Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Report for Teachers


Do you Ever Worry About Your
Financial Future and Job Security?

HOW ANY TEACHER CAN FINALLY
ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY
AND PEACE OF MIND!

If we can’t save you at least $5,000 in taxes or other
expenses you’re overpaying for, you don’t
owe us a cent for our time … or this report!

As you can see, I have attached a nice $1.00 bill to the top of this letter.
Why have I done this?  There are two reasons:

1.                  I have something very important to tell you and I needed some way to make sure this letter would catch your attention.

2.                  And second, since what I am writing you about involves money, I thought using a dollar bill as an “eye-catcher” was especially appropriate!

Let me ask you a question:

Can you ever remember a time, when being a teacher was more confusing and frustrating?

I’ll be you can’t.

It seems that the profession we have all chosen has changed in some very profound ways.  Changes that cause you concerns about the future, and the future of your family.  And, changes that cause you to sometimes question your choice of career.

Sometimes, these changes cause you to ask yourself, “What am I doing in this kind of work, anyway?”

As a “Teacher” you chose to educate our children, to help create a better world. 

And you knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk.  You knew there were going to be long hours.  And, too many unruly kids in the classes.  And, principals with different agendas than yours.  And parents who think you’re their full time replacements.

You knew all that, and more, about how tough your chosen assignment was going to be.  But, you still went into the field because you can’t think of anything more meaningful than:

Giving kids the chance to live the life they want to lead!
*     *     *     *     *


Are you wondering if your financial future will be ok?

*Will the Teachers Retirement System provide me with a retirement income that will increase with the cost of living?

65% of baby boomers don’t have money for retirement!

*Do you get frustrated thinking about how tired you are of needing a second income to get by?

All these thoughts and concerns take a lot of time and energy.  Time and energy that could be used to replenish yourself to be fresh, and enthusiastic for the daily effort of being there for not only your students, but of course your family too!

Sadly, the world doesn’t seem to acknowledge or worry about our teachers the way it does doctors, or lawyers, or other professionals.

THE FUTURE!

And yet, here we are.  Making less money, with more responsibilities and stress!  Our family lives suffer from our frustrations.  We’ve always been working a job that truly means “brining work home”, and now, we’re bringing more stress home along with the work! 8 out of 10 Americans state money, or lack of it, is a significant source of stress in their lives.

30 million workers in America – 1 in 4 are seriously distressed and dissatisfied and causing negative impacts in individuals, families, and employers. In a perfect world, people would be able to keep their financial stress and home life issues separate from their work-life. However, at least 15% of U.S. workers experience so much financially related stress, that it negatively impacts their work productivity.

It is impossible to separate your life so completely.  When you’re not feeling good about your future, it will have a negative impact on your home life. Statistics suggest finances play a leading role in 80% of all divorces in America. More than 52% of Americans experience anger, irritability, fatigue, and sleeplessness due to financial struggles.

Financial distress can also take a heavy toll on one’s health and mental well being. 75%-90% of all doctor’s visits are stress-related. Financial struggles may lead to stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, weight gain or loss, stomach problems, ulcers or digestive problems, aches and pains, and other general sickness. There is a direct correlation of financial issues and health status.

This adds to the frustration….
THE ECONOMY...

The devastating effects of the deficit have hit the citizens of America HARD! Americans have accumulated 2.5 trillion in personal consumer debt! Has it affected you personally? From just 2007-2009, 67% of Americans have experienced a huge decline in their total wealth, a median 45% decline!  An astounding 77% of Americans now live paycheck to paycheck. In a country where 28% of Americans don’t pay their bills on time, and 40% carry over credit card debt from month to month, the issue is clearly distressing!

 Nearly 2/3 of Americans are having financial problems including paying for gas, food, rent or mortgage, healthcare and insurance, getting a good job or raise, losing money in the stock market, and personal debt. Many American workers are living paycheck to paycheck, worried about making ends meet, concerned about bankruptcy and losing their homes, don’t have enough money to cover expenses, and are mounting credit card debt. Financial stress is most certainly on the rise.


LET ME SHARE A SECRET!

You know, there is one secret that can solve a lot of these worries.  It’s not something you learn in college or graduate school…. or even acquiring a Ph.D.

SO WHAT IS IT????

FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Getting yourself educated, the same way you teach your students!
D U H H H H H H H H ! ! ! ! !  as our kids say.

FINANCIAL EDUCATION K-12

One of the wonderful things about being a teacher is being able to influence the lives of many students. Although we may not get much credit for it, teachers have one of the most important professions in society! In this day and age, financial literacy is becoming an increasingly fundamental life skill to survive in America. The lack of financial literacy in Americans is what created the deficit! If children cannot learn to manage their finances from their debt burdened parents, then the cycle of debt will continue to future generations. So why not implement financial programs in schools???

Today only 13 states require a personal financial course to graduate high school! If high schools and colleges are graduating financial illiterate students, it’s no wonder there are so many adults in the real world who have financial struggles! Let’s avoid debt in future generations by educating the youth of America today! YOU can help the future by giving the gift of knowledge!

But first and foremost…..
You must help yourself1 And I am ready to help you! 

Think about what I’m saying here!

We all use up the hours in the day to set a curriculum, and to learn new ways to teach.  To get better and better at being the best teachers we can be.  But since there is only a fixed amount of hours in the day, where are you going to get the time to become an expert at another full time profession?

That of being an expert in organizing and managing your money.

**The answer is, you can’t do it all.  (Not even if you’re “SUPER TEACHER”!)

Unfortunately, we have been forced by the economy and society in general, to be a money manager, besides being a teacher!


I’ll bet you think plenty about:

v  How your own kids will get through college.

v  How you will be able to retire on the same standard of living you have now.

v  How to make the best of the summer and so forth, to add financial security for your family.

v  What it will take to stop having to take on extra work just to meet the bills, let alone save for the future.

v  Whether or not you’ve made the right decisions on your benefits package.

v  How you can pay less in taxes, legally?

v  What strategies and financial secrets are out there, that you don’t even know exist?

v  How do I eliminate my total DEBT?

PLANNING

YES, THAT’S RIGHT

PLANNING!

The activity you do every day for a living is the same skill you need to be successful with your money, as you are in your career!

*Imagine a scenario where you just show up the first day of class, pull out a book and a piece of chalk, and start teaching without a plan!

It’s absurd even thinking about it…

Could you imagine having no idea what information you were going to stress?  What books and tools you were going to use?  What timing you would incorporate into your lesson units?  What the other teachers were doing?  Not knowing the goals of the grading period?

Could you imagine?


You know what I’m talking about?

Ø  Doing your tax planning while you file your returns – for the past year! (A little too late, wouldn’t you say?)

Ø  Deciding on your TSA choices based on a three minute conversation with a colleague in the lounge over a soda.

Ø  Setting up your insurance based on a salesperson’s biased advice.

Ø  Investing your money with decisions made from reading an article in “MONEY” magazine.

And, listening to Bryant Gumbell interview a stock analyst on the “TODAY” show, and then running to your discount broker.

Do you take time to plan for your own future in such lavish detail????

I think you probably do not…

Be realistic with yourself!
43% of Americans do not budget or track their expenses at all! 32% do not spend any portion of their income for retirement. And 63% have not viewed their credit score in the past year!

Yet, this planning makes the difference between arriving at your destination, feeling safe and secure, or having no clue where you are, or even where you want to be!

What we are talking about here, is probably the most important aspect in your life, next to your health!

SO WHY DO WE DO IT?

Why do we not plan for our future the way we set up a lesson plan or a vacation?

In my opinion, it is because we just don’t have the time or energy.

It’s not that we’re “stupid”, or lazy, or anything negative like that.

NO, NOT AT ALL…

It’s just we make the huge mistake of thinking that it takes too much time, or that you’re uncertain of what to do.  Because it’s uncomfortable, there is a tendency to put off, procrastinate, do anything but…DO IT!

The RESULT?

Literally thousands of dollars that are lost, or unnecessarily paid in the form of missed tax deductions, overpayment on interest, duplicate coverages, hidden fees, expenses… and on and on!

Now, you are probably agreeing with me about the need for planning, but are wondering what will it do for me?

Planning will allow you the opportunity to learn how to:

  • Defer or even eliminate taxes, sometimes saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year!  Think about this:

?—If you saved even $300 per month in taxes and you’re 40 years old, and you earn only a lousy 3% on the extra savings;

You would have an additional $98,491 at age 60!

HOW ABOUT THINGS LIKE THESE?

  • How to stash away over six times as much as an IRA, in tax deferred savings?

  • The little known secret of how to finance a home and reduce your monthly payment up to 50%

  • How to finance part, or all of a college education, without paying taxes or penalties!

  • The amazingly simple secret of selling assets for a profit, without paying any tax!

  • Avoid the five biggest mistakes teachers make with their money!

  • The startling secrets to have the best chance of retiring when you want, with as much money as you want!

  • Use the investment strategies the pros use every day, except the results will be for you not for them!

  • Take advantage of ten possible ways to beat today’s horribly low interest rates on investments!

  • Have the best change of being in the 6% of teachers who truly control their own lives, because they have enough financial wisdom to do what they want!

All this may sound like a lot of hype, but let me tell you that, just like any profession, certain inside tips and tricks of the trade do exist!

**Just like YOU know many secrets of how to do your job more efficiently, and better 
    than others!  Every vocation has lots of twists and turns only the experienced drivers 
    know how to take.  These are just some basic facts of financial life!

HERE IS ONE MORE IMPORTANT FACT!

The longer you wait to take advantage of what is rightfully yours, the more you cost yourself.

**So many teachers we work with are so surprised at how simple fixing money concerns can be with proper planning.  And we know how frustrating it can be to feel like the “FINANCIAL CONROL” and PEACE OF MIND you want is just out of reach.

If you feel like government, the school boards, the unions and so forth, have the control over you, that can be fixed very quickly, but, the initial step must be yours.

TAKING THE FIRST STEP!

Taking the first step into a new life of financial control is really up to YOU!

v  Learn how you can save at least $5,000 in TAXES and other expenses you’re overpaying.

v  Whether you make $40,000 or $240,000 a year, most people we talk to tell us that they are very interested to learn practical ways to reduce their taxes, and not overpay on other expenses!

FOR EXAMPLE:

Just last week, we met with an individual who was certain they were all taken care of, and we uncovered over $7,357 in taxes and other expenses that they were overpaying.

Almost without exception when we ask people how they think this kind of money slips through their checkbooks, the three biggest causes are:

  1. Not having enough time.

  1. Not knowing exactly what to look for…and where.

  1. Thinking or hoping everything is being “taken care of” for them.



The biggest problem for most people today is TIME.

*Not enough TIME…and not knowing where to look!

STOP FOR JUST A MOMENT AND THINK ABOUT WHERE YOUR TIME GOES MONDAY – FRIDAY!

FOR RETIREES:  The biggest problem is not “investing time” first to be fully aware of all the tax saving opportunities available, and not loaning their money to Mr. Banker for 3% while he turns around and rents it out for 12-18%. 

THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING!

Even people who have a good income and money in the bank are feeling more financial pressure today!  Today more than ever, people are sincerely looking for practical ways to save money on taxes and expenses wherever possible, and provide a “financial safety net” underneath themselves for the future!  Just like a medical doctor, the first step towards getting well or staying healthy financially, is to perform a check-up and diagnosis to see what’s “bugging” YOU!

We can provide you with a “Financial Check-up, diagnosis and written report”.  If you are not totally happy with our report and tax service, there is NO further obligation on YOUR part.

NO PRESSURE!     NO SALES!     NO HASSLES!

Finally, I wanted you to know that we also invite everyone, who we prepare a financial report for, to attend one of our tax saving workshops….FREE!

Well, I think this covers everything.  I hope this discussion of building a financial map for your life’s road makes sense to you in a new and different way.  I hope it has got you thinking about your own life, and how you feel about your taxes, finances, the “quality of time” and life-style you have.  So you and your family can have the best life possible! 

I look forward to talking to you soon, and seeing where we go from here.

Take care, and I wish you all the good luck in the world!

Sincerely,



Ruben Ruiz, Jr., CLU, ChFC, RFC, CSA
Money Concepts International Financial Planning Network
      1920a Corporate Drive, Suite 106, San Marcos, TX 78666
      1777 NE Loop 410, STE. 600, San Antonio, TX 78217
TELEPHONE: (512) 396-2487, (210) 573-6827, FAX: (208)-279-1073

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