Crimea's Growth Fastest in 20 Years Thanks to Russia, Sanctions - Minister

This may be Russian propaganda, but Crimea appears to be prospering after Russian annexation.  But hey, war solves everything, according to NATO.

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150325/1019977709.html

Why Regulation Is Good For Growth

With tongue firmly in cheek, this author mocks Paul Krugman, the Nobel Laureate from Princeton who really believes his own bull$hit version of Keynesian economics.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/why-regulation-good-growth

US economic data alarming

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-27/pimco-s-el-erian-says-alarming-data-signals-show-u-s-economy-faltering.html

U.S. economic data are “alarming,” signaling the recovery is losing momentum, Mohamed A. El-Erian, Pacific Investment Management Co.’s chief executive officer, wrote in an opinion piece in the Washington Post.

Unemployment is high, consumer credit is shrinking and small companies are having trouble obtaining bank lines of credit, wrote El-Erian, who is also co-chief investment officer at Pimco, which runs the world’s largest bond fund. Increased government spending and additional debt purchases from the Federal Reserve are unlikely to spur a rebound, he wrote.

Gee, ya think?

Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. in New York, cut his estimate for growth this quarter to a 2 percent annual pace. As recently as two weeks ago, he projected 4.6 percent.

Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, estimates a 2.3 percent rate of expansion, down from a June forecast of 4.1 percent.

These geniuses forecasted over 4% growth earlier? Their clients must be feeling warm and fuzzy on their stellar accuracy.

Attention: Career Transitioners

It's a touchy subject, but a real one that needs to be dealt with: many in corporate America are being downsized--they're getting laid off. Some have emergency reserves to last them a few months while they land back on their feet. In this tough job market, a few months of unemployment may last a few quarters.

Whichever the case, if cash reserves are insufficient for living expenses, many have to resort to dipping into their qualified retirement savings plans, whether they are 401K's or IRA's. The catch is that if the candidate is under age 59 1/2, the penalty for early withdrawal is 10% under IRS tax codes (an additional 2 1/2% for California residents). These penalties are on top of any income tax events.

However, there is a way to withdraw from qualified accounts without incurring those penalties. It is under IRC Section 72(t). Contact me and we can go over how this tax code may provide you some relief. There are also annuity products out there that offer you bonuses of up to 15%, as well as guarantee you an income for life. In this market environment, they provide tremendous advantages in safety of principal, income, and growth.