Friday, May 5, 2017

Is an annuity right for you?

Is an annuity right for you?
Before you talk to your advisor, you need to understand the market price of what you are really buying. Annuity buying is like car buying. Before you even step in the door of a car dealer, you better understand what you are looking for or you may NOT get what you need. Our financial planner is on salary so there is no reason to tilt the presentation to one product. Consider if you could benefit from a better deal before you enter into the non-cancelable annuity contract. For instance, you can generate a $1,100 a month from a $200,000 nest egg and ADD eggs at the same time. An annuity of the same deposit provides $1,100 only for your life but NO more eggs. If you die, you lose your deposit.


Don Trump could be a great president
Trump could create a huge legacy in American history by cutting the national debt. All he has to do is end all the tax loopholes and subsidies to the wealthy and business. Almost every type of business has special deals that make it more profitable. It is how capitalism becomes socialism for the rich. Consider the bank bailout. Bankers got huge bonuses for making risky bets with our money. When the bets went bad, we taxpayers had to make the banks—even the foreign banks—whole. The gamblers lost nothing. Instead of helping us, our reps keep giving subsidies to big agriculture for ethanol, subsidies to big oil for drilling, subsidies to aerospace to for planes, even subsidies to Congress people who claim to be ‘farmers’. We give even more $ billions to businesses in the form of “income tax expense” or B.S. for tax credits for losing money. For instance, we gave Don Trump almost $ billion tax loss credit for doing a few bad deals. Our government has no accountability in our cost overrun spending for projects like building a hospital or a bunch of F35 fighter planes that don’t work. ‘Smoking crack’ was given as an excuse for the poor planning and authorization by officials. Meanwhile the average taxpayer is hit with 97 taxes that take an average of 33% of income. Rich people like Warren Buffett, Mitt Romney and John Kerry pay 17% or less. Most foreign firms avoid taxes too.

Has America become a “banana” republic?
A “banana” republic: A country where the large corporations and the wealthy receive all the income and pay an ever smaller part of the tax bill. Since 1980, 99% of all income has gone to the top 10% of families. A country where the people’s representatives must beg for campaign contributions 70% of their time. And the decisions by these representatives as a group help the wealthy and their companies remain in the bonus column. Thousands of subsidies and tax loopholes are created by those already doing well so that the rules keep getting bent in their favor. Our taxes continue to subsidize companies already doing well. Even those institutions set up to fight inequality and unfairness—the justice apparatus and Supreme court—are swayed by the prejudiced, the rich and the powerful. Justice Department head meets with presidential candidate’s team weeks before elections. FBI director announces just before election one candidate is under investigation without mentioning the other one is too. Intelligence agencies determine that a foreign power is pushing one candidate. Supreme Court nominee is refused a hearing and vote by Congress contrary to our tradition. Justices are routinely given free vacations and trips by companies with cases to be decided by those justices. Institutions set up to keep our air and water clean are biased by those representing special interests. A country that gives the already wealthy, tax breaks in the name of jobs. As average family income has remained the same for 50 years as adjusted for inflation. All the increases in work productivity have been translated into a big raise for the wealthy few.
A country where the leader is elected after calling women vile names, groping them and admitting sexual assault.
Is America becoming a banana republic? Typically, the banana republic has a society of stratified social classes, usually a great and poor working class and a ruling-class plutocracy, composed of the business, political, and military elites of that society.[1] Such a ruling-class oligarchy control the primary sector of the economy by way of the exploitation of labour;[2] thus, the term banana republic is a pejorative descriptor for a servile dictatorship that abets and supports, for kickbacks, the exploitation of large-scale plantation agriculture, especially banana cultivation.[2]

What happens when the ‘millionaire’ tax is gone and deficits rise?
Trump has proposed an end to the alternative minimum tax which Nixon imposed to make sure millionaires paid some tax after deducting all their expenses. Trump and his tax credit class will be able to deduct all their expenses—even those they made up. Trump personally will have an extra $60 million in tax savings. Fewer wealthy people will be paying taxes, especially if they convert their personal income to a business with a 15% tax rate. Money managers say wealthy don’t create jobs. The KS tax cut proves cuts do NOT make jobs. The GOP does not seem to have any problem with increasing the national debt as they cancel the estate tax (estates above $5.5 million) also. Each taxpayer will owe $173,730 on the debt by 2021. Since many wealthy people, corporations and foreign firms avoid taxes, only working people will be paying the taxes. The GOP likes a new national sales tax, a spending tax, a ‘border adjustment’ for the future. Avoid their taxes. Start a legal tax shelter now: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Shelter-Young-Americans/dp/1500426520

Vanguard is having a sale on stocks and bonds
As more paid advisors move your money to index funds that pay a commission (ETFs), the not-for-profit Vanguard Group is challenging them to cut fees again. On some of their most popular funds, it is almost FREE to invest with Vanguard. The largest fund family has cut Total Stock and Total Bond fund expenses by 25% to 0.04% per year. That’s $40 per $100,000 invested. That means that if you are paying the standard 1.4% to your advisor, you are overpaying by $1,360. If you are getting great money-making advice from your advisor, they are worth it. If they provided over 18.55% return in the last year then you have a gem. If their bonds provided over 2.43% yield over the last year, you can feel good. They are the exception to the rule Morningstar, the tracking firm, found:
In every single time period and data point tested,
low-cost funds beat high-cost funds.”
If you can afford to give up 13 hundred dollars every year over the next 10 or 20 years, do NOT take advantage of this sale. That is $13,600 and $27,200 in costs plus the difference between what they earn for you and what the market does. There are only 1 or 2 advisors that have ever beaten the market. Good luck covering their expense ratios too.
 
Are you afraid of withdrawing your retirement money?
Some studies show that retirees are hording their money. Some are reluctant to take the money out for fear of not having enough. They fear large medical bills later in life. The insurance industry has been spreading this fear in order to sell long-term care products. Others hold their money for the next generation seeing how difficult times can be for their young. Every person has their own way to spend in retirement but the IRS requires that we take out money each year at their rate or we pay a penalty. The IRS requires withdrawal percentages based on tables of life expectancies.
The Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) strategy allows the percentage of remaining wealth consumed each year to increase with age, as the retiree’s remaining life expectancy decreases. In a 2012 study, researchers compared the RMD approach with 1) other rules of thumb (such as living off the interest, basing withdrawals on remaining life expectancy, or taking out 4% each year) and 2) an optimal draw-down strategy that maximizes a household’s utility from consumption. The RMD strategy did ok and has logic on its side. Some retirees take the RMD but don’t spend all of it. They add to their Roth IRA which provides a tax-FREE cushion for whatevery happens in the future. Some young people use the Roth IRA now as their main pension strategy because there are no restrictions—no tax, no mandatory withdrawal, no forced use.  

Trump’s Promises and Outcomes: lying and flipflops to build his image
Promise: “Great plan” covers all: Outcome: 24 million lose coverage, pay more
            Kill NAFTA Outcome: it hurts workers because their jobs depend on trade.
            Pass on Trans-Pacific: Outcome: China becomes the leader in Asia.
            Kill Paris climate agreement: Outcome: We can’t stop planet over heating.
            End Iran nuclear deal: Outcome: Iran has no nuclear as per agreement
            Praise Syrian President Bashar: Outcome: decried him as a "butcher"; replace him
            Take care of N Korea: Outcome: China will help “defuse” showdown.
            Trump honored to meet N Korea killer: Outcome: B.S. to divert Russia probe
            China was guilty of "rape" against US: Outcome: praise for Xi Jinping
            China currency manipulator: Outcome: Chinese changed policy in 2014
            NATO is obsolete: Outcome: NATO is no longer obsolete
            Middle East peace easier: Outcome: Harder than health care “who knew”
            Obama fakes unemployment rate: Outcome: I got it down to 5% really
            Restore Supremes to Scalia-type decisions Outcome: anti-worker truck decision
            Replace Fed Chair Janet Yellen: Outcome: Praised her for keeping interest down 
            End national debt in 8 year: Outcome: Add 5.5 Trillion to debt in 10 years
            Create jobs Outcome: Jobs at Ford, Carrier, SoftBank, Toyota already in works
            Replace ObamaCare Outcome: bill will never have enough votes to beome law
            Build Navy: Outcome: Ships kill no Terrorists;  hide in plain sight with civilians
            Keep kids healthy: Outcome: cancel school lunch standards; back to salt, fats
            Go to Mars: Outcome: too expensive, cheaper to fix Earth
            Build The Wall: Outcome: build bigger wall around the White House
            Reduce legal immigration: Outcome: America’s growth and creativity is slowed
            Deport 11 million tax paying workers: Outcome: violates American tradition
            Make defemaion suit easier Outcome: 1st Amendment gives us right to speak.
            Support family values Outcome: 12 women claim he groped he confessed gropes
            Tax-advantaged religious groups can help GOP: Outcome: violates constitution:                              religion used as excuse to discriminate against those with other beliefs


Warren Buffett’s investment strategy
His annual stockholder’s meeting May 6 is time for advice on investors’ big mistake:  “Well, the big mistake is thinking they know when to buy and sell stocks.” Buffett recommends passive investing through a “very, very low cost S&P 500 index fund.” “They don’t need to do anything but that,” he says. “Then they’ll get a decent result over time. To some extent, the smarter you try to be, the worse you do in investments.”



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TrumpWorld
We have entered the Twilight Zone:
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadowbetween science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone" where “alternative facts” and illusions of conspiracies are lived out. Lies are considered true. Incompetence is praised. Truth is what the loudest voice says it is over and over.  
Rod Serling

‘Trump’ brand is all he cares about—it is all he knows. Staff creates image not policy


Trump tax cut for corporations and wealthy class adds $5.5 Trillion debt
“I’m the king of debt,” Mr. Trump said last year on CNN. “I love debt.” The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said the plan would probably lead to a loss in government revenue by roughly $5.5 trillion over 10 years.
Can you cut taxes and build The Wall, repair the bridges and roads, and deport 11 million people and still reduce the deficit? Economists say higher debt will drive up interest rates, curbing the very growth the cuts were intended to foster.
KS tried cutting taxes to stimulate jobs and just went into deeper debt. Few new jobs created because corps don’t want bad schools, roads, public service, high sales taxes.


Trump GOP budget: GOP cuts programs of folks who have no power to oppose cuts. Cowardly. The Don does not like diplomacy, aid to poor, US environment or culture, finding cures for disease, transportation and education programs. Cuts only the poor.
19 Agencies you may use being cut from American society: The Don does not like Meals on Wheels, Sesame St. NPR radio, Arts, Miners retraining, Seniors volunteers for poor, Americorp youth help poor,  62 in all for $343 billion.
Trump’s budget man wants to cut Medicare and delay Social Security benefits to age 70.

What GOP does NOT cut:
No cuts to subsidies to Boeing, GE, Intel, Nike, Shell, Fiat, GM, Ford, hundreds more.
Wealth managers keep “carried interest” -- lower taxes on profits
No cuts to United Airlines subsidy even after rip a paying customer from his seat.

Tax returns do matter for presidents that make deals with foreigners:
Trump and GOP are working to cut their own taxes which average 12% now. Yours?
Americans in 150 cities show up for The Don’s taxes to see how Russia helps him win.
Trump says he is under another new audit so can’t show taxes: continuous audit?
Trump may owe $ millions to Putin’s banks. Trump wanted permit to build in Russia. Trump’s foreign lenders will be bailed out FIRST in the next financial meltdown.



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More Americans say Trump doesn't keep promises: poll Apr 9  Promises broken.

Pre-existing conditions are in the bill but you can’t afford that coverage
Like before ObamaCare, you can buy health insurance to cover your needs but cost is too great. The Don and GOP have tricked us by claiming to include ACCESS in their new bill. Access means your state can decide for insurers to offer cover in a pool with others and charge whatever the market will bear. They also did not mention that all the 10 guaranteed benefits are optional -- not required as in ObamaCare. The GOP wants to go back to the days when America was Great: Health Care was for the wealthy. Average peson can afford only JUNK policy. The GOP bill gives the rich tax cuts that add up to $883 billion. The real TELL in this vote: Congress members will NOT lose their ObamaCare guarantees in this version. Trump has his WIN and we lose. 24 million people lose coverage. Even Fox News sees single payor in 7 years as a result.
Side by side comparison ObamaCare vs TrumpCare: http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-obamacare-repeal/



Flynn as paid secret foreign agent while US official and campaign knew it--traitor
Flynn, as part of the Trump campaign and named security advisor, had access to all US secrets and was secretly in the pay of Turkey and Russian spy handlers. Flynn at Putin’s RT party. He received $530,000. Isn’t this treason? By law a US officer cannot receive money from foreign governments. Like Ben Arnold, he was official of US government while being paid by foreign powers. Flynn is not alone. Other Trump operatives are also under investigation by the FBI for potentially illegal contact with senior Russian intelligence operatives. Donald Trump also has a longtime pattern of open admiration for gangsters and organized crime. FBI is following the Steele memo on Trump activities in Russia. FBI, NSA said Russia sought to influence the election. 35% GOP say didn’t.
Did Trump do a background on his hires? Or were Flynn, Page, Manafort plants under Putin control and leveraged by the Trump scandal hidden in Putin’s video player?
Civilians conspire with a hostile power to end Presidential sanctions against that hostile power we are fighting in Syria and Ukraine. Isn’t this treason?
Flynn was warned not to take money from foreigners when he left Pentagon. Trump refused to give Flynn docs to committee on Russia influence. Coverup? Treason?


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Regulators are the only protection against corporations since we can’t sue anymore

GM and Saab recalls ? 312,000 vehicles for headlights that can suddenly go dark.


We need regulation—GOP wrong—companies/cities wouldn’t fix bad products on own
GM killed 124 because ignition switch pin not replaced after knew it killed first in 2006.


Police want gun control.
When everyone has guns; your chance of being killed goes up. Police don’t know who to shoot. They assume everyone has one and shoot first. You and thief have guns. CO schools now allow teachers/administrators to carry guns in the classroom. Kid lesson! Since 2015, police have killed 86 people with realistic looking FAKE guns--suicide?



SCAMS:
Comey disclosed investigation to save FBI face; but did not disclose Trump-Putin probe.


Ignoramus Award:

How our government wastes our money:
$120 million in additional money to help cover the escalating costs of protecting the Trump family and Trump Tower and Trump properties around the world.

Where have all the jobs gone?


Which job board sites are best for your job search?

Cancel Robo calls with Mr NoMoRobo: https://www.nomorobo.com/ 


Miracle:
When Trump gets a history book on the Civil War. Why Civil War? Don, it was slavery. Ms Bachmann had the same idea. She said the founders got rid of slavery. Is it class?
Rich white folks sometimes forget Americans enslaved fellow humans for profit.
Perhaps that is what they teach at those rich white private schools & military academies.

IAN
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