Your Investment Edge: A Tax-FREE Growth and Income Account
In these times, you need an Edge to get ahead on investments. Tax-FREE accumulation provides an extra 25% to your investment total. If you earned 15.3% last year, you could have made the equivalent of 23.3%. You never pay taxes—no federal, state, capital gains or dividend taxes. Start your EDGE today for free.
Why Washington feels free to cut our “entitlements”
Ever wonder how our “representatives” will survive in retirement after all the money they want to take away from hard working Americans. They don’t have to worry since they pay less and receive more than almost any American worker. Plus their health benefits are better than ours. Their retirement package also includes Social Security. Half of them are already millionaires—buying stocks of companies they know will go up because they passed bills making it so. They don't need to worry about benefit cuts. They have $ millions.
Will your long-term care insurance premium go up again?
The cost of a typical U.S. individual long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy increased 20 percent between 2012 and 2013. It increased 16% in 2012. Insurers' LTCI rates vary widely, according to one observer. "For a 55-year-old single policy applicant, the highest-priced policy cost 87 percent more than the comparable lowest-priced policy." There are big variations in benefits also. The insurer may be out of business by the time you need it. Compare alternatives before you commit:
States profiting from our money
Some states are making money from our rightful assets. Even if you try to claim the assets, they may have been sold and are gone. In one case, a person bought Apple stock in the 1980s from a broker. The broker must turn them over to the state after a certain time. The state sold the shares for pennies and kept the money. The $20,000 in stock is gone. There is no standard rule when brokers, bankers, other fiduciaries give up our money to the state. According to the SEC, most states declare stocks abandoned in 5 years. If you are a long-term investor, you are at risk unless you do something. Institutions have their own rules about abandonment. Check your stock’s location today. I got no answer when I asked the SEC what we could do about this. http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/05/pf/unclaimed-money/index.html
CA turns down Blues increase
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced that the 11.7 percent average rate increase imposed by Blue Shield of California Life and Health Insurance Company is unreasonable.
MN tax filers cautioned about TurboTax
Minnesota Department of Revenue has been advising taxpayers not to use Intuit products, including TurboTax, to file your Minnesota taxes in any form, electronically or on paper. According to the Department of Revenue, Intuit has discovered “multiple issues” with their products affecting 2012 Minnesota tax returns. These problems include errors with property tax refunds, education expenses and political contributions. The Department of Revenue advises taxpayers that these issues could “jeopardize the accuracy of your return or delay your refund.” Tax prep sites listed by the IRS charge nothing for the federal filing. States’ returns can cost $10. http://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free
IL wants to cap LTCi rate hikes at 15%??!!!
A bill under consideration in the Illinois legislature would cap long-term care insurance (LTCi) rate hikes at 15 percent annually. An increase of 15% a year would double the annual premium in 5 FIVE years. $2,000 at age 55 would mean $4,000 at age 60 and $8,000 by age 65. There are alternatives:http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-better-alternatives/dp/147006877X
Kaiser scores top marks from healthy
For the sixth consecutive year, Kaiser Permanente ranked highest in customer satisfaction for health insurance among California policyholders.
Most families overpay for less coverage
A Survey of 600 independent agents finds most families insured by mass-market carriers remain vulnerable to severe financial loss and overlook discounts. Families often do not carry enough liability coverage in a variety of forms. Too often, their homes and contents are not adequately protected. Meanwhile, these families also overlook many savings opportunities, such as higher deductibles and package discounts. By taking advantage of these savings opportunities and strengthening coverage against severe loss, families can often achievemore effective protection without a significant increase in premiums. Pay less for more protection using discounts and smart choices: http://www.amazon.com/Homeowners-Insurance-Beware-Coverage-Policy/dp/1480100870
Actual paper stocks and bonds going digital
The trade organization representing hundreds of securities firms, banks and asset managers in the U.S. supports the push for dematerialization. (Mr Spock says that means NO MORE HARD COPY PAPER securities.) Even restricted securities would become entries on a statement. That would be your only proof you own any stock, bond, shares, etc. The change will take years. The required holding time for the destruction of non-transferable securities (bankrupt or insolvent) will be reduced from six to four years. But look what happened to the Apple stock owner above who did not have paper shares.
Why is our wealth going in the wrong direction?
While the median net worth decreased for all age groups, older households lost the most money. Among households headed by someone age 65 or older, median net worth decreased in 2010. Retired couples were worth a median of $307,728 in 2010. For seniors, most of the net worth is in housing, which they can't eat. $170,128 is the amount the average retiree has to carry them through 30 years of retirement.
How does a parking lot attendant accumulate $500,000 in stocks?
Mr Earl Crawley earns less than $20,000 a year. He has paid off his mortgage and has no debts. He raised a family. He doesn't use stock trading, get-rich-quick schemes or pyramid marketing. He invested small amounts each month, reinvested his dividends and held blue chip stocks like Exxon, Bank America , etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD0svDGyLWU
What can we learn from this guy?
SCAMS “Deficits don’t matter” GOP grandfather, Dick Cheney, 2002
Regulators stopped a get-rich-quick scheme for a secret “plasma engine” that took $1.4 million from 100 “investors.” Unfortunately doesn’t work. Sounds good, though.
IAN
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