Investing is about compound interest not stock picking

 

Investing is about compound interest not stock picking

Many of my readers never made more than $100,000 a year yet have grown their nest egg to over $1,000,000. It starts with a goal and commitment to invest $250 a month or $8.33 a day. Investing is about keeping the commitment to yourself and your family. “Staying the course” was what Vanguard’s founder, John Bogle used to say when he gave advice. For the most part, that is what his investors have done during the downdraft of 2022. In your index account, your first 5-year total may be $19,500. Your 10-year total return is about $51,600: 15-year total $104,400; 20-year total $191,400; 25-year total $334,400; 30-year total $569,800; 35-year total $957,000; and 36-year total $1,060,400.  It is all about compounding from $250 a month over 36 years. You paid $108,000 total over 36 years and compounded $250 a month to over $1 million. Low-cost index funds earn over 10% a year on average. Of course the value of $1 million is eroded by inflation over time but would you rather have $1,060,400 or $108,000? And you could spend it all without Fed or state income tax using your tax-FREE account.

All it takes is TIME: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Tax-Haven-Tax-FREE-Americans/dp/1482659441

 

 

What does Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett’s colleague) say?

What does Charlie Munger say about paid investment management? “How many managers are going to beat the indexes? All costs considered, I would say maybe 5% could consistently meet the averages. Everybody else is living in the state of extreme denial. They’re used to charging big fees and so forth for stuff that isn’t doing their clients any good. It’s a deep moral depravity. If some widow comes to you with $500,000 and you charge her 1 point [.01%] a year for, and you could put her in the indexes, but you need the 1 point. And so people just charge somewhat a considerable fee for worthless advice. And the whole profession is full of that kind of denial. It’s everywhere.” In Munger’s company 401k, only index funds are offered since participants keep the 1-2% usually taken from their returns. Participants keep all their money’s returns. They avoid giving up to 63% of their returns to ‘professionals’.

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

 

Portfolio positioning for the long haul (10+ years)

Readers who have built up their “balanced” portfolio using mutual fund account with 60/40 bonds/stocks have given themselves an edge in this uncertain time. Many who have been moving money to their Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund will find that any recovery in the bond and stock markets will help them continue their periodic RMDs through retirement. This fund has provided 5.8% average annual returns over 10 years. It has produced a negative 1-year return of 4.6%. Its average return has been over 9% per year since 1970. This should easily sustain an annual RMD over time to provide a comfortable retirement income without the life-long excessive annuity costs.

https://www.amazon.com/Not-Buy-That-Annuity-Guaranteed/dp/1466494573

 

Is long-term care insurance right for YOU?

7.7% Increase in Long-Term Care Benefits Payouts

The number of claimants increased 2.7%, to 345,000, and the average amount of benefits per claimant increased 4.9%, to about $38,400. LTCI growth slowed around 2000, when insurers started to realize that claims would be much higher than expected. Insurers forgot people are living longer and interest rates would not continue at 6-8% after the 1980s. This means that new policies are higher in cost with fewer benefits. A LTCI policy will no longer cover most of your needs. Spending more for a contract now may hinder your ability to come up with your out of pocket expenses later. You may be better off finding a fee-only financial planner (not LTCI salesperson) to help you decide how much to spend on LTCI vs making sure you and your spouse have a better plan. Some readers have decided to spend down their assets so they qualify for nursing home care from Medicaid. Others have chosen to cover the possible costs of part-time help with ADLs or housing alterations.

https://www.amazon.com/Long-term-Care-Insurance-Updated-2013/dp/148274001X

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Like 1776, this period is a test of democracy—We 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 assault 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 limit” J6 comm threat

 

January 6, 2021 “A 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’

 

Jan 2025 Dictator pardons himself: his Supremes agree

 

 

How Govt wastes our money:

US wastes $400,000 on missile to shoot down $12 -$150 party/scientific balloon

Trump cut train traffic safety rules Feb 2018 that may have led to OH accident

OH train crew and observers knew they had a problem before the crash: new rules?

 

SCAMS/SPINS:

Putin suspending participation in START nuclear arms control treaty: ready for WWIII?

 

How image makers trick us about people with a bad rap so they can rule

Children used by meat cutting machines firm to clean sharp-edge blades: fine no jail 

Fox lied: Elites giving conspirators what they want to hear: Tucker agrees

SCAM: fraudulent emails purporting to be from FINRA  Financial Industry Regulatory Authority 

 

Nikki: competency for >75 yr politician+ Gaetz, Santos, Boebert, Greene, Omar, Sanders, Manchin

 

Southern Baptist Convention defrocks largest congregation because they chose women pastor

Which profession do you think has the MOST dishonest people: Politicians

TurboTax tricked us into paying for filing after promising ‘free’: fine, no jail

 

GoodRx caught selling private medical info to medical vendors: fine, no jail

Fake Disney Plus Emails That Steal Your Bank Information

LDS Church caught hiding info about investments in shell companies: fine no jail

 

Teacher fired in FL after posting vid of empty library/classroom bookshelves

Lies that Romance scammers tell to trick you when you are desperate

Is banning books the way to a better future?: Hitler thought so and made a media event

GOP in ID: criminalize vaccines for RSV, cancers, HIV, flu, Nipah, cystic fibrosis, etc

SNAP ends for millions with less aid when inflation rates remain high: ext. ends benefits

 

Fees fees fees: out of control fees for everything: Congress is paid by the companies

Big pharma discriminates: Walmart offers insulin for up to 75% off commercial price

7 Big Social Security Claiming Mistakes Couples Make

 

 

SuperBowl commercials together

Walkers! Benz has camera in dash to film videos to post karaoke sessions on TikTok.

 

Jobs

Some states will pay you to work/move to their places.

Fidelity Investments plans to fill 4,000 positions in the first half of 2023

The myth that layoffs save companies money: window-dressing for bad management

 

Tips for a Successful Modern Job Search

Number of major worker strikes  rose in two decades in 2022: education, health services

employment rate for Americans with disabilities hit a new record last year

 

Who owns your account now?

Housing Affordability Just Hit a Record Low

Mortgage fee cut expected to save homebuyers, owners an average of $800 per year

 

80% of us aged 18-41 get financial advice from social media: everyone’s an expert

Forms required to file taxes: you or preparer need these plus last year’s taxes to finish

 

Miracles:

ChatGPT solution for lonely, singles, seniors, conversational therapy?

Some Venice canals dry up: low tides, climate change

Miracles of Miracles: Face Development in the Womb

 

 

 

@

 

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 a little

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

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

 

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.

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 election 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/

 

Did your “representatives” give YOU a tax break?

Did your “representatives” give you tax breaks like those for the wealthy?

GOP says that the package of tax breaks “will grow our economy and help American taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned dollars” while providing “certainty to American taxpayers.” This is the old “trickle down” strategy. Business got research and development tax credit and heavy machine deduction to $500,000. A business can deduct 50% of new equipment and vehicles in 2016. They got many other tax breaks.

Take your tax breaks: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tax-Shelter-Young-Americans/dp/1500426520

Succeed in this angry American decade

Many Americans are angry with their situation just like during the 30’s Depression. Leaders are competing for support by driving wedges between us. We are unhappy that our labor intensive jobs have flown. We are unhappy that we are stuck with wages that don’t increase with our productivity. The wealthy now own 90% of assets. 20% of children live in poverty. Our middle-class is shrinking while new entrepreneurs make a fortune overnight. America has swung to its individualistic right. The trust of an earlier period of the American Dream for all is shrinking fast. Demagogues appear in times like these because they offer simple solutions—target one group and control the angry mob as leader. Leadership in one man (usually) allows power to corrupt absolutely. But in our short history, we have voted for a Teddy to breakup corporate power and FDR to fight right-wing extremists overseas. Most of us do not like giving all the power to one person like our ancestors did.

A new poll shows that the majority of us do NOT feel comfortable with a group hater as President. We prefer a positive hopeful future for all of us even if it isn’t possible.

27% student loans owed by seniors are in default—Solution?

The amount of education debt held by people 65 and older has risen from $2.8 billion in 2005 to $18.2 billion in 2013. Gov guarantees the loans and lenders can collect our Social Security benefits FOREVER. There is no time limit and no bankruptcy discharge. Bankruptcy judges have said that to get education loans wiped away, borrowers must show their entire lives would otherwise be characterized by a “certainty of hopelessness” or that repaying the debt “strips [the debtor] of all that makes life worth living.” Federal rules allowing education debt collectors to auto-dial borrowers’ cell phones. Parents become indentured servants for life. See discharge process: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation

Why are women better investors than men?

New survey says men lost 1.8% while women only 1.4% in 2015. They become rich faster than men now. Over time, both would be better off NOT trading the study shows. Trading assumes we know or we think our broker/advisor knows what will happen in the future. Greed and fear are Wall Street’s tricks to separate us from our money like fortune tellers. Buffett says his holding period is forever. 257 hedge funds closed this quarter because they lost so much money. The record is clear: earn 3.79% with managed account or 11.06% with index funds. If we just held the whole market and didn’t try to time the ups and downs, we could earn 10-12% a year. This is the record you could have:

2014    13.80%

2013    32.43

2012    15.88

2011      2.07

2010    14.87

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pimps-Wall-Street-middlemen/dp/151525254X

Why let your broker/advisor take 2/3^rd of your returns?

You put up the money and take all the risks. You should earn the full amount of return the market provides. Your broker has no special information or technical tools to win or they would own their own management fund. As a sales person, their job is to sell you for a profit, just like all salesmen. Successful investing is about putting your money to work not playing poker or the slots. It takes a lifetime to build a successful business. Why would investing be any different? Let your money work and compound for you. Over time your $250 a month compounds to $1 million. Earn 11% not 3.69%:

 http://www.amazon.com/Earn-11-11-3-69-On-Investments/dp/1502412187

Which vehicles last at least 10 years?
Sad but true that all 10 have foreign labels but are made by American workers. American management seems to have hard time managing the process of making reliable cars. Perhaps their top brass does not stay long enough in the job or wants more money or wants to build a corporate empire or run the company into bankruptcy or sale in order to cancel labor contracts or run up the stock price by cutting R&D so the options have more value or retire with a $1 million pension while cutting everyone else’s pension and health care benefits. It is amazing that the best cars are made by the management that takes the fewest rewards. Bottom of the reliability scores: Jeep, Dodge, Ford, Chrysler

Compare management of Chrysler now Fiat, GM now new GM, to Toyota and Honda.

Does our President need to be rational and truthful?

Cruz on budget: "It was Republican leadership playing Santa Claus to the lobbyists”

            “My kids can hit Hillary emails in ad but don’t put them in cartoon.”

Trump: “while I hate some journalists, “I’d never kill them.”

            “There is no proof Vladimir Putin has killed enemies or journalists.”

            Putin is a “strong leader” Putin thinks Trump is “brilliant”

Clinton: “Trump is ISIS best recruiter” No comment on Trump vulgarity—IA take note.

            “I will shut below average schools”

Christie: "does anybody really care if Hillary apologizes to Donald or vice versa”?

Carson: “I never saw a body with bullet holes more devastating than taking the right to             arm ourselves away.” Carson never lost a child in gun fire.

Jeb: “I am more comfortable ranking lower in the polls because it means less scrutiny.

Graham: I told them how to fight ISIL so now I’m done.

Sanders: “Sad reality is Wall Street regulates the Fed.” Fed ready to bail them out again.

New poll: Americans oppose Donald Trump’s plan to ban all Muslims from coming to the country by a more than 2:1 margin (66 percent to 27 percent). The partisan divide on the issue, however, is sharp. Democrats would accept Syrian refugees (74-22) while Republicans (82-13) and independents (51-42) would ban them. All three groups oppose barring all Muslims: Dems (79-18); Republicans (51-41) and independents (67-22). A majority (55 percent) of Americans believe domestic extremists are a bigger threat than foreign radicals, while 55 percent think Islam is a peaceful religion. Americans also support (50-42) sending ground troops to fight ISIS.

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

            “It is nearly impossible for one individual to take on a corporation with vast resources.”

               Supremes stop us from suing—State courts no longer available to sue corporations!

Lisa Lewis, former Fidelity broker, caught check-kiting from client accounts.

Olympus Corp’s duodenoscopes found to kill 21 patients but not disclosed to anyone.

LifeLock caught (AGAIN) promising what nobody can deliver—ID security

VA revokes 25 state’s gun permits to fugitives, stalkers and drug dealers, etc.

Wall Street could lose $19 billions if Fiduciary Rule to protect us becomes law. Currently             savers are losing $ billions with high fees and bad sales practices.

Galen Marsh, MorganStanley, caught stealing 730,000 customer account records  

Honda air bags kill 9: why do we leave testing to the companies themselves?

We need regulation—GOP is wrong—companies would not fix bad products on own

Is a SBLOC right for you?
Securities-Backed Lines of Credit are being marketed by your broker/advisor but regulators are concerned that when your portfolio loses value, you may have problems with repayments. Your loan may be called at any time so the extra capital may not be worth the risk especially if you are using assets you expect to grow long term. On the other hand, if you have a sure thing—an investment you know will perform (?) and you pledge a small part of your portfolio, the low fixed interest rate on these loans may be perfect. Compare a 15 month 0% balance transfer loan from your credit card. A variable rate SBLOC may add another level of risk not worth taking.

Check with Warren first: http://www.amazon.com/Warren-Buffett-Your-Investment-Advisor/dp/1518690963

Future of computers, internet and work?
Many are already doing everything online on their smartphones, so why pay for home broadband or landlines? Cable firms have a problem. Where will we do work if we are already on call from employers via phone. If all major computing is done in cloud, why keep data on separate drives? We won’t need a wallet or purse for creds/info. Work will be running machines that actually do the physical stuff except personal services like plumbers, electricians and movers. Most of us find answers online now—diagnose illness, home and car repairs/problems/purchase, work issues. We buy almost everything online from Amazon, et al so retail stores become rare treat. What change is next?

Already, some create their own financial system to produce tax-FREE income: http://www.amazon.com/Create-Your-Tax-FREE-Financial-System/dp/1466367466

HOW CONGRESS WASTES OUR TAX DOLLARS

Special Inspector General John F. Sopko has spent years documenting waste, fraud and abuse in the U.S. military’s efforts to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan. We have spent $110 billion on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. When adjusted for inflation, that total exceeds the value of the entire Marshall Plan effort to rebuild Western Europe, WWII.

=More than $8 billion in spending on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan that have “failed by every conceivable metric. Afgans grow poppies like we grow corn.

=The purchase of nearly $500 million worth of airplanes that never could fly and had to be turned into scrap.

=Construction of a building that literally began to melt when it rained.

A $500,000 health clinic that lacked water and electricity. Newborn babies had to be washed in a nearby dirty river.

= Biden promised an additional $190 million to fight corruption in Ukraine's law-enforcement and reform the justice sector. 

=Congress cut future Social Security benefits to spouses  but not their own account.

=Navy's new $362 million ship broke down and had to be towed--lasted three weeks.

=VA keeps paying managers found guilty of retaliation on workers who complained.

=federal workers, who will get a 1.3 percent raise in 2016 but NOT for SS recipients???

=$400 million for new FBI HQ in VA or MD.

=IRS stopped from limiting political gifts from non-profits so rich can buy more votes.

= Military-industrial got biggest bump. For the first time since Cold War, contractors are sending tanks, fighting vehicles and heavy weapons to several Baltic and eastern European countries. Europe can’t defend itself? Putin responds with more nuclear weapons. We have 50,000 ‘active’ military that can’t deploy but are being paid. More =Nat. Guards needed to fill in. Civilians hired to steer drones from Las Vegas and get bonuses.  

=US just killed ten Iraqi soldiers by mistakenly bombing own lines near Falluja

=IRS handed out $46 million in tax refunds in 2013 by mistake—hire bill collectors

=FL postal worker landed his gyrocopter at Capitol proves $3 billions wasted

SCAMS

David J. Homan, Wells Fargo Advisors, Saginaw stole $513,000 from elderly by fraud.

Over 3,000 prisoners were mistakenly set free early in Washington state computer bug.

Lottery fixed in IA, CO, OK, WI by guy in charge of security—Nice job.

Wall Street claims average investors will be harmed by new “do the right thing” Rule.

Indiana will allow alcohol sales on Christmas for the first time – IN turning Left?

KY GOP cancels voting rights of more than 100,000 nonviolent felons.

Who owns your account now?

Deutsche Bank private-clients to Raymond James, 

Nomura Holdings, Japan, agreed to pay CIBC about $1 billion for its 41 percent stake in money manager American Century.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Alerts 

Vanguard's Top Ten

New study of wealthy people’s habits

They establish a standard of living that brings happiness but doesn't make them feel that they have to go bigger the next year. A long-range view helps quell spending urges that derail financial plans, says advisor Lisa Leonard. The wealthy "generally have an idea of where they'd like to be in two years, five years, even 10 to 20 years, and they make sure they don't outlive their assets," she says. "If they have $2 million, they don't think they can go out and buy a Lexus." Perhaps they buy a used one since they hate to lose value. They have many types of assets with low fees (index funds) and keep assets inline with goals. They invest to the max for employer pension matches. “It’s free money.” Roth IRAs produce tax-FREE wealth. 

All have a financial plan so they can get where they want to go. “How else will I know?”

They use Vanguard’s Top Ten: http://www.amazon.com/Vanguards-Top-Ten-mutual-funds/dp/150073909X

Most people can save $3,000 every year on financials

My clients have convinced me that almost everyone can save at least $3,000 a year by buying only the financials they need. Problem is, most people don't find out what they really need. Instead they rely on the salesperson to tell them. Well, you know what the barber said when asked, “Do I need a haircut?”

Now you can find out what you need!  It is easier to find unbiased information about financial services. We can learn how to buy exactly what we need not what the salesperson wants to sell. However, some people don't shop for the best value because they don't think they can save much. They think there is not much difference between one company and the next. Example: one sells exactly the same $300,000 term life for $983 versus $384.

Buy only what you need and save.

http://www.amazon.com/Save-3000-every-year-Only/dp/1500681571

Panic from 2007 hurt workers retirement

The workers who stayed in their 401(k)s from 2007 through 2012 had an average balance of $49,814 at the end of the period, 67 percent higher than the average of those who did not, the report concludes. The study also found that older 401(k) participants ran away from equities more than younger workers. The share of 50- and 60-somethings with more than 80 percent of their 401(k)s in equities declined from 32.6 percent in 2007 to 23.5 percent in 2012, while the number of younger stock lovers dropped much less, only from 60.2 percent to 57.8 percent. Young have more time to recover loss! From 2007 to 2012, the share of participants with target-date funds in their 401(k) portfolios rose from 27.6 percent to 32.1 percent. Set your 401k correctly: http://www.amazon.com/Tune-your-401k-EARN-Tax-FREE/dp/1490591028

401k plan with high fees being sued—beware employers!

Retirement plan participants at Lockheed Martin claim that the firm breached its fiduciary duty to its participants and their beneficiaries in a variety of ways, including assessing fees that were “unreasonably” high. As a class-action suit, this might have impact on your 401k plan. Fees of 2% can take up to 63% of your nest egg over time. Compounding works for the plan advisor just as much as for you. If you earn 5% and you pay 2% and inflation takes 3%, guess what, you don’t get much to live on.

You are better off on your own: http://www.amazon.com/The-Working-Millionaire-Self-insure-Self-fund/dp/1460945484

Annuities NOT appropriate for all

Many investors consider using annuities for retirement, but far fewer buy them, according to a Phoenix Insurance. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they would consider buying an annuity, citing reasons such as securing a predictable monthly income, leaving an inheritance and meeting chronic care expenses. However only 20 percent said they were actually planning to use them.

There are more flexible low-cost alternatives:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Annuity-Strategy-Income/dp/1497532019

GOP crazies sound like 1950’s McCarthyism

Michele Bachmann, on radio, accuses Obama: “President Obama is trying to bring all of those foreign nationals, those illegal aliens to the country and he has said that he will put them in the foster care system,” Bachmann explained. “[W]e can’t imagine doing this, but if you have a hospital and they are going to get millions of dollars in government grants if they can conduct medical research on somebody, and a Ward of the state can’t say ‘no’ — a little kid can’t say ‘no’ if they’re a Ward of the state — so here you could have this institution getting millions of dollars from our government to do medical experimentation and a kid can’t even say ‘no,’” Bachmann said. “It’s sick.”

Bachmann also says immigrants might bring Ebola to US

“People from Yemen , Iran , Iraq and other terrorist nations are making their way up through America’s southern border because they see that it’s a green light, they can easily get in,” Bachmann warned. “Not only people with potentially terrorist activities, but also very dangerous weapons are going to cross our border in addition to very dangerous drugs, and also life-threatening diseases, potentially including Ebola and other diseases like that.”

McCarthyism had the same theme: foreigners infiltrate US with Executive’s knowledge to ruin US status quo. Lies that rallied the base were eventually condemned.

GOP buying judge elections too

Thanks to Supremes’ Citizen United, any corporation can buy influence in state judge elections now. So Koch Bros’ $$ billions are telling voters in many states that the Dem/liberal incumbents are “liberal on crime and Obama agenda.” This is sure to sway wary voters since any measure with that name is dead on arrival. In fact, Dem judges OK all crime death sentences. “We don’t need the facts. The TV adman told me so.”

GOP sues Obama for taking action then asks him to take executive action!??

Boehner after he failed to pass House support for border laws:

This situation shows the intense concern within our conference – and among the American people – about the need to ensure the security of our borders and the president’s refusal to faithfully execute our laws. There are numerous steps the president can and should be taking right now, without the need for congressional action, to secure our borders and ensure these children are returned swiftly and safely to their countries. For the past month, the House has been engaged in intensive efforts to pass legislation that would compel the president to do his job and ensure it can be done as quickly and compassionately as possible. Through an inclusive process, a border bill was built by listening to members and the American people that has the support not just of a majority of the majority in the House, but most of the House Republican Conference. We will continue to work on solutions to the border crisis and other challenges facing our country.

Then, Boehner and House went on paid vacation without taking action.

Can you survive a crash in a small car?

Tests of crash dummies show that few small cars protect you well.

Many drivers still don’t have car insurance … so keep away from them?

The estimated percent of uninsured motorists is highest in Oklahoma (26 percent) and Florida (24 percent), with the total number of drivers without insurance highest in California (4.1 million) and Florida (3.2 million).

Insurers want to use your phone to “know” your habits

Progressive and Allstate are working on apps to measure your movements. Drivewise, an Allstate app that monitors and gives feedback on driving behavior, is currently being tested on drivers in Montana , Nebraska and New Hampshire . Progressive’s app has been tested in some states, but the company has also been talking to various car manufacturers directly about installing software that can track and make judgments on driving, says David Pratt at Progressive, which aligns rates with behavior.

Use ALL your discounts: http://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Insurance-Beware-Double-Coverage/dp/1480027634

Shoot and ask questions later is the lesson?

Theodore Wafer, a suburban Detroit man who shot an unarmed teenager on his porch, is now in the hands of the jury. Wafer, 55, is charged with second degree murder and manslaughter for shooting and killing Renisha McBride, 19, last November. He explained it was self-defense and accident—Not clear. If you need help at night in Detroit don’t go to homes.

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 its own defense.

Big Banks still “too big to manage”

If we have another financial crisis, the largest banks will need a taxpayer bailout again. They refuse to keep enough capital from their gargantuan profits to be safe. And why should they—cut benefits and bonuses—since they know that “what is good for JP Morgan is good for America .” Dodd-Frank was just a smoke screen since its regulations were never written in plain English. Besides, the regulators come from the same Street. Hey, Don't worry be happy

Walgreen puts hold on renouncing US citizenship

Treasury is urging Congress to take action to limit tax (evasion) inversions. Good luck with that. Not waiting, it is exploring ways to unilaterally block a surge of U.S. companies shifting their headquarters overseas in search of tax savings. So far IRS saw 47 companies move their “tax-reporting” address abroad. Roughly 12 more are pursuing shifts, including Abbvie, Medtronic and Mylan. President Obama calls evasion "gaming the system" while eroding federal tax collections and forcing other American taxpayers to make up the shortfall.

With Supremes decision on unlimited corp money in elections, it is possible for a foreign government to buy an election to sway US foreign policy. EG: Saudi oil money uses dummy corp to give $ billions to Paul-Jindal ticket.

Who owns your account NOW?

Continental Assurance Company to a subsidiary of Wilton Re Holdings Limited.

Premier Access Insurance to Guardian Life

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair , NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

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

Holiday Gift Idea--Set for Life

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA

Set for Life: Invest 10% Spend $1,000,000 Tax-FREE

Invest just 10% of your income. Spend $1,000,000 with no income tax. Use low-cost mutual funds earning 10-12%. The average income tax refund is about $3,000. We can accumulate $1,000,000 from $3,000 a year because of compounding. Author Law Steeple, MBA Ebook $9.95 http://www.amazon.com/Set-Life-Invest-Spend-Tax-FREE/dp/1493680722

Are Fund of Funds investments right for you?

Funds of funds, which bundle alternative strategies by investing in multiple underlying hedge fund managers, typically tack on their own fees — which can amount to another 1% on assets and 10% on performance. Beyond the extra layer of fees, funds of funds also are hampered by liquidity-related challenges. But as funds of funds have tried to maintain standards of offering monthly liquidity with 30 days' notice, they have effectively reduced their pool of hedge funds in which they could potentially invest because most hedge funds aren't interested in offering increased liquidity. Total costs can exceed 3% and there are no refunds if returns lag the index. Morningstar found that low-cost funds beat high-cost funds in every period. Use the Tax-FREE Wealth Account: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Wealth-Account-Tax-FREE-Income/dp/1493761277/

Can you believe what you hear/read?

GOP agenda for the week: Keep up the war on ObamaCare

Republicans got their talking points memo for the week: “Because of Obamacare, I Lost My Insurance.” “Obamacare Increases Health Care Costs.” “The Exchanges May Not Be Secure, Putting Personal Information at Risk.” “Continue Collecting Constituent Stories.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/us/politics/gop-maps-out-waves-of-attacks-over-health-law.html

THE REALITY:

GOP speaker Boehner obtains ObamaCare via website

House Speaker John Boehner has officially enrolled in a D.C. insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act, he said in a blog post on his website Thursday evening. That wasn’t so bad was it?

Is the stock market reaching its top?

Stock funds won $172 billion in the year's first 10 months, the largest amount since they got $272 billion in all of 2000, according to Morningstar Inc. estimates. Even with most of the cash going to international funds, domestic equity deposits are the highest since 2004. According to traditional advice, when everyone is trying to buy the same commodity, a bubble is created. Is it time to take some profits? The S&P 500 index hits new highs with 26% return this year while the aggregate bond index is down over 4%. This is the 3^rd year of stock gains. 2009 27%, 2010 15%, 2011 2%, 2012 16%, 2013 ?

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

Bush wars increased the debt by $4-6 trillion to $16 trillion. 1985 debt $3 T, same as 1945.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com

Save $3,000 a year

Save $3,000 a year on your 401k or IRA

There are over 14,000 mutual funds, 1,000 ETFs and thousands of other places to put your money because managing money is very profitable. It costs managers very little to invest your money so your fees of 1-3% are almost all profit. Paying your fees, which increase every year, can take 40% of your nest egg’s potential total because of compounding. Paying fees every year can take $400,000 during your lifetime. Ask your HR or IRA person for the lowest cost stock or balanced mutual fund and save. Use our Guide to help you get what you pay for: http://www.amazon.com/Get-What-You-Pay-For/dp/1492384100 

Are hedge funds right for you?

Many hedge funds don’t report returns publicly so it is hard for investors to judge. The bulk of hedge funds are positively correlated with stocks making them a poor choice for an alternative to stock funds. However, they underperform equities in up markets and outperform equities in down markets, according to the work of Fung and Hsieh. In fact Warren Buffett made a bet with one hedger in 2008 that the S&P500 would outperform his 5 hedge funds in 10 years. So far, the Vanguard 500 is ahead, 8.69% to 0.13%.  

Patience NOT leveraged trading wins long term:

Even wealthy investors don’t know how much they are paying

Instead of making it clearer, regulators are allowing advisors, brokers and agents make the actual costs even harder to find. The industry is migrating to complex “hybrid” schedules of fees and commissions that blur the 1% clients think they pay into 2-3% they actually pay. “It's all disclosed, but it's hard to make the fine print any smaller.” And the wealthier a client is, the greater the opportunity for a financial institution to pile on fees by investing his or her money in private placements and partnerships that transact business with affiliates, industry observers noted. Investment bank clients with $10 million and up think they're paying 50 to 75 basis points for advice, he said. In truth, they are paying 300 to 400 basis points. Typically, this a partnership or hedge fund with a truck-load of documents that only lawyers read.

Switch and keep more by using mutual funds operated at cost: http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Without-Wall-Street-Commissions/dp/1442168137

ObamaCare program glitches like Apple’s and Mercedes’ glitches--NEW

A number of iPhone 5s owners are reporting that their new smartphones are displaying the feared "blue screen of death" (BSOD) after using certain apps, and then launching into a reboot. The contractors responsible for the exchange—CGI Federal for the website itself, Quality Software Systems Inc. (QSSI) for the information "hub" that determines eligibility for programs and provides the data on qualified insurance plans, and Booz Allen for enrollment and eligibility technical support—are scrambling to deploy more fixes. 

So sign up next month.

We never buy the new car model for the same reason. Mercedes-Benz recalls 11 different models due to software glitch ..

Health care costs rise at slower pace

In 2013, U.S. companies and their employees saw the lowest health care premium rate increases in more than a decade, according to an analysis by Aon Hewitt. After plan design changes and vendor negotiations, the average health care premium rate increase for large employers in 2013 was 3.3 percent, down from 4.9 percent in 2012 and 8.5 percent in 2011. Buy only what you need with discounts: http://www.amazon.com/Health-Insurance-ONLY-right-policy/dp/1480125083

Getting over the learning curve

Young people are showing interest in buying insurance through Maryland Health Connection, the state marketplace created as part of federal health care reform, with those under 35 making up a third of those exploring the organization's website. Women tend to be better planners. http://www.amazon.com/Ensure-Your-Financial-Health-Wealth/dp/1466388293

Teens need to use Buffett’s advice

Nearly half of teens (49 percent) report feeling pretty clueless about money management, according to a new poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. The survey also identified one of the reasons behind this lack of financial knowledge: 90 percent of teen respondents said they're not learning everything they need to know about money management. There are plenty of online resources: http://www.amazon.com/Financial-Literacy-Steps-Success-Money/dp/1491044616

Sandy storm victims still waiting

Joanne Gwin's home in the Silverton section of Toms River NJ was wrecked by the storm. Her insurance company paid $101,100 on a $250,000 policy, and she is appealing that decision, still living in a rental a year later. Many homeowners have had to use their own money because FEMA and insurers use time as leverage. This is another reason to have an emergency fund: http://www.amazon.com/What-did-wrong-financial-mistakes/dp/1491095946

Could this government crisis happen again?

Yes. Your SS benefit may be delayed—there is no SS trust fund! One analyst says, assuming the borrowing authority runs out and lawmakers stay in their stalemate, a batch of Social Security benefits scheduled to go on Feb. 7 would likely be delayed by two days. A larger batch, scheduled for Mar. 1, would be delayed by 12 days. The longer the debt-limit impasse, the longer the delays.

Wait, Social Security brings in more money — in taxes and interest — than the benefits cost. How could it not have money to pay benefits?

Because lawmakers don’t treat Social Security, to borrow an old phrase, like it’s in a lockbox. They mix its tax receipts with income taxes, capital gains taxes and every other revenue source the government has. Benefits get paid out of that big mixed revenue stream.

You can bet Congress, President and Supremes will all get paid before we do. Big government contractors aren't likely to get hurt substantially in any event, as they have the reserves to make it through any payment delays unscathed. United Technologies had $4.9 billion in cash on its balance sheet, while Boeing had more than $14 billion in cash and short-term investments.

Emergency fund of 1 month’s expenses is necessary so you are ready Jan 15 for another shutdown.

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

Bush wars increased the debt by $4-6 trillion to $16 trillion. 1985 debt $3 T, same as 1945. Only years of surplus—1998-2001.

IAN

41 Watchung Plaza, B242

Montclair, NJ 07042

973.746.2014

www.InsuranceAdvisorsNetwork.com