MONEY: The political counter-party risk in Social Security

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/the-political-risk-of-delaying-social-security-until-70/

The Political Risk of Delaying Social Security Until 70
via Oblivious Investor by Mike on 5/6/13

*** begin quote ***

Some people argue that holding off on claiming Social Security is akin to betting that there won’t be any rule changes. I don’t think that’s true. While certain Social Security reforms would make it advantageous to claim earlier, other reforms wouldn’t change the decision at all, and others could actually make it more advantageous to delay claiming benefits.

The five potential Social Security reforms that I see suggested most often are:

Increasing or eliminating the payroll tax cap,
Increasing the payroll tax rate,
Increasing the full retirement age,
Means testing benefits in some way, and
Switching from regular CPI to chained CPI for calculating cost of living adjustments.

*** end quote ***

One would hope that once you begin to collect that “they” won’t change the rules ex post facto.

We now that they can and do (i.e., the taxability of benefits).

But the Sheeple and Clover let them get away with it.

Argh!

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MONEY: Anemic US growth

Sunday, April 28, 2013

U.S. Economy Grew at 2.5% Rate in 1st Quarter
The U.S. economy failed to gather as much steam as expected in the first quarter. Gross domestic product advanced at a 2.5% annual rate between January and March, less than the 3.2% expansion expected by economists. Still, the GDP gain was stronger than the 0.4% growth in the prior quarter.

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With all the “stimulus”, QE, and all the other manipulation, this is a joke!

We borrow money from China to spend on stuff we don’t need and Gooferment programs.

Absurd!

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MONEY: Tax deferred maybe a trap!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324050304578412932073225110.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

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That’s the message in President Obama’s budget for fiscal 2014, which for the first time proposes to cap the amount Americans can save in these tax-sheltered investment vehicles. The White House explanation is that some people have accumulated “substantially more than is needed to fund reasonable levels of retirement saving.” So Mr. Obama proposes to “limit an individual’s total balance across tax-preferred accounts to an amount sufficient to finance an annuity of not more than $205,000 per year in retirement, or about $3 million for someone retiring in 2013.” 

*** end quote ***

Interesting. 

When the big IRA / 401k accounts are thought about logically, are they not converting “capital gains” into “ordinary income”?

Would they be better off making investments in taxable accounts?

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MONEY: Savings in bullion for education and retirement

Friday, April 5, 2013

http://www.silver-coin-investor.com/Storing-Silver-for-the-Next-Generation.html

Avoiding the Student Loan Bubble With Silver

Obviously, the growing costs associated with education — as evidenced by the trillion dollar student loan bubble with an unprecedented and growing 17% default rate — seems unsustainable to say the least.

A seemingly meager investment in silver made at today’s prices could eventually prevent your childrenfrom having to rely on student loan debt where they would end up owing a large amount of money by the time they graduate. This logic might even impress those investors who are not otherwise predisposed to understanding or otherwise caring about the white metal.

For example, making just a $30,000 investment in silver today for your children’s education will most likely grow in value many times over a holding period of 15 years. Silver’s future appreciation will very likely outpaceboth the consumer price inflation index, and will probably even exceed the higher rate of inflation in college education, which is currently running at ridiculous levels.

Furthermore, if your child ultimately decides not to go to college, or gets a scholarship to fund their studies instead, your prudent investment in silver will provide quite a nest egg to help them start out in life, buy their first home, etc.

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Interesting. I wonder if non-IRA/401k savers will use the bullion round to fund their future retirement. 

When I look at the cost of living as denominated in silver and gold, the monetary inflation is wrung out.

Perhaps, that’s what savers should be doing. 

By holding the bullion, you eliminate inflation, counterparty, “Cyprus” / custodian, Gooferment, and rate of return risk. 

Rate of return risk is an interesting concept. When using dollar denominated savings, one calculates the rate of return. But it doesn’t include the “inflation” rate. Savings today have a small nominal interest rate and an undetermined inflation rate. The Gooferment claims it is zero. It doesn’t feel that it’s zero.

So if I “save” in ounces of silver, then I know my rate of return is zero. But, the good part is that I can’t lose ground.

Money is no longer a reliable “unit of account” or “store of value”. Bullion is the “new money”.

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MONEY: Pensions in the bulls eye

Sunday, March 31, 2013

http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/poverty-hits-the-suburbs/

WND EXCLUSIVE
Poverty hits the suburbs
Disturbing stats show dangers overlooked as Wall Street bulls run wild

*** begin quote ***

He calls “the great 401k experiment of the past 30 years” a “disaster,” and says the actual average 401(k) balance for 65 year olds is closer to $25,000 than the $100,000 claimed by the retirement industry. Siedle predicts, “a catastrophic outcome for at least a significant percentage of our elderly population is inevitable.”

He is just as pessimistic about pensions, warning, “Americans today are aware that corporate pensions have been virtually eliminated and that the few remaining private, as well as the nation’s public pensions, are in jeopardy. Even if you are among the lucky few that have a pension, you cannot rest assured that it will be there for all the years you’ll need it. Whether you know it or not, someone is busy trying to figure how to screw you out of your pension.”

*** end quote ***

Obviously, the individual will have to save for themselves.

And, it’s in things that will retain value.

Not numbers on a bank statement.

Productive assets.

Bullion.

Bullets, bandaids, beans!

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MONEY: TAX ON YOUR BANK

Sunday, March 24, 2013

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/16/eurozone-country-surprise-were-putting-at-least-a-6-75-tax-on-your-bank-account/

BUSINESS
EUROZONE COUNTRY: SURPRISE! WE’RE PUTTING AT LEAST A 6.75% TAX ON YOUR BANK DEPOSITS
Mar. 16, 2013 10:12pm Erica Ritz

*** begin quote ***

Congratulations Cyprus savers – you were just betrayed by both your politicians, and by Europe – sorry, but you are the “creeping impairments” in the game known as European bankruptcy. And so is anywhere between 6.75% and 9.9% of your money, which you were foolish enough to keep with your banks (where at least you were compensated with a savings yield of… 0%).

More importantly, as of this morning Europe has finally grasped that there is a 6.75% to 9.9% premium to holding physical cash in your mattress rather than having it stored with your local friendly insolvent bank.

Luckily Cyrpus is so “small” what just happened there will never happen anywhere else: after all in Europe nobody has ever heard of “setting an example“. Or so the thinking among Europe’s unthinking political elite goes…

*** end quote ***

So, how do you, the average Sheeple, protect yourself?

Don’t think that this will go unnoticed around the world!

My concern is not so much a tax on “savings”; my concern is a seizure of IRA/401ks.

Figure there are only about 3k financial institutions that are “custodians”. All regulated up the wazoo by the District of Corruption. 

Every so often, “trial balloons” get floated about the Gooferment taking those in exchange for an “enhanced Social Security benefit”.

So my gold and silver bullion or nickels strategy don’t look so bad now!

Sometimes capital preservation is more important than investment gain lost!

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MONEY: 12 Cognitive Biases That Endanger Investors

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Good thing I have a team. Otherwise, I’d be sitting, guarding my “pirate’s chest” of gold coins. I don’t know what bias being a Gold Bug is, but I have it bad. The thieves in DC are robbing us poor folk blind. And, what’s worse, folks are clueless. Argh!

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12 Cognitive Biases That Endanger Investors: “

Before Todd Harrison created Minyanville, he was an options trader at Morgan Stanley, eventually becoming President of Cramer Berkowitz, where he toiled as head trader at Jim Cramer’s hedge fund.

Todd has an excellent analysis of the various biases that endanger investors.

Here is the full list:

1. Confirmation Bias
2. In-Group Bias
3. Gambler’s Fallacy
4. Post-Purchase Rationalization
5. Neglecting Probability
6. Observational Selection Bias
7. Status-Quo Bias
8. Negativity Bias
9. Bandwagon Effect
10. Projection Bias
11. The Current Moment Bias
12. Anchoring Effect

Check out his explanation and descriptions here.

 

 

Source:
12 Cognitive Biases That Endanger Investors
Todd Harrison
Minyanville January 17, 2013
http://www.minyanville.com/special-features/random-thoughts/articles/12-Cognitive-Biases-that-Endanger-Investors/1/17/2013/id/47441

“

(Via The Big Picture.)

 

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MONEY: This economy, and lack of political fiscal discipline, is hardest on the poor

Sunday, February 24, 2013

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2013/0222/Why-is-Wal-Mart-worried-Payroll-tax-could-cut-consumer-spending.-video?nav=87-frontpage-entryLeadStory

Why is Wal-Mart worried? Payroll tax could cut consumer spending. (+video)
Recent reports forecast lower spending for this year, anticipating that the restored payroll tax will impact consumers’ wallets, especially low-income earners. Wal-Mart is adjusting its strategy.

By Husna Haq, Correspondent / February 22, 2013

*** begin quote ***

“It’s a big deal,” says Morgan Housley, a macroeconomic analyst with Motley Fool, an online financial education website. “The biggest impact is on lower-income households since the payroll tax is regressive, only applying to the first $113,000 of income. Wealthier households don’t feel the same pinch because the tax doesn’t hit all of their income. Lower-income households also spend a larger share of their income than wealthier consumers.… Low-income families are in one of the toughest spots they’ve been in since 2009.”

*** end quote ***

Anyone believe a less that 2% cpi?

Not me!

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Why is Wal-Mart worried? Payroll tax could cut consumer spending. (+video)Recent reports forecast lower spending for this year, anticipating that the restored payroll tax will impact consumers’ wallets, especially low-income earners. Wal-Mart is adjusting its strategy.

By Husna Haq, Correspondent / February 22, 2013

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MONEY: Default is unavoildable

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

http://lewrockwell.com/north/north1264.html

—  begin quote —

Will the federal government default? Yes. Will investors learn their lesson? Not for long. But for a time, yes.

Here is the lesson: Do not trust a politician who says America cannot, must not, and will not default.

Here is the rule: “Never believe a rumor until it is officially denied by the government.”

Obama has officially denied it.

It’s coming.

— end quote —

Regardless of how you define “default”, what the FED is doing in buying debt with more paper, is de facto default.

So what the individual to do?

Buy assets that are not dollar denominated.

Bullion coins are my favorite. Nickles too.

Diversify. Pay off debt. And “get small in your hole”. (Any vet knows what that means!)

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MONEY: TARP was theft

Thursday, January 3, 2013

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/12/its-not-a-tax-or-spending-problem-its-a-devolution-into-lawlessness/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBigPicture+%28The+Big+Picture%29

It’s Not a Tax or Spending Problem … It’s a Devolution Into Lawlessness
By Washingtons Blog – December 26th, 2012, 1:30AM
It’s Not a “Fiscal Cliff” … It’s the Descent Into Lawlessness

*** begin quote ***

Numerous top economists say that the bank bailouts are the largest robbery and redistribution of wealth in history.

Why was this illegal? Well, the top white collar fraud expert in the country says that the Bush and Obama administrations broke the law by failing to break up insolvent banks … instead of propping them up by bailing them out.

And the Special Inspector General of the Tarp bailout program said that the Treasury Secretary lied to Congress regarding some fundamental aspects of Tarp – like pretending that the banks were healthy, when they were totally insolvent. The Secretary also falsely told Congress that the bailouts would be used to dispose of toxic assets … but then used the money for something else entirely. Making false statements to a federal official is illegal, pursuant to 18 United States Code Section 1001.

So breaking the rules to bail out the big, insolvent banks, is destroying our prosperity.

A strong rule of law is essential for a prosperous and stable economy, yet the government made it official policy not to prosecute fraud, even though criminal fraud is the main business model adopted by the giant banks.

*** end quote ***

It seems like it is time to hold the politicians and bureaucrats accountable for the lies and frauds.

My favorite is DonwsizeDC with its Read The Bills and One Subject At A Time ideas,

Of course, if no one is held accountable, then it really doesn’t matter. 

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