To Congress and Our Media Friends, Regarding America’s Fiscal Cliff

To Congress and Our Media Friends, Regarding America’s Fiscal Cliff

If you’ve paid attention to the news for even just a minute since the presidential election, you’ve likely heard about the so-called “fiscal cliff” which apparently is due to hit us in about a month or so.

Funny thing happened the other day with my teenage daughter, Amy. She watches the gossip – you know, “reality” – channels, about 99 percent of the time. So when it was time for me to catch up on the news (the other 1 percent of the time that I get to watch TV) and Amy heard the newscasters talking about nothing but this dangerous fiscal cliff, she perceived it as an impending storm, perhaps akin to Hurricane Sandy.

It may not be a weather-related storm, but from what we can gather so far from the media experts and our esteemed politicians, it’s going to be very serious! The American economy as we know it is scheduled to completely fall to her knees – something they tell us will be “unacceptable,” which is why there needs to be a “compromise” in Washington DC.

Okay, I comprehend the seriousness of the problem. But what I want to know is: What exactly is this fiscal cliff and what caused it? As our esteemed politicians and media gurus tell us, the culprit is too much spending and a dinosaur of a tax code with loopholes for special interests. These have resulted in a ridiculously unsustainable $16 trillion-plus in debt.

Oh, really? So this cliff didn’t just suddenly show up after the elections? If the problem goes back further than November 5, 2012 – say 10 years or more – where was the urgency over the last decade? Congress has been in charge of both our spending and our tax code, the things at the center of this storm (for Amy’s benefit), and yet we’re just now learning that we’re heading over a cliff? This wild spending and immense debt were acceptable for all that time and just suddenly became problematic?

I tend to wonder whether Washington, D.C. is doing a very good job managing our nation. If something is as bad as this so-called cliff, why wouldn’t they want to fix it while it was still somewhat manageable? Why wait till it became a crisis to decide it needs to be fixed? My leadership instincts keep leading me back to this basic question: How did we get here? And where has the media been all that time?
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If you’d like to learn more wisdom and common-sense information that will help you ensure that you don't lose a penny in the next market downturn, please contact us for straight, clear answers. What you don’t know matters as much as what you know! Call us at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the web to schedule your complimentary consultation TODAY.

Thanksgiving Wishes for You and Yours

Thanksgiving wishes for you and yours

Boy did time fly by quickly or what? Feels to me like last Thanksgiving was just last week, but here we are again.  Anyway, despite the challenges we’ve all faced this past year – some obviously more severe than others – the one thing we can all be thankful about is that we’re still breathing today. And if you’re reading these words, you’re obviously of a sound mind.

So on my own behalf and on behalf of my top-notch team of dedicated professionals here at Laser Financial Group, we want to thank you for making us a part of your life. We are truly grateful for your readership and business. May the good Lord continue to bless you and yours and this great nation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Samuel

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Please feel free to contact us 877.656.9111 or LaserFG.com with any questions or concerns about your retirement planning.

How to Shield Your Nest Egg from Stock Market Dips but Make Money When It Rises

How to Shield Your Nest Egg from Stock Market Dips but Make Money When It Rises

It’s a gross understatement to say that the stock market has been rather chaotic recently. A staggering percentage of Americans (studies put the number above 80 percent) have seen their retirement dreams either seriously curtailed or completely squashed. Some have had to come out of retirement to reenter the workforce just to survive, while an equally frightening number will have to work well beyond their originally intended retirement ages. 

Just this past week, all the major indexes shrank sharply, causing a further fracture of many Americans’ nest eggs.

Financial advisors and media money experts routinely offer explanations as to why investors shouldn’t fret losing some money every now and then. Instead, you should focus on the so-called “long term,” when everything will somehow magically work out. I strongly beg to differ. I believe these Monday morning “quarterbacks” – ahem, alleged money “experts” – are ignoring the real fundamentals of investing, even though the fundamentals never change. January will always precede February, just as planting always precedes harvesting.

Anyone with money invested directly in the stock market must understand a few things:

1.      Whenever the market dips, you lose a portion of everything you’ve accumulated up to that point in time (seed money plus interest).

2.      You’ll need a new gain that is much larger than the loss just to break even and return to your pre-loss balance. For instance, a portfolio that loses 33 percent must gain 50 percent (not simply the same 33 percent it lost) just to break even. It’s therefore incredibly difficult to get back to where you were before a loss – something that many folks sadly discover the hard way, only after it occurs.

3.      No one can accurately predict the movements of the stock market beyond what everyone already knows: it may go up or down at any given time.

Remember, again, that these are fundamental, indisputable facts.

Now I’m going to surmise that you’d love to invest in the stock market only when it’s going up and avoid it entirely when it plummets, right? The great news is that over the past 17 years, our clients have been investing their nest eggs precisely that way. They follow a simple, proven, and in my opinion commonsense investing approach that allows them to make money when the market is up without losing a cent when it drops. Here’s how it works.

For starters, all of your seed money is guaranteed from day one, so you are sure not to lose a penny. Then your portfolio's earnings are tied to the appreciation of a stock market index (e.g., the DOW or S&P 500), up to a certain cap. The most powerful thing is that you actually lock in your gains, so you won’t lose anything when the market/index dips, but you gain – up to your cap – when it increases. Best of all, this is not an exotic deal reserved for a special group of investors – anyone can employ it.

Isn’t this how you should invest the money you can’t afford to lose?

If you’re tired of the investing rollercoaster and would like to explore some proven alternatives that other folks are already using to protect and grow their wealth in this new economy, please contact us today at 877.656.9111 or  LaserFG.com. Your consultation will be complimentary with zero obligation; we don’t expect you to buy a thing from us.

Your retirement is certain – shouldn’t your nest egg be, too?

Exercise your right to VOTE!

Exercise your right to VOTE!

If you havenʼt already done so, I strongly encourage you to vote this Tuesday! Like most average Americans, I havenʼt much enjoyed “the politics” of this campaign season. To be completely honest, I’m thrilled it’s going to be all over – at least for a while – this week. 

However, as someone who grew up in South-Saharan Africa, I can’t even begin to tell you the power we have as Americans – not just by voting, but because our votes actually count. Believe it or not, outside of this country, many political systems don’t even allow their citizens to pick their leaders. While many allow voting, there’s so much fraud that the will of the people doesn’t matter if it runs counter to the desires of those in control.

You likely know these things already, but I don’t think most Americans truly understand the power they have to vote under the Constitution of this great nation, or the system that was put in place by the Founders to ensure that those votes would matter.

If you need help finding your polling location, this link has a contact list for every state.

Let’s go do it, folks! And may God continue to bless America and make it prosperous and strong forever!

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This public service information is brought to you today by Samuel N. Asare and the professional financial strategists at Laser Financial Group. Contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation today! Call us at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the web.

The Thing about Loopholes

The Thing about Loopholes

Lately we’ve been hearing a lot about “loopholes” from both sides of the political debate. In my particular instance, it’s not just at the national level but at my state and even local election levels, as well. 

The gist, as I am sure you already know, is that if we vote for him or her, they’d enforce a complete crackdown on those who are using so-called loopholes, which would allegedly result in more revenue flowing into the system so that good things would obviously happen for all of us. That sounds fine. However, I say, “Give us (or more appropriately, me) a big break!” 

If these loopholes are such a terrible thing, why do they exist in the first place? Who made the legislation and rules that created them?

Granted, one could argue that a given loophole might not be the intended goal of our lawmakers. But is anything preventing these politicians from closing them? There’s a Ghanaian saying to the effect that, If you place your finger in my mouth and hit me on the head, don’t wonder or complain when I bite your finger. What else should you expect?

The point I’m trying to drive home here is: Don’t give me a legitimate choice and then accuse me of using it. Doesn’t that sound rather ridiculous? It sure does to me. I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways that will legally (the keyword here is legally) maximize my gains, and I don’t feel even slightly guilty about following them to the full extent of the law.

Okay, this is going to sound obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. Instead of telling us about them (which amounts to nothing more than complaining), go ahead and close them. It shouldn’t be that difficult, should it?

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If you’d like to learn more wisdom and common-sense information that will help you ensure that you don't lose a penny in the next market downturn, please contact us for straight, clear answers. What you don’t know matters as much as what you know! Call us at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the web to schedule your complimentary consultation TODAY.

Why Do So FEW Advisors Share a Proven Retirement Strategy?

Why do so few advisors share a proven retirement strategy?

A fairly large number of financial advisors seem to operate with the general hypothesis that when saving for your retirement, you should earlier on (during your working years) directly invest heavily in the stock market, using individual stocks or mutual funds of some sort. Then once you retire, you should switch over to, as they put it, less risky and much safer investments. Many recommend some form of annuity.


While that may sound pretty good on the surface, I believe it’s a major mistake. Here’s a simple reason for my stance. What if the funds you’ve invested via the stock market take a huge plunge right before you’re about to retire? Or what if the market plummets a few years before your retirement and doesn’t bounce back soon enough?

Is what I’m saying here ringing any bells about incidents of recent memory?

The fact of the matter is that the foundation behind this whole idea assumes that during the years of accumulation, the market will do just fine – and hopes that will actually be the case for you. However, my friend, hope has never been – and never will be – a viable strategy for something as vital as your retirement. In my personal practice and through my public speaking, I meet folks almost daily whose retirement finances have been compromised in a big way, due to this approach.

Now let me tell you what I recommend you do. First, it is extremely important to understand and never forget that your retirement is CERTAIN to arrive. As a result, your money must also be certain. One way to ensure that is by utilizing a proven investing approach whereby you link (as opposed to directly investing in) the growth of your assets to a stock market index, up to a certain a cap. This allows you to lock in all of your annual gains so that whenever the market/index drops, you won’t lose anything. If you were to ask me, I’d say this makes a lot more sense, because no one on this planet knows when and by how much the stock market will dip when it inevitably does.

Interesting question here is how come more so-called financial advisors are not exposing their clients to this powerful investing approach? Your guess is as good as mine, but at least now you have a different perspective.
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If you’d like to learn more wisdom and common-sense information that will help you ensure that you don't lose a penny in the next market downturn, please contact us for straight, clear answers. What you don’t know matters as much as what you know! Call us at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the web to schedule your complimentary consultation TODAY.

Calling Out Money Magazine's Investment Advice

Calling Out Money Magazine's Investment Advice

Lately I’ve been making frequent visits to my daughter Amy’s orthodontist’s office. I’m pretty sure most folks understand why – she’s thirteen, so of course we’re doing the braces/retainer thing. Personally, her teeth look fine to me, but the professionals say they’re not done yet. So obviously, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do and go with the flow.

As many parents might do while waiting for their child’s appointment to conclude, I often thumb through one magazine or other from their huge collection, the topics ranging from home & garden to fashion to travel. Most recently, I picked up a copy of Money Magazine. Interesting, isn’t it? This particular issue was from July 2012, the Annual Readers Choice Edition.

Beyond the fact that I would naturally be inclined to pick up that magazine, the back cover said 101 Ways to Build Wealth. Hey, I am always interested in learning and researching new ideas, so I quickly jumped to page 54 and started reading. To my surprise, the very first – as in, the most important – point the article made was: “In achieving wealth, how you invest isn’t nearly as important as how much you save…”

That’s a word-for-word quote from page 54 of the July 2012 issue of Money Magazine. Please read it again – slowly this time. Now, everyone obviously has their own opinion, and I’m not even going to attempt to get you to subscribe to mine, but here’s what I’ve always thought about that statement: Seriously? You’ve got to be kidding me, right?

“How you invest” – that is, the strategy/investments into which you are pouring your hard-earned dollars – isn’t as important as “how much” you save? So when you’re pouring your money into a big black hole, so to speak, you should just focus on saving more? With all due respect to the esteemed magazine, they got this one totally backward. I know for a fact that it’s possible for someone who saved a lot less but used a better strategy (the “how” in this case) to end up with much more money in the end than the one who saved a lot but used the wrong “how.”

I could go on and on, but I’m pretty certain you get the point I’m trying to make here. I believe that how you’re saving – the strategy/investments you’re pursuing – is far more important than how much you save. You can put a whole lot of water into a leaking container, but it’ll be only a matter of time before everything drains out. Meanwhile, if you put a lot less into a leak-proof container, you’d keep everything wouldn’t you?

In fact, I have written and taught about this very point in the past. Here’s one article I wrote for the Maryland Women’s Journal about it.

I even discussed it in my book, 5 Mistakes Your Financial Advisor is Making, beginning on page 50. If you haven’t read the book, I would strongly encourage you to get a copy. You can purchase the e-book for just $2.99, and it’s readable on pretty much all the e-readers, from Apple to Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, and Palm. You can also get it directly from the iBook or Barnes and Noble e-stores. Or if you’re like me and prefer the hard copy, you can buy it here for just $10.36.

I’d vote for how you invest being far more important than how much. What about you?
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If you’d like to learn more wisdom and common-sense information that will help you have a more strategic "how" so that you can grow YOUR "how much," please contact us for straight, clear answers. What you don’t know matters as much as what you know! Call us at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the web to schedule your complimentary consultation TODAY.