James E. McWhinney, On Friday August 27, 2010, 3:49 pm EDT
Not so long ago, most people viewed the hallmarks of success as something along the lines of a house, a white picket fence, two weeks vacation, two children and the ability to send those kids to college. Today, the middle class is a vanishing breed according to nearly every survey and statistic on the topic. Its disappearance is of such grave concern to the fabric of American society that the U.S. government launched a task force to explore the issue. Despite all of the attention to the subject, defining "middle class" remains a challenge, as everyone wants to be in the middle regardless of their income. Instead of focusing on the dollars, let's take a look at the lifestyle benchmarks that define middle class status.
Have You Made it to the Middle?
A wide variety of numbers have been thrown around in an effort to define the middle. People earning 20% of the average income and people earning 80% all claim to be part of the middle class. More than a few millionaires make the claim too. While there is no official financial standard, the middle class as defined by the government task force is characterized in terms of six financial aspirations, which we can view as benchmarks.
* Home Ownership
Home ownership remains the American dream. The step up from renting to owning signifies prosperity and achievement. With median home prices ranges differing by so much in different cities across the United States, the ability to achieve this goal varies significantly by geographical location. Someone earning an income in the 50% range in Detroit may not be able to afford even a small house in Los Angeles.
* Automobile Ownership
Owning an automobile provides freedom of movement and the luxury of avoiding the limited schedules and cramped quarters offered by mass transportation options such as buses and subways. Here again, the cost of cars varying widely, as does the kind of automobile required. For one driver, a used Hyundai will do the trick. For another, a new BMW signifies the achievement of this goal.
* A College Education for the Kids
Helping children get ahead in life is a primary goal for middle class families. Paying for a college education for children can cost anywhere from the low tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands. Decisions about which university of college to attend can have a significant impact on the price tag.
* Retirement Security
Retirement is a goal nearly everyone wants to achieve. It demonstrates success and provides a reward for decades of hard work. Once again, definitions make a difference. The amount of gold required to support your golden years will vary significantly depending on whether you want a staff of 10 at your villa in the South of France or a townhouse in Peoria, Illinois.
* Health Care Coverage
The ability to obtain health care is an important goal for middle class wager earners and their families. The high and rising cost of medical care and prescription drugs make health care coverage an ever-increasing need, as going without it can have serious negative financial implications in the event of a severe illness or injury.
* Family Vacation
The family vacation is a middle class staple. Vacations demonstrate that a family has disposable income and has been successful enough to take time away from work to focus on leisure.
What Happened on the Way to the Dream?
Globalization and technological advances began to reverse the growth of the middle class. The manufacturing base in the United States changed, as good-paying jobs in factories and heavy industries went overseas to lower-paying markets and labor unions lost much of their ability to bargain for high wages and good benefits. Later, white-collar jobs from accounting and data entry to reading medical images and answering telephones in call centers were also sent offshore. Many jobs that remained in the U.S. were eliminated by computers and other technological advancements that increased productivity.
To achieve or maintain a middle-class lifestyle, many households became two-income families. Achieving middle class goals became more difficult as employers eliminated their pension plans and defined-benefit plans, the cost of a college education continued to rise and the cost of health care jumped. For most of the 20-year period following 1990, the Commerce Department reports that real median income grew at a rate of about 20%, while the cost of a college education grew between 43% and 60%, the cost of housing rose 56% and health care costs jumped by 155%.
How to Get There
Although there are significant challenges to obtaining middle class status, there are some proactive steps that can help make the dream a reality. Budgeting is one of the most obvious. Understanding where your money goes each month can help you determine the exact makeup of the benchmarks you are trying to match. Are you looking for a Hyundai or a BMW?
Planning is another crucial step. Are the kids going to a state university or a private college? Are scholarships an option? Some savvy families find money for college by participating in programs which can aide families with the costs related to sending a child to university.
Working is another one of the requirements. A second job or a side business might be just what you need to boost your income and achieve some of your goals. Putting your money to work is also an important consideration. Investing has helped build wealth for generations. In fact, income earners ranked in the top 1% enjoyed significant increases in wealth even as the middle class fell into decline. Most of that wealth came from investments. Even if you don't have the means to invest for current income, you can take a few dollars from each paycheck and save for your retirement.
The Bottom Line
Don't underestimate the role of hard work and luck. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time or taking one particular course of action over another can make all the difference. So keep watching for opportunities and make the most of them when you find them. As motion-picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get."
Here is a stroke of luck! Zoom Mobile! Eliminate your cell bill and make a lucrative income providing superior service, cutting edge technology and what people won't live without! A cell phone. http://cellzoom.biz
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
We are the Kings and Queens of a Promise
We are blessed to be in a time of unprecedented opportunity. Never in my lifetime has there been a time for the entrepreneur like the time the World Wide Web has provided!
In the last ten years, the number of people operating their own business both in the virtual world, and in the real world has skyrocketed.
We Are Founders with Zoom Mobile, a new cell phone service provider that is setting the direct-to-consumer industry on fire! Imagine your cell phone having:
No limit talk,
No limit text,
No limit data,
No limit tethering for internet service on your computer!
We have that!
And so can you, just by joining Zoom Mobile.
You want it. Yon KNOW you want it. Now, do you know someone else who wants it? That's where you come in. Make a fantastic income by just providing what everyone wants. Join now! Be an independent distributor.
We are, at the present, looking for people with the desire and drive to have their own business. Look! Even if you love what you do, you realize that you are making only a very small fraction of what you make for the company. If only you could use all that talent, knowledge, and hard work for your own company. The profit would be yours! Imagine earning what you are REALLY worth!
Join us, and we will offer you an independent distributorship in a multi-billion dollar industry.
Do you know that through this recession/depression, the cell phone industry grew by leaps and bounds? From 23 million users ten years ago, to 233 million today is unbelievable growth, and you can be a part of this growth! You CAN have all your dreams come true!
Do you have what it takes? Can you do it? You'll never know if you don't try! Here is your opportunity to rise above the work-a-day world, and become the person you want to be. Don't go through life wishing you had only had the opportunity. Your opportunity is here, and now!
Do it now. Join us at the top! http://cellzoom.zoommobile.net
To your Success,
Sandra Forrester Limon
Founder Zoom Mobile
skype: sandra.limon948
In the last ten years, the number of people operating their own business both in the virtual world, and in the real world has skyrocketed.
We Are Founders with Zoom Mobile, a new cell phone service provider that is setting the direct-to-consumer industry on fire! Imagine your cell phone having:
No limit talk,
No limit text,
No limit data,
No limit tethering for internet service on your computer!
We have that!
And so can you, just by joining Zoom Mobile.
You want it. Yon KNOW you want it. Now, do you know someone else who wants it? That's where you come in. Make a fantastic income by just providing what everyone wants. Join now! Be an independent distributor.
We are, at the present, looking for people with the desire and drive to have their own business. Look! Even if you love what you do, you realize that you are making only a very small fraction of what you make for the company. If only you could use all that talent, knowledge, and hard work for your own company. The profit would be yours! Imagine earning what you are REALLY worth!
Join us, and we will offer you an independent distributorship in a multi-billion dollar industry.
Do you know that through this recession/depression, the cell phone industry grew by leaps and bounds? From 23 million users ten years ago, to 233 million today is unbelievable growth, and you can be a part of this growth! You CAN have all your dreams come true!
Do you have what it takes? Can you do it? You'll never know if you don't try! Here is your opportunity to rise above the work-a-day world, and become the person you want to be. Don't go through life wishing you had only had the opportunity. Your opportunity is here, and now!
Do it now. Join us at the top! http://cellzoom.zoommobile.net
To your Success,
Sandra Forrester Limon
Founder Zoom Mobile
skype: sandra.limon948
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Working from Home is good for Everybody!
An Article by Emily Brandon that I thought expressed some very real and positive reasons for having a Home Based Business and starting a Business from Home.
by Emily Brandon
Saturday, May 15, 2010provided byUSNews.com
Working Americans tend to have one major source of income: their job. But once you retire, your income is likely to come from several different sources, including retirement account withdrawals, monthly Social Security payments, and increasingly, a part-time job. Here are the 10 biggest sources of retirement income.
Social Security. According to a recent Gallup survey of 1,020 Americans, 54 percent of retirees say Social Security is a major source of income. About 34 percent of current workers expect Social Security to largely fund their retirement, the highest Gallup has recorded in this decade-long annual survey, and up 7 percentage points since 2007.
More from USNews.com:
• 21 Ways to Cut Expenses in Retirement
• Retirement Savings Strategies for Late Starters
• Find Your Best Place to Retire
Retirement Accounts. Almost half (45 percent) of Americans expect to fund their retirement with a 401(k), IRA, Keogh, or other type of retirement account, Gallup found, down from 52 percent in 2007. But only 22 percent of current retirees consider retirement account withdrawals to be one of their major sources of retirement income.
Pensions. A record low of 23 percent of workers expect to receive pension income in retirement, down from 31 percent in 2007. Fewer companies are offering pensions and new workers who join pension plans may receive less generous payouts than their elders. About 37 percent of current retirees get pension income.
Savings Accounts and CDs. Some 13 percent of current retirees are using the money accumulated in savings accounts and certificates of deposit to fund retirement, while 22 percent of current workers hope these conservative savings options will provide a secure source of retirement income. "For a retiree to have a part of the portfolio in more liquid investments is a cautious and more prudent move," says Rick Shapiro, a certified financial planner for Investment and Financial Counselors in West Hartford, Conn., who recommends that retirees keep between two and four years' worth of living expenses outside of the stock market. "If the market tanks again, they will be more protected."
Stocks and Stock Mutual Funds. The stock market is falling out of favor as a way to generate income in retirement. Only 1 in 5 current workers think stocks and stock mutual funds will provide a significant amount of their retirement income, down from 24 percent in 2007. About 14 percent of current retirees are using stocks or funds to pay for part of their living expenses. There can be tax advantages to holding stocks outside of your retirement accounts. Retirees must pay regular income tax on withdrawals from traditional 401(k)'s and IRAs. Equities held outside of retirement accounts are taxed at the typically lower capital gains tax rate. "If you have an account that is paying qualified dividends and long-term capital gains, those are probably investments that are better to have outside a retirement account," says Shapiro.
Home Equity. The equity you have built up in your home can be tapped to pay for retirement. But the percentage of Americans planning to leverage their home has dropped from a peak of 30 percent in 2007 to 20 percent today, tying a record low. That 20 percent matches up exactly with the number of retirees using their home to fund retirement. Reverse mortgages and other ways of utilizing home equity to pay for retirement should be approached with caution. "I think going into debt to finance any kind of consumption should be considered only as a last resort, and if there are no other assets and no concerns for giving an inheritance to the children," says Jeremy Portnoff, a certified financial planner for Portnoff Financial in Westfield, N.J.
Part-Time Work. Finding a part-time job in retirement may become necessary for workers who don't save enough. Some 18 percent of employees think they will work part time in retirement, up from 10 percent in 2001. However, retirees who want to work must be able to find and keep a job and be healthy enough to continue working. Only 4 percent of retirees in the survey said they currently work part time.
Inheritance. An inheritance could solve all your retirement income worries. About 9 percent of current workers expect a significant amount of wealth to be willed to them, but only 3 percent of current retirees said an inheritance is helping to pay for retirement. The lesson: Inheritances don't always come through. "You benefactor could live longer than expected and need more of those assets," cautions Portnoff. "Beneficiary forms are very easy to change."
Annuities or Insurance. Annuities are financial products that guarantee purchasers payments as long as they live. Some 8 percent of both current workers and retirees say annuity payments or insurance plans will make up a significant part of their retirement strategy. Retirees should be cautious about the fine print and expenses associated with these financial products. "Annuities are sold very commonly to older people that they are very inappropriate for," says Sheryl Rowling, an accountant and personal financial specialist for Moss Adams Wealth Advisors in San Diego, Calif. Ask an independent financial adviser to review your annuity paperwork before purchasing.
Rent and Royalties. Royalty payments typically come from patents, trademarks, or copyrights. Property owners can also earn money from their real estate investments. Some 6 percent of working Americans expect to receive income from rental properties or royalty payments throughout their retirement, and 5 percent of retirees continue to receive income this way. While it is generally not a good idea to make rental income the centerpiece of your retirement finances, it can make up a good portion of your retirement income. Says Rowling: "If you have real estate as a supplement to an investment portfolio and IRAs and other retirement income, then that can be a very good thing."
by Emily Brandon
Saturday, May 15, 2010provided byUSNews.com
Working Americans tend to have one major source of income: their job. But once you retire, your income is likely to come from several different sources, including retirement account withdrawals, monthly Social Security payments, and increasingly, a part-time job. Here are the 10 biggest sources of retirement income.
Social Security. According to a recent Gallup survey of 1,020 Americans, 54 percent of retirees say Social Security is a major source of income. About 34 percent of current workers expect Social Security to largely fund their retirement, the highest Gallup has recorded in this decade-long annual survey, and up 7 percentage points since 2007.
More from USNews.com:
• 21 Ways to Cut Expenses in Retirement
• Retirement Savings Strategies for Late Starters
• Find Your Best Place to Retire
Retirement Accounts. Almost half (45 percent) of Americans expect to fund their retirement with a 401(k), IRA, Keogh, or other type of retirement account, Gallup found, down from 52 percent in 2007. But only 22 percent of current retirees consider retirement account withdrawals to be one of their major sources of retirement income.
Pensions. A record low of 23 percent of workers expect to receive pension income in retirement, down from 31 percent in 2007. Fewer companies are offering pensions and new workers who join pension plans may receive less generous payouts than their elders. About 37 percent of current retirees get pension income.
Savings Accounts and CDs. Some 13 percent of current retirees are using the money accumulated in savings accounts and certificates of deposit to fund retirement, while 22 percent of current workers hope these conservative savings options will provide a secure source of retirement income. "For a retiree to have a part of the portfolio in more liquid investments is a cautious and more prudent move," says Rick Shapiro, a certified financial planner for Investment and Financial Counselors in West Hartford, Conn., who recommends that retirees keep between two and four years' worth of living expenses outside of the stock market. "If the market tanks again, they will be more protected."
Stocks and Stock Mutual Funds. The stock market is falling out of favor as a way to generate income in retirement. Only 1 in 5 current workers think stocks and stock mutual funds will provide a significant amount of their retirement income, down from 24 percent in 2007. About 14 percent of current retirees are using stocks or funds to pay for part of their living expenses. There can be tax advantages to holding stocks outside of your retirement accounts. Retirees must pay regular income tax on withdrawals from traditional 401(k)'s and IRAs. Equities held outside of retirement accounts are taxed at the typically lower capital gains tax rate. "If you have an account that is paying qualified dividends and long-term capital gains, those are probably investments that are better to have outside a retirement account," says Shapiro.
Home Equity. The equity you have built up in your home can be tapped to pay for retirement. But the percentage of Americans planning to leverage their home has dropped from a peak of 30 percent in 2007 to 20 percent today, tying a record low. That 20 percent matches up exactly with the number of retirees using their home to fund retirement. Reverse mortgages and other ways of utilizing home equity to pay for retirement should be approached with caution. "I think going into debt to finance any kind of consumption should be considered only as a last resort, and if there are no other assets and no concerns for giving an inheritance to the children," says Jeremy Portnoff, a certified financial planner for Portnoff Financial in Westfield, N.J.
Part-Time Work. Finding a part-time job in retirement may become necessary for workers who don't save enough. Some 18 percent of employees think they will work part time in retirement, up from 10 percent in 2001. However, retirees who want to work must be able to find and keep a job and be healthy enough to continue working. Only 4 percent of retirees in the survey said they currently work part time.
Inheritance. An inheritance could solve all your retirement income worries. About 9 percent of current workers expect a significant amount of wealth to be willed to them, but only 3 percent of current retirees said an inheritance is helping to pay for retirement. The lesson: Inheritances don't always come through. "You benefactor could live longer than expected and need more of those assets," cautions Portnoff. "Beneficiary forms are very easy to change."
Annuities or Insurance. Annuities are financial products that guarantee purchasers payments as long as they live. Some 8 percent of both current workers and retirees say annuity payments or insurance plans will make up a significant part of their retirement strategy. Retirees should be cautious about the fine print and expenses associated with these financial products. "Annuities are sold very commonly to older people that they are very inappropriate for," says Sheryl Rowling, an accountant and personal financial specialist for Moss Adams Wealth Advisors in San Diego, Calif. Ask an independent financial adviser to review your annuity paperwork before purchasing.
Rent and Royalties. Royalty payments typically come from patents, trademarks, or copyrights. Property owners can also earn money from their real estate investments. Some 6 percent of working Americans expect to receive income from rental properties or royalty payments throughout their retirement, and 5 percent of retirees continue to receive income this way. While it is generally not a good idea to make rental income the centerpiece of your retirement finances, it can make up a good portion of your retirement income. Says Rowling: "If you have real estate as a supplement to an investment portfolio and IRAs and other retirement income, then that can be a very good thing."
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Need Extra Cash? What is a Great Work from Home Business? Where's my Team?
ZOOM MOBILE
http://cellzoom.biz
ZOOM MOBILE
http://cellzoom.biz
Saturday, April 3, 2010
BRING ON 3, YOUR SERVICE IS FREE
We have all been hit hard by this economy and have had to give something up ,but I bet it wasn't you cell phone ,right?
Well being an associate in ZOOM Mobile not only makes a fantastic income for you but if you get 3 plans under you, you get your plan free!
Why pay for cell phone service, when you can get nationwide unlimited TALK, TEXT, and WEB for FREE? With Zoom Mobile, when you get three people to sign up for our $59.99 Unlimited Plan, which includes nationwide unlimited talk, text and web, then your monthly service is free. No contracts, no restrictions, and now…NO COST!
Zoom Mobile is getting ready to set the Direct to Consumer industry on fire. We are going to DO, what NO other company is willing to do!
We have 3 Amazing Cell Phone plans,
$49.99 Unlimited Talk & Text
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$59.99 Unlimited Talk, Tex & Data
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By The Way, There are NO Contracts, NO Credit Checks, NO Down Payments and NO Restrictions! you receive Unlimited calling, text and data.
First enroll to be a business builder.
The Current business builder
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Nationwide service without restrictions and it is yours, starting at just $49.99 a month. Choose the plan that is going to fit your budget and your lifestyle! No deposits, No contracts, No credit checks, No hidden fees, No restrictions.
Unlimited access, nationwide service, low rates…Zoom Mobile.
Zoom Mobile has Commissioned Multisoft to Design our custom software package and build our aggressive compensation plan. To Learn more go to http://cellzoom.biz
In the time it took for you to read this, you could have gotten your 3 to go free!
http://cellzoom.biz
Sandra Forrester Limon
Admin.Zoom Mobile & BIZgm in Team ExSite
Founder Zoom Mobile
Team Leader Team ExSite
Home Based Biz Matching Service~
Products * Services * Travel * Wireless * Advertising,
Turnkey Systems * Team Builds & Feeder Programs
925-252-0246 * sandrateamexsite@gmail.com
If you do NOT have a Plan B - Call me!
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