Baby, It’s Cold Outside! Will Social Security Be There to Keep You Warm?

Snow, ice, and sleet have blanketed our part of Ohio this past weekend. Frigid temperatures first announced the coming of such winter misery, of course. Normal life has been completely interrupted in the wild lands of the Midwest.

Which makes me think of how ObamaCare has brought blizzard after blizzard into the neighborhood of health insurance, long-term care, and retirement planning. Which makes me fear for that two-word lifesaver we’ve come to love (sometimes) in this country–social security.

First off, it’s no secret our social security system is a Ponzi scheme (money from new payers is given to old payers as their returns). Gee, thanks, Uncle Sam. We borrow (read: steal) more from working Americans’ public retirement plan than from China!

So yes, this system could use help. But tossing a frozen wrench onto an already thin layer of ice is just plain stupid. With Baby Boomers retiring en masse and Generation Y underemployed, we are going to see a windfall in social security unlike any ever seen. What’s an upright, concerned citizen to do?

This article from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph hits home, “It is certainly true that Social Security and Medicare are very popular and proponents vigorously oppose balancing the budgets of the two programs by reducing benefits. But, again, by the ‘popularity’ standard, programs that create dependency like welfare, food stamps and free cell phones are successes, too. However, reality paints a far different, and much less rosy picture of Social Security and Medicare. These programs are not giveaways funded by taxpayers, they are funded primarily by payroll taxes on employers and the employees who benefit from them. Even so, because of mismanagement and a failure to adapt to changes in demographics, both programs are broken and broke, running annual deficits. This is the typical sort of success we find in ‘successful’ government programs, and we have to wonder if there isn’t a better solution to most problems the government thinks it can solve.”

Maybe it’ll be because of ObamaCare. Maybe it’ll be because of the federal debt. Maybe it’ll be because of the next generation of Americans unable to pay. But whatever reason, we can be sure social security is not going to be enough for retiring Americans, especially as time goes on. No one wants to spend their golden years with a rotting nestegg, revisiting lower middle class living.

But The Nestegg Repairman can help. Through our customized retirement planning, we can help everyone in your family–young and old alike–build a safe, sustainable, and independent investment portfolio. Why wait? The weather’s only gonna get colder.

Don’t Want to Deplete Your Savings Making Junior’s Dreams Come True this Christmas? Here’s How!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Right? Ha! Tell that to the poor saps in the video below.

Okay, so maybe bargain shopping isn’t everything. But we’ve got to all save some money somehow, right? Nobody wants to refinance the mortgage just to get Junior an Xbox One. Maybe there’s an alternative to hocking the family pet to pay for family gifts? Yep!

We came across a couple of great articles on Money Watch about creative thinking this holiday season. Er, creative git-giving, we mean. Without further ado, here are our favorite shopping tips from article numero uno…

• Plan it. Before you shop online or enter the chaos of the shopping mall, take ten minutes at home to create a spending plan that lists who you need to buy for and how much you will spend.
• Use discounted gift cards. How would you like $100 worth of gifts for $80? You can purchase discounted gift cards for hundreds of online/offline retailers including the Apple Store, Radio Shack, Sears, Home Depot, and others. Discounts are usually 5%-30% off the face value of the card. Check out GiftCardRescue.com and GiftCards.com.
• Use social media. Before you start shopping, start following your favorite retailers on Twitter and Facebook. Many companies offer discounts exclusively to their Twitter followers and Facebook friends. A quick search of their recent posts may reveal money-saving discount codes.

Don’t have any extra cash to spend this holiday season? We’ve got tips for that, too…

• Gadget training. If you have less tech-savvy people on your Christmas list (i.e., anyone over the age of 15), give them something they desperately need — training for their gadgets. Show them all of the features of their cell phone, how to record their favorite shows on their DVR, etc.
• Babysit. When your tolerance for screaming kids exceeds your bank account balance, consider giving babysitting “coupons” that your friends can redeem. If you’re a masochist, schedule a night where multiple families drop the kids off at your house. This way you’re not giving up so much of your time.
• Swap services. If you have smart but broke friends, this tip is for you. Have a friend who provides a valuable service such as personal training, financial planning, or computer consulting give you several one hour vouchers you can give to your friends. In return, you give your friend the same number of one hour vouchers for whatever service you provide.

As always, The Nestegg Repairman is here to help you and your family with your financial planning this holiday season. If money is making you moody, check out how we can help and give our office a call!

Are You Thankful for Financial Security This Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is just a few days away! Families reunite, friends reminisce, stores open for business before folks finish eating. It’s all part of Turkey Day 2013, the special time we give thanks for all the blessings we’ve received from above! In this time of economic recovery, families are especially thankful for financial security. For those who desire more of it in their lives, banter about investment portfolios and life insurance will surely rule mealtime conversations.

In fact, the holiday season sees the most purchases of life insurance policies of any time in a year. Here’s an insightful article from Efinancial on why people scarf up policies between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Nestegg Repairman has over thirty years of experience helping families build their nesteggs. From young single professionals to family units with two sets of great-grandparents, we provide more than financial planning services–we bring both peace and security. This Thanksgiving, talk with your family (your whole family) about your current financial situation. How can you bolster your portfolio? Are your insurance premiums to high? What about long-term care? These are the kinds of questions families ask this time of year. These are also the kinds of questions The Nestegg Repairman is here to answer. Check out this testimonial from a young business owner we’ve helped. Here’s what our friend Joshua Lisec has to say about his experience with The Nestegg Repairman…

“Chuck and Jeff are not only two of the most knowledgeable gentlemen in the financial planning industry I’ve ever met, they are the most helpful as well. As a business owner, I have to assure that both my personal and professional finances are in tip-top shape. Thanks to The Nestegg Repairman, I am squared away with excellent health insurance coverage as well as a nestegg–that’s right, Chuck and Jeff have helped me start saving as soon as possible. I highly recommend The Nestegg Repairman to business owners and employed professionals alike, as well as to families looking for greater financial security in a season of global economic instability.”

Visit our services page to learn more! 🙂