Avoid taxes in retirement

Avoid taxes in retirement: Give yourself the tax-FREE income you want

Advisors are wrong—we don’t need 80% of salary in retirement. A recent survey indicates that today's retirees are bringing in far less than that -- about 66% of their pre-retirement income on average. The average retired couple in this survey, before taxes, brought in $58,000 per year. Most of that money is coming from Social Security 43%, then traditional pensions 19%.

“Let’s Do the Numbers” to Create the tax-FREE income we want:  http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Numbers-Creating-Retirement/dp/1502775522

Workers will work long past age 65

A new report says that nearly three quarter of individuals delaying retirement plan to stay on the job an additional three years. And nearly one-third plan to retire at age 70 or later.

This leaves less opportunity for young people. Make every dollar count.

Use the tax system to avoid future taxes: http://www.amazon.com/Create-Your-Tax-FREE-Financial-System/dp/1466367466

Is your bank’s fixed annuity right for you?
Your bank personnel are after you to buy a fixed annuity. They tempt you with rates over 5% compared to their CDs at just over 2%. You receive a set amount for life it is true but if interest rates go up in the future, you will be stuck. With inflation at 3%, you will be getting HALF the amount of value in 20 years. If you have an emergency, you pay up to 8% to get your money back. Consider all the (non-bank) alternatives first: http://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Income-Annuity-Guaranteed-Life/dp/1497337313

Do you have a problem car?

The National High Traffic Safety Administration registers complaints drivers have with their cars and the folks at The Center for Auto Safety created an index of these complaints relative to the number of that model sold. The top cars on the list are:

• Nissan Pathfinder
• Infiniti QX60
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Ford Focus
• Cadillac ATS

See complaints: http://www.autosafety.org/viewcomplaints/33/231/2005/all/1

Save on car insurance: http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Is your broker or advisor right for you?

How do you know that the product or advice is the BEST for you? What do you consider when buying? How much does the seller get paid to sell this product versus another? Is the advice free or do you pay an hourly fee? Is your advisor considering your future plans or needs? Are your plans flexible for future possibilities? Some products cost too much and can’t be cancelled. Do you have other sources of help like the Toffels? Did you pick the best of at least 3 solutions? http://www.amazon.com/Are-you-ready-retirement-worst/dp/1491002662

What are the alternatives to PIMCO’s Total Return fund?

Where do you invest now that Bill Gross’s run as bond guru is over? Wellesley Income fund has provided 10% return since 1970 with 60% bonds. Low cost (0.18%) is the key to long-term success. Gross charged 0.85% to 1.60% and so he had a hard time in this low interest rate world. Gross provided only 12% total return since 2000 where Wellesley gave you 22% vs DOW 56%. Wellesley Income is one of the Vanguard Top 10: http://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X

GOP crazies

In one of the weirdest and most Floridian moments in debate history, Wednesday night's gubernatorial debate was delayed because Republican governor Rick Scott refused to take the stage with Democratic challenger Charlie Crist and his small electric fan. Crist is running as Dem after swearing off GOP after the right criticized his leadership.

Should you take the life-long pension or the lump sum from work?

This is the question many have to face as they retire. If you can’t afford to hire a planner to do the numbers for you, consider that a pension usually pays you a fixed amount until you die. If longevity is in your family, this is a plus, just like good health and your fear of the market if you self-invested. If you have other sources of income and hate to budget and like steady income, take it. If you like to control your future and create a greater retirement income, read Ian Sender’s new book: http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Numbers-Creating-Retirement/dp/1502775522

Employers “Guaranteed” benefits are B.S.—don’t count on them!

Some cities and counties are taking away benefits that they had long promised workers. This has angered many retirees, and an advocacy group, ProtectOurSeniors.org, has supported a bill introduced this year in Congress that would prevent companies—public and private—from taking away earned health-care benefits. The bill would also require companies that filed for bankruptcy to pay retiree pensions for at least three years.

“Post-retirement health benefits are not entitlements, they are earned benefits that were paid for by workers and guaranteed by employers,” one advocate said.

Shifting retirees onto the exchanges means more sick people—higher costs.

“Guaranteed” benefits are no longer guaranteed. Wealth is the only guaranteed system: http://www.amazon.com/Create-Your-Tax-FREE-Financial-System/dp/1466367466

What is a “robo-advisor” and do you need one?

Wall Street’s quest for more revenue takes a twist—in order to keep profits high, they are going electronic. Your broker/advisor can now offer to do what you could do all along—use low-cost index funds at a low-cost trading website. Of course, you will still pay through the nose for this “professional” service but now it’s done by staff. Your advisor will have more time to “gather more assets” instead of processing your paperwork. The “Robo-advisor” will manage “low-cost portfolios of ETFs, “smart” rebalancing, automated tax-loss harvesting, automatic money transfers and automated dividend re-investment.” Here is the reason you are being handed off: “the platform allows advisors to scale their business, automate workflows, develop new client relationships and provide clients with a modern digital and mobile experience. An advisor dashboard allows advisors to view all relevant data at the firm level (assets under management, clients, business metrics) and at the client level (balances, allocations, performance and so on).”
Robos are also provide “paperless forms and client agreements; Web and mobile apps; bank-level security; billing software and fee collection; the generation of statements and reports; and technical support seven days a week. All client-facing materials -- including the Web site, mobile apps, client statements and e-mails -- are branded with your advisor logo.” Great for advisor—no need to call just use app!

Since your broker/advisor is going robo, you might want to go really low-cost: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

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. We have wasted $398.6 billion so far on the F-35 program—they can’t fly safely.

We just can’t afford to pay for everyone else’s defenses anymore.

Japan, Germany and S. Korea can pay for their own defenses.

Shame the Iraq army?

A Kurdish woman fighter is leading the battle against Islamic State jihadists in the Syrian battleground town of Kobane, a monitoring group and activists said Sunday. "Those who know her say she is cultivated, intelligent and phlegmatic," said Mustefa Ebdi, a Kurdish activist from Kobane. "She cares for the mental state of the fighters and takes interest in their problems," he said.

Kick some Axx, girl!

Dutch biker gang grabs rifles, joins Kurds in fight against ISIS

Dutch govt says OK, just don’t fight against us.

Will Hell’s Angels join next?

Army lied to soldiers about chemical weapons exposure

American troops were exposed to chemical weapons multiple times in the years following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, while the Pentagon kept their discoveries of the expired or degraded weapons secret from investigators, fellow soldiers, and military doctors, according to a published report. On at least six occasions, soldiers were wounded by those weapons. In all, the NY Times reported that 17 U.S. soldiers and seven Iraqi police officers were exposed to chemical agents during the war. The U.S. government said its number was slightly higher, but did not release a specific figure. 

The Army, further, reportedly admitted to The Times that it had not followed its guidelines for treating soldiers exposed to chemical weapons in the years following the invasion.

In one case, a wounded soldier who suffered burns and blisters due to mustard gas was presented with a Purple Heart by former Secretary of the Army Peter Geren. Weeks later, he was told that he had been denied the medal because the Army had determined that his wounds had not been suffered in enemy action. 

Navy proposes new $10 million war ship because ‘cheaper’?

It is right out of James Bond movie.

New boy toys are always exciting!

Susan Walker, Ameriprise Financial adviser pleaded guilty to defrauding 24 clients of almost $1 million, according the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota.

She is accused of making unsuitable investment recommendations, including advising an 89-year-old client to invest over $75,000 into annuities, prior to her employment with Ameriprise. She later withdrew funds from those accounts for personal use, according to the order.

IAN

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