How's It Going Today?

Remember, there's always somebody who has it worse than you... Dennis

The Choice is Yours

You can either LOWER your taxes or RAISE your income level.  Which do you have more control over?  Dennis

A List Of 97 Taxes Americans Pay Every Year

If you are like most Americans, paying taxes is one of your pet peeves. The deadline to file your federal taxes is coming up, and this year Americans will spend more than 7 billion hours preparing their taxes and will hand overmore than four trillion dollars to federal, state and local governments. Americans will fork over nearly 30 percent of what they earn to pay their income taxes, but that is only a small part of the story.

As you will see below, there are dozens of other taxes that Americans pay every year.  Of course not everyone pays all of these taxes, but without a doubt we are all being taxed into oblivion.  It is like death by a thousand paper cuts.  Our politicians have become extremely creative in finding ways to extract money from all of us, and most Americans don't even realize what is being done to them.  By the time it is all said and done, a significant portion of the population ends up paying more than half of what they earn to the government.  That is fundamentally wrong, but nothing will be done about it until people start demanding change.  The following is a list of 97 taxes Americans pay every year...

#1 Air Transportation Taxes (just look at how much you were charged the last time you flew)

#2 Biodiesel Fuel Taxes

#3 Building Permit Taxes

#4 Business Registration Fees

#5 Capital Gains Taxes

#6 Cigarette Taxes

#7 Court Fines (indirect taxes)

#8 Disposal Fees

#9 Dog License Taxes

#10 Drivers License Fees (another form of taxation)

What is an eBaby Boomer? You Don't Want to Know.

There's a better way to get ahead (or to just survive) than by selling your possessions.  Dennis

Are you an eBaby boomer? One in five of the post-war generation are selling their possessions to make ends meet

Concerned about making ends meet, one in five of the post-war generation are selling their clothes, jewellery and electronics online to boost their incomes, according to a study by MGM Advantage.

It found that staying afloat financially is now the biggest concern baby boomers have about retirement, ahead of staying fit and healthy, and losing a spouse or partner.

'At a time when we would hope such people were saving in preparation for retirement a large number are instead selling off their possessions on eBay just in order to make ends meet.

'It’s a situation that is unsustainable and a potential horror story for the eBaby Boomers when they retire.’

69% Rise in Food Costs in the Last 24 Months!

How much have food prices risen in the last 24 months?...well, see for yourself.  The mainstream press and much of the "brainwashed" population would have us believe that the "zero interest-rate policy" of the Federal Reserve has kept inflation in check.  Well, that's true, if you don't eat.  Talk to someone today about this and ask them, "what is YOUR financial strategy?"  You better have a good one!  Dennis

Soaring Food Prices:Compare Cost Increases

You're paying as much as 69% more over the past two years for common kitchen staples, like eggs, bread, milk, chicken and more. Take a look at over 20 items to see how much prices have risen over 24 months.(Figures are based on the U.S. city average as of Jun. 30, 2008, from the Department of Labor's CPI.)

Click HERE to see for yourself how ALL your staple foods have gone up.

FULL ARTICLE:

It's ONLY a Dream...

For an increasing percent of the population in the US, the "American Dream" of working hard for 20-30 years and then having a comfortable retirement, will be exactly that, just a dream.  We're doing something about it by taking charge of our own incomes!  Dennis

Comfortable retirement becomes far-fetched dream for many

OAKLAND, Calif. — 

The nation is staring down the barrel of a rapidly growing permanent underclass of Americans who have little or nothing in the way of retirement plans, let alone retirement assets.

Sanda Vallalobos helped hand out produce in Pittsburg Tuesday for the Contra Costa Food Bank.

"Right now, I'm a volunteer. Usually, I'm standing in line with the rest of the folks and trying to get some help here," says Villalobos.

There will be no retirement in her future.

"No, there’d just be no way, I mean it's pretty impossible nowadays," she says.

Former Army soldier Martin Woodin comes here for food often.

"I tried to save and it didn't work out. I became broke and couldn't buy anything so I came to the Food Bank," says Woodin.

The highly respected Employee Benefit Research Institute says 36 percent of working-age Americans have less than a thousand dollars in savings or investments for retirement and 60 percent have less than $25,000.  

You Could Be Next...

The FACTS are real...The STORIES are heartbreaking.  Dennis

Do Not Make Fun Of Those That Have Fallen Out Of The Middle Class – You Could Be Next

There are millions of American families that once lived very comfortable middle class lifestyles that have lost it all.  When you are unemployed and you can’t find a decent job, it can crush your soul.  Every day you can see the disappointment or the disapproval in the eyes of your family and friends, and it can be really easy to want to give up completely.  And then there are always those that choose to actively vocalize their disdain for those that are down on their luck.  But telling people “to get a job” or shaming them for being on welfare isn’t going to solve anything in an economy where there simply are not enough jobs for everyone.  Only a small minority of welfare recipients are actually trying to abuse the system.  Most people just want to work hard and take care of their families.  Unfortunately, that is much harder to do than it was before the last financial crisis.

At this point, our economy has stabilized at a much lower level than it was at before.  For example, 32 million Americans were on food stamps when Barack Obama took office, and subsequently that number shot up to about 47 million.  Fortunately, that number has been relatively stable for the last couple of years, but there has been no recovery.  This can be seen in lots of other economic statistics as well.

If we were going to have an “economic recovery”, it should have happened by now.

Unfortunately, it has not materialized, and now the next downturn is coming.

Only 11% Will EVER Regain Full-Time Work.

Most people in the US have simply "stopped looking" when it comes to finding a decent job.  In fact, only a small percentage of those who have lost their jobs and have been unemployed for more than six months are finding them.  Dennis

Just 11 percent of U.S. long-term unemployed find jobs

WASHINGTON — A new study documents the bleak plight of Americans who have been unemployed for more than six months: Just 11 percent of them, on average, will ever regain steady full-time work.

The findings by three Princeton University economists show the extent to which the long-term unemployed have been shunted to the sidelines of the U.S. economy since the Great Recession. The long-term jobless number is 3.8 million, or 37 percent of all unemployed Americans.

Official Warning: Coming CHANGES to Social Security

So you think that Social Security is going to be there for YOU?  Well...not in it's present form. And the choices are "unpleasant."  This is according to none other than the Director of the Congressional Budget Office!  Hello?  Is anybody listening?  Prepare NOW!  Dennis

CBO Director: Important to Give Advance Warning About Coming Changes to Social Security

(CNSNews.com) - The United States faces "fundamental fiscal challenges" stemming from the growth in spending for Social Security and major health care programs," CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf told a gathering in Washington on Tuesday.

The rising cost of those programs leaves Americans with "unpleasant" choices to make, but the sooner they're made, the better, he said: "So we have a choice as a society to either scale back those programs relative to what is promised under current law; or to raise tax revenue above its historical average to pay for the expansion of those programs; or to cut back on all other spending even more sharply than we already are," Elmendorf said.

"Fair" or "Unfair" – Which Would YOU Choose?

Here's a good question to pose to a prospect:  Do you think the Economy is FAIR to those who work hard?  According to this recent Rasmussen poll, 50%-60% of those you ask, will be open to hearing a way to overcome the "unfairness."  We have a plan that is not only FAIR...but will pay you OVER AND ABOVE what others think you SHOULD be earning.  That's the kind of "economic unfairness" I like!  Dennis

Economic Fairness

52% Think U.S. Economy Unfair to Those Willing to Work Hard

Most voters continue to think the economy is unfair to those who are willing to work hard.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters say the U.S. economy is at least somewhat fair to people who are willing to work hard, up six points from October. Fifty-two percent (52%), though, do not think the economy is fair to those willing to work hard, although that's down from October’s high of 58%. This includes 14% who think the economy is Very Fair to hard workers and 17% who don’t think it’s Not At All Fair to them. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-17, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. 

Secrets Of The Millionaire Next Door

I especially like point 6 and 11 of this list!  A millionaire NEVER forgets that financial freedom is a "state of mind that comes from being debt free.  Best of all it can be attained regardless of your income level."  We have a PLAN that allows FINANCIAL FREEDOM to anyone who wants it!  Dennis

19 Things The Millionaire Next Door Won't Tell You

Although having a million bucks isn’t as impressive as it once was, it’s still nothing to sneeze at.

In fact, Reuters reports that in 2009 there are 7.8 million millionaires in the United States. That’s a lot of people and the odds are one or two of them are living near you.

Heck, one of them might even be your neighbor. In fact, the odds are very good that it is your neighbor.

But, Len, you don’t know my neighbor.  That guy doesn’t look anything like a millionaire.

Well, guess what? A millionaire who is truly financially savvy won't be easily recognizable. 

1. He always spends less than he earns.  In fact his mantra is, over the long run, you’re better off if you strive to be anonymously rich rather than deceptively poor.

2. He knows that patience is a virtue.

The Software Bots Are Coming For YOUR Job

...just a follow up to my last post.  In this article Bill Gates admits openly that your job is likely to become automated in the very near future.  Better prepare by building a network and start focusing on your "human" intelligence and contacts of like-minded entrepreneurs.  Dennis

Bill Gates: People Don't Realize How Many Jobs Will Soon Be Replaced By Software Bots

Big changes are coming to the labor market that people and governments aren't prepared for, Bill Gates believes.

"Software substitution, whether it's for drivers or waiters or nurses … it's progressing. ...  Technology over time will reduce demand for jobs, particularly at the lower end of skill set. ...  20 years from now, labor demand for lots of skill sets will be substantially lower. I don’t think people have that in their mental model."

Speaking at Washington, D.C., economic think tank The American Enterprise Institute on Thursday, Gates said that within 20 years, a lot of jobs will go away, replaced by software automation ("bots" in tech slang, though Gates used the term "software substitution").

This is what he said:  

He's not the only one predicting this gloomy scenario for workers. In January, the Economist ran a big profile naming over a dozen jobs sure to be taken over by robots in the next 20 years, including telemarketers, accountants and retail workers.

1/2 All Jobs Replaced by Machine–NOT Science Fiction

I remember guys telling me that they never needed to worry about losing their jobs because they worked in senior positions at large banks.  Well...guess what tops the list for jobs at risk of being replaced by robots?  Dennis

MACHINES COULD REPLACE HALF OF U.S. OCCUPATIONS

Can machines really replace humans on the job? Yes. According to a new study done at the University of Oxford in the U.K., nearly half of all work in the United States is at risk of being lost to machines.

With new tech advances, such as artificial intelligence that can duplicate human reasoning and mobile robots, it is “likely that occupations employing almost half of today’s U.S. workers, ranging from loan officers to cab drivers and real estate agents, become possible to automate in the next decade or two,” reports Bloomberg.

And we’re not just talking about factory work.

According to Carl Benedikt Frey, co-author of the study and a research fellow at the Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology, advances in machine learning can make it easier for machines to do the job of humans. Machine learning is a kind of artificial intelligence that makes software “learn” how to make decisions by examining patterns in those humans have made. This evolution means machines can replace jobs from typists to travel agents.

Frey and colleague Michael Osborne looked at 702 U.S. occupations and determined 47 percent of occupations could be automated “perhaps over the next decade or two,” their analysis showed.

Top of the list of jobs at risk was loan officers with a 98 percent probability. One online company called Daric Inc. already uses an algorithm that determines who was a safe borrower in the past as well as who is creditworthy.The company doesn’t have one loan officer.

There is even software that could possibly eliminate lawyers, especially when it comes to researching documents. It took one law firm 600 hours to pour through 1.3 million evidence documents using such software. Without it, it would have taken 13,000 hours if humans had to do the reading.

Smart software is pushing self driving cars into reality, which means taxi drivers and heavy truck drivers could be replaced too.

But machines can’t replace humans in all vocations. They are unable to interact and improvise. “Neither can machines come up with novel and creative solutions or learn n from a couple examples the way people can,” reports Bloomberg. Still, workers should broaden their knowledge and move into jobs that demand more cognitively complex tasks, warns Frey. “It’s a race between technology and education,” he says.

The Great U.S. Retail Apocalypse

Don't worry...everything's OK.  Just because thousands of major retail stores are being shut down, there's no need to be concerned.  Don't believe your lying eyes, the economy is doing great!  Dennis

20 Facts About The Great U.S. Retail Apocalypse That Will Blow Your Mind

 By Michael Snyder, on March 9th, 2014

If the U.S. economy is getting better, then why are major retail chains closing thousands of stores?  If we truly are in an "economic recovery", then why do sales figures continue to go down for large retailers all over the country?  

The following are 20 facts about the great U.S. retail apocalypse that will blow your mind...

#1 As you read this article, approximately a billion square feet of retail space is sitting vacant in the United States.

#2 Last week, Radio Shack announced that it was going to close more than a thousand stores.

#3 Last week, Staples announced that it was going to close 225 stores.

#4 Same-store sales at Office Depot have declined for 13 quarters in a row.

#5 J.C. Penney has been dying for years, and it recently announced plans to close 33 more stores.

Outsourcing Retirement (to the Government)...

If you know someone over the age of 50, chances are they're "woefully unprepared" for retirement.  Dennis

Baby Boomers unprepared for retirement

The world braces for retirement crisis." This headline caught my attention because of its tone of near-panic. It implied that the pending retirement crises was like a hurricane or other natural disaster, striking with little warning and beyond our control.

Not so. Financial columnists like me have warned for the past two decades that Baby Boomers are woefully unprepared for retirement.

The article itself, an Associated Press piece published at the end of 2013, was actually quite a good summary of the problems looming as Boomers retire worldwide. It quotes a survey done by the Center for Strategic and International Studies as concluding, "Most countries are not ready to meet what is sure to be one of the defining challenges of the 21st century."