Showing posts with label discount. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discount. Show all posts

Friday, January 19, 2018

Your ‘discount’ broker sells expensive products

BEWARE: Your ‘discount’ broker sells expensive products
According to a Wall Street Journal story recently, Schwab, Fidelity and TD Ameritrade incentivize their advisors to sell more expensive products to their clients. Yes, it is true. Unless you verify the cost of your “discount” broker/advisor, you are paying too much. You may pay 3 times the price others charge, especially for ‘managed’ accounts and proprietary items. For instance, if total costs for the account and the product are 2% a year, you are giving up 63% of your total potential. There are better products at lower costs. Buffett recently proved this, again—pay 0.04%. If your portfolio produces 6% over time and your cost is 2%, you earn 4%. On $1 million account, your balance is reduced to $2.1 million from $3.2 million. Based on interviews with dozens of former employees of the three largest discount brokerages, the firms encourage advisors to sell higher-cost products. Their rewards, NOT YOURS, are trips and bonuses.


IRS changes withholding rates
New rates mean more wages for some less for others, especially in the blue states. They will be increasing the amount sent to Washington since their deductions are going down. Since working Americans will be paying for the tax cuts for the wealthy, Trump wants to triple the fed gas tax to pay for more GOP spending. Not every wealthy GOP Congress person is in favor of making working Americans pay higher gas taxes to offset their tax cuts. However, fed revenue has been cut and the wage increases from more jobs will take time to come, if ever. Carrier, Trump’s poster child for jobs, has laid off another round of workers in January. WalMart followed by closing 63 stores.
Some states have increased their state income tax rate so you may not have higher take-home pay. Other states are finding ways to offset the fed limit of $10,000 on property and state taxes. GOP will raise health care costs as part of the budget deal.
Avoid paying for the $1.5 Trillion tax cut: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Shelter-Young-Americans/dp/1500426520


“You all just got a lot richer” with my new loophole
Trump boasted this to members of Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 22, according to CBS. The wealthy have a new tax loophole to avoid paying their fair share. The new deduction allows people with pass-through income — profits from a partnership or sole proprietorship, for instance — to write off 20% of that income before calculating their taxes. For instance, Trump owns more than 500 large, pass-through real estate firms like his golf clubs and hotels — just the type of business that would qualify most easily. His family and heirs can now avoid estate tax. They avoid the AMT—millionaire tax created by Nixon so the rich could not avoid taxes altogether. Trump did in 1995. Your business may qualify for the 20% deduction too.

 Buffett's SIMPLE Strategy Beats Wall Street—2017=22%; 11.11% since 1976.
The Master of investing, Warren Buffett, proved it, again. You do NOT need Wall Street 'professionals' to reach your financial goals. In fact, if you use them, you may give up 63% of your potential accumulations because of trading, charges, commissions and fees. Buffett’s SIMPLE strategy earns over 11% per yearDALBAR keeps track of returns and found that the average managed-account equity investor earned just 3.79% a year over 30 years. The benchmark returned 11.06%. You and I can start beating Wall Street with one phone call. Earnings are tax-FREE after age 59 ½ in special account too.
Earn 11% a year with Buffett’s SIMPLE strategy: https://www.amazon.com/MasterClass-Buffetts-SIMPLE-Strategy/dp/1983485268

IRS free tax filing sites to avoid $300+ cost of filing
Commercial tax prep sites offer expensive loans as advances on your refund but you can keep your whole refund using the IRS free filing partners. Refunds can be in your account within 2-3 weeks. The average refund is over $3,000. You can create a tax-free retirement fund of $500,000 with that amount each year.

When you absolutely, positively, HAVE to get there
Certain vehicles seem to last for at least 15 years, at least on this list. Sorry, American nameplates avoid the list. But most Toyotas and Hondas are actually made by American workers. My 2012 Camry was made in Georgetown, KY. Toyota spent $1.33 billion at the facility and added 700 new jobs in 2017 in preparation for the all new 2018 Camry; the first copies of which rolled off the line on 28 June 2017. American nameplates do show up on the LEAST longevity list, with Explorer and Cherokee at the top—bottom. Fiat builds Cherokee in Toledo OH and Ford builds Explorer in Venezuela and Russia and assembles it in Chicago. Are Fiat and Ford designed poorly to NOT last?

Trump creates agency to enforce GOP religionist views; discriminate non whites
Office of Civil Rights used to enforce patient safety and privacy concerns. Now its new division, Conscience and Religious Freedom, will enforce "laws and regulations that protect conscience and prohibit coercion on issues such as abortion and assisted suicide in HHS-funded or conducted programs." "By ensuring individuals and institutions can exercise their conscience and religious freedom rights, OCR furthers justice and tolerance in a pluralistic society," says an announcement that published in the Federal Register Thursday morning. This is a tool to restrict access to health care for people who have different values than the conservative religious political arm of Trumpism. The irony is that this Trump constituency professes religion but has no problem with Trump assaulting women and his extramarital affairs. Their idea of ‘freedom’ is my ‘restricting options.’
GOP religionist wish to control each American’s behavior and their twisted idolatry is the method to do it. Trump’s Moral Police will enforce one religion’s view of how we act.
It is aimed at changing the behavior of non white, non straight, non GOP citizens. Hitler passed laws regarding the behavior of his scapegoat groups—jews, gypsys, cripples, etc.
Trumpism enforces GOP view of behavior while ignoring immoral and coercive acts.

Your advisor firm is taking more from your account than before
Morgan Stanley Wealth-Management Fees Climb To All-Time High is the headline. Morgan is not alone. If you made no trades and purchased no products, you may be paying over 1% of your account balance for NOTHING. Many firms have been moving more wealthy clients into fee-based accounts that are priced on asset levels rather than activity, boosting results as markets rise. Many clients were moved to permanent annual fee-based mode as a response to the change in the Fiduciary Rule. This Rule was designed to make advisors do what was best for us instead of selling expensive products we did not need or want. Instead, this trend will cost us more in the long run under the guise of a permanent firm ‘managed’ account. We are still being mislead.




****************
Make “Donald” Great Again

“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,”

Trump can’t be a racist: “he had a TV show” ??

Trump enforcers lie re: contacts to Putin and list longer: Why all the lies if innocent?

Mandate: ‘I was elected President’ like Washington, Obama and Hitler
Bannon and I wish to “destroy the state”–our government.
National Park Service Advisors resign—our parks converted into shooting clubs.



How Govt wastes our money:
Trump tells Bannon to refuse subpoena testimony—must be serious Trump treason.
Why is it OK for Trumpers to refuse to answer questions from Congress

SCAMS:


Jobs:
Fed shutdown has workers continue to pay SS and military as essential services.

Who owns your account now?

Miracle:
A miracle if Congress passes bill that requires them to pay their own sex settlements.

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ 07042
973.746.2014
Alerts 

Friday, August 16, 2013

Best long-term investment and it's tax-FREE

The Best Long-term Investment: And it’s tax-FREE
Earn 10-12% a year over time.
Pay annual fees of only $50 per $100,000 invested.
Pay NO advisor or broker commission/fees.
Pay NO trading costs or taxes.
Set up your investment policy in 1 hour.
Let the miracle of compounding work for you.
                 by Law Steeple, author, The Miracle of Compounding
You can use the BEST long-term investment ever. It was proven successful by Warren Buffett. Mr Buffett started with $6,000 saved from his paper routes and in 60 years, accumulated $60 billions. Mr Buffett's successful strategy is called compounding.

Are you in the SECOND longest bull market in history?
Like most people, I did not realize that the market has been positive for almost two years straight. Most people left after the ’07 disaster and have not come back yet. Media hype is low so few see that this is the time to be in it. Proof: 3-year annual return=18%, 37-year annual return=10.75%. The Simple Financial Life: How to get what you want without going into debt and living paycheck to paycheck. http://www.amazon.com/The-Simple-Financial-Life-paycheck/dp/1441499326

ObamaCare provides $5,548 to help buy insurance
Families eligible for tax credits to help purchase health insurance in the new exchange created by the Affordable Care Act will receive an average of $5,548 in instant tax credits. These immediate credits will apply directly to individuals' and families' premiums, making coverage instantly more affordable for those who do not get health care through their employer. These instant tax credits will be available to people earning less than four times the poverty level--about $94,000 for a family of four. This means that 48 percent of people who currently buy insurance for themselves will be eligible for reduced premiums. Buy only what you need and save:http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

GOP House passes ObamaCare repeal bill the 40th time
These “representatives” are costing us $75 million a year to “do the same thing over and over with the expectation of a different outcome.” That behavior is the definition of insanity, according to some. Ms Bachmann sponsors the repeal bill!

Crash: only HALF of small cars studied receive acceptable rating
The failures: Chevrolet Sonic Volkswagen Beetle Chevrolet Cruze Nissan Sentra Kia Soul Kia Forte (2014). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said only two of 12 compact cars earned the highest rating for small overlap tests—the Honda Civic 2- and 4-door models. Toyota's Camry, most popular, did poorly on a new crash test this year. Cars with the institute's highest safety rating: Honda Accord, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger, Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Outback, Suzuki Kashai and the Volkswagen Passat.

TX creates jobs but at $10/hr, working class life is not possible: Is this a Banana Republic?
Texas is a miracle in job creation, gov says. However, it has done it by turning back time to the 1860s, when Chinese work gangs were used to replace Irish workers for ½ wages. Texas workers are paid $10 an hour for long hot days constructing buildings with no overtime, no workmen’s comp, no health insurance; no bathroom breaks, and often pay delayed. Subcontractors promise and then disappear. America looks like Honduras 1870 when it was ruled by 1% owners and 99% worked for 1 cent /hour, no benefits.
Is this the America we want: Two Americas—cheap labor and the 1% owners?

40% drivers say they don’t want car monitor to save premium
Surveys of prospective Progressive Snapshot users have shown that “you get about 30 percent of people saying, ‘Yeah, why not?’; you get another 30 percent of people saying, ‘Maybe, I need to know more’; and you get about 40 percent of people saying, ‘No way in hell.’” Get all your discounts:http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Doctors cutting fees by HALF to eliminate middleman
Physicians who have moved to a direct-pay practice report being able to slash medical care prices charged to patients by half or more thanks to significantly lower overhead resulting from cutting out the bureaucratic red tape and paperwork associated with insurance payment.  Increased face time with patients is another important benefit cited by doctors who have transitioned to direct-pay. Patients can still submit claim for reimbursement from insurers. Insurers often pay much less than retail anyway when the doctor is in PPO. Buy only what you need and save: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Ms Bachmann becomes Swiss citizen—failed US history class but oversees CIA!?!
About 1,800 people renounced their American citizenship during the first half of this year, compared to about 1,000 for all of 2012, according to Internal Revenue Service data.
Can you believe they give up America for money?
An increasing number of Americans have decided the cost and hassle of hanging on to their citizenship is too taxing, according to federal data.
OK, but just don’t call the Marines or Consul when you get in trouble over there!!
And Bachmann is still overseeing the CIA, NSA, etc? AND getting farm subsidies from Switzerland?! And she sponsors the 40th ObamaCare repeal bill—insanity!

Three cans of sugar soda per day can be lethal, study finds
Sugar can kill you. Make sure you have the right life insurance to protect your family. Costs have come down so a $1 a day can buy $500,000 even for a 50 year old. Save $$17,970 with the right one! http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store/dp/B009MA9K78


Is market timing (TAA) right for you?
83 percent of financial planners had moved away from buy-and-hold strategies toward market timing in '08 -- what's often referred to as tactical asset allocation (TAA). There have been many studies on TAA funds, all showing the same results -- poor and inconsistent returns. A study that found that for the 12 years ending in 1997, while the S&P 500 on a total return basis rose 734 percent, the average equity fund returned just 589 percent, but the average return for 186 TAA funds was a mere 384 percent. That's about half the return of the S&P 500 Index. Advisors want to be rich not right. Invest the way Warren Buffett invests:http://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffetts-Investment-Strategy-Forget/dp/1484822900

SCAMS           “Deficits don’t matter” Republican godfather, Dick Cheney, 2002

Banks holding commodities with our tax subsidies—And our bailout money
The largest U.S. banks are accused of causing problems in markets ranging from energy to aluminum. Regardless of whether they’re guilty of market-rigging, as critics say, the charges raise another question: Why are the banks in these businesses in the first place?
Banks are using cheap money to help themselves, not make loans to business. Anyone could make money this way—borrow at 0.001% and make 18%--and if a market collapses, bailout by taxpayers! How sweet.http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-01/bloomberg-view-the-wrong-business-for-big-banks

Have you received a letter about your medical situation?
Your personal health info is being sold by your State government for cash. Even though the law says doctors/hospitals can’t sell it, they give it to the state which sells it to the data-mining firms that do. Drug companies buy it so they can sell you or your doctor on their stuff. Data-miners get $10 billions and you get NOTHING. You might protect yourself by giving your providers your wrong ZIP. Hackers have a gold mine!

GOP to shut government but Obama cut Bush deficits by over HALF
Deficit was 10% of GDP in ’09. Obama has reduced it to 4%. Why do they still complain about spending with our bridges falling apart and 100 million people out of work or underemployed?

Who can look at your personal credit without your permission?
Folks you may not want to see can see your info because you have no control over what these companies can sell. http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/8-people-access-credit-report.html

Who owns your account now?
A Dick Tracey wrist phone, Galaxy Gear, will be out in a month. Finally, a smartphone I like!

IAN
41 Watchung Plaza, B242
MontclairNJ 07042
973.746.2014

Friday, June 15, 2012

Financial power for the 21st century


Financial power for the 21st century

Will you have enough in retirement? Now is the time to find out.

You could have about $250,000 extra to supplement your Social Security benefits in about 15 years. Will You Have Enough? takes you through the process of determining how much you will have. Law Steeple has been an industry executive for over 20 years.




Seniors are the target of scammers—“That is where the money is”

Nearly 60% of the respondents — all professionals who work with the elderly — to an online survey conducted by Investor Protection Trust said that they deal with elderly victims of investment fraud “quite often” or “somewhat often.” Nearly every one of the 763 participants in the survey said that the problem of financial exploitation of the elderly is “very serious” or “somewhat serious” and 84% said it was getting “much worse” or “somewhat worse.” The survey by the nonprofit included 76 state securities regulators and 77 financial planners, in addition to medical professionals. Members have solved that problem: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137



CA insurer manipulated system to get rid of sick? This is RomneyCare?

Blue Shield has used enormous rate hikes, and the threat of rate increases, to force patients into lower-benefit and higher-deductible health coverage in violation of state law. BS gamed the system by alternately closing older policies and opening new ones in order to push older, sicker consumers who are more expensive to insure into lower benefit, higher deductible coverage that requires consumers to pay more out of pocket.

The lawsuit seeks to stop Blue Shield from shoving its policyholders into what is known as a "Death Spiral"–the industry term for what happens when a health insurer "closes" certain insurance policies to new customers, and later raises rates to those remaining in the closed policy until those enrollees can no longer afford coverage. "Blue Shield closed my family's policy and then threatened us with a 23% premium increase. We had no choice but to switch to the only bare bones policy Blue Shield offered us. When Blue Shield canceled the original rate increase, the company refused to let us transfer back into our old, higher benefit policy. Then, Blue Shield raised the rate of our bare bones policy by 14.8%!" said Robert Martin of Gilroy, litigant.





Middle class can’t sustain American economy—Rich take more income!

The average American family saw their net worth drop 40% in that three-year time period from $126,400 to $77,300. Three-quarters of the loss, not surprisingly, is due in large part to falling home prices, which have seen no reprieve since the housing bubble began to burst in 2007. The average homeowner saw their net worth fall more than $70,000 from roughly $250,000 in 2007 to $175,000 in 2010. But what is surprising is the fact that overall net worth has fallen to levels not seen since the early 1990's, long before the housing bubble even began. In three years, 18 years of savings have been wiped away for the majority of the country and at the same time wages have fallen. The average income fell from about $50,000 in 2010 to $46,000 in 2007.

But this negative trend does not stop there. As average families become poorer, rich Americans are growing richer. The Fed survey showed the wealthiest 10% of families actually saw their net worth rise from 2007 to 2010. Over that time period, their net worth increased from $1.17 million to $1.19 million. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/2012/pdf/scf12.pdf



Where have all the job-creators gone with their Bush tax cuts?

The continued decline of the American middle class and the ascent of the rich has resulted in income inequality at levels not seen since the Great Depression. While the bulk of consumer spending has historically come from the middle class, if the majority of Americans continue to suffer from falling wages and income, eventually something has got to give. There is no possible way for the super-rich to buy enough stuff to float the entire U.S. economy.

It's growing increasingly clear that we live in drastic times and drastic measures must be taken to save the country's middle class. One drastic measure is that more Americans are putting off retirement because they simply can't afford it.

But with Americans living longer and putting increased strain on programs like Social Security and Medicare, the retirement age is going to have to be raised for one reason or another.






Your Affinity group may obtain discount insurance

Members of Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetland and waterfowl conservation, now have access to special group discounts on auto, home, and other property and liability insurance from MetLife Auto & Home and other national insurance companies through a new program designed just for members of Ducks Unlimited. Your alma matter or church or civic organization my offer you a discount too. Check our list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143480593X/





Insurers give back premiums

Health insurers are expected to rebate $1.3 billion in premium charges to employers and consumers by August because the companies didn't spend enough on customer coverage in 2011. "This study shows that asking insurance companies to put more of their premium dollar toward patient care rather than administration and profits is not only popular but also effective. There are tangible benefits for consumers and employers," said Drew Altman, Kaiser Foundation president and CEO.



Insurers and employers say they will continue with reforms despite Supremes’ political decisions

Some insurers will continue to offer important health care insurance protections that were included in the 2010 health care reform law, no matter how the U.S. Supreme Court rules in cases currently pending before the Court. For instance, there are 7 millions of young on their parents’ insurance because they have no affordable coverage. The GOP may force them off and raise the uninsured to over 50 millions. “Fewer Americans would need to remain on their parents’health insurance if they had stable, full-time work,” GOP DeMint wrote. Yes, the point is they don’t.  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-08/health-law-adds-6-dot-6-million-young-adults-to-parents-u-dot-s-dot





Socialism for the rich—Hungry will have to rely on charity

A New York senator will try to cut $4.5 billion from the nation's publicly subsidized crop insurance program to preserve spending on the nation's food stamp program.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., will offer an amendment to the new farm bill that the Senate could vote on as early as Tuesday. The farm bill, which is of particular importance in Minnesota and other Farm Belt states, contains an expansion of the crop insurance program designed to make up for the elimination of direct payments to farmers.

Gillibrand said on Monday that the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that food stamp cuts currently in the farm bill would take away an average of $90 per month in payments to nearly half a million households.

Will lobbyists or the poor win?



Two of our “friends” helping Iran evade sanctions by giving insurance and we let them!

Indian state-owned refiners will halt planned oil imports of 173,000 barrels per day from Iran when European sanctions take effect in July, unless the government permits them to use insurance and freight arranged by Tehran, industry sources said. Japan's cabinet ministers approved and submitted a special bill to parliament on Monday to enable the government to provide insurance cover for Iranian crude imports once a European Union ban on insurance and reinsurance takes effect on July 1.



Plus ING Bank pays fine to bank for IRAN

ING Bank NV agreed to pay $619 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it violated U.S. sanctions against Cuba, Iran and other countries. It was the biggest ever fine against a bank for sanctions violations, officials said.



SCAMS           “Only the little people pay taxes.” Leona Helmsley



Will States need a bailout next? 

Banks cash-in on their own failed products. New York State, for one, has paid $243 million in recent years to extricate itself from swaps-related debt. That money went straight from taxpayers’ pockets to Wall Street.

Corporations rarely do deals like these, because they generally avoid making long-term bets on interest rates. But bankers sold the idea to public borrowers. The total bill to terminate all of these swaps-related deals would run into many billions.

“Derivatives are time bombs,” Warren Buffett




Insurers low-ball your claim by changing settlement software program

A newly released report by a former Allstate Corp. claims executive working at a consumer rights group alleges that most of the nation's biggest insurance companies use computer systems that can be manipulated to underpay injury claims.

The report was issued Monday by the Consumer Federation of America, whose claims project director, Mark Romano, had worked for the Northbrook-based insurer, as well as CNA and Hanover. Romano last year joined the Consumer Federation of America as claims project director.

"This report is a wake-up call for consumers and regulators who are not aware of the many ways that computer claims' software can be manipulated to produce unjustifiably low injury payments to consumers and tens of millions of dollars in illegitimate 'savings' for insurers," Romano said in a statement.

We have to hire a claims adjuster to speak for us. http://www.consumerfed.org/news/536



AIG continues to play games with the law despite US ownership

AIG will pay California $15.6 million in penalties to settle allegations that its insurance companies underreported workers' compensation premiums over several decades. America still owns AIG but treasury lets them carry on these scams



Our ‘representatives’ bought $180 million in drones that just sit near border

Sounds like another military industrial complex cost overrun at the Pentagon. “We don’t need anymore.” “Sorry, we already gave the $ billion contract to AeroVironment for more drones instead of helos.” http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/science/OIG_12-85_May12.pdf



IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014


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