life insurance right for you?

 

The only ways to get rich:

1. Marry money.
2. Inherit money.
3. Exploit a unique talent.
4. Get exceedingly lucky.
5. Own or lead a successful business.
6. Spend less than you make and invest your savings wisely over long periods of time.

 

It is really just common sense. Our grandparents learned the hard way during the global Depression of 1929-39. You were lucky to have a job. People saved: never spent more than they made. You can become rich by saving 10% of what you make and never going in debt—except to buy your home. You get richer by investing when nobody else will. Working people who get rich don’t try to keep up appearances. We have recently learned that you can’t avoid risk by saving in bank products. Banks make a lot of money from folks who fear taking market risk even though inflation wipes out their 1-2% savings tools. Over time, investing in profitable companies beats inflation and can make you rich. You don’t pay an advisor 1-3% in charges and fast trading. Cost is the best predictor of investing success. Using tax-FREE stock index accounts, you can be rich in time.

https://www.amazon.com/Tax-FREE-Wealth-How-laws-free/dp/1475089236

 

How is your retirement fund doing?

With the fall in stock market value this year, have you quit saving? Have you automated your saving/investing? Do you track your progress annually with a calculator like Vanguard’s retirement calculator? Do you have a balanced stock/bond portfolio that allows you to sleep at night? Do you have enough saved that you can calculate a future nest egg for your needs? Automatic investment strategies help you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when high. Will your debt be under control later? Have you made a plan for expenses and income? Have you learned about Warren Buffett’s strategy? Do you take the time to learn how to read your financial statements? Are you buying stocks on sale? According to AARP, over 57 million Americans don’t have access to a workplace retirement savings plan. This access makes you 15 to 20 times more likely to save for retirement. Use a tax-FREE investment accounts. Start a plan today. https://www.amazon.com/Best-Robo-Advisor-Ultimate-Automatic-Management/dp/1537111957

 

Who pays your bills when you are away?

Automatic investing complements automatic bill pay. My mutual fund trustee debits my checking account every month. My wife’s 403b takes her pension contributions automatically each pay day. My gas and electric are paid automatically by a set up with my bank. My mortgage is always the same amount so it is on automatic. For most bills, I set up payment on the day before the payment is due in advance so I don’t get his with $29 late charge. If I am out of town and don’t have a bill, I can pay via their website. The only time I got hit with the late charge was when I did not get the bill because the credit card had illegally force my account into “no paper statement” mode. I complained and the website removed the charge automatically. I never send money by Zelle or other hackable “peer-to-peer” digital payment services. My only problem is making sure there are funds in the account on time. Most of my income sources are dependable. When there is a goof, my bank account is overdraft protected. I share this info with my kid.

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

 

Which is better—ETFs or funds?

ETFs are good for trading in your brokerage account. Mutual funds are for long-term accumulation. Cost is important to long-term investors since you will kill the “miracle of compounding” with high costs. Both index mutual funds and ETFs can provide investors with broad, diversified exposure to the stock market. Trading an index ETF seems a contradiction to me since the purpose of an index is to take advantage of better investing results by holding quality stocks forever, not missing the highly volatile gains in the market. Fast trading has been shown to be a losing strategy by many unbiased money professionals. Even master investor Warren Buffett recommends using only two low-cost index funds for retirement income. Plus index funds are very tax efficient since the index that they reflect doesn’t change often—buy and hold.

Follow Buffett’s advice: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

 

Which life insurance is right for you?

If you have a family or folks who count on you for their income, you need to make sure they will have income if you are not around. Term life insurance is right for you. However, in the past some folks had no way to save for a life-long income, bills, mortgage, funeral and final expenses. So they used permanent life insurance. Since the 70s, whole and universal life insurance are not as good a savings/investment vehicle as low-cost mutual funds. Why—because you get a lot more for your money and you don’t have to die to receive benefits. At average earnings of 11% per year, you can accumulate $500,000 for the same cost of a whole life premium policy. Instead of leaving an expensive death benefit to your family, you can have $500,000 in 35 years of investing. You can then supplement your retirement income and have money to pay for end of life needs. You may be able to leave a larger legacy too.

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

 

Annuities add little value for investors with income plan

A recent Morningstar study concluded that annuities add little value for investors who are well-prepared for retirement. The study looked at failure rates, or the probability of running out of retirement savings. Most retirees need a steady income and the annuity option as part of a 401k or 403b plan is the industry’s solution. However, annuity costs exceed the cost of a trustee-managed IRA payout using low-cost mutual funds. Many trustees offer steady income at no extra cost. The standard IRS tax schedule provides steady income of about 4% per annum. The RMD or required minimum distribution is specified by the IRS based on age and the previous year’s total accumulations. Using a balanced mutual fund, this strategy overcomes the problem of an annuity payout that loses value to inflation. If you have $500,000 in this kind of account, you are likely to receive $20,000 plus a year recalculated for inflation each year. Even better, if you use the tax-FREE retirement accounts, you pay NO taxes on your retirement income and probably none on your SS benefits either.

Plan for NO taxes: https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-Reserve/dp/1461030072

 

Did you miss FREE money from the IRS?

More than nine million people may qualify for tax benefits but didn’t claim them by filing a 2021 federal income tax return. Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 recovery rebate credit, the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit and other tax credits. These and other tax benefits were expanded under last year’s American Rescue Plan Act and other recent legislation. The only way to get the valuable benefits is to file a 2021 tax return. Often, people can get these expanded tax benefits, even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other source. This means that many people who don’t normally need to file a tax return should do so for 2021, even if they haven’t been required to file in recent years. To help people claim these benefits, Free File will remain open for an extra month this year, until November 17, 2022. People with income of $73,000 or less can electronically file a return for free using brand-name software. Free online filing means you get ALL of the money you deserve.

https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

 

Who is a real fiduciary?

Not all financial advisors are fiduciaries

Selling only their firm’s high-cost products isn’t in your ‘Best Interest’. Regulators have given into the financial sales industry in the sense that now almost every sales person can call themselves a ‘fiduciary’. A fiduciary is a person who does not profit from the advice they give. All financial people who work for a firm—brokerage, advisory or trust company—must sell only what their firm has a contract to offer. Legally these ‘fiduciary’ financial advisors can’t avoid this conflict of interest because they work under a license provided by their firm. In each of the firms I worked for, the products and services we offered were authorized by management. As a member of the product selection committee, I had to provide full due-diligence on the vendors and products we used. We picked the compensation structure we needed for our revenue goals. Sales people can be paid by commissions, quarterly fees, shared-revenue and other means. They can’t offer Vanguard products and services because Vanguard is owned by its investors. You will know you don’t have a real fiduciary when you must sign a BICE. A Best Interest Exemption gives the broker/advisor a safe harbor to recommend an investment product that may benefit them more than it benefits you, and that is a conflict of interest, no matter how much lipstick you apply. Use a certified financial planner (CFP®) for unbiased advice. Or learn from experts like Warren Buffett, John Bogle, and Burton Malkiel what you need.

https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

 

 

 

?**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************?

 

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

 

 

The Path to Dictatorship: 2010-2030

 

Parallels of this era in the past may hint at our future: democracy breaks apart legally

 

 

Jan 21 2010 Corpor­a­tions’ election-spending unlim­ited

Billionaires paid $881 million for votes in 2022 midterm elections

 

Nov 2020 Wealthy discredit election process

 

Nov 21 2020 Trump’s Plans for a Coup: criminal

 

Nov 21 2020: Trump plan: US Marshals seize voting machines

 

Jan 6 2021 Direct assault failed: guns & bombs ready

 

Trump engaged in a "criminal conspiracy" to stop Biden

 

“I don’t f—ing care that they have weapons”

 

Trump was “detached from reality”

 

Trump used mafia-style intimidation on the defenseless

 

Parscale: “a sitting president asking for civil war.”

 

Trump: “Just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me” 

 

GOP fascism: “RINO hunt armed; no bagging limit” J6 comm threat

 

Trump’s Supremes END personal rights & state laws except for weapons WMDs

 

Fascism: GOP to stop women leaving state for abortion

 

It’s not a court. It’s a junta: Two Americas

 

Trump: President Biden is 'enemy of the state'

 

Christian Nationalist Party (CNP) replaces GOP

 

 

Nov 8 2022 Trump’s “national revolution”

 

Jan 2025 Dictator pardons himself: his Supremes Agree

 

 

How Govt wastes our money:

Shell ExxonMobil selling CA wells despite high oil prices: we pay cleanup costs?

Gouging for profits: Heating oil up 60% leaves homeowners cold; NYS $5.76

Amount of taxes owed but not paid is increasing: excess profits tax now?

Corporate profits avoid tax to buy elections: no voters: $millions to GOP election deniers

 

Can any citizen get out of jury subpoena from Supremes like Lindsay? Just GOP?

 

GOP agenda: Medicare & SS entitlement reform as a way to rein in spending?

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Trump terrorist after Pelosi: Suspect shouted "Where is Nancy?" assaults husband

Trump & Son caught avoiding being served with lawsuit paper: Judge orders ‘email it’

Trump: “Our Country is Rigged, Crooked, and Evil” Maybe he should move to Russia

 

Clarence Thomas was “key” to Trump’s plan to overthrow government of Biden

Trump gets his Supreme justices to hide his taxes from Congress inquiry: above the law

Trump sues NY Attorney General to delay her suit against his fraud biz ‘Derangement’ 

Trump to announce 2024 run to avoid indictment for overthrow of US government

 

Christian nationalism has rooted itself firmly in the Republican Party: no more GOP?

Church political endorsements used to be against the law but Supremes already OKed

The banned book list: what white religious folks are afraid of most:

 

Police have trouble with premitless open carry gun laws: which guy is the bad guy?

 

School shooter buys AR-15 privately after failed background check: out of control guns

 

We are spending $1,705 on auto insurance, up 4% from 2021, 17% from 2020: cut extras.

Plus we are being charged monthly fee for some extra features on our new car: Oh My!

pharmacy chains caught mishandling opioid painkillers: drug pushers fined, no jail

CBS Moonves caught forced multiple employees to perform oral sex on him: fine no jail

Hospital caught overcharging for procedures and services never delivered: no fine, no jail

Make sure you are ‘admitted’ not ‘observed’ in hospital visit so Medicare will pay.

 

Jobs

400 engineers for Flexport logistics startup

 

 

Who owns your account now?

New Credit Score Rule for New Home Buyers: easier or more tape?

New affordable health care: lower premiums, free preventive care, sign up Nov 1

SS 8.7% COLA paid to new claimants but starting early means less for life

 

Pick Medicare plans by Dec 7: assess your needs: optimize coverage

Best 529 college savings plans: Morningstar ratings: compare state tax benefits

44% of registered voters think US government controlled by secret cabal

 

Miracles:

Safe I bonds issued between Nov. 1 and the end of April is expected to drop to 6.89%. 

Researchers have found a new way to predict and affect how cancers behave.

This coral reef resurrected itself — and showed scientists how to replicate it

 

Tool to help find the real cost of health care at hospital, dental and services

 

 

 

 

Our Universe is Mind-Blowing

Light is both a particle and a wave depending on how we look at the light.

I don’t think that there is any such thing as a position or a velocity of a particle.

Everything (galaxies to stones) in universe made of subatomic energy ‘vibrations’

A subatomic ‘particle’ is the smallest possible vibration (quantum) of a quantum field.

Mass–energy equivalence: E=mc^2.  At the smallest level; Everything is moving a little

Physics Nobel Prize: “entanglement” 2 particles share info instantly at a distance

“It may be that gravity and quantum mechanics are exactly the same thing,” Leonard Susskind

Gravity might induce the collapse of quantum vibrations into 1 quantum state—our world

 

There is no TIME at this level because of force fields come and go in all directions. 

Universe expanding: events may not come together like they did before.

Inside protons, neutrons, it is the fields of the virtual particles that creates its mass.

“Empty space is a boiling, bubbling brew of virtual particles that pop in and out of existence in a time scale so short that you can’t even measure them.” Space expanding.

The electricity we use comes from the field around the wire not from election itself.

 

 

 

@

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/

We can apply for health care online: https://www.healthcare.gov/

 

IAN

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

 

“I wish I had learned more about financials”

 

Survey: “I wish I had learned more about financials”

Many respondents wish they had taken the time to learn more about financial products. We are all very busy and don’t get a chance to learn more about making and keeping money. And yet, for many, the amount of money we have later makes a big difference in our lives. I was lucky. After working a few different jobs, including managing a small health bureau in NYC government, I managed a small operation in a Wall Street firm. I had a crash course in annuities, mutual funds, and insurance. I learned about the products brokers and advisors sell to the public. The most important lesson I learned was which products to buy and which to avoid. I have put that information into short reads that most folks can follow and succeed with. Unless you are wealthy and need special tax advice, I found that the simple products are best. You can understand them and pay much less than those products and services with all the fees, commissions and charges my industry uses to get rich. Pay less; keep more.

Take your discounts: https://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guides-Discount-Financial-Services/dp/143480593X

 

Is Impact Investing right for you?

Social and environmental focus while you grow your portfolio sounds good. But most companies you may support are not pure plays. For example, Ben and Jerry’s was famous for its social and environmental concerns but it is owned by Unilever of UK which has a questionable environmental history. Labels such as socially responsible investing and impact investing are often used synonymously, alongside other terms like ethical investing and sustainable investing. They usually refer to a similar idea: Using your investing dollars to make a positive difference in the world. But my idea of “positive difference” and your idea can be different. For instance, some investors with particular religious ideas may invest in companies like Hobby Lobby since they have a strong religious mission. One of those missions is Museum of the Bible, a non-profit run by the Green family. Internal staff had warned that some items bought by the Museum had dubious provenance and were potentially looted from Iraq. Several shipments of the artifacts were seized by US customs agents in 2011, triggering a years-long struggle between Hobby Lobby and the federal government that culminated in a 2017 civil forfeiture. As a result of the case, Hobby Lobby agreed to return the artifacts and pay a fine. 3,800 items seized from Hobby Lobby were returned to Iraq in May 2018. In March 2020 the Hobby Lobby president agreed to return 11,500 items to Egypt and Iraq. It may be better to “invest” in your local charity (tax deduction improves your return) and leave your portfolio with “passive” investment guides.

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

 

Is a SPAC right for you?

This type of investment is in the news because Trump is using a Special Purpose Acquisition Company to raise funds for his promised media firm “Truth Social.” A SPAC is like a reverse IPO—managers raise funds from investors to speculate on some project in the future depending on the amounts they raise. A special purpose acquisition company, Digital World Acquisition Corp, had two hedge fund investments until it announced it was helping Trump, who was impeached after being accused of inciting the Jan. 6 attempted coup. At the announcement of the SPAC with Trump’s venture, its share price zoomed higher. SPACs, also known as blank-check companies, are created to raise capital from public equity markets and then use that cash to merge with a private company that has or will have an actual operating business. Thus the two hedge funds probably profited from the news by selling ahead of the actually work with Trump. As usual, most of us were not able to buy and sell at the right time to make a profit without prior information about this event. We are better off taking Buffett’s advice.

Follow Buffett’s advice: https://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Vanguard-Funds-Retirement/dp/1496148592

 

Is a 401k loan a good deal?

Yes, but. 401k money is your money. It may seem like a no-brainer to borrow your own money in a pinch. However, this loan is probably the most expensive loan you will ever take. When you take money from your future nest egg, you are taking giving up one of the most valuable things you own. You can replace the money you take but NOT the time your money is using to grow. Example: $10,000 missing from stock market growth for 30 years can cost you $198,373. That is how much more you would have if you left the $10,000 in a market index fund earning the average 10% per year. Your $10,000 earns dividends and earnings on reinvested dividends. Sure you could tell yourself you will pay the $10,000 back in a year, but few borrowers actually do. Many plans require repayment within 5 years. If you fail to repay there is a penalty plus income taxes. If your employment ends with a loan outstanding, you may have an immediate repayment demand. However, with the pandemic job upheaval, taking the loan was seen a necessary and that loan may never get repaid. Many will just start over when they are employed again. The loss of the time in the market can never be made up.

You may have to work longer. https://www.amazon.com/Your-Plan-Live-Age-100/dp/1548180793

 

Is your 401k robbing you blind?

If you have been able to continue to contribute to your employer savings plan during this critical time, congratulations. If you have been able to contribute more than the plan’s default savings rate, Double Congratulations. During this bull market, many have been lucky to double their plan balance. A simple low-cost index mutual fund has risen over 16% a year in the last 5-10 years. Others have not done as well because they used the default investment option of their employer. Usually the other options come with higher expense ratios, and thus have not benefited employees as much. Some firms have been sued because the employer options have been poor or compromised. Of course, employees can contribute more in order to gain a higher employer matching amount. However, the low-cost investment option usually provides a higher retirement balance than a higher contribution amount. The BEST strategy would be to pay the least fund and plan fees with the highest employer match. This combo—least cost; maximum contribution; highest match—helps you reach your retirement number faster.

Avoid high fees: https://www.amazon.com/Robbing-You-Blind-401k-fees/dp/1493588966

 

How you can hurt your credit score and report

Car rental: If you use a debit card, a rental company may check your credit history. Confirm the reservation with your credit card to avoid the unnecessary credit inquiry. Then, settle the final bill with your debit card upon returning the vehicle. Cutting credit card: If you close a credit account, you may raise your credit utilization ratio—percentage of your total being used—which is bad for you. If you use $5,000 of your total credit of 15,000 and then cut one of your other $5,000 cards, your ratio is now 50% not 33%. 30% is better. Missed payment: if you miss a rent or car payment, your delinquency may be reported to the credit bureaus. Disputed bill: if you are not happy with a bill, the vendor can ding your credit for failure to pay on time. Breach a contract: refusing to pay a membership you don’t want gives the company reason to hurt your credit. Unexpected bill: you need to negotiate a payment plan instead of ignoring valid assessments. Apply too many times: each loan or card application is a red flag to creditors. Just because you can apply does not mean you should. Each car dealer will check your credit if you are shopping so shop online first. Use credit wisely so you always have it for emergencies.

https://www.amazon.com/Money-Scams-financial/dp/1505437962

 

Why do we need to subsidize the billionaires?

Walmart family members have billionaire legacies from the founder, Sam. And yet, we US taxpayers must subsidize them to earn more. Why? For many years, we have had to provide food stamps (SNAP) and other financial help (Medicaid) to their employees to give them a living wage. Walmart employees receive $ billions in US food subsidies. About 70% of the 21 million federal aid beneficiaries worked full time, a GAO report found. This means the Walton billionaires would have earned less if they paid a wage high enough so we taxpayers did not need to make up the difference. McDonald’s was among the top five employers of Medicaid enrollees in five of six states and SNAP recipients in eight of nine states. Other notable companies with a large number of employees on federal aid include Amazon, Kroger, Dollar General, and other service and retail giants. Many employees are paid about $10 per hour or $400 a week BEFORE taxes. The federal poverty level is $26,500 so many employees of the billionaire companies qualify for US subsidies. Many employers pay NO taxes to cover this federal aid. Many wealthy people have already reduced their tax bill with tricks. We subsidize the rich since they profit from paying less than a living wage to most of their employees.

Socialism, American style: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-Rich-little-people/dp/1535218584

 

 

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

 

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We rejected an "American fascist" once

 

Our Jan 6 ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’

 

 

Extremists: “FBI Instigation of January 6th”

 

Bannon to Congress: F…You

 

Trump to Congress: F…You

 

Frmr military & police plan gov overthrow

 

TX attorney general: Biden overthrew Trump government:

 

Congress fails on voter rights

 

 

How Govt wastes our money:

One coal Congressman sends us into climate disaster: last chance before GOP deniers

VA GOP promises to keep kids from reading books the GOP doesn’t like: Trumpists win

One millionaire decides no wealth taxes: Biden plan to rebuild US collapse: Fair share?

 

Military spending increase after Afghanistan: $46 Billion wasted on broken systems

Wasted tax dollars: 4 agencies paid to do ‘intelligence’ failed in Afghanistan exit

Congress allows wealthy to avoid IRS tracking large transfers to avoid taxes

 

Congress allows drug prices to escalate even more: Our reps profit from the increases

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Save the children: Delta “plus” variant more transmissible: Stop deaths at 750,000

Children lower risk of serious illness from COVID, but they are likely to spread it. 

COVID 19 is the sixth leading cause of death among 5-11-year-olds.

 

Judge: SW pilots must get vax so airline can make ‘safe work environment” per contract

BEWARE gov workers/police: they ignore vax mandate: we assume they have Covid

NYC police die from Covid still resist vax: 60 so far: NYPD workers dead

72% of unvaccinated workers vow to quit if ordered to get vaccinated

 

 

Kyle’s judge already decided case: victims must be called ‘rioters’ ‘looters’

TX man kills man parked in his driveway: claims ‘self-defense’ as car flees.

 

Fake messages to raise hate: prices, guns, Covid vax,

Fake Covid vaccination certificate purchased so folks can travel: BEWARE 

 

Steven Gallagher OH caught $1 million pump and dump "old-school boiler" fraud

Trustmark National Bank TN caught redlining loans Black and Hispanic neighborhoods

Ann Vick CO caught stole $3.2 million Ponzi scheme promissory notes option tradeing.

 

Hospitals caught overcharging routine procedure by label ‘emergency’ $16,221.26 birth

Fast food may contain plastic: health problems for old and young, reproduction etc

Employers caught winning all mandatory arbitration employee customer grievances

 

Flooding Earth's orbit with thousands of new satellites makes your next ride dangerous

 

HATE maker: Trump warned on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.

Weapons were found in the cars of Jan 6 terrorists: Trump asked them to stop Congress

 

Jobs

Scams on employment opportunities: 16,000 folks claim fraud

Record number of jobs abandoned: business earnings skyrocket

Employers calling back workers they pushed out just a year ago: work for peanuts?

 

Who owns your account now?

Medicare Advantage: JD Power survey best plans

Post office: cash paychecks gift card: Washington, Baltimore, Falls Church, the Bronx

 

Miracles:

Coal burn or Car idling?: CO2 levels in the atmosphere reach a 3 million-year high

Drought-stricken California lashed by heavy rains, flooding and mudslides

Vaccine for breast cancer: trials begin for worst cancer type

 

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/

We can apply for health care online: https://www.healthcare.gov/

 

Wisdom comes only thru suffering Aeschylus

 

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

 

Avoid SCAMS of brokers and advisors

How can you avoid SCAMS in financial services?

Wall Street is a ‘war’ zone! We must enter this war zone with the protection of knowledge. We could lose all our lifelong savings in one trade. Brokers and advisors have weapons that can 'kill' us financially. They are hidden behind lies, exaggerations, obfuscations and straight-out fraud like faking our signature. Half-truths and our assumptions and greed are also at play. These are our 'soft' underbelly targets. There are warning signs but most SCAM situations require us to be knowledgeable and to check every move. My first day as a manager at a security firm I was told: ‘brokers are [car] salesman.’ Our future life is at stake and yet we give strangers our money so easily.

Take Buffett’s advice: https://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Scams-Brokers-Advisors-Sender-ebook/dp/B07GZ1WSP1/

Trump’s new health care plans

Think about this: you are 44 years old and have a heart attack. You are in great shape—you finished the Ironman triathlon just five months before. Your hospital was out of network for your school district plan. The hospital charged $164,941 for your surgery and four days in the hospital. Aetna, which administers health benefits for the Austin School District, paid the hospital $55,840. Hospital sent you a 2^nd notice for $109,000. This is the way it used to be before ObamaCare and mandated ‘comprehensive care.’

In order to ‘Make America Great Again’ Trump and TX are sticking us with bankruptcy.

Buy catastrophic coverage:  https://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

New ways the wealthy avoid taxes that we have to pay for them

The Trump tax breaks did not change a 1962 tax loophole from J F Kennedy. It allows the wealthy with money hidden overseas to declare and pay the corporate rate of 21% not 37%. The rich get richer. We have to pay for the courts, police, military, roads, airports, etc. the rich use but don’t pay for. We taxpayers help pay for their yachts and overseas vacation and rental properties. Imagine paying your tax at almost half the rate and then leaving it in a shelter with no income tax. You could live off the interest (no taxes) in one of your discounted villas and earn rental income while you were away. Trump’s mob favors Bank of Cyprus where the bank board is held by Wilbur Ross Commerce. Ross did not respond to Congress requests for info on money laundering via his Cyprus bank. However, Russians have used this facility with NO questions asked. The Panama Papers illustrate how hidden money gets laundered into mansions and property for sale. The IRS lets them earn some income overseas without being taxed too.

You can have a Trump tax shelter too: https://www.amazon.com/Trump-Tax-Shelter-Avoid-taxes/dp/1985448300

Does your vehicle hold value?

The brand receiving the most model-level awards is Lexus (five model-level awards), followed by Honda and Toyota with four model-level awards each. Chevy did NOT earn more awards than everyone else as they claim.

Lexus: Lexus IS; Lexus NX; Lexus LS; Lexus GS; and Lexus GX

Honda: Honda Civic; Honda Accord; Honda Odyssey; and Honda Fit

Toyota: Toyota Tundra; Toyota Tacoma; Toyota 4Runner; and Toyota Sienna

Porsche: Porsche Cayman;  Porsche Boxster; and Porsche 911

Subaru: Subaru WRX and Subaru Crosstrek

Dodge: Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger

Check your ride by class and size. Flood-damaged cars ‘flood’ markets BEWARE.

Buy value in coverage too: https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Is pet insurance right for you?

Pet insurance premiums rose 23% last year, and the number of insured pets rose about 16% to 1.83M last year, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. Americans spent about $17B last year on veterinary care-- per pet that comes to $257 for routine care for dogs and $182 for cats. The largest providers of pet insurance are Nationwide, Trupanion, and Healthy Paws. Only about 1% of dogs and cats in the U.S. are insured, but insurers expect that number to grow. Most adults don’t even carry life insurance because other needs come first. Your need for pet coverage must be weighed against other expenses: basic emergency fund, family health insurance, transport, food, shelter, etc. Insurers see the fast growth of this cover and may spend more to induce us to buy pet insurance. Pets are important like our well-being.

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Financial-Life-paycheck-paycheck/dp/1441499326

Did you get help paying for Trump’s tariff taxes?

Farms are not really struggling small businesses anymore. Farms are now corporations with over 2000 acres—70% of all our cropland. Super-aggie biz is socialism writ large. Trump has turned capitalism upside down. He gives $12 billion to corporations which are large enough to afford a slowdown. This Trump socialism is political juice to his followers who have fallen in love with Russia/Putin-style ‘democracy.’ You and I did not receive money to help pay for the price increases from tariffs. Farm corporations, known as ‘agribusiness,’ have been on a socialist track for a long time. Between subsidies and loans and insurance, agribiz has outgrown the need for subsidies set up when farmers had to struggle to live. Most Americans balk at giving hard-earned taxpayer dollars to people who make many times what most Americans do. By all means, let’s have a safety net. But, in years when farm firms make hundreds of thousands of dollars, I think they’re pretty safe already. Like coal, oil, gas, sugar, etc we pay everyone else except ourselves—even Congress people are double dipping. Trump gives tax cuts to wealthy.

Get your tax-relief: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Socialism-for-Rich-little-people-pay-tax/dp/1535218584

CAUTION: Brokerage firms are reinstating commissions for IRAs

Firms like Merrill are charging commissions again for IRAs because Trump cancelled the Fiduciary Rule. This Obama regulation protected you from sellers making a fortune when you moved your IRA to their firm’s products—usually a variable annuity. Trump was told that the industry would be hurt if it could not continue to earn 6-10% on your IRA move. The wirehouse, which has about 17,400 financial advisers, is instituting the new protocol on Oct. 1, along with additional adviser oversight and new client disclosures. Merrill cited “client pressure and a new regulatory environment as the primary factors behind the change.” Merrill and others had required brokers to use an advisory account to comply with the Fiduciary Rule. Now you will be switched back to create commissions. They are using the misleading reason: “greater choice and flexibility.” Of course you have always had ‘choice.’ Handsome commissions are paid by insurers. They recoup them with multiple annuity fees you pay over the time you hold annuities.

Get the best without fees: https://www.amazon.com/Fiduciary-Rule-BEST-dont-lose-anymore/dp/1530980275

Are the top hospitals near you?

The current report on ‘best’ hospitals by USNews is out and mine are not on it. However, your doc may be good enough working out of your local facility for your needs. The report uses risk-adjusted survival and readmission rates, volume, patient experience, patient safety and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators. My local hospital does not have high volume so it won’t score high ever. Tons of data are collected for this survey so for special conditions, it is useful. Whether your health insurance plan would ever pay for care at the ‘best’ facility is another matter. Some facilities have waiting lists for admission. Most of us have never lived with another country’s plan so we don’t know how good our health care is. If we compare our overall health to that of other industrial countries, it seems our general health care is determined by income not by this report. Access is the operative concern to the rankings by the World Health Org  which show a different picture. Our ‘best’ is there for those who can afford it. 70% of us would like to try Medicare for all since we can’t afford the ‘best.’ It bankrupts us.  

Buy catastrophic coverage until then:  https://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

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Make America, “The Don”, Great Again

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

Conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy to receive Emoluments from foreign states, false statements, subverting constitutional tax power, obstructing justice, failure to secure voting systems from attacks, and Foundation self-dealing.

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

Trump EPA throws out study linking pesticide to child health: Chem firms don’t like it.

Trump tax deduction cap $10K can be avoided; use the Trump tax avoidance method.

Trump cancels Fiduciary so we go back to losing $17 Billions for ‘biased’ advice

SCAMS/SPINS:

President/Mob boss says Cohen did not commit crimes: law or dictator decides?

The Don wants to oversee our Google searches like China does. Dictators hate bad press

Trump now denying TX Americans their right to renew passports: Why? Non white?

Hang up on a caller that claims you won or you may lose it all: “I will handle taxes.”

Hang up on University asking to repay loan by phone or classes dropped.

Transamerica caught misleading clients with bad investments that don’t work. Refund?

Legg Mason caught bribing foreign government for investment business

Trustmont PA caught breaching fiduciary duty, committing fraud and negligence annuity.

Gordon Cloutier TX caught asking client for loan and trying unauthorized trade.

Woodbridge real estate promised 8% in Ponzi: costs 16% to get money back.

BEWARE: Free trades are hot product now but none are really free of charges/fees/costs.

McCain remembered and respected by all for integrity – except one mob boss.

Did the American experiment end with McCain? Can our rulers have integrity again?

Hunter blames wife for spending but he spent $400 for 30 tequilas at a bachelor party.

Child care costs as much as rent in some communities: no savings possible.

Wichita allows citizens to drink bad water for years: Who’s guilty? Jail time?

When we all have guns for ‘protection,’ who will police shoot first? Safe in your home?

               police shoot owner who already shot intruder. Kids will have plastic killer guns?

Jobs:

Wage increases not kept up with price increases: Trump tax cuts give firms pricing power

DeVry sued over misleading promise for job completion rate.

Trump cancels 2% govt wage hikes so wealthy owners get tax cut from 35% to 21%.

Who owns your account now?

The IRS conducted audits on just 0.6 percent of tax returns, the lowest level in 15 years.

Is it cheaper to buy your suitcases a seat than pay $150 to check them? YES!

Social Security benefits have lost 34% of their buying power since 2000.

Deceased relative left insurance policy?: https://eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator/#/welcome

Regulator allows banks to plunder student accounts: “legally dubious” debit card fees.

Vanguard Personal ranked best “robo investing platforms” with access to live advsors.

Miracle:

Living on SS benefits alone? Rents in certain towns make it possible.

Pope asked for forgiveness from Ireland: PA, MO next?

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair ,  NJ   07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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