Make your tax refund tax FREE

What do you do with your tax refund? Go Tax-FREE

About three out of four filers typically get refunds, and the IRS issues more than nine in ten of these refunds in less than 21 days. Last year, taxpayers received an average refund of $2,744. E-file, when combined with direct deposit, is the fastest way to get a refund. More than three out of four refund recipients now choose direct deposit. Create your own $1 million tax-FREE retirement fund in 25 years with your refund:http://www.amazon.com/Build-Wealth-Without-Extra-Money/dp/1448677505/

Why waste $150 to $233 on tax prep?

Save by trying to do your own return FREE at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free. Or you can locate one of nearly 13,000 community-based volunteers that can help you file your return for free. Find a site http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/.

Check the status of your refund

The new version of IRS2Go includes an easy-to-use refund status tracker so taxpayers can follow their tax return step-by-step throughout the IRS process. Just enter your Social Security number, filing status and your expected refund amount. You can start checking on the status of your refund 24 hours after the IRS confirms receipt of an e-filed return or four weeks after you mail a paper return. Since the IRS posts refund updates on a daily basis, there’s no need to check the status more than once each day.http://www.irs.gov/uac/New-IRS2Go-Offers-Three-More-Features

NC drivers get NO increase

The North Carolina Rate Bureau has chosen not to request a rate increase for 2014 on private passenger car and motorcycle insurance policies. First in US history?

Cars with highest resale value-Best value

Unless you own stock in GM, your best choice for value and reliability seems to be made in America by foreign firms. The top values include Honda, Subaru, Toyota, again.

http://portal.kiplinger.com/slideshow/cars/T011-S003-best-new-cars-with-the-highest-resale-value-2014/index.html

News you never hear about

The federal budget deficit has fallen sharply over the past few years and is on track to decline even further, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office.

NSA collects our phone calls but not the terrorists’ calls—big waste of money

Terrorists use software Tor to bounce their calls and emails off 3 or more computers around the world so that they can’t be traced, unlike TV show depictions. Tor, an acronym for “the onion router,” is software that provides the closest thing to anonymity on the Internet. Tor started as a project of the U.S. government. More than half of the Tor Project’s revenue in 2012, or $1.24 million, came from government grants, including an $876,099 award from the Department of Defense, according to financial statements available on the project’s website.  “We will never be able to de-anonymize [find] all Tor users all the time. With manual analysis we can de-anonymize [find] a very small fraction of Tor users,” NSA said. “Encryption works,” Bruce Schneier, a cybersecurity expert who helped the Guardian analyze the Snowden documents, said at a talk in New York in January. “That’s the lesson of Tor. The NSA can’t break Tor, and it pisses them off.”

Why is NSA tracking our calls if they can’t ID terrorist’s calls/emails? It is our money.

Inflation-proof Retirement Income

Wouldn't you like to assure yourself of a tax-FREE inflation-proof income for the rest of your life without giving up control of your assets? Develop your own "lifestyle" security. You know that Social Security will end 2033. You know that income taxes will increase to pay off two wars, two tax cuts and two bank bailouts. We need to protect our future incomes! 

Today you can make sure you are protected by creating a guaranteed inflation-proof income stream of special annuities to exactly match your needs. You need to enter the last 30 years of your life knowing how you are going to obtain income. You need a realistic and flexible plan. Two-thirds of pre-retirees don't have a clue. Financial advisors favor high-cost products. You need less-biased information to find the best alternative for you. 

I help you decide which alternatives are best for you, now and later. You don't give up control of your assets. Only you know what fits your lifestyle at each stage.  

http://www.amazon.com/Annuity-Laddering-Inflation-proof-Retirement-Income/dp/1484849663/

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

We are paying for 164,253 of our active-duty armed personnel to be in 150 countries around the world. We have about 50,000 in Japan and 50,000 in Germany. Are we preparing for WWII again? There are 1,208,083^[1] personnel in the United States. Our taxes pay for about HALF of the WORLD’s military expenditures every year.

Congress guarantees profits to farmers, even if they don’t grow

Congress gave themselves and corporate farmers a guaranteed profit subsidy this week while cutting food stamps to hungry Americans. Many in Congress are millionaires already but they took more from poor children. Farmers like Mike Mitchell, a potato farmer in Monte Vista. He leases 38,000 acres of land to the federal government. In a program expanded in this current bill, the government makes landowners and their counties whole to let the field go unused so it doesn't drink precious aquifer water.

Mitchell and other landowners will get about $200 an acre — most from the federal government and a little from local funds — to conserve water. "We're not just insuring a crop loss," said farmer Arnusch, who also raises alfalfa and wheat. "We are insuring ourselves against the volatility of the marketplace." $200 times 38,000 is $7.6 million.
Congress is using our tax money to prop up these donors. We could buy the land at that rate:http://www.landwatch.com/Rio-Grande-County-Colorado-Land-for-sale/pid/279065899

Socialism for the Rich

American International Group is benefiting from an improved reputation after the insurer finished repaying a $182.3 billion U.S. bailout, according to its Chairman. But should America, home of the free and the brave capitalist, really be bailing out companies that lost at the derivatives gambling table? Is this what capitalism is all about? We help the rich get richer and the unemployed get the finger? Was your business bailed out?

“Wolf of Wall Street” still attacking the gullible prey

Yes, even with the movie to warn us, people are still answering the phone pitches of at least 15 Wall Street“chop shops.” Whichever script works at the time is used over and over to get victims to send their savings to the “brokers/advisors” who run wild. Protect yourself:http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20140130/FREE/140139995

Cover-up a crime is a crime—here and in heaven

A U.N. human rights committee denounced the Vatican on Wednesday for “systematically” adopting policies that allowed priests to rape and molest tens of thousands of children over decades, and urged it to open its files on the pedophiles and the bishops who concealed their crimes. “The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by, and the impunity of, the perpetrators,” the report said. The UN has said that the Vatican should "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers. The UN watchdog for children's rights denounced the Holy See for adopting policies which allowed priests to sexually abuse thousands of children.

Police caught Vatican officials laundering money

Police said they seized 6.5 million euros in real estate and bank accounts Tuesday, including Monsignor Nunzio Scarano’s luxurious Salerno apartment, filled with gilt-framed oil paintings, ceramic vases and other fancy antiques. A local priest was also placed under house arrest for alleged involvement in the money-laundering plot. Police said in all, 52 people were under investigation.

MorganChase gets no jail time for deception on mortgages

JPMorgan Chase will pay $614 million in cash and agree to enhance its quality control program for loans that are submitted in the future to FHA’s Direct Endorsement Lender program.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts

IRS pays you to save!

Tax refund for your savings—IRS pays you to save!

You may be able to take a tax credit for making eligible contributions to your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan. The amount of the credit is 50%, 20% or 10% of your retirement plan or IRA contributions up to $2,000 ($4,000 if married filing jointly), depending on your adjusted gross income. See the instructions for Form 8880.  

NFL pays no tax but has income—is it fair to you?

Here is another lobbyist’s dream. A business that has income but pays no taxes and yet has spent more than$5 million on federal lobbying since Jan. 1, 2010, federal records show. Its CEO gets $30 million a year!!. Create a tax-FREE income for yourself:  http://www.amazon.com/Only-little-people-pay-taxes/dp/1478222441

First time in history, workers are the majority on food stamps—poverty wages

In a first, working-age people now make up the majority in U.S. households that rely on food stamps — a switch from a few years ago, when children and the elderly were the main recipients. Some of the change is due to demographics, such as the trend toward having fewer children. But a slow economic recovery with high unemployment, stagnant wages and an increasing gulf between low-wage and high-skill jobs also plays a big role. It suggests that government spending on the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program — twice what it cost five years ago — may not subside significantly anytime soon.

Congress cuts food stamps; keeps subsidies to rich donors and own members

The farm subsidies bill passed. It would cut food stamps by around $800 million a year and continue generous farm subsidies to Congressmen, crop insurers and Agribusiness firms. Half of Congress are millionaires already. House members happy to cut food for poor and help their donors and large corporations keep profits high. Insurers put an end to any limit on the crop insurance premium subsidy. Farm corps guaranteed a profit even if they fail. Read it with shock and awe: http://ccagw.org/media/press-releases/ccagw-farm-bill-it%E2%80%99s-dung-deal Socialism for rich!

Collect up to $6,000 even if you owe NOTHING in federal income tax

Did you work and earn less than $51,567 last year? You could receive EITC as a tax refund if you qualify. Families with qualifying children may be eligible for up to $6,044. Use the EITC Assistant tool on IRS.gov to find out if you qualify. If you do, file a tax return and claim it. If you don’t qualify, earn tax-FREE gains on your retirement nest egg: http://www.amazon.com/Tune-your-401k-EARN-Tax-FREE/dp/1490591028/

How much does your advisor/wealth manager earn?

See if you are getting your money’s worth by comparing average income—commissions, bonus, salary, perks, etc. http://data.investmentnews.com/comp-staff/

You can probably do better on your own since your net is after their expenses. John Bogle has estimated that your nest egg could be reduced by 63% with all the costs taken out of your money over time. If you know what your goals are, you can reach them without Wall Street: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

Three-quarters of Americans nearing retirement have less than $27,000 in their retirement accounts and one-third do not have any sort of retirement account at all.

Obama starts new savings plan for workers

In 1/28 speech, he asked “Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings: MyRA. It’s a new savings bond that encourages folks to build a nest egg. MyRA guarantees a decent return with no risk of losing what you put in.” Savings bonds will be purchased through payroll deduction and considered like an IRA but at low cost. Once a MyRA account hits $15,000 — or after 30 years — it has to be rolled over into a private sector Roth IRA. Unfortunately, savings bonds earn 1.38%—stocks are better long-term investments. You can have tax-FREE retirement income with the low-cost Roth IRA NOW:http://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Retirement-code-lifetime-income/dp/1475206976/

How much are the gamblers at your bank paid?

The head of the NYS pension is petitioning the largest banks to ID their gamblers. How much do these people at the banks who could sink the banking system again make on commission for betting with our savings? Stockholders need to know. Banks object. The regulator SEC must decide if stockholders can ask for this info. “I think generally Wells [Fargo] and other financial institutions still need a change in the mind-set and change in the culture,” according to the pension comptroller. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/business/asking-banks-to-reveal-where-their-high-rollers-are.html?ref=fairgame&_r=0

Queen put on a budget—can’t make it on $51 mil a year—pays only min wage

The queen receives 31 million pounds ($51 million) a year from taxpayers. Commoners ask her to sell more tickets to the Palace to pay her fair share. But she is hiring. Needs someone to run the royal baths, dress her and arrange her tea. The successful applicant $27,490 a year post will also be responsible for "high quality cleaning, presentation and guest care" at Queen Elizabeth II's official London residence.

Commoners don’t understand why she can’t bath and dress herself if she can’t make it on $51 million.

What are your investment options when you leave employers?

What can you do with your 401k or other retirement money when you leave your employer? Consider all the options: big tax bill or free transfer or big fees for lucky advisor? You need to know the facts first.

http://www.finra.org/Investors/ProtectYourself/InvestorAlerts/RetirementAccounts/P436001

Homeowners overcharged again

Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance may have to return $16 million to homeowner customers who, for years, were charged a $65 application fee without their knowledge.

Shop for insurance every two years. Rates and insurer marketing change.http://www.amazon.com/Homeowners-Insurance-Beware-Coverage-Policy/dp/1480100870/

GOP 2016 health plan would return to previous “bogus” health plans

Repeal of mandate means only wealthy can afford real comprehensive coverage. You could buy cheap insurance again but coverage not complete—no coverage for screening tests, wellness checkups, etc. Existing condition plans would allow insurer to charge whatever the market would bear. States would have the option NOT to cover some people.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/01/27/republican-plan-to-replace-obamacare-cover-pre-existing-conditions-lower-costs/

Obama supports voting in ½ hour not 7 hours

Obama said his “bipartisan committee offered reforms so that no one has to wait more than a half hour to vote. Let’s support these efforts. It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.” GOP-run states have reduced our chance to vote. They use a number of methods to keep Dems from the polls. In OH and FL lines were very long—10 hours for some. Why would GOP do this except to limit Dems voting.  Only 26 voter fraud cases in US in years.

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

We are paying for 164,253 of our active-duty armed personnel to be in 150 countries around the world. We have about 50,000 in Japan and 50,000 in Germany. Are we preparing for WWII again? There are 1,208,083^[1] personnel in the United States. Our taxes pay for about HALF of the WORLD’s military expenditures every year.

Your public employee pension may be less than promised

Moody’s bond analysts rank New Jersey’s seven public employee retirement plans as having the fourth highestunfunded liability total in America (behind Illinois, Connecticut and Kentucky. A state Treasury Department report (June 30, 2012) said the state’s pension plans covering 780,000 employees and retirees were pledged to pay out, over the long term, $41.7 billion in pension checks which the state lacks revenue to cover.

By the state’s own calculations, the pension plans are only 67.5 percent funded for the long term. The ideal level of funding, many pension actuaries say, is around 80 percent.

Christie claims he fixed the fund without taxes but Detroit said that too years ago.

20 kids EACH day are hospitalized for gun injuries—Wild West is back!

A study by Yale School of Medicine researchers shows that there are about 20 children hospitalized for gun injuries every day. 

Who owns your account now?

Wells Fargo agreed to sell more than 40 percent of its insurance brokerage locations to focus its bricks-and-mortar operations on higher-growth regions and bigger clients. The closings include six locations in West Virginia and offices in Dayton, Ohio; Boise, Idaho; and Anchorage, Alaska. USI, the buyer, is focusing on clients in middle markets. Wells Fargo Insurance, which brokers and consults on property-casualty coverage and employee benefits, will focus on cities including San Francisco, Dallas, Minneapolis and Charlotte, North Carolina. 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts

401k fees take 63% of your nest egg!

401k fees take 63% of your nest egg!

Avoid hidden 401k fees taking 63% of your money.

• Accumulate $1,000,000 in 35 years.
• Use a tax-FREE account—NEVER pay income tax.
• Buy low-cost mutual funds averaging 10-12%.

Over time, “that little 2 percent fee will erode 63 percent of what you would have had,” according to John Bogle. Accumulating wealth requires that you avoid high plan and advisor fees, commissions, loads and taxes—the Wealth Killers. $9.95 Ebook version: http://www.amazon.com/Robbing-You-Blind-401k-ebook/dp/B00G8EV7GI/

ObamaCare works  Call-in app: 1-800-318-2596

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service said it has processed more than 330,000 eligibility inquiries for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. Officials announced Thursday that 700,000 people have applied for insurance plans in both the 36 states that are using a federally run health care exchange and the 14 states running their own exchanges. It takes months to work out the bugs in any software.

CReports reliability—Lexus, Toyota, Acura

Japanese car brands continue to dominate in car reliability, but brands from all corners of the globe showed movement in the latest analysis. Lexus, Toyota, and Acura claim the top three spots in predicted reliability rankings by brands. The most-reliable new car in our latest survey is the 2014 Subaru Forester. The worst score goes to the Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid, with the regular C-Max Hybrid not faring much better. See others: Least reliable vehicles, listed in order of Ratings score starting with the worst score.

1. Ford C-MAX Energi (Plug-in Hybrid)*2. Ford Escape (1.6L Ecoboost)*
3. Mini Cooper Countryman4. Ford C-Max Hybrid5. Nissan Pathfinder*
6. Volkswagen Beetle7. Cadillac XTS*8. Ford Explorer (V6, 4WD)9. Hyundai Genesis Coupe*10. Ford Taurus (turbo)*

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/consumer-reports%E2%80%99-car-reliability-survey-shows-japanese-brands-dominating--europeans-gaining-ground-165357824.html

Saudi women fight for car insurance?

There's no law against women driving, but Saudi authorities have warned they'll arrest any woman they catch and use force if necessary. Manal al-Sharif was arrested by Saudi Arabia's religious police for driving in 2011. She told CBS News she also lost her job as a result and has received abuse and threats.

House votes to let brokers to still sell us high-cost products

The House is scheduled to vote this week on legislation that would slow or even kill a Labor Department regulation to strengthen investment advice rules governing retirement plans. The measure, written by Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., would prohibit the Labor Department from proposing the rule, which would expand the definition of “fiduciary” as it applies under federal retirement law. Advisors can sell us any product instead of the BEST product for us. Buy the best: http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/dp/143480593X

How much does your advisory firm make from your account?
See how much the officers of your advisor’s firm take from your account every year no matter how you do:http://data.investmentnews.com/comp-staff/individual/position/1/assets/3/designations/0-0-0-0

What are the alternatives to LTCi premium hikes?

Forbes reported that the increases in LTCI premiums may be between 45 percent and 85 percent in 2013 alone! Think of it—85%: http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-better-alternatives/dp/147006877X/

Can you really transfer IRA money into tax-free LTCI?

Some agents are making a killing with this trick. Agents want you to fund an IRA-based annuity with your IRA. On this they make a commission of 6-9%. Then they want you to take the payments from the annuity and buy a 20-pay life insurance plan with long-term care features. On this they make another commission of up to 100% of the first years’ premium. You pay tax as the money comes out of your annuity to pay for life insurance. Depending on the kind of policy, you may use part of the death benefit for some long-term care expenses. Wow—there must be better alternatives! http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-better-alternatives/dp/147006877X/

College savings plans—Best and worst

Unless your state lets you deduct contributions, you can use the best state plans.

http://www.investmentnews.com/gallery/20131025/FREE/102509999/PH&Params=Itemnr=7

Survey says 30-year-olds most likely to have a written retirement plan

Middle-class Americans in their 30s are the most likely among all age groups to have a written retirement plan, a Wells Fargo survey finds. Wells Fargo Middle Class Retirement study asked 1,000 middle class Americans between the ages of 25 and 75.

“On a comparative basis, people in their 30s appear to be more aware of what the variables are for a successful retirement,” Laurie Nordquist, head of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, said in a news release. “They seem to know that having a plan, saving more and trying to overcome fear of the market are the keys to success.” Use Tax-FREE account:http://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-Tax-FREE/dp/1461030072/

IRS tax tables for 2014

In case you do your own tax planning, all you need to know: The standard deduction rises to $6,200 for singles and married persons filing separate returns and $12,400 for married couples filing jointly, personal exemption rises to $3,950, maximum Earned Income Credit amount is $6,143, annual exclusion for gifts remains at $14,000, foreign earned income exclusion rises to $99,200, changed the use-it-or-lose-it rule for flexible spending arrangements, or FSAs, to allow account holders to carry over as much as $500 from one year to the next without penalty. Many workers have been reluctant to put money into the plans for fear of losing whatever they don't use, resulting in long-standing complaints about how the pretax FSAs work. IRA, 401k contribution limits stay the same.

More: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-13-35.pdf

Cutting food for the poor—while Congress gets paid $632 per hour of “work”

48 million needy people will have their food stamps cuts. The cuts mean a family of four will receive $632, or $36 less per month in federal food assistance, even as food costs rise. That is the equivalent of losing roughly 21 individual meals per month based on calculations used by the Department of Agriculture. Working poor make $10 an hour and need food.

Is this the America we want?

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

Bush wars increased the debt by $4-6 trillion to $16 trillion. 1985 debt $3 T, same as 1945.

Why did no white-collar criminals go to jail for the mortgage mess they created

The financial sector has the power to use our Congress’s power to tax its citizens to backstop its greed. We bailed out the bad guys but NO titan of industry is going to jail. Instead they got their bonuses and had their institutions pay their legal fees and fines instead of paying themselves. Big winners: Angelo Mozilo and Kerry Killinger.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/business/a-13-billion-reminder-of-whats-wrong.html

New scam for back taxes

The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting. Just say no. IRS sends notices by mail not by phone.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Will Exxon survive?

Will Exxon survive without our subsidies?

Since our “representatives” have cut money to dead and disabled vets, I am assuming oil, gas, agribusiness and other subsidies have been cut. Although these political hacks get paid and can still go to their gym daily, it is interesting to see what they keep funding. Ranchers lost cattle in the storms but no insurance that we subsidize. Small businesses in every state are losing their high-season tourist profits since parks are closed. Yet the tea party says fight on. Who are they fighting again?

The enemy is us!

Are you wary to talk about money?

No surprise. Americans aren’t really sure whom to trust when it comes to financial advice, and that they are generally uncomfortable speaking about money, according to a new survey. The survey also found that 37 percent of respondents said they don’t like talking to anyone about their finances. In addition, 40% think financial advice costs too much, 33 percent said they don’t have time to find proper financial advice and 58 percent say they would prefer to get financial advice from a single place. A total of 43 percent of Gen Yers (under age 30) said they lack adequate retirement planning information, the survey found. Trust is the key and Madoff proved it works. Do it yourself is better: http://www.amazon.com/Financial-Literacy-Steps-Success-Money/dp/1491044616

Survey says homeowners’ premiums differ 188%

There was a 121 percent difference between the highest and the lowest home insurance quotes. Bankrate.com asked 4 companies in 15 cities. One insurer's rate was nearly three times what another would charge. Shop and buy only what you need with discounts: http://www.amazon.com/Homeowners-Insurance-Beware-Coverage-Policy/dp/1480100870

Can you save premium on your auto insurance?

Increasing your insurance deductibles from $250 to $1,000 could reduce your comprehensive and collision premium by as much as 40 percent. Increase your emergency fund with the premiums you save. Save another premium by dropping the life and accident medical coverage—you don’t need it if you already have life/health insurance. Use 15 other discounts from http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Is critical illness insurance right for you?

Critical illness insurance: an insurer makes a lump sum cash payment if the policyholder is diagnosed with one of the critical illnesses listed in the insurance policy. The policy may also be structured to pay out regular income and the payout may also be on the policyholder undergoing a surgical procedure, for example, having a heart bypass operation. The policy language is very specific in order to limit payouts. Some pay the hospital directly. Typically, most procedures and illnesses are covered by your comprehensive policy so this policy is really a very expensive savings account. ObamaCare requires no-limit policies. Make sure you have a stop-loss in your comprehensive policy to limit your bills: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Washington could balance the budget if corporations paid their share

The top Fortune 50 firms have put $743 billion in profits in offshore accounts to avoid taxes here. While addressing the foreign tax havens has gained a lot of chatter, few elected officials have taken any action for fear of alienating corporate titans who can hold the key to national political careers. Critics say too many companies are using dummy corporations overseas to hide profits. Use your IRS-approved tax-FREE account too: http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Long-term-Investment-tax-FREE/dp/1492117455

ObamaCare: a disaster?

Kentucky health officials thought they might get a handful of serious shoppers on Kynect, the new online insurance marketplace the state created under President Barack Obama's health care law. "We weren't even hopeful that a couple hundred people would apply," said Carrie Banahan, Kynect's executive director. By the end of the week, more than 16,000 Kentucky individuals and families had begun online applications to get health coverage next year.

And in Paul & McConnell’s state? But Cruz said Americans hate ObamaCare. California said 28,699 people were signed up in the state’s health-insurance exchange in the first week, while New York had more than 40,000 sign up. 

LA homeowners face increase

State Farm is raising Louisiana homeowner rates an average of 8.7 percent statewide for its nearly 308,000 policyholders. Time to shop discounts: http://www.amazon.com/Homeowners-Insurance-Beware-Coverage-Policy/dp/1480100870

FL bans Texting

Florida is joining 40 other states in the U.S. where it is illegal to text and drive.

The ban is one of more than two dozen laws passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature scheduled that kicked in on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The prohibition on Texting while driving comes after several years of trying by legislators. Previous attempts stalled in the face of House Republican opposition, with conservative members worried about government intrusion into people’s lives. You can’t be stopped for Texting by itself but the law may deter accidents.

Most employers keeping current health plan while reform law plays out

Employers and brokers should ignore the rhetoric surrounding health care reform and focus on the law. Few changes in the law are expected until the January start date.

Food and safety inspections NOT done--BEWARE

The partial shutdown of the U.S. government has sidelined thousands of inspectors who monitor everything from air and water pollution to safety hazards at factories and the condition of nursing homes. Federal law requires agencies to retain workers whose jobs are critical. The cutbacks mean safety regulators can’t do routine inspections of high-hazard workplaces such as chemical plants, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can’t conduct full oversight of the nation’s nuclear power plants and the main federal highway safety agency can’t probe a recent Tesla Motor Inc. electric-car fire.

US reneges on our promises to those who serve

Fisher House Foundation will take over our duty to provide the money to bury our soldiers fallen in war. Not considered an important expense, the Fed’s shutdown ends death benefit payments but keeps the Congress’s gym open.

How can this happen in America?

States shutting down—GOP losing support

About a third of the $1.7 trillion that states spent in 2012 came from federal sources, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers. Michigan is preparing to put as many as 20,000 workers on unpaid leave and eliminate cash and food aid to the poor. “You send people to D.C. to work,” South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican who drew support from the Tea Party movement, said Oct. 8 at a luncheon for business and civic leaders in North Charleston. “You don’t send them to shut something down. So I am frustrated with both the Republicans and the Democrats. There are no saints in Washington right now.”

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

Workers laid off will get paid—what was the purpose?

Did not save money. Did not stop ObamaCare. Did cost small business that serve workers—lunch, gas, etc—millions per day.

A partial shutdown of the federal government will cost the U.S. at least $300 million a day in lost economic output at the start, according to IHS Inc. It depresses confidence and spending by businesses and consumers.

The Pentagon said on 10/5 it would recall the vast majority of some 350,000 civilian Defense Department employees sent home during the government shutdown, in a move that could greatly lessen the impact of the shutdown on America's armed forces.

UT pays $1.6M to open parks to support small businesses despite GOP

"Utah's national parks are the backbone of many rural economies and hard-working Utahns are paying a heavy price for this shutdown," Herbert said in the released statement. October is an especially profitable month for Utah's national parks, since optimal weather attracts a high volume of tourists. Typically, officials estimate a $100 million yield for the month.” UT will actively pursue timely repayment to state coffers. Rural voters still blame ObamaCare.

Scams by the best: notice these signs; ask for it in writing always

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/9-signs-talking-debt-collection-130015858.html

Who owns your account now?

Forethought Financial to Global Atlantic Financial

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

When will you become a millionaire?

When will you become a millionaire?

>Double your money every 7-9 years over time.

>Grow your wealth with NO taxes or commissions.

>Use 10 low-cost mutual funds earning over 10%.

>Use an IRS-approved tax-FREE account to protect gains.

“My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest.” Warren Buffett

The wealthy become wealthy by buying assets that grow quickly. As Buffett says, they compound. Compounding is money earning money on its earnings next period. The wealthy stay wealthy by paying lower fees, charges, commissions and taxes.  http://www.amazon.com/When-will-you-become-millionaire/dp/1490373241/

Can you help the next generation?

The average retirement fund of pre-retirees is about $60,000, excluding car and home. That might pay for 5 years as a supplement to Social Security which currently averages $15,000. If parents or grandparents invested just $50 a month for their newborns for 21 years, and just left it in a market index fund, the kid would not have to worry about retirement. The miracle of compounding over TIME is what can be your greatest gift to your family. Works just like Social Security. http://www.amazon.com/Give-your-Grandchild-000-Lifetime/dp/1456433105/

How long does it take to get benefits from long-term care insurance?

Your family members will need to work long hours getting your care bills paid, according to some who have gone through the process for months.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/06/11/beware-fine-print-and-red-tape-long-term-care-insurance-policies/hCDUORONy9BXbriyX2p28I/story.html

It is important to consider alternatives before spending $3000 a year for 20 years. http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-better-alternatives/dp/147006877X

Are you happy with your discount broker?

JD Power customer satisfaction scores are in. Scottrade Inc. edged out Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. as the highest-ranked firm, scoring 810 this year versus 798 last year. Schwab scored 797, down from 801. The Vanguard Group Inc. was right behind Schwab at 795. Scottrade did better on its fees-and-commissions ranking as well as the interaction it offers on its website and through mobile devices. Some banks have online offering but are not supporting them as well. Members find better values online: http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/dp/143480593X

Are you required to take money from your pension, 401k, IRA?

Yes, according to the IRS: ‘You must take your first required minimum distribution for the year in which you turn age 70½. However, the first payment can be delayed until April 1 of the year following the year in which you turn 70½. For all subsequent years, including the year in which you were paid the first RMD by April 1, you must take the RMD by December 31 of the year.’ You must pay tax on the earnings part of your RMD. If you won’t need the money, you can convert any part of an IRA to a Roth IRA, pay tax, and use it as a tax-FREE legacy to your heirs if you don’t need the money for long-term care or other medical costs. http://www.amazon.com/Your-Retirement-Spending-Plan-enough/dp/1461084016

Aetna health leaving CA

Aetna said it would stop selling individual health insurance policies in California next month, and nearly 50,000 existing policyholders will have to find new coverage by January. Buy only what you need: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

MS uninsured stuck by GOP

Many Mississippians may have no options when the new federal health insurance marketplace starts enrolling customers in October. Areas that won't have coverage offered through the online marketplace include swaths of the Delta region and southwest Mississippi, plus scattered areas elsewhere. Among those areas are Hancock and Pearl River counties. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant opposed the state-run plan proposed by the insurance department. http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749315/insurers-may-skip-health-plans.html

NC OH health policyholders get refund due to Obamacare
Nearly 193,000 North Carolina customers will get rebates averaging $87 this summer because their health insurance company could not keep overhead costs down. Obamacare requires that at least 80 percent of each premium dollar go toward medical services. The benchmark was established to control the amount used by the companies to pay for overhead and bonuses. Ohioans will receive $486,681 this year in rebates. The rebates, issued for the first time last year, will be divvied up among 6,333 Ohio residents and come out to an average of $133 per family. This year, $500 million in rebates will affect 8.5 million consumers nationally, according to HHS, with an average rebate of about $100 per family.

CA patients receive settlement after denial of health care

Anthem-WellPoint has agreed to pay $6 million to resolve allegations that the company improperly dropped policyholders after they got sick and needed treatment. Anthem had been dropping patients since 2006 after they got sick. Anthem claimed their already-accepted applications had errors. Obamacare made this practice illegal.

CA pension fund switches to index funds

Lower cost and higher acceptance by participants were cited by trustees. The plans' custom target date funds also will be switched to passive management. Fees for the funds will drop to 6 basis points (.06), from 52, because of the change. Public employees will have up to 40% more cash in retirement because of the change. You can too: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-American-Retirement-System/dp/1461030072

CA auto rates down

Californians spent less per year on auto insurance in 2010 than they did in 1989, a rate reduction that no other state in the nation achieved. California drivers paid an average of $746 per year for auto insurance coverage in 2010, which is $2.00 less per year than they spent in 1989. Americans nationwide spent an average $791 in 2010, which is $240 more than the average price in 1989. "Name another product whose price is less today than twenty-five years ago," said Harvey Rosenfield, author of Proposition 103. It required insurance companies to open their books and publicly prove they need rate increases. Until your state gets tough, shop and save: http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

MetLife caught avoiding tax

Metropolitan Life is on the hook for a $2.2 million tax penalty imposed by a 2003 amnesty program. A court ruled that the phrase "all taxes due" in the amnesty act means just that: taxes due. It has only taken 13 years and $ millions to catch them.

SCAMS           "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato (427-347 B.C.)

Can justice be done in the mortgage scam that banks profited from?

Investors in mortgages packaged by banks were scammed by deceit. Who should pay if the investors were part of the scam or should have known better? Will there ever be justice for all Americans who were innocent victims? Can regulators ever regulate?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/business/in-countrywide-case-watchdogs-without-any-bark.html

GOP repeals Obamacare again 37^th time

We are paying these people (half are millionaires) to meet and vote on the only chance we non-millionaires have of receiving health care we can afford in the future. Do any of them consider what other countries do for their people? Is it really so bad in Sweden or Switzerland? Not as bad as GOP says it is. Perhaps because Congress is covered already.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/business/what-sweden-can-tell-us-about-obamacare.html

Fed pays $½ million to avoid probe

Fed regulators paid $580,000 (tax dollars) to settle claims by a former employee who says he was fired in an effort to quash his investigations. Employee Weber reported allegations of unethical conduct by recently departed Inspector General H. David Kotz. David Williams, the inspector general of the U.S. Postal Service, concluded that Kotz violated ethics rules by overseeing probes that involved people with whom he had personal relationships. Kotz had quit in January 2012 amid questions about his conduct. Smoke or Fire? $½ million sounds like a big fire.

Crop Ins: “Fraud is everywhere.”

Wealthy Congressmen want to cut benefits to the poor and give them to conglomerates

While Congress debates cuts in the federal food stamp program, it has been reluctant to make changes in the crop insurance program, despite several recent fraud cases. Ins agents OK fake crop losses so big farms can reap $millions. “Fraud is everywhere.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/us/politics/fraud-used-to-frame-farm-bill-debate.html?

Who owns your account now?

GMAC Insurance changes name to National General Insurance. Coverage or claims of existing policyholders will not be affected in any way.

American Fellowship Mutual Insurance has been declared insolvent. 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Buy financial services like you buy groceries not perfume

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

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

RI health care premiums up 10%

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

Lobbyists stop online car sales

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

Health care costs rise

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you need to start a college fund?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two Americas

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

Biblical hypocrite: Wealthy take welfare but cut food stamps

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

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

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

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

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

Bankers using new tactic to stop law to avert another meltdown

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

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com