Friday, May 26, 2023

Memorial to all those who gave it all

 

 

Memorial to all those who gave it all so we could see Congress avoid doing its job

 

 

Graduation gift that lasts a lifetime

Show your teen the easy way to compound their money to a $million tax-FREE fund. Make sure you teach your kids how to create wealth the easy way. My parents were not investors. At my first job, I had no clue which investment option to use for my 401k contribution and company match. The HR person told me to put it into the “safe” stable value fund. That was the worst choice at my age I learned later when I got my securities licenses. If I had followed their advice I would have ended up with about $150,000 instead of a Wealth Reserve of $877,233 about 33 years later. I have used this 'Wealth Reserve' as I call it to have funds to buy low-cost insurance, to help buy two homes and 5 cars with higher down payments or cash, and now to receive $2,900 a month in retirement supplement. Now your child can build an account that provides tax-FREE education and retirement income too. The stock market provides about 11% a year over time: double your money every 7-9 years. Only the buy and hold strategy works; market timing pays the advisor/broker’s fees.

Time is on their side: https://www.amazon.com/Give-your-child-leg-up-manage/dp/1096505355

 

Why use a simple low-cost 500 index fund?

The best retirement outcomes seem to be a fund that provides 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 year returns near 10%: 8.71, 14.08, 10.90,            11.64,  9.53. Many advisors and fund managers would be happy with this outcome for their fees. Unfortunately, they can’t work for nothing. Their firm needs your money too. Some of us put our long-term retirement money in this kind of index fund because we learned the hard way that advisor costs reduce our gains dollar for dollar. If the advisor takes their annual percent of your portfolio plus buys and sells securities for your account, they will take more of your money. Studies show that over time ‘managed’ equity accounts only produce 3.79% annually vs 11% from a low-cost S&P 500 fund. You can see that you will have a hard time reaching your retirement fund goal using an advisor. Less than 10% of Americans are taking advice from a financial advisor and for good reason. Some give the advisor a small portion of our portfolio to see if they can find the ‘needle in the haystack,’ a huge hit. The money the advisor takes in fees and trades may pay for their advice. However, remember that advisors are employed to make their firms money not to make you rich. Their legal standard of conduct is to “act in investor’s best interest.” However, if they really did that they would put every client into a low-cost market index fund. The advisor and firm would be out of business in a month.

Pay less keep more: https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Retirement-System-ReserveTM/dp/1461030072

 

Are “interval funds” right for you?

With high interest rates and volatile equity markets roiling portfolios, allocations are shifting with cash, fixed income, private credit and other alternatives. As credit conditions tighten, alts look very attractive. It’s a trend that could accelerate further with the rising popularity of “interval funds.” An interval fund is a type of Investment Company that periodically offers to repurchase its shares from shareholders. That is, the fund periodically offers to buy back a stated portion of its shares from shareholders. Shareholders are not required to accept these offers and sell their shares back to the fund. High yields are the main reason investors are attracted to interval funds. Because of the restricted selling opportunities, an interval fund should be considered a long-term, mostly illiquid investment. Minimum investments are often between $10,000 and $25,000 and have expense ratios as high as 3%. These are very expensive “bond” funds. If you have not been paying attention, low-cost equity funds are up over 9% so far this year. Volatility creates value for “long-term mostly illiquid” investors. “Intervals” are how advisors make their money; not yours. Ignore the “noise” that feeds financial firms. Study: when investors believe prices are bound to fall, markets actually reward the brave.

https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Beat-Wall-Street-professionals/dp/1986031373

 

Best investment strategy

Dollar-cost averaging: buy more when price is low and buy less when price is high. The logic of this approach appeals to long-term investors as they say, aha! Studies show that DCA works best using the power of compounding—you are not buying and selling. This strategy may help more women feel comfortable investing since you don’t have to “bet the ranch” on one tip to create a great retirement fund. Vanguard research shows that the same process and logic that investors instinctively use to choose everything from a toaster to a surgeon simply doesn’t work when it comes to the investment markets. Buying the BEST funds over the past 1, 3, 5 years usually means your choices will under perform in the next few years. Diversification is probably a necessary evil. But by sticking with the same diversified funds—buying more when the price is low—assures you of picking up bargains for the next cycle. The only way to make sure you follow the strategy is to have your mutual fund trustee debit your checking account on the same day every month automatically.

https://www.amazon.com/Money-Ball-Investing-Winning-unfair/dp/1548831409

 

Use your Social Security supplement

In case Treasury holds your benefit in June, use your emergency SS supplement for at least part of the missed income. The last time this political game happened, readers asked me how we can prepare for next time. Since Congress and the president get paid no matter what they decide, I told them to act now to build a Build Your Own “Lifestyle” Security Fund. Most retirees tell me that they wish they had a supplement fund so they felt more secure in retirement emergencies. What is this fund? Social Security will exhaust its funds in about 2034. Most workers retire with less than $100,000 for retirement. The largest asset owned is a personal residence. Social Security is the major source of income for retirees. The average benefit is $1,076 per month--$12,912 a year—less if they started early! Income taxes will climb because the size of government obligations will never shrink. Ten years of tax cuts and two wars have to be paid for by someone. 44 million Americans have pension plans that may be at risk. Why wait for disaster? It is time for us to build our own financial system.

https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Social-Security-Medicare-Lifestyle/dp/1466394285

 

 

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

 

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracyWe 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 govt overthrow 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

 

Trump still terrorizing election woman

 

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 limitJ6 comm threat

 

January 6, 2021A date which will live in infamy

 

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” failed

 

Nov 15 2022 Trump announces for 2024 to avoid lawsuits

 

Dec 3 2022 Trump: cancel Constitution rules so ‘I win

 

Mar 11 2023 Pence straddles his place in history

 

Mar 31 2023 Trump indicted misusing election money

 

Apr 7 2023 One GOP guy decided which drugs we can use

 

Apr 9 Illustrated Anne Frank book removed by Florida school

 

Apr 21 Trump: “I am your justice

 

 

 

Jan 2025 Dictator pardons himself: his Supremes agree

 

 

How Govt wastes our money:

Media plays up deficit doomsday routine to create heroic battle for our hearts and minds

I know why postage costs up: NJ neighbor sent card 12 Jan; got here 5/22: Baltimore 2x

Richest nation in the world wants to stiff us and the rest of the world: absurd game

GOP head: Default could bode “Very Well” for us: seniors, vets, poor pay the price

 

Uvalde officers who botched response face few consequences: still in job of inaction

Deficit solution: stop overpaying Defense contractors: $ Billions to corp elites

The Supreme Court just gutted the Clean Water Act. It could be devastating.

 

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

D.C. police arrested, accused of leaking info to Proud Boys leader: police as terrorists

Terrorist not TX militia who attacked police in Trump-led govt overthrow gets 5 years

KY man shot roommate after accusing him of eating the last Hot Pocket

 

Jones trying to avoid paying Sandy families for their loss: transfers $billions to family/friends

 

School librarians face a new penalty in the banned-book wars: Prison

FL ‘has become hostile to Black Americans’: NAACP travel warning

FL school bans poem read at Biden inaugural: 1 parent says: contained "hate messages" ?

 

Excessive and Risky Artery Procedures on Veterans

Hospitals create own police forces to stem growing violence against staff?

We skipped medical treatment last year because of costs rose substantially: GOP to cut benefits

 

More than 450 IL Catholic clergy sexually abused nearly 2,000 children: clergy need sex!

Bolivia’s Catholic Church acknowledges ignoring sex abuse victim’s complaints: perp died

 

Terrorist failed gov overthrow for Leader Trump: Oath Keepers Rhodes gets 18 years

Most books banned in 37 states were the result of complaints by just 11 people:

Texas House passes bill to end diversity, equity and inclusion offices in higher education

Texas pushes Protestantism into state with bills on school chaplains, Ten Commandments

 

Target removing goods anti-gays object to: capitalism has been captured by prejudice

 

Fox Fake News: immigrants displacing veterans from hotel is a lie to hurt most vulnerable.

Fake Celebrity Endorsements: Most don’t use the thing: Oprah doesn’t use gummies

Fake Pentagon explosion spreads: election at risk by fake candidate shooting/disaster/lies

Scammer AI fake tricks money out of victim by imitating a trusted friend on a video call.

 

Managers took $10 million pay to run Republic into bankruptcy: no accountability

Citizens Bank caught failed to manage customers’ credit card disputes and fraud claims.

Crypto giant Binance caught commingled customer funds and company revenue

StubHub advertises ticket prices without 23%+ service fees: only the elites like 1700s

 

5 financial firms caught violating your rights and required notices: sloppy work can cost

Ofer Abarbanel CA caught fraud $16 million: promised safe and liquid investments

Oak Lane Advisors caught failed to stop $29 million scheme: never invested by dead broker

Shawn Edward Good NC caught: stole $7.2 million from clients: promised 10% low-risk

 

Jobs

My linkedin: ‘You appeared in 17 searches’: many financial services jobs unfilled

Why we need immigrants: Some GOP states want kids in danger, hours, bartenders

The share of foreign-born workers in the U.S. labor force hit a record high last year

 

Who owns your account now?

Can you live on yield in retirement? Check what you could receive at least part of time.

529 College Savings Plans: which is best for you? Some have great benefits.

Buying new can be a colossal waste of money:

 

Miracles:

Manhattan is sinking: flooding makes it worse; glaciers raise ocean level: move?

Microsoft signed the world’s first contract to purchase fusion-generated electricity

Double amputee Gurkha veteran reaches summit of Mount Everest

 

Cost Plus drugs: Mark Cuban sells some drugs at 50% off: real or stunt?

12 year-old picks up 5 degrees: going for his pilot license at age 16.

Wrangler on horseback lassoes runaway animal on MI highway: vote for cow

 

What did Earth’s first animal look like? Scientists solve 700-million-year-old puzzle

Minnesota Dems won big and gave voters what they wanted: schools, abortion, tax credit

Free lighthouses for the asking/auction: your dream comes true: CT, RI, MI, etc

 

@

 

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

Energy into matter: scientists converted light energy directly into matter in one step

In place of atomic lattice, light waves used to create an optical lattice with same geometry

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

Quantum mechanics violates local realism: two objects behave as single system at 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

Strange state of physics that allows energy to flow frictionlessly through a material

Bending light from extreme gravity reveals largest black hole so far

Curved SpaceTime: heavy masses and simultaneously quantum effects become visible

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: created our time.

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

Gold made from neutron stars: collisions produce more neutrons:79 protons,118 neutrons

The proton is so complicated science still finds new energy entities/forces every year.

 

“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 electron itself.

Scientists build 'baby' wormhole as sci-fi moves closer to fact: inside quantum computer

starts-with-a-bang/universe-expansion-not-accelerating/

 

 

 

@

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

http://www.theinsidersguides.com/

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

 

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