The debate in Washington over raising the debt limit has highlighted something that most of us (and the folks in Washington DC) have known for a long time.  There is simply not enough money in the world that can pay all the future bills of Medicare, Social Security and Medicade –Let alone Obamacare that will add another Trillion Dollars in unfunded liabilities over the next ten years.

I can’t remember who did it, but one of those Washington think tanks did a study where they calculated that you could raise the tax rate to 90% on every single American –rich, poor and middle class, and you would still not have enough money coming in to pay for all of the entitlement spending at current and projected levels.  So yes.  Social Security and Medicare too will have to be cut.  And the cuts will have to be deep.

Here is what the cuts will probably look like.  They will consist of some or all of these steps. (Note: I am not suggesting we should do these things –just saying this is what the folks in Washington are considering).

Social Security Cuts

• Raise the retirement age to 68 now and later to 70.
• Eliminate early retirement at age 62
• Adjust inflation indexing downward
• Extend the tax rules on retirees earning over $14,000 a year to age 70. (Each $2.00 of income you make over $14,000 a year, reduces your payment by $1.00).
• Some type of means test based on total retirement income from all sources (dividends, other retirement plans, military retirement and withdrawals from IRAs and 401Ks.  Those with a total retirement income over a certain level (the betting is $30,000) would receive a reduced payout.

Medicare Cuts

• The Justice Department will set up a special Medicare/Medicaid fraud unit with a goal to reduce fraud by $100 billion per year  (about 1/3rd of the current estimated fraud).
• The Government will hire an outside auditing firm to audit Medicare claims to prevent fraud and general misuse.
• A deductible system will be introduced based on retirees total income from all sources.  Those whose only income is SSI would be left alone. Those whom have additional sources of income would have to pay a deductible and perhaps even co-pays based on the size of their income.
• Institute medical review panels to limit care to end of life situations
• Allow Medicare to negotiate rates with drug companies and medical supply companies as is now done by the Veterans Administration.  This one step alone will save $70 Billion/year.

All of these steps combined could reduce SSI and Medicare payments by about $500 Billion per year by 2015.  That will still leave a shortfall, but it will be more manageable and could be covered by a combination of economic growth and increased taxes.

I would love to hear your comments.  How would you fix the problem of a $5 Trillion shortfall over the next 15 years?  Please use the comment form below.

Note – All comments have to be approved so they will not show up instantly. I only kill comments that are either spam or contain objectionable material so feel free to vent –but I would really like to hear some positive ideas.

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Need extra income. This is the perfect business for seniors – Make Money Buying and Selling Gold

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Today’s post is a guest article by Money & Markets owner, Martin Weiss. These events will have huge impacts on senior’s savings, investments and the value of the dollar over the coming weeks and months.

See below for information about subscribing to his newsletter

Three Shocking Events by Martin Weiss

With each passing day, new shocking events drive us closer to the next phase of this debt crisis.

EVENT #1: In New York, where the city is facing a $2.4 billion budget deficit, it’s getting nasty.

Mayor Bloomberg has called for cancelling holiday bonuses for police and firefighters — and the unions are mad as hell.

In fact, just this past week, the presidents of the two unions vowed to fight Bloomberg’s budget-cutting plan tooth and nail, accusing the Mayor of spreading false information in an attempt to steal their members’ money.

At their press conference on the cuts, the union heads used the words “liar,” “lie” and “lying” at least 23 times when referring to the mayor.

EVENT #2: A few miles away in New Jersey, the state is reeling from last week’s Standard & Poor’s’ bond downgrade.

The S&P cited the fact that the state’s pension system has $54 billion LESS than it needs to meet future obligations. But now, the lowered credit rating makes a bad situation worse by forcing New Jersey to pay higher interest rates to borrow money.

At a public forum in Union City last Wednesday, Governor Chris Christie said the Democrats, who control the Legislature, had compared him to Chicken Little. “The sky,” he said, citing S&P’s downgrade, “started to fall in today.”

EVENT #3: In Washington DC, Congress and the White House are once again proving their gross incompetence when it comes to dealing with the crisis:

First, the new Republican Speaker of the House — Representative John Boehner — called for budget cuts of $100 billion.

Then, Republicans slashed that target to about $50 billion even before they won the House.

Now, the Republicans are attempting to cut the budget by a mere $32 billion.

But it’s clear that even that paltry figure — an amount equal to just two one-hundredths (.02 percent) of the $1.5 trillion projected deficit for 2011 — can’t be passed because of opposition from the Democrats in the Senate and the White House.

Make no mistake: This nationwide meltdown of government debt is now inevitable. If our leaders have proven anything, it’s that they are still unwilling and unable to take the government debt crisis seriously.

As a result, a massive implosion of debt at all levels of government — from the smallest townships and counties, to many of our largest counties and states, and even to the federal government itself — is rushing towards us like a runaway freight train.

When it hits in the weeks and months ahead, it will crush the bond market and drive interest rates through the roof.

Our mission is to make sure you’re prepared. More than that: Our duty is to give you the investment recommendations you need to protect your portfolio and your retirement — and to actually grow your wealth even while millions of investors lose theirs.

So be sure to stay safe and pay close attention to our issues in the days ahead.

Good luck and God bless!

Martin

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Note – The situation in event #3 has changed since Martin penned this a few days ago.  The Republicans in Congress have agreed to a $60 cut in the current budget year. But it is unlikely the Democrats led Senate will go along with those cuts.

This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.

If you are retired –or about to retire from a state or city government, your pension is at risk.  Here is a great article by Nilus Mattive, author of Dividend Superstars Newsletter.

Dead ahead: State and city pension FAILURES!

Nilus Mattive

Last week The New York Times dropped a bombshell, reporting that “policy makers are working behind the scenes to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions they have promised to retired public workers.”

This is truly huge news, with far-reaching consequences. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise if you’ve been reading my columns …

Back in July, I explained how state pension funds around the country had essentially blown their fiduciary responsibilities to retirees and their broader constituencies.

Specifically, I wrote:

“They have been consistently underestimating how much money they’ll need down the line. In essence they are pretending that inflation doesn’t exist …

“Second, despite the major losses they actually experienced in their portfolios, they are acting as if those losses haven’t completely happened yet. Instead, they are basically just figuring that things will turn around if they wait long enough …

“And interestingly enough, when these same investors were winning big a few years ago, they put off contributing more of their current earnings into their accounts … essentially letting their profits carry the day, or even borrowing money from their accounts!

“Even today, with their balances way off what they should be, they are failing to contribute to their accounts. Some are even playing ‘shell games,’ by moving money around to make it look like they’re in better shape than they really are.

Then, this past September, I discussed some of the specific state pension plans at risk of imminent failure, along with arguments and steps legislators were employing to wiggle out of past promises.

Now, you’ll get no argument from me that many employee organizations expected — nay, demanded — far too much every time they went to the negotiating table. Yet I still place most of the blame for this impending crisis on career politicians.

Like coddling parents who never say “no” to their children, they were willing to promise anything to get elected and then to stay in office …

They were happy to ignore budgets and dole out money that wasn’t even in the kitty yet …

And they stubbornly put off pending problems, acting as if the piper would never show up asking for payment.

From capitol to capitol, it was just one big game of musical chairs. Now the needle has careened off the record with one last deafening screech.

Worse, the States Are Just One Facet of

This Massive National Pension Crisis!

Similar pension problems are emerging among U.S. cities, too — where local governments can already declare bankruptcy and, in some cases, hang pensioners out to dry.

And even in places where constitutions currently protect pensions, mounting problems at the state level may ultimately unravel — or at least sharply impact — retirement benefits at the local level.

Just take a look at the latest headlines and you’ll see just how widespread the problems are …

In New York City, pension costs have more than quadrupled in the past decade, from $1.5 billion in 2001 to $7 billion this year! That’s why Mayor Bloomberg recently echoed Governor Cuomo’s state-level battle to rein in pension costs, threatening huge layoffs unless unions accept drastic retirement reforms.

Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, lawmakers currently owe retirees about $1 billion more than they have socked away. And as this story explains, it’s a real mess.

Just some of the highlights:

* “[There are] policies that allow some workers to retire with pensions of up to 90 percent of their three highest years’ salary, guaranteed 3 percent annual increases, lifetime health coverage at negligible cost and other benefits far beyond those found in most private and public retirement plans.”

* “From 2000 to 2009, investment earnings failed in half of the years to meet an 8 percent [return] goal.”

* To solve the problems, “trustees are considering proposals to raise retirement ages, lower annual cost-of-living adjustments, shift a greater share of health costs to retirees and alter pension calculation formulas.”

Look, we’ve already seen this movie with corporate pension problems over the last decade. Countless plans failed … countless more were shuttered for current employees … and a whole mess of people lost important benefits there were counting on.

Plus, as I’ve noted in the past, the government’s backup insurance plan for these failed private plans is itself underfunded by many billions.

With these same issues appearing in cities and states from one coast to the other, a lot of folks have been asking if Washington will step in.

Well, if that New York Times article is any indication, the answer is yes — Washington may step in to LET state and local governments renege on at least some of the benefits they owe retirees!

It’s not like Uncle Sam really has a choice. In addition to owing private pensioners more than what’s in the kitty, there’s also that pesky issue of massive shortfalls in the Social Security program.

So What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a government worker or just a regular citizen … this national pension crisis is going to affect you — directly or indirectly.

It may mean a sharp decrease in your retirement benefits. Or it could reduce the public services available in your city or town. And it will almost definitely lead to higher taxes.

So I suggest you get as much information as you can on the rapidly developing state and local debt crises striking our nation … and learn how to hedge against these problems with new investments that are now available.

In addition, I consider it absolutely critical that build up your own income-generating portfolio as quickly as possible, preferably in tax-sheltered accounts.

I’m helping my own dad do this right now, because we recognize that his state pension is no more guaranteed than anyone else’s.

As the latest headlines demonstrate, past promises to retirees are no longer sacred and benefits are no longer guaranteed. So if you’ve been putting off your personal protection plan, please make it your first priority in 2011.

Best wishes,

Nilus

This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.

You are probably thinking “If inflation is here, why didn’t we get an inflation adjustment on Social Security this year?” Well there are a couple of reasons. First of all the SSA doesn’t include food and energy in their calculations –and of course those are what’s going up. Who ever said our government was honest?

The other reason is the soft economy. Despite rising prices it is difficult to raise prices in a slow economy, so stores are having sales and making do with smaller margins.

What we have seen so far is nothing, however. Remember the Jimmy Carter days. This looks like it could be a repeat.  Rising prices in a slow economy had a name –they called it Stagflation.  If you look at underlying material prices you can get some ideas of what is coming.

• Industrial materials prices (copper, steel, zinc, etc.) are up 29% since July (See chart below)
• Cotton prices at the mill are up 90% to an all-time high. This will soon be reflected in clothing prices.
• Corn prices are up 30% in the past year. Corn is used in the manufacture of thousands of industrial, food and consumer products.
• Oil is now around $82 a barrel. That is up from the mid-60′s a few months ago. I have seen several credible forecasts that predict it will be over $150 barrel within the next year.
• The US Dollar has rallied a bit in the past week or so, but the long term trend is still down. A falling dollar makes imported products more expensive. Before long all those dollar stores who import cheap Chinese junk will have to start calling themselves Two-Dollar Stores.

Basic materials prices since July 2010

• Do not store metal cans on metal shelves.  Metals can react with each other and affect the integrity of the can
• Always check the expiration date and arrange your foods by expiration date so you are eating the oldest ones first
• You can store grains, flour and rice a few months beyond the expiration date if you are very careful.

1. Place the bags of rice and grains in your freezer for a couple of days. This will usually kill any vermin or eggs.
2. Keep them in their original bags and place the bags in Ziploc bags and squeeze out as much air as possible. Now place the Ziploc bags in sealed 5 gallon buckets (you can get these at Ace Hardware or get them from most bakers who give them away freely).
3. Before you seal the bucket sprinkle 1/2 a cup of Kosher salt in the bottom to soak up any moisture.
4. Another thing you can do is put a small piece of dry ice in the bucket just before sealing.  As dry ice melts it gives off carbon dioxide that can kill any little critters that are in the bucket.
5. You can also purchase food-safe oxygen absorbers [Bj5] available from food storage supply stores online.

• Almost everyone our age knows how to can. So buy any fresh vegetables or fruit you can find (Costco and Sam’s Club are great places to buy good quality fruit and vegetables in large quantities) and start canning.  This is a great activity to do with friends, family and neighbors. My late Grandmother used to have canning parties. Everyone would bring something different and then they would trade with each other so everyone had a nice variety.
• If corn and grain prices continue to rise then meat prices will follow.  Meat prices are already up this year but that could only be the beginning.  I was talking with my butcher and he told me his meat suppliers are predicting increases of 50% or more in the coming year.  The solution to this is a freezer if you live in an area with stable power.  But if you live anywhere that storms can knock out power for days at a time, you will want a generator or just store dried or cured meats.

So those are my tips.  If you want really good detailed information, here is a free eBook you can download: Prudent Storage Facts Version 4.0

The other thing you can do is convert some of your savings to silver and gold.  There is nothing that makes the price of gold and silver rise faster than inflation and a falling dollar.  Gold and silver are going through a normal price correction now, so there will be some good buying opportunities in the weeks ahead.

If any of you have ideas and suggestions on food storage, please leave a comment.

by Nilus Mattive 08-24-10

Fidelity just released a new report and it’s pretty depressing.

The upshot? A record number of Americans are making hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) retirement plans. Worse yet, the number of U.S. workers borrowing from their plans is also at a 10-year high!

I’ll get to why this is so disheartening in a moment. But first …

A Quick Look at the Ways to Remove Money from a 401(k) Plan

The 401(k) plan is the most ubiquitous retirement account in the United States, and for good reason: Any money employees contribute is not counted for income tax purposes. Instead, it’s taxed — along with investment earnings — upon withdrawal.

So how and when can money come out of a 401(k) plan?

The first way is upon retirement, which is defined by the tax code as the contributor reaching age 59 ½. At that point and beyond, any money that comes out of a 401(k) plan is simply taxed as regular income.

The second way is through separation of employment. In this case, the contributor has four choices, which boil down to:

1. Leaving the money where it is
2. Rolling it over into a new employer’s plan
3. Rolling it into an Individual Retirement Account
4. Withdrawing it.

When done correctly, the first three options don’t result in any taxes or penalties. However, the fourth option DOES (unless the employee also happens to meet the conditions for retirement discussed above).

In short, money that comes out of a 401(k) plan before the contributor reaches age 59 ½ results in both regular income taxes being due but ALSO a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.

The third way is through what is known as a “hardship withdrawal.” While they’re not required to do so, most 401(k) plans allow contributors to remove money under certain circumstances — including medical expenses, the purchase of a principal residence, tuition and related educational costs, and funeral expenses.

Individual plans have some leeway in how they specifically define “hardship” and what particular events can trigger withdrawals, but the IRS does provide the following guidelines:

“For a distribution from a 401(k) plan to be on account of hardship, it must be made on account of an immediate and heavy financial need of the employee and the amount must be necessary to satisfy the financial need. The need of the employee includes the need of the employee’s spouse or dependent.

“Under the provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, the need of the employee also may include the need of the employee’s non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiary.

“A distribution is not considered necessary to satisfy an immediate and heavy financial need of an employee if the employee has other resources available to meet the need, including assets of the employee’s spouse and minor children. Whether other resources are available is determined based on facts and circumstances.”

In a few specific cases — such as death, permanent disability, or termination of service after age 55 — the IRS will not impose the 10 percent early penalty on these withdrawals. But in most other cases it will.

Worse, employees will also be required to pay ordinary income taxes on the amount removed.

And they will most likely be barred from contributing any new money to any employer retirement plan for at least the following six months!

The fourth way to remove money — temporarily — from a 401(k) is through a loan. Many plans will also allow participants to take out loans from their 401(k) accounts.

Generally, these loans have five-year terms — unless it’s for a primary residence — and carry fixed interest rates. Repayments must be made in regular installments, and everything goes back into the 401(k).

Now, Here’s Why I Find All the Current Borrowing and Withdrawing So Troubling …

Obviously, a lot of Americans have hit rough patches lately … and other sources of credit remain in short demand … which is why hardship withdrawals are at an all-time high.

Borrowing from a retirement account now could leave you struggling down the line …

But with so many people nearing retirement already grossly underfunded, watching even more money flow out of their accounts is going to prove catastrophic down the line.

And since most of those withdrawals are getting hit with not just regular taxes but also the additional 10 percent penalty, we’re talking about a lot of nest egg money getting vaporized before it even goes toward their immediate needs!

Oh, and get this — Fidelity said 45 percent of the people who took a hardship loan last year took ANOTHER ONE this year!

What about all the 401(k) borrowing going on?

Well, on the surface it’s better to take a loan than an outright withdrawal because taxes and penalties aren’t assessed.

Still, there are a couple of things I find problematic:

#1. Unlike hardship withdrawals, there are no hard-and-fast rules on loans. So there’s no guarantee that this money is truly being borrowed for dire circumstances. People could simply be tapping their future retirements in the same way that they tapped their home equity a few years ago.

#2. While it’s true that this money should ultimately be repaid, and at least the interest will go back to into the retirement account, it essentially means that very little new money will be contributed. The end result will be a lower final balance and the loss of the very tax advantages that make 401(k)s attractive in the first place.

Look, if you’re absolutely stuck right now, then you’ve got to do what’s necessary. But in my opinion, you should avoid 401(k) hardship withdrawals at all costs … and think long and hard before you consider borrowing against your future retirement.

After all, the other typical sources of retirement income are looking shakier than they ever have before … and the folks tapping their 401(k)s may find themselves completely out of options in their golden years.

Best wishes,

Nilus

© 2010 by Weiss Research, Inc. All rights reserved.

Here is a great article by Amber Dakar from Money & Markets about 5 unconventional ways to cut your daily living expenses and save money.

5 Unconventional Ways to Save

by Amber Dakar

Federal income tax returns are due in eight days. And as you’re scrambling to get yours finished, how you’ve spent your money in 2009 should be fresh on your mind. That’s why this is a great time to start (or revisit) your personal savings plan for the rest of this year.

Now, we all know about the “conventional” ways to save — including opening a traditional savings account, starting a Christmas club account, accumulating debit card rewards or bank points with our everyday purchases, and setting up monthly automatic deposits to savings accounts.

So, today I’d like to explore five unconventional methods for socking away a little extra cash each month …

Savings Strategy #1: Separate your long distance phone carrier

Instead of bundling all your phone services, consider separating them. There are several long distance phone carriers that charge you cheap rates for only the long distance calls you make.

How it works: They charge about 3 cents or 4 cents per minute with six-second billing increments and no minimums or monthly fees.

For instance, if you call someone out of state and talk for an hour or so, your bill can be as low as $5 or $6, including taxes and fees, for the month. And if you don’t talk to anyone in a month, your bill is zero!

Pioneer Telephone is one example of a company that offers this type of service. But there are plenty of others with similar services. Just do a quick Internet search and you’ll find lots of choices.

Savings Strategy #2:   Enroll in your local utility company’s budget plan

By enrolling in a budget plan, participating customers pay about the same amount each month, no matter what the temperature does.

Your utility company’s budget plan might not save you money, but it could make budgeting each month a whole lot easier.

How it works: The utility company looks at your energy usage for the previous 12 months. Then, your monthly budget billing amount will be based on the average of your actual bills during the last 12 months.

While it may not actually save you money, the predictable nature of this payment system makes it much easier for you to budget. And that means it will be far easier for you to find ways to regularly plan and save.

Savings Strategy #3: Switch to a cash-back gas credit card

If you haven’t done so already, consider applying for a gas-company credit card that offers cash-back rebates with your purchases.

For example, BP Plc has the following program for their customers: If they buy Amoco Ultimate gas they will earn a 2 percent rebate on every $1 of net purchases made at BP locations with no limit on the number of rebates they can accumulate in the program.

Then, for every $25 earned in rebates they can receive a $25 BP gift card … receive a check for the amount … or donate the rebate to an environmental charity.

And there are plenty of other gas companies offering similar rebate programs. A simple Internet search will yield plenty of choices.

Savings Strategy #4: Review your auto insurance bill

We’ve all seen the commercials telling us to shop around for a better rate because we may be paying more than necessary with our current carrier. And in some cases it can be true!

You may find you’re being overcharged by a company you’ve been loyal to for years. So, it’s best to at least shop around to see if you’re getting the best rate possible. A couple of phone calls or web searches can really pay off.

It also makes sense to revisit the individual line items on your current bill. You may find overlap with other insurance plans you have — such as the policy from your healthcare insurance provider — or pieces of coverage that no longer apply to your current situation. Cutting a few superfluous options will yield big savings without sacrificing your overall protection.

Savings Strategy #5: Download coupons online

If you’re looking for discounts on your purchases, they’re probably just a mouse click away.

Taking the time to search for online coupons could mean big savings on products you regularly buy.

One popular website is coupons.com, and all you need to get started is your zip code. The site will tell you which coupons apply to your area. Another website I like is SmartSource.com, the self-described “#1 Website for Printable Grocery Coupons.”

Plus, if you buy items online, it almost always pays to do a quick search for coupons that apply to the particular online store or product you’re looking at.

And if you have an iPhone, an application like Yowza can also help you save money while on the go. The app finds deals and coupons in your geographic area … then, at the cash register, you show the clerk the Yowza deal on your mobile device and they’ll simply scan the barcode on the screen!

One word of warning: When visiting these websites or downloading mobile phone apps, some stores you patronize may not honor online coupons or deals. So before you run out the door with your online coupons in hand, please check with your local store to see if they accept them.

Best wishes,
Amber

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This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.

I have often felt that selling used books on eBay, Amazon and the Internet was one of the best home business opportunity for seniors or really anyone who wants to make money online without a lot of risk and upfront cost.

In my first book in the Official Geezer Guide series on starting an online business, I wrote about the used book business extensively. Because unlike the current generation, we seniors grew up reading and loving books and we seniors are now the fastest growing online market for all goods and services –but books in particular.

The used book business is a $6 Billion a year business and the online portion of that is now at almost 50% and growing every month.  Used books also do well when the economy is challenged as it is today because people still want to read, but they have to save money when they do it.

Last year I wrote a book on my main website, How To Make Money Selling Used Books on eBay, Amazon and The Internet.  I recently updated the book and added new bonus materials. How To Make Money Selling Used Books….is still one of the best-selling eBooks on the web and may soon surpass the Complete eBay Marketing System as my personal best-selling book of all time. The reason is simple:  It works!  I get tons of email from readers telling me about their successes.  In most cases the email are from people who are using online used book sales to generate extra money –but I also get email from folks who are making substantial amounts of money each month.

One of the markets I covered in How To Make Money Selling Used Books…was eBay’s Half.com, which is a fixed price site where you can sell books, movies and music.  Last week I discovered a great new selling tool called ScanLister.  There are three parts to ScanLister:

1. A small Scanning device that plugs into the USB port on your computer.
2. Scanning software that reads the scanned info and instantly creates a listing (with photo) that you upload to Half.com with the click of a mouse
3. An excellent training manual by a woman that consistently earns over $4000 a month on Half.com. Not all books and products sell well on Half.com, but she knows the ones that do and tells you where and how to find them.

I recommended ScanLister in my monthly newsletter at www.SkipMcGrath.com. Within a few days I Started getting email from my readers thanking me for the recommendation. One, who is a fairly experienced book seller said she was thrilled and thinks that ScanLister will save her hours a day and allow her to make money from a lot of otherwise slow-moving books and tons of DVDs she has sitting around the house.  Another person wrote that ScanLister paid for itself within 5 days.

So if you know nothing about books and would like to learn about this great low-cost, low-risk business, check out my training manual, How To Make Money Selling Used Books Online and once you are set up and running, check out ScanLister.

Here is a great article from Nilus Mattive from Money and Markets that sets out the current and long-term problems with Social Security. We Geezers will probably be OK, but a generational war could be brewing. I shared this article with my two sons (age 25 and 30) They both said: (A) They don’t think they will even see social security, and (B) They have no desire to pay for it. With baby-boomers retiring at the rate of 14,000 per day and soon to increase to over 20,000 per day, this could become a critical issue over the next 5 to 10 years.

Social Security Situation Worsening; What to Do?
by Nilus Mattive

We got lots of disturbing news from Washington last week. But the latest updates on Social Security and Medicare really got my blood boiling.

It is now estimated that both programs’ trust funds will run out sooner than previously expected. In the case of Medicare, the date is 2017 rather than 2019. For Social Security, it’s 2037 rather than the previous estimate of 2041.

Both programs are suffering because of the recession. The simple explanation is that fewer jobs mean less money getting paid into the systems. That creates a bigger drain on the programs’ current resources.

But it merely highlights the larger issue, one that has been there since the very beginning of Social Security.

The Problems with Pay-As-You-Go …

It’s interesting – and very instructive – to look at the history of the U.S. Social Security system.

The program’s first payment reportedly went to Ernest Ackerman. He retired a day after the program began, and contributed a whopping nickel. His lump sum payout? Seventeen cents. Not a bad return for good ol’, Ernie!

Ernest Ackerman put in one nickel to Social Security, retired a day later, and got back a $0.17 lump sum payment. Need I say more?

Meanwhile, the first person to receive a monthly payment from Social Security was Ida May Fuller. During the late 1930s, she contributed $24.75 into the system. Her initial monthly check was $22.54, so by her second check, she had more than recouped her entire investment!

And get this: She lived to be 100 years old, collecting $22,888.92 out of the system over her lifetime!

Sure, it’s an extreme example. But it demonstrates the real problem with Social Security … the problem that has existed since day one … and the problem that is only worsening as more and more people live to Ida-May-Fuller-like ages …

Social Security’s pay-as-you-go structure means a never-ending game of catch up.

When Social Security was first instituted in 1935, it covered about half of the population. Many teachers, nurses, librarians, and other workers were excluded from coverage. What’s more, the average life expectancy was about 60.

Today, Social Security covers virtually everyone. The average American is living to age 76.

And to accommodate this widening gap of money coming in and money going out, the initial 1937 payroll tax rate of 2 percent (split between employer and employee) has already risen to a combined 15.3 percent (including Medicare taxes).

Yet, I’m sure it will absolutely have to go much higher if the system is to survive!

Reason: Based on the newest projection, Social Security will begin collecting less money than it pays out in 2016.

Odds are also extremely good that the current cap on the amount of a salary that is subject to Social Security taxes ($106,800 in 2009) will have to be raised or completely eliminated.

And all of this begs additional questions …

Will Social Security Benefits Be Reduced? Or At Least Taxed?

Should You Start Taking Payments As Soon As Possible?

I believe Washington’s preferred solution will be getting more money into the system. But I would not completely rule out some tinkering on the payout side, either.

Taxing benefits at the Federal level has been one idea bandied about. That would be a slightly less obvious way of reducing future recipients’ payments.

Continuing to bump up the age at which benefits begin is another, and by the time I retire, I’m sure the age will have increased substantially.

But I would say that if you are near – or already in – retirement, you shouldn’t worry too much about your payments.

In fact, despite Social Security’s problems, I still suggest you consider delaying your benefits as long as possible. Sounds counter intuitive, I know.

After all, the conventional wisdom is to just start collecting as soon as you can. This is both because of the aforementioned problems – i.e. “catch as catch can” – and because it is commonly believed that the system is designed to work out the same no matter when you begin collecting.

But let me explain my logic here …

I think near-term Social Security recipients have little to worry about. Everyone else? I shudder to think …

First, it would be political suicide for anyone in Washington to mess with near-term benefits. Instead, the preference will remain – as it always has – kicking the buck further on down the line. Can it continue this way forever? No. But for longer than it probably should.

Second, there are also logistical problems with changing soon-to-be-retirees’ benefits. After all, the government uses formulas to calculate benefits at age 60 and 62 for each recipient. They are unlikely to retool the entire process overnight.

Third, it’s true that the system is designed to pay out the same in total benefits no matter when you start collecting. But the calculations are obviously based on averages and you are anything but average!

It’s important to look at your individual situation before you just accept the conventional wisdom. Sure, if you need the money to live on then just take it. But if you can delay taking your benefits, it might be worth your while, especially if you have “longevity genes” in your family.

After all, the Social Security Administration will raise your future payments for every month that you delay. Annually, that will amount to an 8 percent increase (plus any cost-of-living adjustments).

So the longer you delay taking benefits, the bigger your monthly benefit.

The math differs for every person, but consider someone who’s age 66 and has the choice of collecting $2,000 a month for the next 12 months or an additional $160 every month starting a year from now (i.e. the 8 percent annual increase for delaying benefits).

The $24,000 upfront seems like the better option. Especially since it takes 12 ½ YEARS of payments to make up for that missed $24,000.

Yet according to government statistics, the average American at age 66 will live another 17 ½ years.

In other words, you stand a very good chance of collecting at least another five years worth of those extra $160-a-month payments. That comes out to another $9,600 in your pocket!

So yes, Social Security is riddled with problems. And yes, it may not be around – or paying out nearly what it will hand near-term retirees – by the time I’m collecting my checks.

We will also all face higher taxes in the near future if the system is to be “saved.”

But there are still plenty of things that you can do to get more of your money back out of the system. Don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t worry about it. Just educate yourself on all the options and possibilities and take advantage of every little advantage you can.

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This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.

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Lose up to 29 pounds of stubborn belly fat.

I was doing some research and found the 31 Day Belly Fat Cure that was designed by a former Army sergeant.  This simple and easy method will help you lose up to 29 pounds of stubborn belly fat. And anyone in reasonable physical condition can do this.  Its a no-stress method and it works. (No – I am not going to show you pictures, but I went to Costco yesterday and bought three pair of jeans and two pair of Dockers’ trousers two sizes smaller in the waist after only two weeks).

Here is a short video that explains the 31 Day Belly Fat Cure.  If you decide its for you, you are in good company as this is currently the best-selling belly fat loss program on the web today –and its perfect for us seniors.

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A lot of people are buying up Potassium Iodine tablets due to the Japanese Radiation scare.  It is pretty unlikely that the radiation will arrive here in dangerous amounts, but if we ever have our own nuclear plant disaster it would be good to have these on hand –and they are pretty cheap insurance.  Although most drug stores are out, Amazon has a pretty good supply of Potassium plus Iodine 180 tabs that sell for only $11.99 bottle.