Experts agree most folks need at least $1 million to retire… and that’s at the low end, paying around $50,000 a year.
Less than a decade ago, folks could retire at the same age for half as much and still get the same real benefits. And it’s not due to inflation…
What could cause such a dramatic shift that puts retirement in jeopardy for so many Americans?
Three SEISMIC SHIFTS have taken place… that NO ONE is even aware of!
Thankfully, it’s not too late to protect your retirement for you and the ones you love.
While what we cover today can help you avoid the most serious pitfalls, it only scratches the surface of what’s to come.
You need a truly comprehensive plan to bulletproof your retirement.
That’s why our retirement expert Bob Carlson is giving away his book “The New American Retirement Plan” along with a SPECIAL RETIREMENT WATCH OFFER that costs less than a month’s worth of your daily coffee.
His detailed analysis walks you through recent changes from the government that could REDUCE YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS BY 30% OR MORE!
He then offers strategies to fortify your portfolios and shows you how to apply them.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS YOUR EXCLUSIVE OFFER.
Now, it shouldn’t come as much of a shock…but all three of the major shifts we’re about to discuss all start and end with one word… government.
#1 Social Security – Exit Stage Left
We have 10 years left… one decade until Social Security becomes insolvent.
Fluff-headed optimists argue that we’ll still get a large percentage of what we’re due, around 75% or so.
That’s more bologna than you’d find at an Oscar Meyer Enthusiasts convention.
You see, there’s been a disturbing trend in the government that’s seeped out from the left and infected the right.
It goes something like this…
…Why should you receive benefits if you don’t need them?
Never mind that it’s money YOU EARNED. Politicians across the spectrum have warmed to the idea of ‘means testing’ government benefits.
And who do you think will likely qualify for those benefits?
It certainly isn’t going to be the folks who ACTUALLY SAVE their money. Because what politician wants to tell a wide swath of voters they’ll be stuck living paycheck to paycheck because of the choices elected officials made?
Oh, and you can forget about Medicare, too, in case you thought about any savings there.
The fact is all the entitlements built by the Great Society won’t benefit society at all. It just created a giant moral hazard that disincentivized people to prepare for the future.
Speaking of moral hazards…
#2 FDIC Goes WHEEEEEE!!!!
Most of us are familiar with FDIC insurance — the government guarantees on your assets up to $250,000 for each depositor account at an accredited institution.
That means each person essentially gets $250,000 insured at any given bank for the following accounts:
- Checking accounts
- Savings accounts (including high-yield savings accounts)
- Negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts
- Money market deposit accounts (MMDAs)
- Time deposits such as certificates of deposit (CDs)
- Cashier’s checks, money orders and other official items issued by a bank
If you split up your assets amongst multiple banks, you can increase the total amount of money you have insured.
Brokerage accounts are covered by the nonprofit Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or SIPC. In the event your broker goes belly up, the fund covers you up to $500,000, $250,000 of that total can be applied to cash within your account not yet invested in securities.
All this should make us feel warm and fuzzy inside.
But don’t let them lull you into a false sense of security.
Remember the housing crisis in 2008 and those esoteric products known as credit default swaps?
They were fancy terms for insurance that banks took to protect themselves in case of a mortgage crisis. It worked great until everyone came looking for a handout at the same time. All of a sudden, insurance giant AIG couldn’t pay out.
You think the FDIC is going to save you?
Think again.
The Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) had $128.2 billion in reserves as of the end of 2022.
Guess how much America’s financial institutions are underwater if they had to mark their assets to market right now?
$620 billion.
You know who reported that figure? The freaking FDIC!
It’s all here in a speech delivered on March 6 by FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg. Just search for “620.”
The safety of everyone’s money is like the emperor’s new clothes — eventually, someone’s going to notice we’re all naked.
#3 Enjoy Your Tax Hikes
Naturally, there’s only one logical outcome for this toothpick banking diorama.
America can only kick the can down the road for so long. Eventually, the bills will come due.
With a national debt nearing $36.7 trillion, higher taxes aren’t just likely. They’re inevitable.
Look, the government, whether it be our elected officials or the Federal Reserve, will not allow the banking system to collapse.
That doesn’t mean they won’t shove their mistakes down the throats of the taxpayer.
The more they let the capital markets settle themselves WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION, the better we’ll be now and our children in the future.
But make no mistake, the folks most likely to pay the bills are those who had the foresight to save.
Here’s What You Can Do
Rather than wait to be the last debutante at the ball asked to dance, we can draft a plan to protect ourselves from the inevitable.
Now, we’ve already suggested, and we will again, that you pick up a copy of Bob Carlson’s book.
In the short term, there are some easy strategies anyone can use to limit risk.
Do a quick analysis of your holdings to see what’s covered by insurance and what isn’t. If you’re not sure, check with your broker or bank. If they can’t answer your questions easily, maybe it’s time to consider a different financial partner.
Next, think about taking on individual U.S. Treasuries rather than money market funds or similar.
Even if the government doesn’t pay out the interest, which has NEVER happened in our history, odds are you’ll still get your principal back. And who would you rather have backstopping your money, the FDIC’s piddly $128.2 billion fund or a government that rakes in $4.9 trillion in taxes every year. Plus, short-term yields under a year pay almost 5%.
Lastly, consider diversifying your holdings to include tangible assets such as precious metals or real estate. Governments have come and gone for thousands of years. Yet, somehow gold has always held value.
Maybe the Fed could learn something there…
P.S. Retirement is STILL within reach. But you HAVE TO ACT NOW!
Bob Carlson’s Retirement Watch delivers the financial foundation and strategies to help you protect and grow your nest-egg.
