Once source to locate investment property is through relocation companies. Relocation companies work with corporations when they have a need to relocate key personnel. The relocation company acts as a realtor on behalf of the corporation to buy or sell the property owned by the employee. Due to the slowing of the real estate market, these corporations are having a tougher time selling the property.

I recently attended a real estate conference where I met several realtors who are relocation specialists. When I told them I am a real estate investor, they proceeded to tell me about the great deals on relocation real estate.

The downturn in the real estate market has made relocation industry one of opportunity for investors. Corporations will relocate key personnel, and in many cases, buy the employees’ home if they were unable to sell it prior to leaving. Many employees would otherwise not transfer if their corporation did not offer this option.

Corporations are not in the real estate business. Instead, they work with realtors who provide relocation services. The corporation hopes these realtors will have a better chance of selling the property, most times at a break-even point to the corporation.

In many cases, corporations will offer significant perks to key employees to get them to move. One of these perks includes paying the realtor commission to help the employee sell the property quickly. When the employee cannot sell however, many corporations find themselves having to acquire the property in order to relocate the employee. You are in the best position to negotiate when it looks like the company may get stuck with a house it does not need or want.

Turning the negative news into an opportunity is one of the many secrets wise women use to invest in real estate.

A recent survey by the Investment Company Institute showed that in 2004, less than 20% of households contributed to their IRA and only 6% of people made the extra “catch-up” contributions to people over age 50. The good news is that you contribute to your IRA for 2006 anytime before the deadline for filing your tax return, April 17th

Need to know the contribution levels on your retirement plan? Visit our website at www.theentrustgroup.com to learn how much you can put away tax-deferred or after tax today!

There are many investments one can select to do with her retirement plan. Some are more risky then others. But since we self-direct, meaning, we choose to direct our funds as we see fit, not others, we have the ability to invest in anything that the IRS allows.

One of the more unique types of investing is in Private Placements. So what is a Private placement? Mary Rossi, mother of 2 has spent thousands of dollars in dry cleaning or throwing her toddler’s clothes away due to stains from them wiping their mouths on their sleeves instead of using a napkin.

Frustrated, Mary tried to come up with an idea to save her children’s clothes from total destruction after one wearing. Why not develop a throw away napkin of sorts that can be affixed to the sleeve of her children’s clothes then removed when the child is done eating?
Mary ran her idea by a few of her friends from her local mothers group. They loved it! She made samples of the arm type slings that were affixed with Velcro. The mothers who tried it loved it! They started ordering dozens of these. Mary needed a one word name to meet the needs of her clients. She decided on Slopkins!

Mary met with an attorney, who went through the process of helping her start her business. She needed some cash infusion so Slopkins could be made in mass and marketed. Her attorney recommended a private placement. The attorney formed an LLC (Limited Liability Company) and away Mary went trying to “sell” her idea to others.

Many people used their IRA dollars to invest in Mary’s idea. They understood there were no guarantees of a payback. That basically, they could lose their investment. But so many believed this was the best invention in years that Mary was able to raise her initial 5 million and production began Mary proceeded to raise the capital through her Private Placement. She went around the country demonstrating Slopkins to every Major Day Care Company in the Country.

Eventually, one of the day care companies, DD’s Playschool bought out Mary and Slopkins for 25 million. Mary paid off her investors and retired to Hawaii where she is busy with a new idea for protecting one’s home in lieu of a security system. A barking doormat! All kidding aside, Private Placements work just the way I described them. They are not for people who need their last dime to survive. Generally, investors hear of Private Placements through their Financial Advisor or their Attorney. Like any investment it is up to you to do your due diligence.

Private Placements can be self-directed with an IRA or 401 (k) through an administrator who does record keeping for these investments. Record keepers do not give investment advice or make any recommendations. The decision is yours!

To learn more about self-directing your retirement plan to purchase a private placement, contact The Entrust Group. Visit our website at www.theentrustgroup.com

Last year, more then 60% of all taxpayers used a professional to assist them with their taxes. As tax returns get more complicated and as your assets continue to grow, it might make sense to seek professional advice from a CPA; tax attorney; or an enrolled agent a specialist - who is licensed to practice before the IRS.

For those of you who prefer to do you own taxes, there is software available to assist you. Many who do not have complicated returns prefer save the cost of a professional tax preparer. TurboTax is the most common software for the do it yourself tax preparation.

In between the professional and the do it yourself, there is H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt and others which are chains that are in the business of tax preparation.

So, how do you know where to go for tax help? To determine the answer, ask yourself these questions:

1. How complicated will the return be? If you are depreciating investment property,
taking a loss on a business, or faced with specific tax related issues that would require some expertise, go with the professional.

2. If your return is not that complicated, but you either don’t have the time or the energy to do it yourself, perhaps one of the chains would be a good solution.

3. If you are savvy, have the time, and do not have too complicated of a tax return, you could do it yourself.

Remember, everyone makes mistakes. Even a pro can, so review and understand your tax return before you send it in. Make sure the person or company who prepared your return signs it also. Never allow someone to do your taxes and not sign the return.

If you retire at age 65, there is a good possibility that you’ll spend at least 30 years in retirement. According to the American Academy of Actuaries, life expectancy for a woman is age 86 and nearly 20% of women will live past age 95.

We will spend more then $200,000 on medical expenses not covered by Medicare.

Society assumes that baby boomers are better off financially then other generations. However, predecessors did not have to face potential cuts in Social Security and Medicare.

In order to have the dollars we need in order to live comfortably for the next 30 years, we must plan today! Whatever asset you invest in, you must develop the knowledge and control to be empowered to grow. Contact your local certified self-directed retirement account specialist and learn how to grow your IRA…starting today! www.theentrustgroup.com

Remember, corporate tax returns are due by March 15th. Now is the time to make those IRA/401 (k) contributions! Contact your local Entrust Office today! www.TheEntrustGroup.com

I recently read an interview with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal that was featured in the Financial Times. Why would this be relevant to women and real estate?

The answer is simple. We have something in common with Shaquille. He is a real estate investor. The following is his exact quote on why he invests in real estate: “The property business is where it’s at because you can’t make no more earth.”  So, true….

This got me to thinking about those of you reading this blog.

Have you started investing? Are you figuring out the types of investing you like to try?  Are you “learning the ropes” to ensure your financial security? 

If not, what are you waiting for? 

If you are procrastinating, figure out why.  Whether it is investing, career change or a life change, procrastination is common. Why?

1. We fear failure. Or, believe it or not, we fear of success!  These fears can put us at a standstill.

2. If you’re a perfectionist, the need to control every outcome can be paralyzing.

3. Low self-esteem or the feeling that you cannot do something could stand in your way.

4. Also, feeling like you must do everything without asking for help can be overwhelming to the point of doing nothing.

Everyone is guilty of procrastination. I find this very stressful and unsettling, and continued to do this until I finally learned a couple of techniques that helped me overcome procrastination problem.  I hope these techniques will help you too:

1. Take small steps.  Don’t feel like you must go out tomorrow and make 100 offers on property. Crawl before you walk, before you run. Doing one small thing every day will go along way toward achieving your goal and will help you feel like you’ve accomplished something.
2. Visualize the outcome. Whatever your objective, visualize finishing it and being successful. By keeping the end in mind, and you’ll have a better chance of staying on track?
3. Surround yourself with cheerleaders. Cheerleaders are people who love you, who are supportive of you reaching your goal, will offer you the encouragement to dream and will continue to cheer you on. Surrounding yourself with positive people who have told me “I can” instead of “I can’t” has made a tremendous difference in my life.

So, what are you waiting for?

Charitable Contributions Distributed From IRAs – For distributions made in tax years 2006 and 2007, IRA owners age 70 1/2 or older may make distributions directly to a tax-exempt charity. Such distributions are excludable from the owner’s gross income, provided that the aggregate limit for an IRA owner is $100,000 per year and for married individuals filing a joint return, the limit is also $100,000 per individual IRA owner. The distribution can generally be made from any type of IRA, including a Roth IRA or “deemed” IRA, but may not be distributed from an “ongoing” SEP IRA or SIMPLE IRA. In addition, charitable distributions may be made from an inherited IRA if the beneficiary has attained age 70 1/2. The charitable distribution will be taken into account in determining whether the MRD requirements applicable to the IRA owner have been satisfied. 
 

I came across this article on the web….I thought you  might enjoy it!

Face it: times have changed, but it’s still a man’s world. Which means that as women in the labor force, We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us. We have different concerns, and different challenges, than men do. But what about when we retire? The issues for men and women surrounding retirement couldn’t possibly be any different, could they? The answer is yes. Because we definitely face genderspecific economic hurdles, our considerations and the processes we go through in planning our retirement are different, as well. www wiserwomen.org.

Women live longer.
On the average, women live seven years longer than men. Which means that a woman will need more money in retirement simply because there are more years of living expenses.

On the job, women earn less.
In 2002, a working woman earned about 77¢ for every $1 men earned. The figures are even worse for women of color. This amounts to an average lifetime loss of well over $500,000 for every woman—a significant amount which could have been saved or invested over the years for retirement assets.

Women spend less time in the workforce.
One way to put this politely is to say that women’s “employment patterns” are different. But the bottom line is that it’s usually women who interrupt careers to raise children or care for elders, take part-time jobs, or work at home without a salary. This affects both lifetime earnings and the benefits we’re eligible for after retirement.

Women are far less likely to have pension plans than men.  For those who are able to participate, recent studies show that a woman’s pension income is typically about half that of a man’s. Fewer women are union members. And women receive smaller Social Security payments than men, even with compensation built into the system for lower lifetime earnings.

Women retire with less.
Researchers have found that women traditionally save money at about half the rate of men; start saving later so that there’s not as much time to build up a “nest egg”; and typically have lower returns in their investments. Blame it on how we were raised, but women often avoid making necessary investment decisions for fear of making a mistake, and tend to make “safe” investments which don’t yield the same kind of returns as men’s investments. Also, the costs of supporting a household with children fall far more often to women after a divorce; many times, the default of court-ordered child support payments places a family on a single income in economic crisis.

The Retirement Result.
Women facing retirement all too often find themselves unprepared and relying heavily—or solely—on Social Security as a means of income. More than half of women over 65 are on their own financially, and have a far greater dependence on Social Security than unmarried men who have retired. A recent study found that Social Security keeps 42% of these women barely out of poverty. Grim statistics, but the truth is that because of later marriages, divorces and deaths of spouses, a woman today will spend more of her life unmarried and supporting herself than she will married, with two incomes. It all adds up to less money in the bank when we need it most.

Check out your present situation.
A recent survey indicated that women underestimate the amount of money they’ll need to retire by 60%. So as a first step, take stock of what you’ve got guaranteed after retirement if you keep going like you are, and retire on schedule. Contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or to ask for a copy of your benefits statement if you haven’t recently received one. This will give you an idea of your expected post-retirement payments. Also, request a copy of the publication Social Security… What Every Woman Should Know for more benefit information.  If you are married or in a relationship, talk to your partner about any investments and retirement plans already in the works. And research past employers to see whether you earned a pension at those jobs.

Investigate your workplace retirement benefits.
Find out if your employer has a pension or retirement savings plan, and if your job is included. If so, ask about the vesting period—often it’s five years. If you have worked long enough to earn a pension, don’t waste any time in joining your company’s plan and contribute as much as you can.  Most employers will match a percentage of your contribution, so the sooner you start, the better. If you are over 50, you can look into “catch-up” provisions available for a 401(k) or IRA. Learn whether your pension is insured, about survivor benefits and what happens if you change jobs—your pension is yours once you have been vested—or retire early. And educate yourself about your partner’s pension, as well. In case of a divorce, you may be entitled to a portion of your spouse’s benefit after retirement.

Start saving independently.
Particularly if you are self-employed, working part time, or otherwise can’t take advantage of an employee-sponsored pension plan, get information about starting an individual IRA, Keogh, Self Employed 401(k) or other retirement savings plans. Also research mutual funds, annuities and long-term care insurance. Start saving now and remember that every little bit helps. 

Develop a plan for retirement.
The traditional retirement formula breaks down like this: expect 15-25% of your income from Social Security, and up to 60% from employer-sponsored retirement plans. The remainder is sometimes called the “retirement gap,” which refers to personal savings used to supplement retirement benefits. However, with women there’s also a gender gap because of the many economic roadblocks we face. This means that we may need to work harder to take charge of our financial future.  When assessing retirement needs, expect to live on 70-80% of your “final salary.” To see how this affects you, try taking the cut now and put the money into savings. If it’s something you can live with comfortably, you’ve got a goal (which will, naturally, be adjusted for inflation in the coming years).Then ask yourself the big question: after adding up your guaranteed sources of retirement income—Social Security, pension and savings—how far off is your goal? If you’re nowhere close, come up with a specific plan to help you get there.  Visit the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement for a worksheet to estimate retirement income, as well as an online calculator for building a nest egg. The site also has information about budgeting, investing, checklists and a range of resources for women. We can’t plan for everything in life, but we can look ahead, anticipate the unplanned and make sure we won’t be caught unprepared.

Even more than in the past, many women find themselves in the position of having to intercede on behalf of a parent. It can be difficult to discuss their financial, legal and health wishes, should it become too difficult for our parents to make these decisions. If we wait to deal with the big issues at crisis time, we’re setting ourselves up for a very stressful event that may not be necessary. 

Get things in order now, so that you’ll know what to do if your parent needs help.  This will place you in the least stressful position possible.

For those of us caring for an elderly or ill parent, make a point to discuss these five questions with your parents as soon as you can.  This will help ease everyone through a difficult time, especially if you’ve been appointed as the decision maker.

Do you have a will?

If not, encourage your parents to do this as soon as possible so to avoid any problems with their estate. A living trust would even be better!

Where are all of your important documents located?

Birth certificates, investment documents, tax returns, bank statements, any insurance policies, deed to the home, car, etc. All important documents should be stored in one place where at least one other person can get to them. Many people use a safe deposit box at their local bank to store these important documents.

Do you have enough savings to enjoy your retirement

This is a very sensitive issue, but one that we as children need to know. Other issues such as long term care, assisted living and higher costs of health care should be taken into consideration.