Category: Economics & Investing

Jim, I enjoyed the January 10 letter titled “How To Use Your IRA /401k to Fund a Survival Retreat Property“. I’d like to offer a few comments that your readers might find helpful. My bona fides: I am a tax attorney who has dealt with self-directed IRA’s in audits and in Tax Court. I have gotten my clients some very good results in those arenas. I deal primarily with real estate in IRA’s. The same rules that govern real estate would apply to other non-traditional investments via Self-Directed IRA’s (“SDIRA”). ROBS: The transaction that was described by “An Anonymous CPA” …

C. O. sent: Forbes: Mega Default In China Scheduled For January 31 R.B.S. sent this item: Change for a Nickel? U.S. Mint Is Weighing It – WSJ.com Items from The Economatrix: Wall Street Reacts to Selloff: Has the Correction Begun? The Economy Is Starting To Free Fall: Housing, Autos, Retail

R.B.S. sent: Bitcoin Mint Reopens After Nastygram From Feds. Of course physical Bitcoin is an oxymoron… G.G. suggested: The Big Reset, Part 1 Items from The Economatrix: 75 Economists Back Minimum Wage Hike More Of The Jobless Are Giving Up On Finding Work 10 Things You’ll Pay More For In 2014

Fractional reserve banking and central banking began their reign of destruction upon our financial world a few centuries ago. Politician’s greed and need for control over people have been ever present. Their mutual interests created an unholy union from which were born two progeny. Call them Fire and Ice. Call them Inflation and Deflation. This is their story – simplified and sanitized. FRACTIONAL reserve banking allowed banks to loan out considerably more currency than was received from depositors – this increased the supply of currency in circulation. If demand for currency did not increase proportionally, then each currency unit was …

CNBC’s Rick Santelli tells Obama he can’t redistribute wealth if there is no wealth The biggest export from America? The middle class. The tradeoff for cheap goods and financial cronyism is coming back in a big way. Items from The Economatrix: The Level Of Economic Freedom In The United States Is At An All-Time Low When A Dollar Store Is Too Expensive: Growing Class Of Poor Americans Unable To Afford Items At Dollar Stores. Disabled Veterans Get Back Pension Raises

Hello, I just read your article about stocking up on nickels. You suggested requesting new “wrapped” (fresh Federal Reserve Bank issue) rolls but then there were updates regarding the [potential] change to steel nickels. I did additional research and it appears that the nickel is still made of 25% nickel and 75% copper. Correct? So the suggestion would still be valid today. Correct? Or is it better to not request “new” nickels? Thanks, – Patrick F. JWR Replies: To the best of my knowledge the composition of U.S. has NOT changed since 1946. Although there are tentative plans, there have …

Hello, One of your letter writers about IRA funding of retreat property said that “you can’t distribute half a house,” therefore the distribution could be a big tax hit. You cannot use or live in an IRA owned property until you take 100% distribution and take the tax hit at tax time, it is true. However, you can take gradual partial distribution over time to make the tax hit more tolerable. I have an IRA property that is a rental and the IRA ownership is currently 100%. I will start taking small distributions when I must at 70 and 1/2 …

Economy shows signs of sputtering Marc Faber Warns “The Bubble Could Burst Any Day”; Prefers Physical Gold To Bitcoin Items from The Economatrix: The Number Of Working Age Americans Without A Job Has Risen By Almost 10 Million Under Obama. JWR’s Comment: Of course Obama would like to believe that even even the law of Gravity does not apply to him. But the truth is that there really are fewer Americans working now, than when he first took office. Low Wage Capitalism With A Dab Of Cronyism: Of Job Sectors With The Highest Growing Raw Number Of Positions 9 Out …

L.H. in Colorado sent: State Fiscal Condition: Ranking the 50 States. (Yet again, the American Redoubt region ranks favorable.) The debt levels of some states, such as Texas, are astounding, and any future defaults in times of economic depression could be devastating. From G.G.: Puerto Rico Default “Likely”, FT Reports Items from The Economatrix: Gold And Silver – There Are Reasons Greater Than Demand For Owning Them U.S. Bled To Death By China And Harvested For Its Organs-Dr. Jim Willie Why Is Goldman Sachs Warning That The Stock Market Could Decline By 10 Percent Or More?

Reader Jay B. sent: PCGS Announces New Anti-Counterfeiting Coin Holder How The Fed Prints Money (Thanks to James K. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Big Miss: December Job Gains Just 74,000 Here’s Why Gold’s Drop Isn’t Done Yet No Jobs For Americans — Paul Craig Roberts

I told you so… Is America ready for a brown nickel? Note that if there is a distinct color change, then Gresham’s Law will kick in even more quickly, driving the old cupronickel Nickels out of circulation in less than two years. I should mention that one statement in the article is incorrect: “In 1965, rising silver prices forced the Mint to switch the nickel, dime and quarter to a mostly copper composition.” The nickel DID NOT change composition starting in 1965. It has been 75% copper and 25% nickel ever since 1945. (The nickels minted with some silver were …

Reader Chris G. suggested a piece by Patrick Barron: We Will Be Told Hyperinflation is Necessary, Proper, Patriotic, and Ethical Institutional Buying: The Coming Silver Game Changer Items from The Economatrix: IMF paper warns of ‘savings tax’ and mass write-offs as West’s debt hits 200-year high Prices At US Pump Expected To Stay Flat U.S. Job Growth Falters As Cold Weather Grips Nation Baltic Dry Index Crashes 18% In Two Days

David Stockman – “2014 Is The Year Of The End Game” Yahoo News reports: More well-known U.S. retailers victims of cyber attacks – sources Items from The Economatrix: U.S. jobless claims fall to five-week low As traffic slumps and teen-oriented stores struggle, retailers suffer worst holiday season since 2009 Extending unemployment ‘killing economy’

Hello, To follow up on a recent letter “How To Use Your IRA /401k to Fund a Survival Retreat Property“, I recommend that people try Equity Trust for IRA/401k management. (I am not employed by these folks nor are any of my family or friends). Their fees approximately 10% of the fees described in the article. With their trust services so there is no need to incorporate. I purchased our retreat in 08′ with my IRA, & have subsequently made other real estate purchases as well. Since then we not only have constructed a guest house but all the underground septic, …