From the category archives:

Strategic Rollout

Avoid 10 Key Mistakes To Ensure A Fruitful Retirement

July 18, 2010

Podcast: Download (22.9MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, July 20th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “True Asset Optimization: How to Choose the Right Investments.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 1-888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Are You Prepared for the Problem of Long Life?

Many thoughts of long lives and long retirements are of vacation trips, no debt, and plenty of disposable cash on hand to be able to give to your children, grandchildren, favorite charity.

Sadly, for most Americans these remain only thoughts as growing percentage of Americans are outliving the money they have set aside for retirement.

They literally cannot afford a long life. Instead, they become financially depend on others.

It seems absurd that after working an average of 40 years in the richest nation in the world that only a very small percentage of people can afford a long retirement, but that is the reality.

The reasoning is simple. It is because 95 percent of people are investing the same way and making the same mistakes.

The IRA and the 401(k) are the most popular retirement strategies in the U.S. With these strategies people are hoping to grow their investments and postpone taxes until they fall into a lower tax bracket because they are earning less.

This concept is riddled with problems. Most notable is that hopes of being in a lower tax bracket will not be realized because even though there is less income, there are often less deductions as well.

That, mixed with the fact that congress is continually raising taxes, means if anything people should expect higher taxes.

Other people follow the financial advice that paying off all debt will create financial independence.

These strategies implore people to send extra principle payments into their mortgage companies to alleviate themselves of any debt.

This strategy has caused many people to ultimately lose their homes because they lacked liquidity so when the economy dropped they couldn’t even afford to make the scheduled payments.

How Can You Protect Yourself & Afford a Long Retirement?

In order to protect against the common mistakes people are making in retirement planner, it is first necessary to know what these mistakes are.

There are ten mistakes I detail in my e-book, Baby Boomer Blunders, which are as follows:

  1. Short-term investments being used for long-term goals.
  2. Thinking that you will only live, therefore need to budget, for 15-20 years of retirement.
  3. Believing that paying off your home will give you peace of mind.
  4. Believing that $100,000 to $400,000 will be enough of a nest egg to fund your retirement.
  5. Thinking that you will be in a lower tax bracket when you retire.
  6. Believing that deferring taxes on retirement funds saves you on your taxes.
  7. Thinking IRAs and 401(k)s are the best way to fund your retirement.
  8. Reaching retirement age and not drawing out retirement funds from IRAs and 401(k)s because you don’t need the money, instead of doing a strategic rollout.
  9. Viewing retirement as a time when you can do all of the things you always wanted to.
  10. Thinking retirement is the time to coast instead of keeping a purpose.

Meet with a Missed Fortune advisorand learn to avoid the baby boomer blunders and be introduced to the empowering 31 F.L.A.V.O.R.S. of missed fortune.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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Retire the Rotten Repository

June 6, 2010

Podcast: Download (22.9MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, June 8th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “True Asset Optimization: How to Choose the Right Investments.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 1-888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

401(k)s: A Horrible Way to Save

In October of last year Time magazine published a story entitled “Why It’s Time To Retire the 401(k).” The article reports:

“…the 401(k) is a lousy idea, a financial flop, a rotten repository for our retirement reserves. In the past two years, that has become all too clear. From the end of 2007 to the end of March 2009, the average 401(k) balance fell 31%, according to Fidelity. The accounts have rebounded, along with the rest of the market, but that’s little help for those who retired — or were forced to — during the recession. In a system in which one year’s gains build on the next, the disaster of 2008 will dent retirement savings long after the recession ends.”

401(k)s are poor investments for most people because they expose investors to market volatility. Investors have little control.

Worst of all, with tax deferral all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable taxes, and taxes will not be lower in the future.

It’s a myth that you’ll be in a lower tax bracket when you retire. Even if your income is less, you don’t have the tax deductions you used to have.

The following Fram oil filter television commercial illustrates this concept perfectly:

*If you’re reading this in an RSS reader or email, you may need to click the title of the post to view the video.

Stop delaying the inevitable. Make wise decisions to protect your nest egg from taxes.

Set up a free appointment with a Missed Fortune advisor to learn how you can access investments that offer tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawal, and tax-free transfer to heirs.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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New Cap & Trade Bill Means Higher Taxes

May 23, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, May 25th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “True Asset Optimization: How to Choose the Right Investments.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 1-888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Congress Intent on Destroying the Middle Class

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled “Just Don’t Call It a Climate Bill,” which reports:

“Despite the most creative rhetoric this side of ObamaCare, voters have figured out that ‘cap and trade’ involves artificial carbon rationing and vast new energy taxes. So the main goal of John Kerry and Joe Lieberman has been attempting to disguise these truths in the climate bill they released to much fanfare last week…

“The bill sets a 2020 target for reducing CO2 emissions by 17% from 2005 levels, and 83% by 2050…”

If this bill passes, fewer and fewer people will be able to purchase homes. You won’t be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to meet the regulations.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the average cost of the bill for a family of four to be an extra $6,800 per year.

That will be the single largest tax increase this country has ever seen.

Take Charge of Your Taxes

It’s never been more critical for you to get the most deductions on your taxes. Unfortunately, few people know tax planning well enough.

For example, most people don’t claim enough withholdings, resulting in year-end refund. A tax refund is nothing but forced savings — the government kept your money without paying you interest.

Also, most people aren’t maximizing legitimate tax deductions. My CPA was once helping a financial advisor with his taxes. He asked the advisor, “If I save you money, will you pay me 25 percent of whatever I save you?” “Of course,” the advisor responded.

Within less than an hour, my CPA uncovered additional deductions that gave the advisor an additional $2,200 in his refund.

Tax increases will begin January 1, 2011. You need to convert your retirement plans into safer, more profitable savings vehicles while account values and taxes are lower.

Meet with a Missed Fortune advisor to learn how.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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What Will the Government Nationalize Next?

May 9, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, May 11th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “True Asset Optimization: How to Choose the Right Investments.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 1-888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Next Up on the Government’s Nationalization Agenda

A crisis is unfolding with dire consequences, though few Americans are aware.

The harsh reality of national insolvency is forcing the government to look for new sources of revenue.

What’s the most logical source? You guessed it: qualified plans, meaning 401(k)s and IRAs, where Americans have saved more than $13 trillion.

Lee Bellinger, publisher of Independent Living, recently published a report entitled “40l(k)/IRA Nationalization Quietly Moves Forward.” His comments are just common sense:

“As the government’s finances continue to deteriorate, the White House and a powerful network of left-wing think-tanks, Congressional activists, and the highly-influential Ford and Rockefeller Foundations are engineering a new regulatory and tax-incentive drive to herd and ultimately force Americans to convert their 40l(k)s and IRAs into government-directed retirement accounts…

“…the extreme tactics used to ram health care nationalization down the country’s throat are a blueprint for what could be the biggest asset grab in history: the nationalization of private retirement accounts.”

It’s only a matter of time. In March of this year, the New York Times reported:

“This year, [Social Security] will pay out more in benefits than it receives in payroll taxes, an important threshold it was not expected to cross until at least 2016…”

Business Week reported that new federal regulations designed to “promote the conversion of 401(k) savings and Individual Retirement Accounts into annuities or other steady payment streams” would help drive cash into government-controlled entities such as American International Group (AIG), “the insurer that has received $182.3 billion in government aid.”

Bob Chapman of The International Forecaster explains,

“The looting of retirement plans is still in the planning stage, and you’re seeing these trial balloons go up.”

Bottom line: Major congressional overhaul of retirement plans — to your detriment — is something you should be planning for.

Roll ‘em Out!

In light of this crisis, the wisest, most logical decision for you may be a strategic rollout — to transfer your qualified plan funds into maximum-funded, tax-advantaged life insurance contracts, which provide the following benefits:

  1. Tax-free growth
  2. Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal
  3. Tax-free transfer to heirs
  4. Guaranteed safety of principal
  5. Healthy returns that outpace inflation

If you think you’ll be in a lower tax bracket when you retire, you need to consider what the government is up to and think again.

Taxes will never be lower than they are today, and your dollars will never be worth more than they are today.

Escape the greedy clutches of government bureaucrats by meeting with a Missed Fortune advisor.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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Earned Success is the Only Permanent Road to Personal Happiness

March 14, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, March 16th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “Choosing the Right Investments.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 1-888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Earn Your Happiness

In a recent article entitled “The Left Doesn’t Want You to Be Happy,” Certified Financial Planner David Bahnsen shares a truth that should be obvious:

“…sociological and psychological studies have repeatedly affirmed this rather fascinating tenet: People with money who did not earn it are overwhelmingly more likely to say that they are unhappy than people who earned it. Obviously, regardless of the source of one’s prosperity, happiness can not be bought.”

Not only does this make common sense, but it’s scientifically proven. Earned success is the only permanent road to personal happiness.

What’s more, dependence leads to unhappiness.

Unfortunately, however, we’re bombarded with political voices who cry for more and more wealth distribution. Since the New Deal, we’ve pursued a steady path of taking from people who produce and create value to support those who do not.

This is both morally wrong and it leads to further unhappiness in society.

If we want a morally stable and happy society, the answer isn’t to redistribute wealth. Rather, the answer is to provide equal opportunity.

Let people become skillful and earn their own way. Let people fail and try again and learn from their failures.

In short, let people pursue happiness, rather than trying to guarantee it to them by giving them unearned material goods.

As David Bahnsen says:

“The materialists in our society are not believers in free enterprise who are focused on ‘earned success’; the materialists are the leftists who dare to suggest that the mere redistribution of money is going to make people happy.

“That…is base materialism. It is shallow. It is dangerous. And it is destructive. A worldview that pursues earned success is empirically proven to provide true happiness, for only that worldview respects human dignity.”

Protect Your Success & Happiness

Missed Fortune clients are producers. They work hard to build financial security. They’re self-reliant and responsible.

Unfortunately, many of them simply have blind spots when it comes to growing and protecting their wealth.

It doesn’t make sense to work hard for your retirement, only to lose your accounts to taxation, inflation, and market volatility.

Protect what you’ve earned. Meet with a Missed Fortune advisor to learn how you can do the following with your investments and retirement accounts:

  1. Create greater liquidity.
  2. Guarantee safety of principal.
  3. Participate in market upswings while protecting your money from market downturns.
  4. Outpace inflation.
  5. Limit taxation.

You’ve earned your success — now protect it from government bureaucrats, market forces beyond your control, and unforeseen events.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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You Can Count On Your Future Despite Ups & Downs

February 28, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, March 2nd at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “The IRA & 401(k) Dilemma” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Don’t Let Market Ups & Downs Get You Down

When the Federal Reserve recently raised interest rates on money it loans to banks from .5 percent to .75 percent, many saw it as positive. A Los Angeles Times article said

“The willingness of policymakers to raise the discount rate is the latest sign that the economy is regaining its footing after falling into the worst financial debacle since the Great Depression.”

And The New York Times said

“The Federal Reserve on Feb. 18 raised interest rates, signaling its confidence in our economic recovery.”

But this news came within the same week unemployment claims unexpectedly went up. And at the same time millions who have already been receiving unemployment assistance are about to see their checks stop coming.

The ripple effect of this, according to the New York Times, is that

“Economists fear that the nascent recovery will leave more people behind than in past recessions, failing to create jobs in sufficient numbers to absorb the record-setting ranks of the long-term unemployed.

“Call them the new poor: people long accustomed to the comforts of middle-class life who are now relying on public assistance for the first time in their lives — potentially for years to come.”

At a time of uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to make your own financial future more certain. Take the lessons of these hard times and find out how to do the following:

  • Optimize your assets
  • Identify retirement savings vehicles that are tax-advantaged and provide liquidity, safety, and a healthy rate of return
  • Stop following the crowd and find a safer path to a more financially abundant life

There are a few things we can count on: Interest rates will rise and fall; the economy will always be cyclical; and overall, taxes will go up.

You should be able to count on your financial future. Find out how today by setting up a free consultation with a Missed Fortune Advisor.

Escape the Pitfalls of Traditional Retirement Plans

When it comes to savings and retirement vehicles, the traditional rhetoric is that you should put your money into “qualified plans” like 401(k)s and IRAs.

For years, Americans have been socking away their investment money in accounts like these, following the crowd, hoping it would ensure the nest egg they want for the future.

The recent economic downturn has all but thrown out the egg and the nest from many Americans’ 401(k) and IRA accounts. Some have lost thousands—others hundreds of thousands—from their traditional retirement accounts.

There are other people, however, who haven’t lost a dime—in fact, they’ve increased their wealth over the past couple years.

What do they know that you don’t?

These people have followed proven but unconventional investment strategies like those described in the Missed Fortune book series.

They know that qualified plans are qualified by the government. And the government is expert at ensuring it gets its money one way or another.

With a 401(k), for example, your taxes may be deferred on the money you invest, but when you withdraw your money after age 59½, you will be hit with taxes.

There are better alternatives for your retirement savings that have all of the advantages that Roth IRAs and 401(k)s offer, but also a considerable amount more.

Consider strategically converting your traditional IRAs and 401(k)s to maximum-funded, tax-advantaged index insurance contracts rather than to Roth accounts.

Using indexing strategies, you can protect yourself from losses and still participate in any upside potential during good years.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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Learn How to Leverage OPM to Stimulate Your Personal Economy

February 21, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, February 23rd at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “Successful Equity Management.” You’ll learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Will the Real Obama Please Stand Up?

After catering to moderates throughout his campaign, Obama is proving to be far more liberal than anyone ever suspected him to be.

His agenda is shaping up as one of the most radical since the New Deal, and it will have drastic consequences for Americans.

In an article entitled “Barack Has a Truth Ache,” Michael Goodwin reported in the New York Post:

“[The American people] believed him when he said he was a moderate who would lead from the center. But a clear majority, 54 percent, now says the president is ‘mostly liberal’ and his policies tilt left.

“They’re not happy, because that’s not what they expected or wanted…

“Quite simply, the president is squandering the trust the American people vested in him. It could not be otherwise when so many suspect he pulled the wool over their eyes to get elected.

Analyzing the poll, Gallup editor Lydia Saad writes that only 48 percent of the 1,521 adults surveyed in mid-October say Obama has kept his campaign promises, a sharp decline from the 65 percent who felt that way in April.

The poll, which didn’t track specific policies, leaves little room for doubt, with 48 percent also saying Obama ‘has not’ kept his promises.”

Hopefully, the 2010 elections may overturn the current surge toward socialism.

In the meantime, however, you need to be doing everything you can to create your own economic stimulus plan — because, thanks to liberal policies, taxes will go up and the dollar will be worth less over time.

Economic Stimulus Point: Learn How to Leverage OPM

Sadly, when most Americans think of using other people’s money (OPM), they think of borrowing to purchase consumer goods and depreciating assets, such as cars.

Because of this, we’ve come to think of debt as a bad thing — even though we’re clearly addicted to it.

But debt can be a powerful source of investing when used to conserve and produce, rather than consume.

This is precisely how banks make money — by borrowing OPM at low interest rates, then lending it to other people at higher interest rates.

Wouldn’t you like to learn how to think and operate like a bank? Wouldn’t you like to learn how you can use debt as a tool of production?

To do so, join us on our next webinar, “Successful Equity Management,” then set up a free consultation with a Missed Fortune advisor.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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Save Yourself from Obamunism

February 7, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, February 9th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “Retirement Planning & Tax Strategies.” You’ll learn how to get money trapped in 401(k)s and IRAs out of them tax-free. You’ll also learn how to maintain liquidity and guarantee safety of principal while earning a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation.

Register now by calling 888-76-Radio (888-767-2346). If operators are busy, please call again.

All attendees receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

The Messiah President

Since taking office, President Obama’s greatest frustration has been the U.S. Constitution, which was written to thwart charismatic personalities and political messiahs who promise a free lunch.

Specifically, the founders instituted measures to prevent wealth redistribution, but Obama is bent on bypassing or pushing through them.

Most of Obama’s policies consist of a takeaway from the most industrious and productive citizens and a giveaway to those who make the fewest contributions and take the least personal responsibility.

The results will be to increase the number of potential voters who will receive more tax benefits than they pay for, which will put even further strains on our already bursting national debt.

Bleak National Deficit Forecasts

Regardless of your political leanings, everyone can agree that the national debt is unsustainable, and that swift action must be taken to get it under control.

The New York Times recently reported the following:

“The additional tax cuts and public works spending that President Obama has proposed to spur job creation would add $100 billion to this year’s deficit, bringing it to nearly $1.6 trillion, according to an administration official.

“A deficit of that size for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 would be about $150 billion greater than last year’s deficit, which was the highest since World War II.

“Measured against the size of the economy, a $1.6 trillion shortfall would equal almost 11 percent of the gross domestic product. Economists generally consider annual deficits above 3 percent to be unsustainable.”

Entrepreneurs are now spending much more time with accountants in order to save money on taxes. This time comes at the expense of time that could be spent innovating and producing, which would increase tax revenues.

But what should you be doing? How can you save yourself from a bloated government that is coming after your money on all fronts?

Create Your Own Economic Stimulus Plan

You may not be able to personally control what the government does, but there are measures you can take to protect yourself from today’s government spending that will catch up with all of us in the future.

Specifically, if you have money trapped in government-sponsored and -controlled IRAs and 401(ks), you should use a strategic rollout to free that money up and put it into a much better plan.

The Missed Fortune asset optimization strategies provide tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawals, and tax-free transfer to your heirs.

They give you all the benefits of upside market growth, but none of the downside of market losses. Your principal is guaranteed to be kept safe, and you have full liquidity.

This explains why Missed Fortune clients haven’t lost a dime in this distressing economy.

Take ownership for your future by scheduling a free consultation with a Missed Fortune wealth advisor now.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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Should I Keep My Traditional IRA, or Convert to a Roth IRA?

February 2, 2010

When it comes to savings and retirement vehicles, the traditional rhetoric is that you should put your money into “qualified plans” like 401(k)s and IRAs.

brokenpiggybank-200x300 Should I Keep My Traditional IRA, or Convert to a Roth IRA?For years, Americans have been socking away their investment money in accounts like these, following the crowd, hoping it would ensure the nest egg they want for the future.

The recent economic downturn has all but thrown out the egg and the nest from many Americans’ 401(k) and IRA accounts. Some have lost thousands—others hundreds of thousands—from their traditional retirement accounts.

Missed Fortune Clients are Safe

There are other people, however, who haven’t lost a dime—in fact, they’ve increased their wealth over the past couple years.

What do they know that you don’t?

These people have followed proven but unconventional investment strategies like those described in the Missed Fortune book series.

They know that qualified plans are qualified by the government. And the government is expert at ensuring it gets its money one way or another.

With a 401(k), for example, your taxes may be deferred on the money you invest, but when you withdraw your money after age 59½, you will be hit with taxes.

Higher Tax Bracket During Retirement?

You may be surprised to find that most Americans are in as high—if not higher—of a tax bracket when they retire than they were before. Why?

  1. Many of them have paid off their homes, so they no longer benefit from the itemized deduction of mortgage interest.
  2. They also no longer have dependents living with them, so they lose that tax advantage, as well.
  3. And while they were able to postpone taxes during the contribution years, when they start to withdraw their money in retirement, most people find they end up paying back ten to twenty times the amount of taxes saved during their contribution years.

Taxing the Seed vs. the Harvest

If you were a farmer, which would you rather do: 1) save tax on the purchase of your seed in the spring, then pay tax on the sale of your harvest in the fall, or 2) pay tax on the price of the seed, then sell your harvest without any tax on the gain?

Most of us would rather purchase the seed with after-tax dollars and later sell the harvest tax-free. You can learn how to do this now.

Now would certainly be better than tomorrow, or next month, or next year. Your accounts (hopefully) will likely be worth more in the future. And your taxes (unfortunately) will likely be higher.

Wouldn’t you rather get your taxes over and done with now? Especially if your accounts have lost money in the economic downturn, then right now makes more sense than ever to ditch the 401(k) or IRA.

So is a Roth IRA a Good Idea?

What about Roth IRAs or Roth 401(k)s? Many people say these are better from a tax standpoint. Indeed, one of the touted advantages of Roth plans is that you use after-tax money when you contribute, with no taxes on the distribution and withdrawals.

Currently about 13 percent of all IRAs and 401(k)s are Roth, and Congress recognizes more and more people are becoming interested in them.

Why? More people are realizing they would rather get their taxes over and done with now, rather than later. So every so often, Congress makes it appealing for people to convert their traditional 401(k)s and IRAs to Roth accounts.

In 2010, for example, the government will allow you to convert your traditional accounts to Roth accounts and spread the taxes over two years.

This isn’t just generosity on the government’s part. It’s a chance for the government to generate revenue, because when you convert your traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, you pay taxes on that money you transfer.

Again, this is nice, but it’s not out of kindness. It’s just smart business on Uncle Sam’s part—he needs money, and he’s happy to take yours in the form of more taxes.

Safer, More Profitable Alternatives

There are better alternatives for your retirement savings that have all of the advantages that Roth IRAs and 401(k)s offer, but also a considerable amount more.

Consider strategically converting your traditional IRAs and 401(k)s to maximum-funded, tax-advantaged index insurance contracts rather than to Roth accounts. Using indexing strategies, you can protect yourself from losses and still participate in any upside potential during good years.

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No, Your Nest Egg is not “Safe Again” if it’s in 401(k)s

January 3, 2010

Podcast: Download (23.0MB)

Missed Fortune RadioThis week Doug Andrew discussed the following:

Upcoming Complimentary Webinar

Attend our free 90-minute webinar live over the Internet this coming Tuesday, January 5th at 11:00 a.m. pacific (12:00 p.m. mountain, 1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern), and again at 6:30 p.m. pacific (7:30 mountain, 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern).

The topic is “The 401(k)/IRA Dilemma.”

You’ll learn the best alternatives to qualified plans, which provide liquidity, safety of principal, and a healthy, tax-free rate of return that outpaces inflation. You’ll also learn how not to lose when the economy is down.

Register now by calling 888-76-Radio (888-767-2346).

Just for registering you’ll receive a bonus e-book and audio book on the IRA/401(k) dilemma.

Furthermore, all attendees will receive a bonus hardcover copy of Last Chance Millionaire, Doug Andrew’s New York Times best-selling book.

Ridiculous Reports from Traditional Financial Planners

Newsweek recently published an article by Linda Stern entitled “Is Your Nest Egg Safe Again?”. The story reports that large investment firms, such as Fidelity and Vanguard, have performed recent studies “showing that most workers have seen their retirement accounts recover to precrash levels…”

But why? According to the article:

“Both firms (Fidelity & Vanguard), which provide 401(k) accounts, reported that most of the workers in their programs now have more money than they did when the stock market started its slide in 2008. The primary reason, they reported, was that continued employee contributions helped to offset declines in balances.”

Huh?

In other words, these funds haven’t grown in terms of a rate of return! Financial services companies with vested interests are trying to pull the wool over your eyes by making you think that everything is okay with risky qualified plans.

Think about it: Your account is worth $100,000. The market tanks and you lose $25,000, so you’re left with $75,000. You then make an out-of-pocket contribution of $30,000, taking your account balance up to $105,000.

You’ve still lost and have not recovered from the $25,000 loss, yet according to large investment firms (which, of course, offer 401(k)s), your account is doing just fine.

To add insult to injury, these deceivers recommend that people nearing retirement age increase their risk to make up for lost time:

“At an age when they are typically told to eschew risk, older workers may need to take on a bit more investment risk in the hopes of snagging bigger returns going forward. People who are five years away from retirement should have 60 percent of their portfolios in stock, argues Christine Fahlund, a senior financial planner at T. Rowe Price.”

If you want to continue losing money, then stick with this advice. But Missed Fortune offers a much better and safer approach.

Escape the 401(k) Trap

Though they’re promoted heavily by the traditional financial services industry, 401(k)s are horrible accumulation vehicles, for the following reasons:

  • They tax your harvest, rather than your seed.
  • Contrary to traditional advice, your taxes will most likely be higher, not lower, in the future because you’ll have far less deductions.
  • The 10% withdrawal penalty prevents you from accessing the money when you need it most.
  • The accounts come with strict and constricting rules, such as mandatory withdrawal by age 70 and a half. If you don’t meet the guidelines you could be subject to a 50% penalty.
  • The accounts are subject to estate taxes, meaning that your heirs could be left with as little as 28% of your account balance when you die.

You need to escape this trap now while taxes are less than they’ll ever be. The Missed Fortune asset optimization strategies provide a way for you to roll your money out of qualified traps and into accounts that solve all the problems of 401(k)s.

Click here to get started now.

Bonus Missed Fortune E-Book: Baby Boomer Blunders

The average Baby Boomer has less than $50,000 accumulated for retirement (which means many have less than that), primarily due to bad habits and having money invested in the wrong places where economic downturns can diminish their nest egg.

Download this e-book now at www.babyboomerblunders.com.

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