The Easiest Way To Get The World’s 6th Best Passport

The Easiest Way To Get The World’s 6th Best Passport

Notes From the Field By Simon Black  March 27, 2024

On June 5, 1947, US Secretary of State George Marshall gave the commencement speech at Harvard University.

This was just two years after the end of World War II, and in this speech, he first proposed giving $12 billion (approximately $170 billion in 2024 dollars) in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies ravaged by the war.

But it was about more than just throwing money at the problem.

What became known as the Marshall Plan was also meant to remove trade barriers, increase economic cooperation between countries, and prevent the spread of communism.

Remember, this was at a time when people still widely understood that capitalism was a win/win system where people take risks and work hard to create value and mutual prosperity.

By the 1950s, it was obvious that the Marshall Plan was playing a key role in the recovery of Europe's economy and laying the foundations for the post-war boom.

It was in this spirit of cooperation— and gratitude for the US— that the US and the Netherlands got together in 1956 to sign the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT). Yes, I chuckled at the acronym too.

The point was to make it easier for Americans to live and invest in the Netherlands, and vice-versa, and it’s still in force today.

The treaty allows US entrepreneurs and freelancers to obtain legal residency in the Netherlands for the purpose of starting a business, with an initial requirement of depositing approximately EUR 4,500 (about $4,900) in a Dutch bank.

In the digital age, this allows a wide range of self-employed professionals, like IT consultants and freelance writers, to easily benefit from DAFT without needing to establish a traditional brick-and-mortar business.

And after five years of total residency, you can apply for Dutch citizenship.

Now, nothing against the Netherlands, but you may not want to live in a place where it rains about half the year. Or a 6+ hour time zone difference from the US might not work for you.

But the same treaty offers an even better deal in the six Dutch territories of the Caribbean— Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Saint Maarten, and Saint Eustatius.

Under the treaty, US citizens are entitled to obtain legal residency in one of these islands without even having to start a local company or invest money.

To maintain your residency, you need to keep closer connections to the island, and cannot leave the country for longer than 12 consecutive months unless it’s for medical reasons.

Plus, this one strategy may allow them to accomplish several goals.

For example, some of the most basic elements of a Plan B include gaining foreign residency and cutting your tax rate.

By gaining this easy residency and moving outside of the US, you could also use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion to earn $126,500 tax free in 2024. Double that for married couples, and add the Foreign Housing Exclusion, and you’re talking about well over a quarter million dollars each year you can earn tax free.

And because of the tax rules on these islands, in most cases, you should be able to minimize or even eliminate your taxation there entirely (although you should definitely consult a tax professional who understands your particular situation).

Finally, this strategy puts you on a five year path to be able to naturalize in the Netherlands, which comes with the sixth best passport in the world. That’s an amazing passport to pass down to future generations.

There is a downside however... in order to become a Dutch citizen, you generally must renounce your other citizenships. (They do, however, make exceptions if giving up your original citizenship would create a serious hardship or disadvantage.)

But that’s under current Dutch law. That could change in five years; after all, Germany recently did away with the requirement to renounce other citizenships.

Now, DAFT is obviously not for everyone. But the larger point is that it’s a good way to think about implementing a Plan B to combine multiple benefits of a single strategy.

For a remote worker who wants to move to a warmer climate, obtain a foreign residency, cut their taxes, and gain a second passport, this ticks a lot of boxes.

You may have entirely different goals.

But chances are, you can find ways to craft your own Plan B in a similar manner that allows you to gain multiple benefits from a single action.

For example, we recently wrote about the Greek Golden Visa, which allows you to gain a foreign residency by buying property. It’s a great “back up residency,” since there are minimal requirements to spend time within Greece.

It’s also a way to gain some investment return from your Plan B, by renting out the property when you’re not there. Plus, Greece offers great tax incentives to retirees who move there.

So you could gain a foreign residency now, and use the rental income to pay for the home you plan to retire in.

Even something as simple as contributing to a tax-advantaged retirement account can allow you to employ multiple strategies to not just cut your taxable income, but also save for retirement.

Depending on the structure, you could also gain more control and options over where your retirement money is invested or capitalize a new business from your retirement account without penalties.

There are a lot of tools out there to take back so much of your freedom and prosperity. It makes sense to use them to their full potential.

To your freedom,  James Hickman  Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/the-easiest-way-to-get-the-worlds-6th-best-passport-150317/  

[Important Reminder: In case you missed our announcement from January 24, Sovereign Man has merged with Peter Schiff's media group. We are now called Schiff Sovereign, and our founder (Simon Black) has dropped the pen name and is now writing under his real name, James Hickman.]

“It looks like fly crap to me. . .”

“It looks like fly crap to me. . .”

Notes From the Field by Simon Black / James Hickman  March 25, 2024

I’m on my way back home from Mexico City after an incredible weekend event here with more than 100 of our Total Access members.

First things first, if you’ve never been to Mexico City, I highly recommend it. A lot of people have a misconception that the city is some kind third world dump. It’s not. And most first-time visitors are stunned by the vast green areas, expansive parks, tree-lined streets, museums, architecture, and modern lifestyle.

In my opinion it also has some of the best restaurants in the western hemisphere. You can eat extremely well in Mexico City, but you don’t pay very much for it.

The event we held for our Schiff Sovereign Total Access members was also pretty great.

I started off the conference explaining why we should expect higher inflation in the future-- and I’ve written about this extensively. The US government’s own projections call for $20 trillion in additional debt over the next decade. And frankly we think they’re woefully underestimating the problem.

But even $20 trillion will likely prove catastrophic. That would mean the US national debt will reach $55 trillion.

If yields remain at today’s levels (roughly 4.5%), then the government will have to spend nearly $2.5 trillion per year, just to pay interest on the debt. That would make interest on the debt the #1 expense of the federal government, triggering a vicious cycle in which the Treasury Department would have to borrow more and more each year just to be able to pay interest on the money they’ve already borrowed.

To say this is unsustainable would be a massive understatement. And we believe that the Federal Reserve will step in to bail out the government by slashing interest rates to zero (or even negative levels).

Think about it-- if the national debt is $55 trillion, but the interest rate on that debt is literally 0%, then the government’s annual interest bill is zero… essentially saving them $2.5 trillion per year.

Sounds great. But it would come at substantial cost.

For the Federal Reserve to lower rates, it would require them to dramatically increase the money supply, what we typically refer to as ‘printing money’. They’re not actually printing physical currency-- it all happens electronically. But the effect is the same: it’s highly inflationary.

When the Fed ‘printed’ $5 trillion during the pandemic, the US economy saw 9% inflation. So, if the Fed prints $20 trillion or more to push interest rates down to zero, how much inflation will be see then?

No one knows. But it probably won’t be their magical 2% target.

My partner Peter Schiff came on the stage later and made similar comments. And with this inflationary scenario in mind, we sketched out a number of strategies, both personal and financial, that would make sense in the coming years.

It would be easy to study this problem and come away with a sense of dread. After all, a $55+ trillion national debt and $2.5 trillion in annual interest expense looks pretty scary. (Remember, these are based on the government’s own forecasts.)

But if you can understand the trend and its consequences, then you can also take completely rational steps to reduce their impact. That’s the entire concept behind a Plan B.

Peter and I both see overwhelming evidence of substantial inflation in the future. But this means we can prepare for it now, rationally. And we outlined a number of strategies to do so.

One rather obvious one is gold. And we talked about why gold will likely become very important in the future. My personal view is that gold will eventually displace the dollar as the global reserve standard, i.e. how foreign governments and central banks settle their accounts.

With a $55+ trillion projected national debt, and $2.5 trillion in annual interest expense, it’s hard to imagine the rest of the world continuing to allow the US dollar to remain the dominant reserve currency.

And it would be a similar outcome if the Fed ‘prints’ tens of trillions of dollars.

Either way, we see the dollar’s reign as the dominant reserve currency coming to an end over the next decade.

But since no one trusts the Chinese government, or some new ‘BRICS dollar’, gold is the most likely candidate to replace the US dollar since every government and central bank on the planet already owns it… and has confidence in it.

Gold has the added benefit that no single government controls it. And so single country dominates gold production; China, Russia, the United States, Canada, etc. all produce substantial quantities each year.

We later heard from a colleague of mine who runs one of the largest precious metals storage facilities in the world, based in Singapore. He gave me an insider’s view of the gold and silver markets, and sketched out why there may be a shortage coming, especially in silver.

He explained how many of the world’s largest commodities and metals exchanges have seen dwindling stockpiles… while many mines are doing direct ‘offtake’ agreements with large industrial consumers (like electronics companies).

The end result has been a trend of declining physical silver availability, and he believes this will ultimately drive the silver price much higher.

He added that silver is currently quite cheap compared to gold, with the silver/gold ratio currently at about 90:1, versus its historic average over the past several years of roughly 70.

We also had a presentation from a venture capital firm that talked about buying shares of prominent startups (Airbnb, SpaceX, etc.) in the secondary market, i.e. from employees or early-stage investors seeking liquidity. It’s an interesting way to take a discounted position in a high growth business whose value could explode in an inflationary environment.

As one could expect right now, there was also ample discussion about cryptocurrency, including a mini-debate between Peter and our guest Mark Moss, who also spoke at the event. More on that another time.

Perhaps my favorite part was hearing from the former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox. He spoke in the morning about how many short-sighted and dangerous leaders are ruining the world… and I couldn’t agree more.

During a Q&A session later, he told the crowd about the time that George W. Bush came down to Mexico to convince him to support the war in Iraq.

Former President Fox told us that Bush’s team rolled out maps of Iraq onto his desk and pointed at a tiny speck, saying, “There are the weapons of mass destruction.”

Fox stared closely at the table and brought his face closer to where they were pointing, and said, “It looks like mierda de mosca to me…” That’s Spanish for ‘fly shit’.

I want to extend my sincerest thanks to all the members who joined us for a wonderful weekend in Mexico City. The event, the restaurants, the personal discussions with each of you, and the camaraderie were all unforgettable.

And if you’re not currently a member but interested in joining Total Access, you can find out more about it here.

To your freedom,  James Hickman  Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

 [Important Reminder: In case you missed our announcement from January 24, Sovereign Man has merged with Peter Schiff's media group. We are now called Schiff Sovereign, and our founder (Simon Black) has dropped the pen name and is now writing under his real name, James Hickman.]

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/it-looks-like-fly-sht-to-me-150313/

The 7 Most Common Financial Regrets and How to Avoid Them

The 7 Most Common Financial Regrets and How to Avoid Them

MTN Staff • February 28, 2024

We all make money mistakes. But keep them to a minimum by learning from the regrets of those who came before you.

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

We all have financial regrets. Whether it’s not investing in that successful stock or splurging on a luxury item you didn’t need and couldn’t afford, money mistakes can leave us feeling guilty and frustrated.

But don’t beat yourself up. By exploring the regrets of those who have come before, you’ll avoid making the same mistakes and achieve your financial goals faster.

Following are some of the most common financial regrets, along with potential solutions that will help you avoid them. Not all will apply to you, but some will, so be sure and read the entire list.

1. “I Should’ve Saved More For Retirement”

Having a nest egg big enough to support you through your retirement means saving as much as possible for as long as possible. But it’s also critical to make sure that money is working as hard for you as you did for it.

The best way to do that? Working with an investment and planning professional who can help you grow your wealth.

A Vanguard study found that, on average, a hypothetical $500,000 investment over 25 years would grow to $1.7 million if you manage it yourself but more than $3.4 million if you work with a financial advisor. That’s twice as much! It’s life-changing.

The key is finding the right professional with your best interests at heart. In the past, this wasn’t easy. However, these days, some tools can make a difference.

If you have $150,000 or more in investable assets, Zoe Financial can connect you with rigorously vetted financial advisors. Zoe only works with unbiased fiduciary advisors who will act in your best interest and offer white-glove service. Best of all, finding an advisor through Zoe is complementary; schedule as many initial consultations as you’d like for free.

It only takes a couple of minutes to get personalized advisor matches. Why not click here and check it out right now?

Please carefully review the methodologies employed in the Vanguard white paper, “Putting a value on your value: Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.”

2. “I Should’ve Bought Long-Term Care Insurance”

Here’s hoping your retirement years are active, healthy and vibrant, and that you’re able to function as you always have, right up until the time you shuffle off this mortal coil.

But don’t bet on it. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 in 10 people who turn 65 today will probably need some kind of long-term care.

To Read More Go to Original Article Here:

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/fast-ways-to-grow-your-nest-egg/

5 Reasons You Should Work for as Long as You Live

5 Reasons You Should Work for as Long as You Live

These benefits might make you think twice about retirement.

Alex Valdes • November 3, 2021

While countless workers dream of retirement, millions more have decided to work full time or part time after age 65: In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2024, there will be about 13 million working Americans age 65 and older.  Working longer might be your best option. Here are several reasons why.

1. Increase financial security

If you’re worried about outliving your savings, working longer is the answer. It can let you:

Wait to collect Social Security. Delaying claiming your benefits until age 70 earns you payments that are much larger than if you had started claiming at or before your full retirement age.

Keep adding to your retirement savings.

Leave your nest egg untouched longer. This means having more money to use later and giving your savings more time to grow and compound.

A couple of years ago, MarketWatch cited these findings from the National Bureau of Economic Research:

“The longer you work, the longer you can add to your retirement savings, the more time they have to grow, and the less you will need when you eventually retire. Throw in the boost to Social Security as well, and ‘delaying retirement by one year is roughly 3.5 times as impactful as saving an additional 1% of wages for 30 years,’ calculated financial researchers recently.”

2. Stay sharp

A job gives you projects to complete, tasks to perform, deadlines to meet and co-workers to team up with.

If all that vanishes in retirement, you may risk losing some mental acuity. One researcher found that people reduced their risk of dementia by 3.2% for each additional year they worked.

Another researcher found that folks who didn’t fully retire and kept working — whether through self-employment, part-time work or a temporary job — enjoyed better mental and physical well-being than those who retired completely.

3. Live longer

To Read More Go to Original Article Here

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/why-you-should-work-for-as-long-as-you-live/

Europe Has Precious Few of These “Golden” Opportunities Left

Europe Has Precious Few of These “Golden” Opportunities Left

Notes From the Field By Simon Black/James Hickman

Located in Mediterranean Sea about halfway between Greece and Turkey is the island of Crete... which has attracted human civilization for more than 100,000 years.

Today roughly 600,000 people call the island home. But millions of tourists also visit the popular vacation spot each year. It’s known for it’s beaches, wine, and olive groves.

And at the moment, real estate is fairly reasonably priced.

It’s certainly not rock bottom cheap, but for such a popular destination, home prices could hardly be called expensive.

For example, a modest two bedroom stone villa next to a manicured olive grove with gorgeous views of the sea is listed for around €275,000, or USD $300,000.

image

A place like this on Airbnb could easily fetch $125 to $150 per night and would be fully booked for much of the year.

Now, I’m not here to encourage anyone to buy investment property in Greece. Personally I think there are much better investments right now. But buying property in Greece does have something special going for it that most traditional investments don’t have:

You can become a Greek, i.e. European resident, if you buy property.

Having residency in a foreign country is a completely sensible thing to do. It means that, in almost every case imaginable, you’ll have another place to go if you ever need it.

There are a number of places in the world that allow you to buy property in exchange for legal residency; often these programs are called “Golden Visas.”

But you would only want to go down that path if you actually enjoy spending time in the country.

And for some people, Greece is paradise. The weather, culture, ruins, history, food, etc. appeal to plenty of people who want to spend time or even retire there.

Portugal was the first of several countries in Europe to launch a Golden Visa back in 2012.

But as usual, the deal was too good to last. Swarms of foreigners came in, property prices went through the roof, and locals complained that housing was unaffordable.

So last year, the government of Portugal made their Golden Visa program much, much less attractive, and for the most part, property purchases no longer qualify.

Greece is the best game in town right now as far as European Golden Visa programs are concerned. 98% of the country’s territory, including hundreds of its idyllic islands, remains eligible for a Golden Visa in exchange for a property purchase of just €250,000.

But last year, the government raised the minimum investment threshold to €500,000 in the country’s most sought-after regions, including parts of Athens, Thessaloniki, and the islands of Mykonos and Santorini.

And we wouldn’t be surprised if they restricted the program further— after all, that is what tends to happen to these programs. So if you like the program, it’s better act soon.

Again, buying property under a Golden Visa program doesn’t make sense if you don’t enjoy spending time in the country.

But when it’s possible to get residency (which is a solid step in your Plan B) while generating positive cashflow from your rental income when you’re not using the place, that’s a pretty good deal.

Of course, Greece isn’t the only place in the world you can do this.

Panama still offers residency in exchange for a roughly $300,000 property investment— an amount which still goes a long way in Panama.

Panama’s program has also changed over time, so it also probably won’t last forever.

Then there are places like Mexico where you don’t even have to purchase a property to obtain legal residency; you just need to prove that your income or savings meets a modest threshold.

If someone asked where is the easiest place to gain residency in the Western Hemisphere, I think Mexico ticks that box. Almost anyone qualifies, and it is easy to maintain.

The larger point is that these aren’t radical steps. But they do give you another option.

And in a world full of Inspired Idiots, with so much looming risk and uncertainty, having additional options just makes sense.

But great options don’t last.

We go through periods where one residency may be easy and simple to obtain, and over time those rules change and become more difficult and cumbersome.

So when you find something that works for you, take action and make it happen.

To your freedom,  James Hickman  Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/europe-has-precious-few-of-these-golden-opportunities-left-150301/

5 Financial Tips That Will Help You Make It to the Upper Class

5 Financial Tips That Will Help You Make It to the Upper Class

Heather Taylor   Mon, Mar 18, 2024

If you are in the middle class and attempting to make the leap into the upper class, what steps can you take to realistically reach your financial goals?

Making the following choices can help you reach your goal of being a member of the upper class.

Change Your Money Mindset

Progressing through each level of financial freedom, starting at self-sufficiency and ending with abundant wealth, requires making a shift in your money mindset.

In an interview with Grow (CNBC + Acorns), self-made millionaire Grant Sabatier said money should not be viewed as something you use to buy things. Reaching financial goals, including joining the upper class, requires making good choices with your money. Practicing good saving and investing habits allows your money to work for you.

Moreover, changes in your money mindset should be positive. Danielle Miura, founder of Spark Financials, said if you don’t develop the right mindset, you may drive in the right direction, but never get anywhere.

“If you want to move up the ladder, you have to know what you want and know how to get there,” said Miura. “When we are solution-oriented, we see the benefits of a problem rather than see it as a negative thing. This positive mindset will less likely derail you from your mission when events happen without your control.”

Change Your Financial Habits

As you begin to shift your money mindset and determine better choices to make with your money, you may need to change any financial habits which no longer suit your needs.

Scott Eichler, investment advisor and founder of Standing Oak Advisors, said a common financial habit keeping individuals in the middle class is consistently spending beyond their means. Those seeking to progress to the upper class need to save, invest and keep a low financial overhead.

“The first step to escape the middle class isn’t to invest smartly, it is to invest at all,” said Eichler. “The difference between the wealthy and the middle class is that the wealthy have learned to live below their means. This allows their means to grow and allows them to amass wealth.”

Take On Good Debt

There are two forms of debt: good debt and bad debt. Bad debt includes credit cards, medical loans and payday loans. This debt can be a drag on your finances and make you financially vulnerable.

To Read More Go to Original Article Here:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-tips-help-move-middle-150018508.html

4 Money Behaviors You Need To Change Now To Build Your Wealth

I Became a Millionaire by 30: 4 Money Behaviors You Need To Change Now To Build Your Wealth

Adam Palasciano   Mon, Mar 18, 2024

Amid what seems like out-of-control inflation, becoming a millionaire seems like a dream. However, as of 2024, there are about 22 million millionaires in the U.S., according to Millennial Money. It’s even possible to become a millionaire in your 20s.

CNBC spoke with Vivian Tu, a former Wall Street trader-turned expert, educator, podcast host, and founder of the financial equity phenomenon Your Rich BFF. Amazingly, she made her first million by age 27

Tu grew up in an immigrant household that focused on frugality. Then, she started her career on Wall Street and realized the wealthy focus less on saving and more on earning and finding ways to grow their wealth.

4 Tips To Build Your Wealth

Here are four tips Tu suggested to help you become a millionaire yourself:

Focus on the Long Term: Becoming wealthy means developing patience when it comes to growing your wealth. Investing your money and holding it for many years before selling your assets typically results in much more growth. For example, if you sock away thousands of dollars per year in your retirement account, not touching it until at least age 59 and half will mean significant wealth later on.

Stop Trying To Impress Others: Instead of spending money on designer clothes, luxury vacations or a fancy apartment, wealthy people invest in assets that pay them back. Investing to earn passive income is the true way to build long-term wealth and have financial freedom.

To Read More Please Go to Original Article Here:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/became-millionaire-30-4-money-190456885.html

All Eyes on the Federal Reserve - What to know this week

All Eyes on the Federal Reserve: What to know this week

Josh Schafer·Reporter  Sun, March 17, 2024

The major US stock indexes have backed off record highs ahead of the Federal Reserve's all-important March meeting.

On Wednesday, that tension will finally be resolved.

The US central bank is set to release its latest monetary policy decision and updated economic projections at 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday afternoon, with investors looking for an answer to one key question: Does the Fed still think it will cut rates three times in 2024?

Recent data showing inflation hasn't dropped as fast as expected has pushed out market forecasts for Fed rate cuts this year to three from six. The question, then, is whether a few months of stubborn inflation data will be enough to prompt a further tweak from the Fed.

What the Fed rate decision means for bank accounts, CDs, loans, and credit cards

Hal Bundrick  Updated Thu, Feb 1, 2024

Fed watchers are still holding their breath for an interest rate cut.

After inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, the Federal Reserve worked to tame consumer prices with a series of 11 interest rate hikes over the ensuing months, and inflation stood at 3.4% in December 2023.

With a target of 2%, the Fed's decision on Jan. 31, 2024, to pause rate hikes for the fourth month in a row shows the central bank believes it's winning the fight against inflation — but remains watchful.

So, interest rates are still elevated, and any hope of the Fed lowering rates remains just that. Hope.

How Monetary Policy Works

The Fed controls one interest rate: the federal funds rate, which is the short-term rate banks use to borrow from each other. The latest action keeps the target range for the federal funds rate at 5.25-5.50%. Fed interest rate decisions filter through the financial world, impacting virtually every facet of borrowing costs and saving rates.

Interest rate management is monetary medicine the Fed uses to:

Slow the economy by raising interest rates in an effort to tame rising costs (high inflation) as measured by the consumer price index.

Help mount a recovery when we're at the opposite end of an economic cycle by lowering interest rates as an injection of liquidity into the financial system.

Allow past moves to take root while the Fed considers future actions by holding rates steady.

What the Fed says is ahead for interest rates

In a statement on Jan. 31, the Federal Open Market Committee said it "does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target [interest rate] range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%."

However, the FOMC didn't hint as to when that "confidence" would be achieved.

Here’s How The Fed’s Current Interest Rate Stance Could Trickle Down To Your Loans And Accounts.

To Read More Go to the Article Here:

https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/what-the-fed-rate-decision-means-for-bank-accounts-cds-loans-and-credit-cards-223702963.html

How Much Should You Keep in Different Banks and Investment Accounts?

How Much Should You Keep in Different Banks and Investment Accounts?

Americans’ 4 Favorite Wealth ‘Hiding Places’

Karen Doyle   Sun, Mar 10, 2024, GoBankingRates

Once you’ve amassed some savings, you’ll want to decide where to keep it. Deciding how much to keep in what type of account is a good problem to have, certainly, but there are some things you should keep in mind. Here’s what to know about how much money you should keep in different places.

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Cash in the Bank

Most Americans have at least one bank account, typically a checking or savings account. Some people have different bank accounts for different purposes — a checking account for monthly bills, a savings account for long-term savings for big expenses and maybe even a money market account for medium-term purchases.

Bank accounts should make it easier for you to save and spend your money, so make sure the number and type of accounts works for the way you manage your money. Keep in mind, however, that there is a limit to the amount of money you should keep in any given bank.

Deposits in banks in the U.S. are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC. The FDIC was created in 1933 in response to the bank runs of the Great Depression. Many banks went out of business during the Depression, and many consumers lost their entire life savings. The government formed the FDIC to protect consumers from losing everything if their bank failed.

Today, the FDIC insures deposits up to $250,000 per person, per account type, per bank. Account types include individual accounts, joint accounts, some retirement accounts, trust accounts, and more.

This means that if a married couple, for example, each has their own checking account, plus they have a joint savings account, they would be insured for up to $750,000. Each of their three accounts would be insured for $250,000. IRAs and some self-directed retirement plans fall under a different ownership category, so that same married couple could be insured for up to $250,000 for each of their retirement accounts as well.

IF you have more than $250,000 in cash in a given account type, it’s time to move some of that money to a different bank. You can have as much money in the bank as you want, but anything over $250,000 in a single account type at a single bank won’t be insured.

Deposits at Credit Unions are similarly insured by the National Credit Union Insurance Association, or NCUA.

To Read More Go to Original Article Here:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/americans-4-favorite-wealth-hiding-120032065.html

5 Things You Should Discuss During Your First Meeting With a Financial Advisor

5 Things You Should Discuss During Your First Meeting With a Financial Advisor

Gabrielle Olya  

A financial advisor can be an excellent resource to help you make a plan for your money both now and in the future. But if you’re new to this world, you might not know how to make the most of your time during an initial meeting. In today’s “Financially Savvy Female” column, we’re chatting with Jane Voorhees, CFP, director of financial planning at ALINE Wealth, about how to prepare for a first meeting with a financial advisor and what topics you should be discussing.

What To Do Before Your Meeting

Before an initial meeting with a financial advisor, do some research into who they are and how they work.  “Go to the advisor’s website and read through it,” Voorhees said.

She recommends looking for the answers to the following questions:

What are the advisor’s credentials (education, professional designations and licenses)?

What is the overall wealth management philosophy that is coming through or being portrayed?

Does the advisor have a team and if so, what role does each team member play?

Does the advisor work as a registered investment advisor (RIA) or do they work under the umbrella of a brokerage firm?

“Understand that RIAs operate under a higher fiduciary standard than broker-dealer firms,” Voorhees said.

What To Bring to an Initial Meeting

Once you’ve done some basic research to ensure you feel confident about the advisor you are meeting with, it’s time to set up the meeting. To make the most of this first meeting, come prepared with the proper financial documents.

“Bring investment and bank account statements, insurance policies, statements/details on debts you owe, your most recent tax return and a budget (if you have one),” Voorhees said.

What To Discuss During Your First Meeting With an Advisor

The first meeting is the time to make sure that you and your advisor would work well together, and that they are someone you are comfortable working with. Voorhees recommends asking about the following topics.

To Read More Go To Original Article Here:

https://news.yahoo.com/5-things-discuss-during-first-130017129.html

6 Smart Hiding Spots for Your Emergency Cash

6 Smart Hiding Spots for Your Emergency Cash

Life savings ready to to be buried in the back yard.

Those who keep extra money, like an emergency fund, in their homes may be curious about some of the best spaces to store it. Since traditional savings vehicles like high-yield savings accounts are not applicable in this situation, those in possession of excess funds need to get creative with where they keep this money.

Consider stashing your emergency cash into some of these clever spots.

Fake Personal Items

This is a helpful tip for those traveling overseas as well as those seeking hacks for keeping their money safe at home. Consider fake personal items, like the following, to discreetly store any emergency funds:

A hairbrush. Use a round hairbrush with a hollowed-out middle and store cash inside the brush.

Empty lip balm tubes. Do you need to tuck a tiny bit of cash somewhere safe? Store it inside an empty lip balm tube. Try a sunscreen lotion tube or an empty shaving can if you need a larger container for your savings. Always make sure the tubes are cleaned out before use!

Feminine napkins. Carefully open a sanitary napkin and hide folded money inside it. Then, fold it all back up and re-stick the sticker in place. These items are seldom, if ever, suspected for hiding excessive amounts of cash.

Remember, though: When storing emergency cash in fake personal items, keep the items tucked away in places you won’t forget.

The Bathroom

When it comes to hiding emergency cash, there are a number of hidden spaces inside your bathroom where the money can be easily stashed.

One of the most common is the toilet’s water tank. Seal your emergency cash into a jar or another watertight container to ensure it doesn’t get wet and store it carefully inside. A toilet’s water tank also makes for a great place to store other valuable items beyond emergency cash, like jewelry or stock certificates. (Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of storing these items into watertight containers.)

Where else in the bathroom can you hide emergency cash? Have you tried using your toilet spring bar? The spring bar is what holds your toilet paper roll in place. Carefully take it apart, roll up extra money, put it inside and reassemble into place.

Fake Electrical Outlets

It’s becoming much more popular for homeowners to construct fake infrastructure in their homes where you can hide emergency cash inside.

To Read More Go to the Original Article Here:

https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/financial-planning/hidden-places-to-stash-your-emergency-cash/