WHO Prioritizes Money Over Human Life

As  posted to the Peak Prosperity YouTube Channel on January 30, 2020 (Run time 15 min 23 sec) In Update #7, on the Wuhan New Coronavirus (officially "2019-ncov"), Chris Martenson reports that on 1/30/2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the Wuhan Coronavirus is indeed now a pandemic. If that's not scary enough, the WHO then proceeded to downplay the risk to public health and went to great lengths to make it clear it doesn't recommend placing restrictions on global trade & travel at this time . . . when we may be in dealing with a viral outbreak as (or more) virulent than the Spanish Flu (aka The Great Influenza). "This is nothing less than a political decision to keep business/commerce flowing without regard to public health....

Tax Implications of Your Side Gig

The number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy has grown in recent years, according to a 2019 IRS report. But what are the tax implications of your side gig?  I'm talking about people who perform these jobs, such as providing car rides, renting spare bedrooms, delivering food, walking dogs or providing other services. Basically, if you receive income from one of the online platforms offering goods and services, it’s generally taxable. That’s true even if the income comes from a side job and even if you don’t receive an income statement reporting the amount of money you made. IRS report details The IRS recently released a report examining two decades of tax returns and titled “Is Gig Work Replacing Traditional Employment?” It found that “alternative,...

Coronavirus Cases Set to Explode Higher

As  posted to the Peak Prosperity YouTube Channel on January 29, 2020 (Run time 10 min 48 sec) In Update #6, on the Wuhan New Coronavirus (officially "2019-ncov"), Chris Martenson reports that the sudden lack of new information coming out of China is suspect. In this update, Chris walks us through the math here, showing how if the Coronavirus follows its current geometric growth, over 100 million people could be infected by the end of February. Don't take today's lack of 'news' as meaning the threat from this virus is dying down. This is very likely just the calm before the storm. (This is Blog Post #711) Chris Martenson, is a former American biochemical scientist and Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation.  Currently he is an author and trend...

Healthcare Data Breaches Can Threaten Your Financial Well-Being

Like many sectors of the economy, the healthcare industry regularly suffers data breaches. Healthcare  data breaches can threaten your financial well-being.  Healthcare analytics company Protenus has found that nearly 32 million patient records were breached between January and June 2019 alone. Alarmed? You should be. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk that thieves will get a hold of your medical records and use them for nefarious purposes. Why they’re valuable Unlike other types of personal data, healthcare records command a hefty premium on the black market. That’s at least partly because criminals can potentially use information about an individual’s health to blackmail him or her. Also, stolen medical records include valuable details about people’s identities. In fact, there’s usually enough information in medical files...

Coronavirus is the Black Swan Feared by Markets

As  posted to the Peak Prosperity YouTube Channel on January 28, 2020 (Run time 8 min 30 sec) In Update #5, with regards to the Wuhan New Coronavirus (offially "2019-ncov"), Chris Martenson suggests that the Coronavirus has all the hallmarks of a true Black Swan event. In addition to presenting a major public health risk, the Coronavirus is already doing serious economic damage. China, the world's second-largest economy, is essentially "closed for business" right now. The disruption to global trade the Coronavirus is likely to cause is going to be material, perhaps severe. And that will have serious negative consequences for the financial markets, which have been (and is still!) trading at the highest valuations in history. (This is Blog Post #709) Chris Martenson, is a former American biochemical scientist and...

Coronavirus is the Biggest Risk in 100 Years

As  posted to the GoldSilver.com YouTube Channel on January 27, 2020 (Run Time: 12 min, 32 sec) On the Coronavirus, Dr. Chris Martenson says, "This is the most serious pandemic risk that we've seen, not since SARS . . . but I think since the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1919.". Join Mike Maloney as he investigates the potential for the Coronavirus outbreak to become a full-blown pandemic. Mike and Chris will discuss the genesis and spread of the Coronavirus and how to prepare yourself. They will also examine how China is reacting to the Coronavirus with lockdowns and quarantines, and how this pandemic may be an economic black swan event. (This is Blog Post #708) Chris Martenson, is a former American biochemical scientist and Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation. ...

Now is the Time to Prepare for the Coronavirus

As  posted to the Peak Prosperity YouTube Channel on January 27, 2020 (Run time 11 min 58 sec) In Update #4, with regards to the Wuhan New Coronavirus (officially "2019-ncov"), Chris Martenson reports that pretty much the entire country of China is in lockdown at this moment which is unbelievable. In addition to the restriction of travel within and across its borders, the Chinese government has begun heavily censoring the data its sharing with the world. Chris calls into question the few statistics they're currently reporting, suspecting the situation is devolving into something much worse than admitted to. (This is Blog Post #707) Chris Martenson, is a former American biochemical scientist and Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation.  Currently he is an author and trend forecaster interested in macro trends...

Chinese Coronavirus Data Challenged

As  posted to the Peak Prosperity YouTube Channel on January 26, 2020 (Run time 11 min 45 sec) In Update #3, with regards to the Wuhan New Coronavirus (officially "2019-ncov"), Chris Martenson reports that there are already 2,070 reported cases in China, 37 abroad Deaths: 56 Cured: 49 Human-to-human transmission confirmed Health experts say the virus has the potential to mutate 30 cities and provinces have launched Level 1 emergency response, while Hong Kong declared its "highest" emergency response There is much more important information in this extended video.  Please watch and pass along. (This is Blog Post #706) Chris Martenson, is a former American biochemical scientist and Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation.  Currently he is an author and trend forecaster interested in macro trends regarding the economy, energy...

Life Insurance Beneficiary Pitfalls

Life insurance is an important asset (in the case of whole life policies) that should not overlooked by families. It can also be a powerful financial and estate planning tool, but its benefits can be reduced or even eliminated if you designate the wrong beneficiary or fail to change beneficiaries when your life circumstances change.  Common life insurance beneficiary pitfalls to avoid include: (1) Naming your estate as beneficiary Doing so can subject life insurance proceeds to unnecessary state inheritance taxes (in many states), expose the proceeds to your estate’s creditors and ensure that the proceeds will go through probate, which may delay payment to your loved ones. (2) Naming minor children as beneficiaries Insurance companies won’t pay life insurance proceeds directly to minors, which means a court-appointed guardian...

Adoption Related Tax Savings

If you’re adopting a child, or you adopted one this year, there may be adoption related tax savings available to offset the expenses. For 2019, adoptive parents may be able to claim a nonrefundable credit against their federal tax for up to $14,080 of “qualified adoption expenses” for each adopted child. (This amount is increasing to $14,300 for 2020.) That’s a dollar-for-dollar reduction of tax — the equivalent, for someone in the 24% marginal tax bracket, of a deduction of over $50,000. Adoptive parents may also be able to exclude from their gross income up to $14,080 for 2019 ($14,300 for 2020) of qualified adoption expenses paid by an employer under an adoption assistance program. Both the credit and the exclusion are phased out if the...