Supremes back AL GOP ban on disabled curbside voting law: vote or die?

GOP has been packing state Supreme courts for years: MS abortion ban decided

 

Jared’s plan for Blacks: “they have to want to be successful”: like my pa’s $billion legacy

Social media scams to change our attitudes: “fake tweets are extremely easy to produce”

Trump delivers health plan to 60 minutes: thousands of exec orders, proposals NOT plan

Immigrants help economy/community: Trump wrong on immigrants’ behavior

 

Domestic terrorists buying now: 20-fold jump in sales like $220 gas mask, AR15s, etc

15 million more guns 2020: suburbs fear domestic terrorists; teens with AR15s; Walmart

Recession is over for high-wage workers: just starting for 30 million “essential” workers

Trump to cut 12,000 “best brightest from around world” visa doctors treating virus, etc

 

Trump Kodak loan scam: Jared’s bud gets exec order to use our money for bonus deal.

Carrier given $7 million to keep jobs here: 17 more IN firms have sent jobs overseas.

Foxconn’s $10 billion WI plan create 13,000 jobs: actual 520 people only $300 million 

 

Trump’s SEC will NOT safeguard investors from risky funds: leverage can double losses

 

Kanye West was inspired by God to be the "leader of the free world": Trumper’s alert

Trump’s own religious cult grows without masks: “patriot” churches blaspheme God?

Trump’s new show: “I’m The Apprentice” –You are fired!

 

Electric cars can catch fire: each maker has problems

Accidents by Teslas still driver’s fault: “No vehicle is capable of driving itself” anywhere

Tesla recalls ‘13-’18 S, X 30,000: suspension connecting rods may break

Best scams for this time of year: know your situation and how scams work

Scam with fake Barclay phone number: enter number in https://whocallsme.com/

Low VA Rates caught misleading, false info in mortgage offers to Vets: fine no jail

 

Trump building scam costs investors $270 million: forgiven debt usually taxable but not T’s

How Trump avoids taxes we have to pay: detailed analysis

 

Trinity Healthshare caught misleading of “full” coverage; many contracts NOT insurance

Facebook Twitter scam adverts blossom: no vetting; anyone can scam

Anthony Robinson caught scam accidents with big rigs for insurance: lawyers doctors too

7 guys caught in “pump ‘n’ dump” microcap stock cold call: no jail, no fine, letter to stop

 

Homeowners beware: some insurers using unlicensed adjusters to cut expenses: oversight

 

Home warrantees: costs may exceed benefits since you can’t know lawyer caveats

 

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

Need infrastructure jobs program: 10.7 million jobs short of pre-pandemic level. 

Thinking of starting SS benefits? Check rules on losing benefits while working

 2021’s top 10 best-value colleges and universities: cost is a factor

 

Claim ALL your unemployment benefits: each state has rules, process, forms, etc

College application process tips: save fees, testing, virus alternative 1st year

 

Who owns your account now?

Hospitals that deliver superior patient outcomes within 16 service lines by state

Claim your benefits from old insurance/annuity left by relative: $ may be tax free

Business-interruption lawsuit payout just approved by NC judge: most suits denied

 

Miracles:

14 year old Indian-American discovered new potential therapy for Covid

 

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/

 

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

MontclairNJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

 

Friday, May 24, 2019

Look before you leap


Why annuities are hot again
Trump cancelled the Fiduciary Rule which protected us from the worst abuses of the high-octane industry sellers. Sellers can collect 6-10% of your annuity purchase price so every high-net worth customer needs an annuity. This is one of the highest payouts for most sellers. The Rule made certain demands on sellers to prove their annuity with up to 15 years of surrender charges was your best deal for retirement income. Yes some contracts allow you to participate in market upswings and limit your loss, but your gains are cut off by contract limits and the ongoing costs. These can go up to 3.35% depending on your choice of options. Since the alternatives, which may be better for you, provide much less income for the seller, you can understand why Obama’s Fiduciary Rule was abolished. Yet, you can have income and growth at lower cost and maintain control.

Your portfolio could have beat Yale’s investment gurus without the cost
David Swensen, the longtime investing chief at Yale University, got $4.7 million in compensation in 2017, making him the highest paid at Ivy League schools. His helper got $3.5 million. Yale has posted a return of 11.6% in the five years through June 2018, the second-best gain in the Ivy League. If you had followed Warren Buffett’s advice, you would have earned 12% for that period. You don’t need a high-cost broker/advisor or firm. You need common sense. If you pay more, you earn less—up to 63% less over time. If you pay a salesperson, you lose money. If you try to trade or time the market you earn 3.79% over time according to DALBAR scorekeepers. Yale does not do fast trading or market timing. Compare the holdings of most pension funds like CaPERS: 50% equities using low-cost passive index funds. Even for pros, it isn't about stock-picking. It's about owning the market over time.

Financial regulators ID 61 firms as high risk for cheating clients
FINRA proposes to watch rogue firms for irregularities. They attract sales people with questionable histories.  Regulators allow sellers to move from firm to firm despite client- abuse patterns. "The most critical is a pattern of disclosures," he said. "For example, a broker could have an unauthorized trading complaint that is recent but seems benign. But when you look at the broker and the movements he has had, say four or five different firms, and he has faced similar allegations at those firms but in a different time frame with different customers, the pattern seems to be emerging, so we are going to take a closer look." FINRA does not try to weed out the violators—violators are found by us when we complain. Regulators have a list of high-risk brokers using industry and disclosure data, and then begins its analysis. The list is not available to us. All we can do is check FINRA BrokerCheck and the list of barred brokers. We are the victims but most perps just move on to new firm.

Is ‘factor-investing’ right for you?
New name but old gimmick to try to predict the future. Brokers/analysts claim they are customizing your portfolio using whatever you need—“higher returns or lower risk, such as momentum, value or size.” They say they use factor analysis to find a fund “less expensive versions of your current portfolio.” I am a little skeptical since brokers or advisors are hired to ‘earn’ money from your money. Others claim they use it to find a fund “to reduce investment risk.” And you thought that was what your advisor did all the time for their 1-3% fees and charges. "If we get risk right, the returns will take care of themselves over a long period of time, and we know that staying in the market is the important part." ‘IF’. Assumptions work in a strong market and an advisor can show the ‘factor analysis’ to keep us in the market. But this new name and fees for choosing value, size, momentum, quality, price, dividend yield and volatility cannot make the future predictable. The average managed-account investor is still earning less for every period: only 3.79% over time instead of the market index rate of 10-12%.

Where do your broker-advisor fees go?
The first thing I learned working in a brokerage firms is that senior management must get rich from your advisor or broker. Don’t kid yourself (or let them try to), they are after a big chunk of your money. You may be investing for the benefit of you and your family but so are they but they’re taking theirs from yours. Are you surprised by how much you are paying annually for James P. Gorman, Morgan Stanley taking: $28,168,639; Jim Cracchiolo, Ameriprise Financial: $22,310,000; Timothy Sloan, Wells Fargo: $18,400,000; Terrence P. Laughlin, Merrill Lynch: $17,796,226; Walter W. Bettinger II, Charles Schwab: $15,627,607; Paul Reilly, Raymond James: $12,453,375; Ruediger Adolf, Focus Financial Partners: $11,637,251; Dan H. Arnold, LPL Financial: $7,128,351; Ronald J. Kruszewski, Stifel Financial: $5,287,305; Judson Bergman, Envestnet: $4,200,366; Thomas A. Nally, TD Ameritrade Institutional: $3,521,305; Richard J. Lampen, Ladenburg Thalmann: $3,115,271; Robert D. Oros, H.D. Vest: $1,464,473. Fidelity is owned by the Johnson’s so we don’t know how much CEO takes. Half of investors now in low-cost indexes: https://www.amazon.com/Pimps-Wall-Street-money-middlemen/dp/151525254X

Seventh biggest mortgage lender in the country is us
We are ‘giving’ our kids over $39,000 for a home. The average U.S. home price in 2018 was $310,000. Many parents can’t help themselves and provide help even though it may leave them with a shortfall now or later. After all that chunk of retirement money could have provided $300,000 in 20 years. Most loans become gifts since the children are tackling new family, student loans of $30,000 on average and finding full-time careers. One alternative is to save with your children—match their savings/investing—dollar for dollar until they have the home down payment. Another solution: folks might find it easier to take out a HELOC on their own home to make the kid’s down payment. Home equity loans are deductible and perhaps have a lower rate than the student loan. Make a deal: exchange your old car for their new one. New cars can cost $40,000. If they don’t buy or make payments on one, they can invest that $400 a month instead. Remember, an easy down payment gift provides no ‘skin in the game’ for them.

Is the American middle class doomed?
If you think you are middle class, you are, according to some writers. But since the 1980s, the productivity gains have all gone to the top 1% of earners (23.5% of all income; up from 8.9% 30 years ago). It now takes two workers, usually well educated to create the same lifestyle as the average family in the 1950s and the 1960s. Wages are LESS than they were in 1973! Many of our children are creating extended family groupings like in the 1800s. Only the ‘robber barons’ could afford a home of their own. We go further in debt trying to keep up. Work operations change very quickly—keeping up our skills requires continuous learning—we never had to do that before this generation. Generations live in mobile homes now. Walmart may be the best paying job in town so food stamps are necessary. 62% of us don’t have enough for an emergency when it comes. It feels like we are on the road to serfdom.
According to one writer, its elements are: (i) internationally, capitalism is restructuring and U.S. global hegemony is fraying; (ii) domestically, the post-WW-II good-life of the “American Dream” is slipping away; (iii) politically, democracy is eroding, a casualty of big money and voter suppression; and (iv) legally, law enforcement is being increasingly militarized. Only the corporations and wealthy have the power to actually do anything. Many of them are propped up by ongoing tax breaks and subsidies from tax payers. Even our reps in Congress are powerless without the dough to stay in Washington so they follow the rule of money. Our government leaders are above the law we are subject to, just like serfs. We don’t even fairly elect our own president anymore. Scalia taps Bush.

Need a graduation gift?
The greatest gift you can give is financial knowledge. No matter how much your young graduate makes, it is up to YOU to show them the Buffett investment strategy. Make sure they can make and manage money. At my first job, I had no clue which investment to use for my 401k contributions and company match. The HR person told me to put it into the 'safe' stable value fund. That was the worst choice at my age I learned later when I got my securities’ licenses. If I had followed their advice I would have ended up with about $150,000 instead of a Wealth Reserve of $877,233 about 33 years later.


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

Make America, “The Don”, Great Again
Truth isn’t truth, his lawyer says

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

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

How Govt wastes our money: Congress spends $1.3 Trillion we don’t have! 
Not invade Iran today: CIC says there is ‘no indication anything has or will happen.’???
Trump made up ‘threat’ from Iran to send war ships to impress base. What’s next?
Trump admits he is ‘stable genius’: Proof—just ask his employees- Kellyanne, Larry, Sarah, Oh My.

Senators pass 2 bills in 2 mo: lay them off until McConnell retires—saves $10 million.

Farmers’ socialism; beer makers lost 40,000 jobs: Trump like Putin makes winners/losers
Trump Mob gives tariff waivers to the firms they like: others on hold.
TX GOP cancels disaster relief for fires, floods and hurricanes. No reason for ‘no’.


SCAMS/SPINS:
What would GOP do if DEMs refused to provide info they requested from WH? Arrest?
Why are those who defy subpoena NOT in jail now? Are all GOP above the law? Trump?
Pelosi: Trump “engaged in cover-up” so is that ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’?
EPA to ‘cook the books’ on coal pollution so report less than 1400 deaths per year.

If All the President’s Men can ignore the law, are the wealthy far behind? Biz espionage?
Wealthy skipping IRS audits—all 5 auditors working on ‘Trump audit’?
GOP fails to block China’s car maker in US transit: Follow the money. Buy American???

Don Jr will tell all in new book even if from prison: follow the money
Coal industry may be shut by insurers not govt to control storm damage claims

No more low dose aspirin: bleed in skull
Trinity Healthshare called sham ministry: deceptive practices.
Life Partners Protective Life caught overcharging older investors in resale scheme.

“Credit reporting, credit repair services” category with most complaints at CFPB.
Morgan Stanley’s Tim Prouty caught using complex risky strategy: client wins $519,000
Randy Rodberg; Andrew Costa; Claude Mosely; Marcus Bray caught Woodbridge ponzi.
BBT caught overcharging own employees in 401k: breach fiduciary duty.

Portfolio Advisors Alliance, Allen, Wasserman caught selling fraud private placement.
Daniel Pacheco, CA caught selling speculation on ‘cryptocurrency’ pyramid scheme.
Argyle Coin Jose Angel Aman caught selling Ponzi “fancy colored diamonds.”

TurboTax Uses A “Military Discount” to Trick Troops Into Paying to File Their Taxes

Weinstein pays $44 million for crimes but no jail time: Moguls cost of doing business?
Trump Mob lining up pardons for friends and partners: ‘Mobsters dream come true.’

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

Jobs:
Where did our pay increases go since 1980?: the famous 1%ers took productivity gains.
Walmart next day delivery for free on $35 orders; Amazon $49 delivery free some ZIPs.
Ford cuts 1200 from management; 7,000 worldwide.

Canada Mexico workers rejoice! Trump lifts steel alum tariffs.


Who owns your account now?
tap-to-pay credit and debit cards issued by banks try out on NYC subways


Bezos keeps all your transcripts of Alexa recordings even after you ‘delete’ them.

Miracle:


17 y old student set to graduate from Harvard just days after high school diploma.

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ   07042
973.746.2014
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