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Did you know the average family needs $4,000 more in income today to keep up with prices since Jan. 1? Our Panic Proof Retirement IncomeMAX Strategies helps protect you by offering ever-increasing income. Here’s what makes us different: • 200% more income for Long Term Care Costs with no underwriting • Match on your funds of up to 15% from IRA and 401(k)s • Historical double-digit annual returns that are locked in and protected
844-44PANIC | PanicProofRetirement.com | November 2024 CAUTION: ELECTIONS AHEAD! BUCKLE UP
The upcoming elections may be a pivotal time for investors concerned about protecting their nest egg.
A look at election history suggests people planning for retirement should buckle their seat belts this month. Elections, in general, can roil the stock market, and contested elections can touch off even more turbulence. In the six presidential elections since the turn of the century, three have been followed by stock-market moves of 5% or more in the ensuing six weeks — the votes held in 2000, 2008, and 2016. The contested election of 2000, in particular, helped unleash a 12% drop in the S&P 500 index between Election Day and the low for the year in late December. Political disputes and a flurry of lawsuits over who won kept the nation in limbo for 36 days until Democrat Al Gore conceded the election to George W. Bush in late December. Of course, the tech bubble was bursting then, and stocks had already posted a 6.3% decline between March 2000 and Election Day. But there is no question that the election uncertainty fueled the flames. The stage is set again this year for controversy over the vote. Polls have been showing Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump in a close race. Trump has made clear that if he loses, he will contest the outcome based on election fraud claims. Control of the House and Senate also may hang in the balance, further clouding the outlook. In the current political climate, many Americans may doubt the validity of the election results. Although recent investigations have uncovered no evidence of widespread election fraud, a recent poll showed 58% of Americans were worried a few weeks before the election that some voters will cast more than one ballot or that people who are ineligible to vote will be allowed to participate anyway. Also, one candidate’s narrow lead could disappear in the days after the election because the states count and release results from same-day and early voting at different times.
Many analysts expect the equity markets to drop sharply if the election is disputed for more than a few days.
The bottom line? This is a pivotal time for investors. It may be wise to consider taking profits on recent stock-market gains and turning to investments guaranteed to pay you, regardless of what happens in the stock market. Investing in annuities is one way to protect yourself against losses. In all the products I recommend in my Panic Proof Portfolio, your investment principle is protected. If you are concerned about your savings, please reach out to us today for a no-obligation consultation. We will be glad to show you how to protect your hard-earned nest egg from the hazards of stock-market volatility.
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Envision Success With a Vision Board Need a little help making your dreams come true? Try a tool celebrities Oprah, Katy Perry, Kris Jenner, and Lilly Singh have used — a vision board. This poster-size collage of images, words, and affirmations depicts dreams, goals, or desires you want to bring into your life, from a career or financial milestone to travel, relationships, or achievements. Placed where you see it multiple times a day, a vision board should excite and inspire you. Oprah Winfrey claims she made her first vision board after Michelle Obama asked her and others in 2008 to envision her husband becoming president. Oprah responded, creating a board with a picture of the dress she planned to wear at Obama’s inauguration. Recording star Katy Perry says she created her first vision board at age 9 at a teacher’s request, featuring a picture of Latin Pop singer Selena Quintanilla Perez winning a Grammy. Fifteen years later, Perry was nominated for one herself. Kris Jenner, the mother of the Kardashian sisters, says she found making a vision board inspirational after her children introduced her to the idea, adding, “Using the visuals just helped me see something come to life.”
The end-of-year holidays are festive but famously stressful, with fighting crowds and busting budgets. Here are five ideas to elevate your holidays by embracing new, simple family traditions. Shop-Local Friday Avoid door-busting Black Friday crowds by shopping locally. Visit nearby shops as a family and try out their offerings. Or stay even closer to home by gamifying Black Friday into an online scavenger hunt. Make a shopping list and see who can find the best deals on each item. Go Hunting Outdoors Work off that Thanksgiving meal by visiting a nearby park or trail for a hike and scavenger hunt. Give each family member a list of items to find. Small children might look for a pinecone or sparkly rock, while teens could hunt for a bird’s nest or a particular tree species. Your kids will learn about nature while enjoying some adventurous competition. Friendsgiving If you aren’t overwhelmed by relatives during Thanksgiving, consider letting your children plan their own Friendsgiving celebration. This relatively new holiday has become a popular way to relax with your besties, and hosting a kids’ version can help children strengthen social ties. Serve Thanksgiving leftovers or let the kids plan the menu. Year-End Gift Fest Three gift-giving holidays — Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa — all fall near the end of December this year. Consider making gifts rather than buying them. Purchase supplies for a crafting or baking session and encourage your kids to create keepsakes or treats for loved ones, such as beaded jewelry, photo albums, trinket trays, original storybooks, artwork, cookies, or candy. Your kids will see that many recipients value their effort in making gifts more than the money spent on purchased ones. A Year of Memories The year’s end is a time to remember special people and events. Decorate a glass Memory Jar and ask each family member to recall a few favorite happenings or activities from the past year. Record each one on a slip of paper, drop them into the Memory Jar, make it the centerpiece for a family meal, and take turns pulling out and reading each other’s memories. This simple ritual can spark plenty of fun, plus warm conversations about the abundance that families share. ELEVATE YOUR END-OF-YEAR HOLIDAYS
The concept is a little too New Age-y for some. JP Sears spoofs vision boards on YouTube, saying most mask greed as spirituality. The big houses, swimming pools, vacations, or career goals many choose to depict are all “decoys for money … setting you up to desire money while making you appear to be a spiritual person,” Sears says.
Advocates, however, say vision boards serve as an uplifting reminder of what you want from life. To create one, you will
need a foam board, double-sided tape, scissors, and images, words, or affirmations that delight or inspire you. Start with a list of specific goals, then source targeted images and words online that convey your vision clearly, says YouTube star Lily Singh. Don’t try to capture the dreams of a lifetime in one vision board. Singh’s first vision board expressed her desire to attract 1 million YouTube subscribers and move to Los Angeles, while subsequent boards displayed loftier aspirations. When you are satisfied that your board captures your dreams, Singh says, “Work your butt off (to make them come true).”
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3 BEAUTY HACKS THAT WORK
Social media is overflowing with influencers purporting to reveal the latest hot beauty tips. With more than 1,000 beauty marketers active on Instagram and YouTube, identifying valuable products can be difficult. Here are three products emerging as winners to help you cut to the chase. A Brighter Smile Dental whitening strips use lower-strength chemicals than those employed by dentists, but professional whitening can cost $300–$1,000. Over-the-counter products cost as little as $2 per treatment and still work. Products using 6% hydrogen peroxide and 10% carbamide peroxide are both effective in lightening teeth, and carbamide peroxide may cause less tooth sensitivity after treatment, according to a 2024 survey of 47 studies. Crest Whitestrips leads in this category. Colgate also offers a teeth-whitening pen to apply a sticky gel that dries and can remain on your teeth overnight. Glowing Skin New consumer products to reverse skin aging are rolling out faster than researchers can vet the therapy. However, evidence suggests that red-light therapy exposure has a rejuvenating effect. Researchers tested treatments at 590–630 nanometers wavelengths for 20 minutes twice a week for 4–12 weeks. The results were reduced wrinkles and improved skin elasticity, according to a 2023 study in the journal Skin Research and Technology and a 2021 research review in Aesthetic Surgery Journal. But shoppers beware: The red-light wands
available to consumers do not deliver the sustained exposure tested in research. Full-face masks, starting at about $400 from established manufacturers Omnilux and LED Esthetics, may be downright scary- looking, but they are more likely to deliver results.
A Golden Tan Sun-lovers no longer have to risk skin cancer to develop a tan.
According to a recent product review by Forbes, home tanning products have improved dramatically from their sticky, streaky origins. A $43 formulation that delivers quick results lasting four days or more is St. Tropez Self Tan Express
Bronzing Mousse. Beginners may fare better with Vita Liberata Tanning Mousse, a $35 user-friendly foam that gradually builds color. Both work well even for users with ghostly white skin, allowing them to tone down their tans by rinsing early or deepening color in stages.
EXQUISITE LEMON BARS
TAKE A BREAK
Ingredients • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup powdered sugar • 1 cup butter, softened • 4 large eggs • 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice • 2 tbsp grated lemon zest • 1/4 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. 2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar. 3. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Press mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Pour over crust. 6. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
40900 WOODWARD AVE., STE. 150 BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304
INSIDE 1
For Investors: A Short History of Elections
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Realize Your Dreams De-Stress the Holidays
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A Trio of Healthy Beauty Tips Exquisite Lemon Bars Curb Your Cough: The Soothing Power of Hot Tea
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Quell Your Cough With Hot Tea
Soothing, Lubricating Teas While mucilage may sound like the name of an old-fashioned glue, it is actually a viscous, gelatinous plant substance that soothes and moistens irritated tissues. Mucilage is found in teas containing licorice root, marshmallow root, and mullein. Expectorant Effects An expectorant can lubricate your airways and thin the mucus in your respiratory system. This, in turn, makes your cough more productive, easing discomfort, expelling bacteria, and helping heal your airways more quickly. Teas containing ginger and mullein offer this benefit.
The rattle of coughing is the soundtrack of winter, and about 1 in 5 adults suffer from coughs during the peak cold and flu season. While coughing can signify serious illness, sufferers need short-term relief more often. You should always ask a health care professional for advice when you are ill. But simpler, natural treatments for an irritating cough may be as close as your kitchen cupboard: A steaming cup of hot tea can soothe irritation in your throat and chest. As winter draws near, consider stocking your shelves with teas offering these therapeutic effects. Anti-Inflammatory Properties Licorice root, chamomile, elderberry, and green tea are all linked to reducing inflammation in airways. Licorice root also has anti-spasmodic properties that can help calm irritated tissues, and it is an ingredient in many leading tea brands, including Traditional Medicinals, Yogi, and Pukka. However, it’s best to consume licorice root tea in moderation. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration deems licorice root safe, consuming large amounts can cause side effects, including high blood pressure.
Opening Airways Some of the most popular herbal teas also help ease cold symptoms. Eucalyptus teas can help open up constricted airways, and teas containing peppermint and thyme also relieve sinus and cold symptoms.
In all cases, you can amplify tea’s therapeutic benefits by adding a
spoonful of honey! Honey’s throat-coating consistency soothes irritated tissues.
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