Friday, February 14, 2014

Maximize your income

Maximize your Social Security Benefits and Retirement Income
I wrote this book so you could maximize your Social Security benefits. The average benefit is about $15,000—about HALF the average retiree's income of $31,000. This is less than the level needed for most families. Most economists say we need 80% of the average household income of $51,000. We need to develop our own “lifestyle security.” We need to create more income—preferably tax-FREE income—to avoid the tax increases needed to pay for 2 wars, 2 tax cuts and 2 Wall Street bailouts.
Today you can make sure you are protected by creating an inflation-proof retirement Spending Plan.
You need to enter the last 30 years of your lives knowing how you both are going to manage them. http://www.amazon.com/Maximize-Social-Security-Benefits-Retirement/dp/1495439224/

Americans want to save Social Security for their futures
A recent poll shows a majority of Americans support reducing Social Security benefits for the top 25% of earners; eventually raising the full retirement age to 68 or more; increasing the annual cap on income subject to the payroll tax to $215,000 or higher; and boosting the payroll tax rate from 6.2% to 6.6% or higher. This poll was taken after citizens were educated about SS benefits. For instance, if Congress does nothing, Social Security benefits will be cut by 23% starting in 2033. Do want the changes?
Will the millionaire-do-nothing Congress protect those less fortunate or will they continue to funnel subsidies and tax loopholes to their donors?
Let me know how would you vote?

Free tax prep finds best deductions for you
Many free tax preparation software aps provide you with the questions to determine if you should file with standard or itemized deductions. You don’t need to waste time completing the Schedule A, B etc if you don’t have to. For instance, if you don’t have high medical, property tax, mortgage interest expenses, it is unlikely that you can beat the $12,200 standard deduction for married jointly. Deductions vary by your situation so the software will know which forms to send depending on your answers. Find free software at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free.

Long-term care insurance alternatives
If you are considering this protection to help save your assets for you or your spouse later on, you need to plan carefully. Others in your situation have used certain financial products to make sure the remaining spouse keeps the maximum assets to live on. Can you keep your home? Which assets are “countable”? My Dad paid nothing for his two nursing home stays. Medicaid qualification is complicated so learn what you really need to do in advance by using our guide: http://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-Updated-2013/dp/148274001X

Two Americas: who are the unemployed—really?
A large number of men who are still in their prime working years find themselves without jobs for extended periods, despite an improving economy, according to The Wall Street Journal. The trend has been building for decades. The percentage of unemployed men 25 to 54 more than doubled between the early 1970s and 2007, from 6 percent to 13 percent, before jumping to 20 percent in the depths of the recession in 2009, according to the article. Some politicians say the unemployed are lazy and like living on $1200 a month instead of working. That might cover rent alone in many cities.
Americans are working more than ever but their real income is the same as 1970s.
According to a recent Workforce Management study, since the great recession, 55% of employees have seen their workload increase, and 27% say it’s doubled. The constant pressure to do more with less, coupled with the belief that being busy means we’re important, is creating an unsustainable pattern. Productivity gains went to the bosses. “Man [kind] does not live by bread alone.”
In future, will elites keep this group of unemployed in suspense playing video games, gambling money they don’t have, engaged in filling up time like Romans at the free coliseum games? Will politics create more make-work jobs like Christie appointees at the Port Authority? Or Obama’s ambassadors to Argentina, Hungary and Norway.

Reliable used luxury cars are the choice for working millionaires
Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac had the vehicles with the fewest reported problems. Lexus had just 68 problems per 100 vehicles, the only brand with fewer than 100 problems. General Motors had the most winners in each segment, with eight, including the highest-ranked compact car, the Chevrolet Volt, and the highest-ranked pickup, the GMC Sierra. Toyota Motor Co. was second with seven segment winners, including the Toyota Camry minivan and Lexus ES luxury compact car.
Mini, Dodge and Land Rover had the most reported problems. Mini, the worst performer, had 185 problems per 100 vehicles.
The JD Power survey questioned 41,000 owners of 2011 model year vehicles between October and December of last year. Cost of reliable 2011 Lex in my area is $23,000.

Insurance agent hates ObamaCare—but says we should take it!
62% of bankruptcies were due to medical expenses, according to a Harvard University Study. And almost 75% of those had health insurance—they were just underinsured.  "People don't realize how serious it is to be walking around without health insurance or even simply underinsured," says Shaun Kennard. "It's a sure recipe for disaster and one that many people can avoid now as a result of either the subsidy programs or the removal of all pre-existing condition limitations."
Finally, a subsidy for us NOT EXXON. Indeed, the subsidy programs are fairly far-reaching and you may be surprised to learn that you qualify for help.  Assistance begins from a single person making less than $45,960 to a family of five with a household income less than $110,280. Buy only what you need: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

ObamaCare opportunity missed by pockets of needy
A study conducted for The Associated Press found that half of the uninsured live in just 116 of the nation's 3,143 counties, and half of the coveted 19-39-year-old demographic lives in just 108 counties. The premiums of the young and relatively healthy are needed to offset the cost of insuring older adults who are more likely to have chronic illness.
Open enrollment for subsidized private insurance ends March 31 for people who don't have health care through their jobs, federal officials plan to target these counties, which lie mostly in metro areas. Five percent of the nation's uninsured live in Los Angeles County alone, where 2 million people remain uninsured.


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] armed personnel in the United States. Our taxes pay for about HALF of the WORLD’s military expenditures every year.

Gamblers lost a record $440B last year—almost covers the budget deficit
More states are involved in seducing you to play online. This makes it easier to lose $500 because some new sites are promising to give you $200 to $500 to start. Remember, follow the money! Why are they “giving” you the money to start? They know that most people can’t stop. Your odds are better with a bet on the new drug companies, using an index like Vanguard’s Health Fund which has returned 43% in one year, 17% every year since 1984. If you had “gambled” just $9 a day you would have a $1/4 million by now: https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0052&FundIntExt=INT

Who owns your account now?
CNA Financial life unit to Wilton Re Holdings Ltd which is backed by Stone Point Capital, Bermuda.

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
Montclair, NJ 07042
973.746.2014

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