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3 Secrets About Financial Planning (That Your Broker Doesn’t Want You to Know)

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By Kris Miller, LDA

Most people who have a 401(k) or an IRA have little idea of where their money is invested. When you ask them, “whereʼs your retirement money?” they reply, “at the bank” or “with my broker.” No wonder so many people are financially unprepared for retirement.

If you want to be financially secure in your Golden Years, you must take control of your investments today. Handing your money over to a broker and hoping they will look out for you is a recipe for disaster. Imagine saving and investing for 40+ years, only to find out at age 65 or 70 that you donʼt have enough money to retire. It happens every day.

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With so much financial planning information available, why are so many people unprepared for retirement? Because there are certain financial planning myths that simply wonʼt go away. And the more you believe the myths, the more of a struggle your retirement will be. Letʼs uncover the truth (that most brokers would like to remain a secret) once and for all so you can take charge of your financial future.

Myth #1 You Must Put Your Money at Risk

Most 401(k) and IRAs are invested in the stock market, and the stock market is the riskiest place to put your money. Youʼve likely heard “market experts” say that now is a good time to invest in the market. A broken watch tells the right time twice a day, but thatʼs no reason to wear one.

Likewise, youʼve likely heard someone start a sentence with, “our economists are forecasting…” Ask your broker if the firmʼs economists predicted the most recent recession, and if so, when? Warren Buffett once said that forecasters make fortune tellers look good. If you want to earn higher returns, most brokers tell you that you have to take more risk. That’s not entirely true.

HERE’S THE TRUTH: Thereʼs no reason for all of your money to be at risk. You can make money with safer investments, such as fixed index annuities, which are like a savings account with an insurance company. In fact, even during the Great Depression, not one person lost money with a fixed index annuity. Theyʼre safe, they have liquidity, and they offer better rates than most other products.

Myth #2 Your Broker Only Makes Money When You Do

Itʼs nice to think that your broker only cares about you and your financial future, but thatʼs not 100% true. While your broker likely does want the best for you, hereʼs what usually happens when you let them invest your money:

Your broker buys shares of stocks and mutual funds. The market does one of three things: goes up, goes down, or remains stagnant. Wall Street canʼt control the market, and neither can your broker, but they make money regardless of whether you do or not.

HERE’S THE TRUTH: Brokers donʼt only make money when you do. Sure, theyʼd like you to make money, but they actually make their money by managing your money. They get paid when the market goes down; they get paid when the market goes up; they get paid when the market is flat. In other words, they always win. Their clients, however (and that would be you), only win in one of those three directions. Brokers win in all three.

Myth #3 Small Fees Are Not a Big Deal

Even if you are putting money into your retirement account on a regular basis, hidden fees may be slowly draining your account. The disclosed fees are simple to find — look at the expense ratio, which is found in the prospectus. These fees are commonly referred to as “management fees.” Administration fees (added on top of management fees) are much harder to find. You may think that a small fee here and there isn’t a big deal.

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After all, how much could these administration fees possibly be? Consider this example from the U.S Department of Labor 401(k) fee website:

“Assume you are an employee with 35 years until retirement and a current 401(k) account balance of $25,000.

If returns on investments in your account over the next 35 years average 7% and fees and expenses reduce your average returns by 0.5%, your account balance will grow to $227,000 at retirement, even if there are no further contributions to your account.

If fees and expenses are 1.5%, however, your account balance will grow to only $163,000.”

The 1% increase in fees reduces the account balance at retirement by 28%. Thatʼs a huge fee!

Be sure to look for and ask your broker about the following fees:

• Plan Administration Fees
• Investment Fees
• Individual Service Fees

Plan Your Future Today

Whether you plan to retire today or in 30 years, you need to take control of your retirement accounts right away. Understanding how your money is invested and making sure itʼs working for you in the most efficient way will give you peace of mind and future security. By dispelling these three myths and putting some time into planning, you can rest assured that your retirement years will be pleasurable—and prosperous.

Kris Miller

Legacy Wealth Strategist
LDA Document Services
https://calendly.com/krismiller

Healthy Money Happy Life
Make an Appointment with Kris

CA Insurance License OC25427 I am not an attorney. I can only provide self-help services at your specific direction. Should you need legal advice, you will need to consult an attorney. We do Estate Planning, Wills, Living Trusts, Power of Attorney, Health Care Directives and Deeds. Legal Document Assistant in Riverside County, California LDA #000041 Riverside County, expiring 10/15/2021

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Tips on How Podcasts Can Make Money

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By Stephanie Mojica

When entrepreneurs think of getting into the media, they often think of magazines, newspapers, TV, and radio.

But podcasts are a growing, and still often-overlooked, form of media that can dramatically benefit all types of entrepreneurs and experts.

According to Buzzsprout, only 22 percent of American adults in the early 2000s knew the term podcast. Currently, the estimated number is 78 percent.

For those who don’t know, a podcast is generally a series of audio-only episodes surrounding a central theme. It’s sort of a mix of blogging and radio, though there are some distinct differences.

For example, podcast interviews are evergreen. Meaning, they last forever. Podcast hosts tend to publish their episodes on multiple websites and apps dedicated to this medium, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, Blog Talk Radio, and many more.

I’ve been on podcasts where the hosts also livestream the interview (including the video) to YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Examples of Making Money Through Podcast Interviews

While many people produce podcasts or do podcast interviews as a hobby, there are ways to monetize both ends of the spectrum.

For example, I had an interview with the Yeukai Business Show (a podcast based out of the United Kingdom that is in the top three percent of globally ranked podcasts). The host, Yeukai Kajidori, immediately introduced me to someone he had recently interviewed who was hoping to write a book. She and I had a conversation and she enrolled in my 90-day intensive. She finished her book during our time together and is having it published.

My company had another client, I’ll call her Anne, who sold 400 books from a single podcast interview. Since her royalties through Kindle Direct Publishing are $9.72 per book sold, she made $3,888 from a single interview!

Yet another client, I’ll call him Don, sold an $8,000 consulting package to someone who heard him on a podcast.

The list goes on and on. Podcasts, when used well, are an amazing tool to gain more sales…and you don’t even need a book to do it (though a book always helps you get interviews and have something to offer listeners right away)

Tips for Monetizing Podcast Interviews

While we’ll go deeper into the process of getting these opportunities in a future article, it’s fairly easy to get started with podcast interviews. Facebook groups and Clubhouse rooms dedicated to find a guest, be a guest abound.

While you should do more careful targeting later on, it’s fine to do a few interviews with any show related to your expertise just to get started and become known. Many of my recent podcast interviews came from referrals from other podcast hosts, so getting in the game so to speak is key.

Each podcast interview takes about 30 to 75 minutes of your time. Depending on your schedule and goals, you should aim to do at least one a month. Many folks, including myself, try for one a week. If you’re launching a book or a course, the more interviews the better.

When pitching yourself to a podcast or speaking on a podcast, avoid hard sales pitches. I think you know what I’m talking about. Do not basically order people to buy your product or service. I’ve heard of podcast hosts not publishing episodes where all the guest does is try to sell to the audience.

Podcast listeners want value. They are dedicating their time to listen to you. While they’re aware that you’re in business, they don’t want to hear sales pitches the entire time.

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Tell Stories About Your Clients

Answer questions about yourself honestly and in an engaging manner.

Weave in ways they can get in touch with you. For example, I’ll say something like, “I go deeper into this in my free eBook” and mention the title and website.

Always say any web addresses twice and speak slowly when giving them.

Use headphones and a good microphone to avoid background noises that can render your episode unusable.

Most podcast hosts will let you put links in what they call show notes. Some have limits; others don’t. If you’re limited, I recommend a link to a free offer where listeners can leave their email address (aka they opt in), your LinkedIn profile, and your most popular social media profile or your Facebook group. I still wouldn’t give 50 links; as one of my mentors, Ali Brown, once said in a virtual training class, “A confused mind says no.”

Keep in Touch with Your Hosts

Not everyone will mesh well, and that’s okay. But most of the time, you’ve started a relationship that’s worth continuing — and you need to nurture it.

Keep in touch with the podcast host. Most are happy to accept your friend request on social media. See if there are ways you can bring them more value.

In October 2021, I hosted a 30-plus speaker summit called The Visible Authority Virtual Event — Be Seen. Get Heard. Get Paid. Alex Villacis, host of Do I Need School to… invited me to do an Instagram Live with her to help drive members of her audience to my summit. This was only possible because we kept in touch after my interview with her about the book editing side of my business.

Another host, Heather Zeitzwolfe from the Get the Balance Right podcast, invited me to be a speaker on her Zoom networking event. People signed up for my free Business Book Blueprint five-day challenge as a result. I’ve also introduced potential virtual assistants and mentors to her.

I’ve referred multiple clients and business associates of mine to these podcasts as well as other podcasts. The key is to treat every host you meet with respect, bring plenty of value to their audiences, keep in touch, believe in the power of your message, and just get started.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Get Started Investing in Vacant Lots

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WEBINAR:

Get Started Making Passive Income By Investing In Quarter-Acre Vacant Lots In Up-And-Coming Resort Communities.

Discover How to INVEST In Vacant Lots — A Fast, EASY and Safe Way To 10x Your Investments — Land Can Beat Out Stocks & Mutual Funds!

In our latest webinar our host, Michael Poggi, will introduce an exclusive Land Investment Strategy, which shows our readers how they can invest In 1/4″ Acre Buildable lots In The Fastest-Growing resort communities In the country.

This opportunity may outperform other opportunities on The Market… and the best part of all is that investors can can get started with Very Little Money Down.

In this training, Micheal will teach our readers his land investment strategy & secrets that will DOMINATE any other investment you make this year.

Did you know that you can use your current IRA or old 401(k) plan to invest in vacant lots by moving it to a self-directed IRA with no penalty?

Michael is going to teach you these secrets on how to get ahead exponentially faster by using some or all of your IRA or 401(k) plan funds using the land investment strategies and secrets. Be sure to register today.

This Real Estate Investment Strategy offers a non-correlated risk and is a headache-free, passive income — with no tenants.

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Learn “the best of the best” strategies and techniques for supercharged growth and high success from our expert at this power-packed
LIVE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP.

This will be a LIVE WEBINAR about Earning Passive Income With Vacant Lots on July 20th, 2023 @ 7:00 – 8:30 PM EST.

How Raising Your Business Credit Score Can Help Your Company

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By Vista Capital Solutions

You probably remember using your personal credit lines to take out the initial loans needed to open your business. Before starting a company, you don’t have any business credit. Even after a few years, it is possible that your company still won’t have established business credit. If you don’t actually work on your business score, then you may never have this kind of credit. Discovering ways to beef up your business credit score can help your company realize a whole host of untapped opportunities.

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Repair Your Personal Credit

Your personal credit score and business credit score are two totally different entities. However, the first factor in establishing a business score is maintaining a decent personal credit score. Before you can start building business credit, you should focus on any necessary personal credit repair first. If you find that your individual score needs improving, there are some things you can do. Any derogatory marks can keep your score down, so try to dispute these items with each of the different credit bureaus. If you’re successfully able to remove any of these negative marks, your score will increase as a result.

Build Your Business Credit

Although the first step toward building business credit is focusing on your personal credit repair, there are additional measures you should consider. One way to start having good business credit is by paying your bills as early as possible. This factor is very important to the bureaus that determine business scores. Checking with these bureaus can help you understand other factors that make up your score, so you don’t waste time with unnecessary actions.

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Understand the Benefits of Good Credit

Before you go through the necessary credit repair to begin building your business score, you want to understand why this type of credit is significant. Not all companies have established business credit, and it may limit future growth in many ways. A good business credit score makes you eligible for financing opportunities that can dramatically expand your company. A good business score can make or break a deal, especially when purchasing or leasing commercial real estate. If you want to grow your business and make exponential profits, you should pay attention to building business credit.

There are many benefits to establishing a decent business credit score. Your personal credit will improve, your business will grow, and you will realize many new opportunities as a result of your hard work.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Pacific Urban Investors Acquires La Jolla International Gardens

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PALO ALTO, Calif., July 06, 2023 — Multifamily owner-operator and investment manager Pacific Urban Investors acquired La Jolla International Gardens, a 400-unit apartment community in the La Jolla / University Town Center (UTC) submarket of San Diego, CA, on April 27, 2023. The property was renamed Allina La Jolla (the “Property”) and marks Pacific’s 21st acquisition in the San Diego Market.

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Allina La Jolla is a 100% market rate property built in 1986. La Jolla / UTC is known as a regional employment driver in multiple science and technology fields due to its business connectivity to the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) research ecosystem. Proximity to downtown La Jolla, job centers up and down the I-5/I-15 corridors, and some of southern California’s best beaches make La Jolla / UTC a highly sought-after locale offering convenient coastal access and short commute times. The Property offers semi-urban, walkable living 10 minutes from the ocean, a job-dense micro location with abundant neighboring retail, and spacious amenities. Community offerings on the meticulously crafted, 7-acre asset include a resort-style pool and spa, sprawling clubhouse, fully-equipped business center, modern fitness center, sand volleyball court, and bar-be-que area.

Pacific Urban Investors is committed to preserving the distinctive character and identity of Allina La Jolla while introducing new initiatives aimed at further enhancing the resident experience. The company plans to invest in modernizing the community’s amenities, including expanded communal areas for residents to connect and engage, and upgrading resident unit interiors.

“Allina La Jolla gives Pacific the opportunity to own a high quality, well-kept vintage asset that offers residents a pleasant living experience with proximate access to La Jolla beaches only a short drive away. Exceptional demographics, award-winning schools, world-class outdoor amenities, and expansive retail offerings make La Jolla / UTC as desired a coastal community as any in San Diego County. The Property’s premium location, access to multiple employment nodes, ample amenities, and well-designed floor plans, all serve as differentiating features in the marketplace,” said Grant Geisen, Senior Vice President of Investments at Pacific.

Pacific’s President Rory Gardner commented, “We are excited to obtain a position in this coveted coastal San Diego submarket where opportunities are so difficult to come by. Allina La Jolla is a welcome complement to our growing Southern California portfolio, and we are actively seeking additional San Diego investments across all our strategies; including both direct acquisitions, as well as joint venture and preferred equity opportunities.”

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About Pacific Urban Investors: The Palo Alto, CA-based company has over $8.6 billion in assets under management and owns and manages a national portfolio of more than 20,000 units. The firm and its partners have decades of experience in apartment investments, both repositioning and ‘re-manufacturing’ multifamily assets and their income streams to their optimal, core potential. Pacific has progressed over time to become a best-in-class owner, operator and asset manager in the multifamily space, serving as a fiduciary for its own partner capital as well as its strategic partnerships with institutional pension funds and other sophisticated investors. Pacific is actively acquiring multifamily assets as a principal and providing both co-investment and preferred equity for development, acquisition, and recapitalization.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

How Different Kinds of 401K Rollovers Can Help Your Employees

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By Vista Capital Solutions

Figuring out to handle issues regarding 401K retirement plans can be particularly tricky for some people. When you own a company and offer this kind of benefit to your employees, you want them to get the most out of the experience. People use this kind of feature to save money for retirement, and they take it out of the income they’ve worked hard for. If you’ve hired a new associate who has a 401K with their previous company, then you want to offer them a way to roll it over to the plan that you offer.

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Consider New Associates

When you find a great new candidate to join your company’s team, you want to give them flexible benefits. Allowing them to do a 401K rollover from their previous company to the plan that you offer is a huge benefit. Sometimes, people can’t keep this benefit once they leave an employer and must find a way to roll their funds over to avoid hefty tax penalties.

Think About Former Employees

If you have an associate who chooses to leave your company, then they may have to perform a 401K rollover elsewhere. For example, if this person goes to work for a company that doesn’t offer a 401K plan to its associates, then they will have to find a place to put their account or pay taxes. By allowing your former employee to keep their money in the account after they no longer work for you, you will be saving them a large amount of their hard-earned funds. Check with your benefits provider to see how you can arrange this for former employees.

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Understand Other Options

When people want another option for their 401K rollover, they usually turn to an individual retirement account or IRA. As a business owner, it’s important to understand this option especially if you’re investing for your retirement. This option can help a person avoid the tax burden that comes with cashing out a 401K before the minimum age. If you have a 401K from a previous job and wish to put the money elsewhere, choosing this option is usually a good idea. Check with your local financial advisor to learn more about this process.

Understanding more about how to transfer from one 401K to another can help you make informed benefits choices for your employees. When you offer more options to your workers, they will be happier as a result.

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.