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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The Ricks Report January 29, 2018   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $ BOTH ARE AT FAULT – The national debt increased +86% during George W. Bush’s 8 years as president, reaching $10.6 trillion as of 1/20/09.  The national debt increased +88% during Barack Obama’s 8 years as president, reaching $19.9 trillion as of 1/20/17 (source: Treasury…

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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 January 8, 2018   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE $  NOT EXACTLY – USA Today writer Kelly Kennedy predicted in a 5/22/13 article that “market forces and an impetus to attract younger, healthier people into the insurance market will help keep health insurance premiums lower as the Affordable Care Act takes effect on 1/01/14”…

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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 November 6, 2017   NUMBERS OF $IGNIFICANCE MORE AND MORE RENTERS – The 111.4 million households that existed in the United States on 9/30/09 were split between 75.3 million owners and 1 million renters. The 119.1 million households in the United States on 9/30/17 were split between 76.2 million owners and 42.9…

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