Join Wealth Distribution Strategies for our second annual charity event. This year we will be raising funds  to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison. This event will take place on Friday, April 26th. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m, festivities beginning at 6:15 p.m. and the event will end around 10:00 p.m. To learn more  click here to go to this years event page. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Ashley or … [Read more...]

Join Wealth Distribution Strategies for an educational event on “2019 Global Market Outlook” featuring Garret Siperko, Vice President Regional Investment Consultant with T.Rowe Price. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:00 p.m. To learn more about this events topics and location please, click here. Contact Ashley or Desiree if you would like to attend. 608.848.2389 aseffens@wdstrategies.com dhendrickson@wdstrategies.com … [Read more...]

A LOTS OF SENIORS By the year 2050, approximately a generation from today, 330 million Chinese will be over the age of 65. By comparison, there are 328 million Americans alive today. (Source: Census Bureau) EVERY DAY An estimated 10,400 Americans will turn 65 years old each day this year (2019). This group represents the 9th year of 19 years of “Baby Boomers” turning 65. An estimated 11,500 Americans will turn 65 years old each day in the year 2029. (Source: Government Accountability … [Read more...]

LESS FOREIGN BUYERS Foreign investors, led by China and Japan, held $6.2 trillion of US Treasury securities as of November 2018, just under 40% of total US Treasury debt. That’s the lowest percentage held by foreign investors in the last 15 years. (Source: Treasury Department) THE RICHEST FIVE PERCENT The top 5% of US taxpayers in the tax year 2016 (the latest year for which tax data has been released) made at least $197,651 of adjusted gross income (AGI), received 35% of all AGI nationwide … [Read more...]

STUDENT LOAN DEBT Americans 60 years or older owe $86 billion in student loan debt and because of this, in 2015, 40,000 of those over the age of 65 had funds garnished from their Social Security checks. (Source: The Wall Street Journal, February 2, 2019) NOT STOPPING 48% of working Americans surveyed in 2018 anticipate working past age 65, up from just 16% of workers who felt that way 30 years earlier. (Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute) ANOTHER OIL RECORD US field production of … [Read more...]

SOME MAKE A LOT 5% of the 150.3 million tax returns filed for tax year 2016 reported adjusted gross income (AGI) of at least $200,000, received 35% of all AGI and paid 58% of all federal income tax. (Source: IRS) ESTATE TAXES An estimated 2.8 million Americans died in 2018. Of the 2.8 million deaths, an estimated 4,000 of those deceased individuals (i.e., 1 in every 700 deaths) died with an estate worth more $11.2 million, the minimum dollar amount that can be passed estate tax-free per … [Read more...]

GOTTA GIVE TO GET 8 states have applied for and received government approval to add work requirements for some of the people enrolled in Medicaid. Of the 8 states (Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire and Wisconsin) only 2 states (Arkansas and Indiana) have implemented the work requirement. The most common work requirement – 80 hours a month (source: Kaiser Family Foundation). CRAZY HIGH For the 13 consecutive years from 1951-1963, the top individual marginal … [Read more...]

RED AND BLUE PROBLEM The national debt increased +86% during George W. Bush’s 8 years as president, reaching$10.63 trillion as of 1/20/09. The national debt increased +88% during Barack Obama’s 8 years as president, reaching $19.95 trillion as of 1/20/17. The national debt has increased +10% during Donald Trump’s first 2 years in the White House, reaching $21.95 trillion as of 1/20/19 (Source: Treasury Department). SALES PRICE The median sales price of existing homes sold in the United States … [Read more...]

FDIC Since the FDIC was founded in 1933, 2018 was only the third time that a calendar year passed without a bank failure. (Source: CNBC, January 12, 2019) ONE DAY I’LL BE RICH 37% of US households (45 million out of 121 million total household) will transfer assets estimated to be worth $68 trillion to family heirs and charities over the next 25 years. The $68 trillion represents 64% of the nation’s total household net worth of $107 trillion. (Source: Cerulli Associates) HEARING … [Read more...]

THEY FORGOT TO PLAN 62% of the 43 million Americans on Social Security receive at least 50% of their retirement income via their monthly Social Security benefit. (Source: Social Security Administration) THREE If the nation’s GDP growth for 2018 that will be reported in 1/30/19 shows an increase of at least +3% for the last year, it will end a record streak of 12 consecutive years of “sub +3%” growth (2006-2017). The next longest streak in history of “sub +3%” growth is the 4 years from … [Read more...]