Friday, April 24, 2020

Is your broker/advisor like this?


Is your experience with a broker/advisor like this one?
This woman had a typical financial ‘professional’ experience but survived. Did you have a similar experience? Luckily, the situation has changed for us long-term investors. You don’t need a market ‘expert’ since the tools are available to anyone. Investing was made simple by Vanguard’s John Bogle and actual experts like Buffett. You don’t have to pass the series 7, 63 test to know how to improve your long-term investments. You don’t need an MBA or CPA. You don’t need to ‘play’ the market to succeed at investing. You need to know the basics: stocks earn 11% long-term; less volatile bonds earn 7%. It is too dangerous to own individual securities unless you have insider information. Low-cost mutual funds were created to make buying and holding securities safe and easy. Investors, not speculators, use mutual funds that own both stocks and bonds and produce over 9% a year during our working years. You double your money every 10 years. Vanguard made it safe and easy without a costly middle person to take up to HALF our earning power.


Avoid paying for the secret $170 Billion tax break to the rich
Inside the $2.2 Trillion virus legislation is a hidden provision: a $170 billion tax giveaway. This last minute addition appears to be tailor-made for the benefit of wealthy real estate investors such as President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is running one of Trump’s coronavirus task forces. The GOP giveaway for these millionaires and billionaires has little to do with the coronavirus: It lets them offset losses not just from 2020 but from 2018 and 2019, before the pandemic. This provision gives tax filers who earn more than $1 million a year an average windfall of $1.6 million this year alone. The Joint Committee on Taxation found that 82 percent of the benefit of this and another tax giveaway in the coronavirus relief bill will go to the 43,000 taxpayers who earn more than $1 million. Real estate developers, a major component of pass-through businesses, received $67 billion in tax breaks in the 2017 Trump tax cuts, partially offset by new limits on the losses that could be deducted. The new law gets rid of the limits — a conservative goal for the past few years.


Is it smart to raid your 401k?
The CARES Act from Congress eliminated the 10% early-withdrawal hit, and 20% federal tax withholding, on early 401(k) withdrawals for those impacted by the crisis. Before you give up all that future retirement money, make sure you use other resources: your $1200 or $2400 check. If you must have cash to buy essentials now, you have it. Doctors, landlords, lenders, utilities can wait—they have reserves and access to federal lending programs we don’t have. Many states are making evictions and shutoffs illegal. If you have been laid off, explore your health care options. Trump says he will pay hospitals for C-19 care but what if you break a leg running your part-time business or fighting to get into the grocery store. Use some of your money to start/expand a hobby. People need something to do at home so offer your hobby, books, toys etc over the Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace sales process. You may be allowed a tag sale in your front yard as long as you have 6 feet lines on ground. Ask your employer for help: vacation pay; forward sick time, student loan, etc. Ask your vendor for a couple of months wait in writing. Remember, $10,000 in your 401k is worth about $70,000 in 20 years; 200,000 in 30 years compounded in a stock market index fund.

GOP turns to socialism to bailout every friend: oil, gas, airlines, now agriculture
Socialist Trump regime buys crops and livestock from farmers ranchers. We taxpayers will pay for the bailout later in higher taxes. When we have a crisis, it is not the wealthy with money that bail out their industries: They have already moved their money overseas. Who gives money to failed firms—even capitalist’s own hedge funds? It is our government—us taxpayers. Trump’s regime even bought part of the airlines in form of warrants: This is called socialism. No need to fear it. We bailed out the financial sector in 2007-08 and many industries in previous times. In fact, we have been paying subsides for 100 years.
Why is it so hard for some to understand that government (our future taxes) should bail out our medical health system too? We deserve a subsidy since many of the 22 million out of work will not have health care now. Medicare works because people in need of help; get help efficiently. Rich people don’t reject Medicare help.

Trump’s huge 2017 tax break for the rich cuts our future benefits
Social Security and Medicare funds were at risk before the $2.8 trillion stimulus. Our future is less secure now that Congress has given for-profit industries another windfall. Instead of letting the market sort out the best use of capital, companies with the money to lobby our Reps are taking away our future social supports—SS and Medicare have lost years of future funding. SS trustees report that we will be lucky to receive 79% of our benefits by 2035. Medicare is expected to become insolvent in just six years. You still have one move: invest in the recovery in a free tax-free account—have more later.


**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQMobster?

If it takes a village, the village idiot is in charge: “metrics up here” (his head)


Idiot’s night tweet: “I will suspend immigration” (already done.)

Idiot: I want war with Iran: wartime prez sure re-election




Why small business never got a chance for a loan: national firms small stores accountants

TX reopens: Lt Gov: there are "more important things than living” Wall St. claps 


SCAMS/SPINS:

Trump actually got warning from WHO but failed to listen: now blames WHO for not tell
TrumpCare virus cure hydroxychloroquine: no benefits found in study
Melania Trump plants tree for Earth Day while husband cancels EPA air/water/soil laws

Scam: texts with link claiming you've been exposed to coronavirus: someone you met

Harvard U caught taking $9 Billion ‘stimulus’: has $41 Billion in bank already



Scam: conspiracy lovers burning cell towers: 5G causes C-19: panic or new Teas?
Chipotle Mexican Grill pays $25 million: sickened 1,100 people over years. Now?

Jobs
Jobs depend on testing but tests are not perfect: negatives, positives, re-infection?

Dominos employees paid DAILY: debit card funded on customer card approval.
Top 10 Financially Secure Jobs During Any Crisis: Teach, Law, Design, CEO, Nurse


Who owns your account now?

Miracle:
Einstein proved right again: stars (our Sun) fall into the black hole at center of galaxy.
Dems have miracle in sight: Mrs Clinton as VP? Miracle team: Andy-Michelle ticket
Senate GOP confirms (after 4 years) that Russia helped Trump beat Hillary.
Global warming here in April: Miami 97 steam bath at home! Dixie County: Beaches open

Potential remission for Crohn’s Disease: Fecal Microbiota Transplant




Even Michael Avenatti, Michael Cohen, etc are getting out of jail early. Law/order GOP?

Clerics around the world abuse children: Islamic clerics teaching in Pakistan accused.


IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ   07042
973.746.2014
Alert

Friday, April 17, 2020

What to do with your $1200


Suggestion list: What to do with your $1200 or $2400
Hold on to it for essentials as the future is unknown. If you must have cash to buy an essential down the line, you have it. Doctors, landlords, lenders, utilities can wait—they have reserves and access to federal lending programs we don’t have. Many states are making evictions and shutoffs illegal. If you have been laid off, explore your health care options. Trump says he will pay hospitals for C-19 care but what if you break a leg running your part-time business or fighting to get into the grocery store. Use some of your money to start/expand a hobby. People need something to do at home so offer your hobby/book/toys/etc over Amazon eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc sales process. You may be allowed a tag sale in your front yard as long as you have 6 feet lines on ground. Better yet use Craig list. I sold an attic house fan that way. Never take anything on the internet for truth without ‘trust but verify’. I go to 3 other sources before I click. My garden center sent me an email offer with link to see details. I emailed them directly and they confirmed it was a scam/phishing from theft of their email list. Explore your situation. Ask your employer for help: vacation pay; forward sick time, student loan, etc. Ask your vendor for a couple of months wait in writing.
Gov resources to help deal with virus recession:

How the rich avoid paying taxes anywhere
It is easy—live where you want to but claim your legal residence—citizenship—in a country jurisdiction that does not tax money earned outside that country. In essence live in a tax haven—just officially. The rich maintain an intense schedule of travel using a virtual single-family office of professional management over their businesses. With accounting firms geographically dispersed, each is the cornerstone of their single-family management office. Their virtual family office coordinates experts and specialist serving the needs in specific geographic areas. This management scheme helps the wealthy be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. They are true global citizens—avoiding all local taxing and legal authorities. They even get C-19 screening tests immediately for free. Since money is no object, your family office will provide low taxes on your income from everywhere in the world and you just charge it to your personal credit card. When your yacht needs maintenance, the office in the country where it is docked takes over. Almost all your possessions and assets are owned by one of your companies so a wealth tax is as ineffective as the US income tax. You are not subject to jury duty or military service. Set up your own tax-free system here at home.

Does Trump receive a tax deduction since his name is on relief checks?
Will Trump’s accountants use the fact that his name appears on the check millions of voters receive use it as a marketing expense deduction for the campaign for president? In past campaigns, the use of his name has been a deductible expense. Why else would Trump insist to the Treasury Mnuchin that the IRS must delay checks by printing his name on the checks?  "During economic downturns in 2001 and 2008, President Bush included his name on letters sent in advance of recovery checks." The IRS refused to put Bush’s name on the checks. An observer noted that to avoid the potential for corruption or misuse of funds, a civil servant – not the president or someone appointed by the president – signs the checks. Trump wanted to actually sign as payer. Now he denies it and blames his staff. Treasury denies that coding software and reprinting the checks with Don’s name will NOT delay delivery despite previous reports. One Rep said: "So Trump is delaying the stimulus checks so his signature can be printed on each one. Him first. You second. Always." Trump makes $59 million on his name image.

Experts don’t know when businesses will restart
Every financial guru says they know but they are just guessing. This is not like any recession/depression before so we need to make plans to survive. Many are rescheduling their cruises in 2021 but that is more marketing (25% off). Wall Street’s ups and downs are just positive thinking by speculators. Politicians’ forecasts are biased. Some businesses will not be able to come back so the unemployed may have to shift jobs. More than 16.8 million Americans filed for new jobless claims. Some can’t even get the form to file. States’ cash is low. If there are over 10 million looking for work at the same time, it will take months to rehire/restart/restock for next year. Think of the lines when ads post 1,000 openings. Get refunds. Don’t waste that $1,200 paying bills. Doctors, landlords, lenders, utilities can wait—they have reserves and access to federal lending programs we don’t have. Many states are making evictions and shutoffs illegal. Perhaps a temp job will keep you motivated and fed for a few months. Prepare a budget to cover food necessities for 6 months so you don’t panic. We just don’t know and panic is all we can control now. During the ‘30s depression President Roosevelt helped us come together with a speech: Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” Definitely worth reading today:
“Only a fool … can deny the dark realities of the moment.”

JPMorgan caught overcharging own employees again
JPMorgan sued for overcharging 401k employees: failed fiduciary: pensions will be cut. Paying the 2% fees over time causes total accumulations to be cut by over HALF. JPMorgan and 401k staff is robbing its employees of the pension they paid for. Like many other large and small companies, the owners seek to make the 401k plan a profit center. The fiduciary duty—making investment options that are best for the employee—is required by law. Almost every new hire is given poor investing advice by the HR department in charge of signing employees up for the owner’s plan. Most HR people are not financial planners so they tell most young and old employees to put all their money into so-called stable funds. HR recommends these funds so that the owner will not be sued when the employees account value goes down. However, for anyone under age 50, these are the worst investment choices since most employees have time to grow their accumulations at the market rate of 11% not 2%: stocks vs bonds. Morgan employees, like most 401k members will end up with $62,000 instead of $195,500. Only the enlightened employee will put all their contributions into the low-cost index fund if they can find it in their plan’s 56 page brochure.


Why file your taxes ASAP?
If you have refund, waiting gets you nothing. Could the IRS run out of money? Could gov computers make a mistake after April 15 because they did not get the email about extension to July 15? Is it possible there will be big delays since all the IRS and check printers are out of the office now in virus lockout? Just to avoid all the bad stuff, file now. Check your state for deadline. The federal and state filing can cost you nothing at https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/. Another site has no cost or restrictions: https://www.creditkarma.com/tax. And remember you can usually reduce income and thus tax by making a deductible contribution to your IRA. File now for refund: 90 day interest-free extension if you owe. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-18.pdf


**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQMobster?

If it takes a village, the village idiot is in charge: “metrics up here” (his head)




Village idiot voids OSHA: don’t report virus—election coming
Village idiot orders his name put on relief checks: election messaging



We will never know who is getting $ billions in bailout money: Lobbyists know
While Rome burns … Trump plays The Apprentice daily; Congress is on vacation?

Navy ex-chief spent $243,000 to give 15 min speech blasting its captain: dock his pay!



SCAMS/SPINS:

Scammers ask for ‘processing fee’ for relief checks: No fee and no withholding tax!
Williams- Sonoma admits fake claim “Made in America” for its stuff
Travel insurance is really to insure sellers don’t lose money: they keep our money

Favorite virus scams: cures, faster checks, secret stuff, virus gear, toilet paper, taxes etc.
H&R Block bait and switch: charging for “free service”: Fee from refund stops $1200

Michael Altobell CA caught mismanaged client accounts suspended

IRS offers scammers a new tool: enter data get check for each fake ID you use.

FL to reopen schools: GOP Gov thinks kids not affected by virus

Virus misinformation grows: uncovering the truth: adults crying out for attention

Trump fixer Michael Cohen gets out of jail early: Trump’s lawyer sends him home.

Trump uses them as political tools. FEMA seized state order so Trump can give to GOP.


Marshal law TX FL RI: troops take ‘foreigners’ off roads; house ‘arrest’ for 14 days.

Jobs
Delta tells sick employees: don’t tell fellow workers you are sick

Fidelity Investments hires 2,000 to work the phones

Who owns your account now?
As banks get bailout money, they make it harder to get a low-rate mortgage: Cake and eat it too
Soon our waterfront property will be under water: when to change location accounts?

Vanguard others close fed money market funds to keep yields high: Fell to 0.6273% from 2%
Trump’s FHFA declines to bail out mortgage industry when borrowers miss payments

Miracle:
Doctor makes ventilator from items from hardware: why GM takes months at $10,000 ea
Super moon landing in San Fran bay: close est (to earth) encounter this year

First time president has declared major disaster in all 50 states at once
First time president insists his name appear on Treasury checks.
First family puts secret service staff at risk: Ivanka Jared kids travel despite Trump rule


Antiviral drug, also known as "GS-5734" shows promising results in trials

10 lost apple varieties found: rediscovered apples planted by NW pioneers.

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ   07042
973.746.2014
Alert

Friday, April 10, 2020

Employer quit matching your 401k?


Employer quit matching your 401k?
OK. Now you have to decide whether you will continue the contribution rate when they did match. Stocks are a bargain so they will compound faster over time. This is a time when it counts more that before the virus recession because stocks are on sale—average 20% off. Your best option is a tax-deferred IRA. You can open one anywhere but the larger fund companies have the lowest cost—0.04%. Your individual IRA acts like a 40lk: reduce income now. You can have the trustee take up to $6,000 from your checking account automatically. You control the amount and the costs as the market swings back to its growth mode. You will automatically gain 20% and as time passes; your compound interest will supercharge the growth. Over the next 25 years, your monthly contributions of $250 could become $400,000. And because you use a low-cost market fund, you avoid giving up 63% of your total potential accumulations.

Congress people benefit from advance on virus recession
GA GOP Kelly Loeffler said she wouldn’t do anything different despite her moves looking like insider trading based on the virus recession of 2020. Her stock sales show they add up to $1.8 million profit on the C-19 market fall. The stocks sold have lost a 1/3 of their value, meaning the couple avoided taking a big hit on them. Under Trump’s new rules, they may end up paying no capital gains on their jackpot. Her husband Jeffrey Sprecher is a regular gambler in the markets. Other insider-trading kingpins include Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) who claimed his winnings by selling $1.7 million in stocks just in time, while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand a pandemic. As the head of the intelligence committee, Burr has access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security. His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time, according to a Reuters story. There are many more Congress people engaged in illegal (for us) trading. Only one was caught and he gets home time not jail time. As you can imagine they are not held accountable since they write the exceptions to the laws.


Suggestion list: What to do with your $1200
Hold on to it for essentials as the future is unknown. If you must have cash to buy an essential down the line, you have it. Doctors, landlords, lenders, utilities can wait—they have reserves and access to federal lending programs we don’t have. Many states are making evictions and shutoffs illegal. If you have been laid off, explore your health care options. Trump says he will pay hospitals for C-19 care but what if you break a leg running your part-time business or fighting to get into the grocery store. Use some of your money to start/expand a hobby. People need something to do at home so offer your hobby/book/toys/etc over Amazon eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc sales process. You may be allowed a tag sale in your front yard as long as you have 6 feet lines on ground. Better yet use Craig list. I sold an attic house fan that way once. Never take anything on the internet for truth without verify first. I go to 3 other sources before I click. My garden center sent me an email offer with link to see details. I emailed them directly and they confirmed it was a scam/phishing from theft of their email list. Explore your situation. Ask your employer for help: vacation pay; forward sick time, etc. Ask your vendor for a couple of months wait in writing.
Gov resources to help deal with virus recession:

Is your income down in 2020?
You are only working half the hours? Is your stimulus check paying for essentials and that is all the income you expect this year? If you expect to have less income this year, you can increase your take home pay by telling your employer to reduce the fed and state amounts for withholding for the rest of the year. Use IRS form W-4 https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf to compute your withholding amount. Ask your employer to help you figure out the form since it was made more complicated last year. Even if you don’t have enough taken out this year, you will not be penalized next year since the penalty does not begin until you owe over $1,000. You need the money more than the government since they can print it and you can’t.

And you wonder why your fees are so high?
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, after giving himself a raise in 2019 to $27.5 million, decided to buy two (2) Gulfstreams for $75 million each. A spokeswoman for Goldman said the purchase of the planes would save it money. Right, Father Christmas! Solomon will be at the Fed window taking the forgivable federal loans. The program was for critical aid to small businesses, including some advisors, who need the assistance to stay in business during the COVID-19 crisis. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told Fox Business that the loans should be able to cover about 50% of the private workforce. Goldman could have covered their workers but Solomon already spent the firm’s money. You could switch your accounts to low-cost Vanguard as many others are doing: $48.5 billion--more than four times its nearest competitor, BlackRock. Tell David NO.

Do any of the virus bailout firms pay income taxes?
Boeing hasn’t paid taxes in years. They get guaranteed loans every year from ExIm bank. Recently they got $64 Billion from us. They got $13 Billion from state/local subsidies on top of the federal subsidies. Our taxes are still paying off these gifts. Other top welfare state firms include Nike, GM, Fiat, Ford, etc. Cruise lines don’t pay. Trump’s various businesses don’t pay. He personally deducted almost $1 Billion in losses which were carried forward for years. Rich people don’t pay taxes since they claim their income is from outside America. Yet they take most of the bailout money we will be paying off for the next 100 years. The real wealth is held by private equity owners and they don’t pay.

Most of us know we need financial planning but …
A study shows most of us trust ourselves—not advisors—for financial advice. We are smart enough to realize advisors are in it for the money. They want to be rich, not right. Since advisors can’t be right all the time about falling markets and when and where to invest, we take our own advice. So are we all currently in a panic? Most of us are happy to have a job. We are not gamblers. So who is causing these daily swings? So called Wall Street gurus—money managers who earn in the $ millions from our fees, want to richer so they must trade every minute. They try to escape a falling market so they can ride the ‘upside.’ However, as Bogle, Buffett and other students of success have taught, there is only investing over time and gambling. It is the gamblers who create the volatility. Some win their bets and others lose; just as it has been for all time.

Why file your taxes by April 15?
If you have refund, waiting gets you nothing. Could the IRS run out of money? Could gov computers make a mistake after April 15 because they did not get the email about extension to July 15? Is it possible there will be big delays since all the IRS and check printers are out of the office now in virus lockout? Just to avoid all the bad stuff, file now. Check your state for deadline. The federal and state filing can cost you nothing at https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/. Another site has no cost or restrictions: https://www.creditkarma.com/tax. And remember you can usually reduce income and thus tax by making a deductible contribution to your IRA. File now for refund: 90 day interest-free extension if you owe. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-18.pdf


**********ACCOUNTABILITY**************

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—do we really want ‘low-IQMobster?

NYC has to go to China for ventilators: Jared says federal ones are for “our stockpile

Genius Mobster decided: 'There will be a lot of death'





Congress on vacation during emergency: I’m laid off and can’t get health insurance
Not a good Friday: GOP DEMs fight over helping states, hospitals, small biz. Politics

SCAMS/SPINS:
Testing sites may be scam: $250 for test may actually give you virus. Fake Medicaid claims. Jail?

TX stayAThome except church, gun show, groceries, work, liquor, other ‘essentials’.
Twitter shuts 20,000 propaganda accounts: Maybe using twitter isn’t such a great idea
Trump GOP stifle accessible Nov 3 election; no easy voting. Dems outnumber GOP Fact
KY GOP outlaw DEMs vote: GOP to keep McConnell—but no history of ID fraud

Diets (except Med) benefits largely disappeared after 12 months. Lesser amounts works
Williams-Sonoma caught for deceptive ‘made in the USA’ claims fine $1 mil no jail



Jobs
Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset: our sailors
It is not smart to call a carrier commander ‘stupid’: His life is on the line not yours, Tom.



United Health to pay doctors/hospitals now, not normal 30 days: providers can focus on delivering needed care,”

Who owns your account now?
RMD from your account has been waived for 2020: no recoveries if already taken.
Insurers resist business-interruption coverage claims: loss due to virus excluded in some policies  
Student loan suspended payments and reducing interest to 0% through Sept. 30, 2020.

Get virus payment even if you don’t file: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here

Miracle:
Blood donors may save us: they survived C-19 and their blood may have answers
New drug may stop virus from duplicating: tests show possible antivirus pill
Why keeping your distance works: family wipeouts: 15 people infected 3 die 1 carrier

Airlines forced to refund: CEOs can afford to take cut in pay.
GEICO, Allstate & American Family give back premium since no one is driving.

Court gets child abuser Cardinal out of jail: he wants ‘victim to suffer no more.’ Duh

DEMs all in for Joe but Cuomo looks stronger: virtual election loses HALF DEMs

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ   07042
973.746.2014
Alerts