The Ricks Report February 12, 2018   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $ YOU DO THE MATH – The 4.1% unemployment rate for January 2018 that was reported by the government on 2/02/18 is based upon a survey of just 60,000 households that was completed during the week of 1/08/18.  The employment status of the individuals in…

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The Ricks Report February 5, 2018   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $ REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS – If you turned age 70 ½ sometime in 2017, then you must begin taking annual withdrawals from your IRA accounts no later than 4/01/18. If you delay your 1st withdrawal until 4/01/18, you must also take a 2nd distribution by…

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by: Jude Heath CPA 6 tax savings ideas to consider before year’s end 1. Pay your 2018 property taxes early If your state and local taxes will be greater than $10,000, pay the excess by December 31st, leaving $10,000 to deduct in 2018. 2. Make an extra mortgage payment Make your January mortgage payment in…

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The Ricks Report December 4, 2017   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $   BACK TO BOOM LEVELS – The median sales price of existing homes sold nationally in October 2017 is 108% of the median sales price of existing homes sold nationally in June 2007, the latter date being the peak of the real estate boom.  Sale…

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The Ricks Report November 27, 2017   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $  STILL THE AMERICAN DREAM? – The national homeownership rate in the USA as of 9/30/17 was 63.9%, down from a peak of 69.2% as of 12/31/04.  Every 1 percentage point reduction in the home-ownership rate represents 1.2 million households that have changed from homeowner…

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The Ricks Report November 13, 2017   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE  $   INCREASE EVERYONE – Individual income taxes paid by American taxpayers would have to increase by +42% in order to eliminate our $666 billion deficit from fiscal year 2017 (source: Treasury Department).  $   COMPLETE CYCLE – The jobless rate in the United States was 5.0%…

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The Ricks Report October 23, 2017 Numbers of $ignificance • INCREASING EQUITY – The average loan-to-value ratio in the US housing market as of 6/30/08 was 55%, i.e., the average home mortgage had 45% of equity behind it. The average loan-to-value ratio in the US housing market as of 6/30/17 was 42%, i.e., the average…

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The Ricks Report October 16, 2017 Numbers of $ignificance EXPANDING ECONOMY – The US economy has been growing for the last 99 months (i.e., no recession), an expansion exceeded in length only 2 times since 1900 (source: National Bureau of Economic Research). DECADES PASS WITH FEWER REFINERIES – The United States has 141 operable oil…

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