• The Social Security Trust Fund is scheduled to run out in 2035
• If Congress doesn’t act, benefits will be delayed or cut
• The most recent cost of living allowance may increase beneficiary’s taxes and premiums

Social Security Trust Fund Running Out

The National Institute on Retirement Security describes retirement income as a ‘three-legged stool’. The three legs are Social Security, a pension plan and retirement savings like a 401(k) or an IRA. But unless Congress acts quickly, one of those legs is going to get a lot shorter.

Since its inception in 1937, Social Security has held a surplus in its Trust Fund. Social Security is funded by payroll tax deductions paid by employees and employers. The taxes aren’t set aside in a fund just for the payees. Current workers are paying for current retirees’ benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) had always collected more in payroll taxes than the amount paid out. The trust fund had $2.85 trillion in reserves at the end of 2021.¹

Fifty million retired workers collected social security benefits in 2020. In 15 years, millions of retirees may find their benefits being cut. The 2022 Social Security Trustees report said the Social Security trust fund surplus will be depleted in 2035. The number of people paying in is decreasing as the number of those collecting benefits is increasing. This is due to the birth rate decline after the baby boom period following World War 2. As baby boomers retire, fewer workers are left to contribute toward the benefits of each retiree.²

When the trust is empty, beneficiaries would be subjected to benefit cuts of more than 20%. The fund that finances Medicare Part A will run out of reserves in 2028. Afterwards, Medicare will only be able to pay 90 percent of scheduled benefits.³

Congress can fix long term funding issues by cutting benefits, raising taxes or both. Cutting benefits could mean cutting benefits for everyone or increasing the full retirement age. The SSA faced a reserve deficit in 1983. Congress solved the problem then by increasing full retirement age from 65 to 67. They also began collecting income tax on benefits.

An AARP survey found 90% of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents support Social Security. The Center on Budget Policy Priorities says half of seniors get more than 50% of their retirement income from Social Security.⁴

Despite its popularity, Social Security is known as the third rail of politics. Lawmakers fear any solution will upset some block of voters. Congress is going to put off solving this for as long as possible. In the past, Congress has approved payroll tax hikes to preserve Social Security. Which means future retirees can most likely count on more taxes now and fewer benefits later.

Inflation, COLA and Taxes

We are currently experiencing the highest inflation in 40 years. In response, the SSA issued a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to help retirees keep up. The COLA was raised 5.9% in 2022. It was the biggest cost-of-living hike in four decades. It can go even higher next year based on inflation.

More money sounds great, at first. But annual COLAs can push a beneficiary over an income threshold into a higher income bracket. This can result in higher Part B premiums. After the 5.9% bump, some people may pay a 20% increase in premiums.⁵

Also, income thresholds do not increase each year. More people can be left paying higher taxes on their benefits. Increased premiums and taxes reduce the net benefit a person receives.

Social Security is turning into the weakest leg of the retirement stool. People should be focusing on retirement funds that they can control and preserve their wealth. Retirees shouldn’t have to find themselves at mercy of the government. A Gold IRA is made to protect your savings from inflation and fickle government policies. Contact us today to learn more.

Notes:
1. https://www.ssa.gov/history/tftable.html
2. https://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/questions-answers/how-much-longer-will-social-security-be-around.html
3. https://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/questions-answers/how-much-longer-will-social-security-be-around.html
4. https://www.cnbc.com/select/will-social-security-run-out-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
5. https://smartasset.com/retirement/social-security-medicare

• The Federal Reserve raised interest rates .75 percent to fight inflation
• The Fed will continue raising rates well into next year with the aim of hitting a 2% inflation rate
• The blistering rate hikes could cause recession, sink stock markets and raise unemployment

Interest Rates Increased by 75 Basis Points for Third Straight Month

Federal Reserve raised interest rates three quarters of a percentage point to fight inflation. This is the third massive interest rate hike in a row. The goal of this rapid escalation is to ease inflation by slowing the economy.

Inflation is at its highest levels since the 1980s. To the shock of the Fed, inflation rose in August. The increase occurred even after two record setting rate hikes. After this rate increase, the rate is now in the 3% – 3.25% range. That is the highest it has been since 2008.¹

The Fed indicated they will keep hiking rates to well above the current level. They signaled rates could be raised to 4.6% in 2023. Which means another potential three-quarters point hike in November. Fed Board members don’t expect to cut rates until at least 2024.²

This is the most aggressive tightening cycle as of 1990. Fed Chairman Powell surrendered any hope that inflation was transitory when rates were raised back in March. And after his remarks in Jackson Hole, he has virtually given up on achieving a ‘soft landing’. Instead, he warned of pain coming to households and businesses.

Members of the Federal Reserve Board hope inflation drops down to 5.4% by the end of this year. But when food and energy prices are removed from their calculations, inflation is expected to drop only .1% this year. They don’t plan on reaching their 2% inflation goal until 2025.³

Effects of Rate Increases

Rate increases make home loans, credit cards and car financing more expensive. Some credit card issuers have hiked up their rates to 20%. Mortgage rates have nearly doubled from one year ago to 6%. Existing home sales plunged in August. That’s the seventh straight monthly drop. Prospective buyers are failing to qualify for mortgages as rates tick up.⁴

The Fed says they feel comfortable raising rates because of the current low unemployment numbers. They point to an hourly pay increase of 5.2% from last year. What they don’t emphasize is that inflation more than wipes out any wage gains.⁵ Unemployment is expected to rise to 4.4% by next year from its current 3.7%. Unemployment jumps that large usually go hand in hand with a recession.

The Fed predicts GDP growth slowing to .2% in 2022. That’s down 1.5% from their last estimate in June. Their prediction follows two consecutive quarters of negative growth. In other words, we’re in a technical recession and expect it to continue into next year.

Market experts fear the Fed will slow the economy more than investors expect. Some traders are pricing in the idea that the Fed will give up when they get close enough to their inflation target. That they won’t force a recession to stop inflation. Chairman Powell wants to drive home that there will be no pivot.

“The Fed almost always over-tightens because it uses lagging indicators,” said Tom Porcelli, chief U.S economist with RBC Capital Markets, “It has to wait for everything to be out in the open.”⁶

The stock market is going to be battered if another 75-basis point hike is issued at the next Fed meeting. The rate increase will create a drastic slowdown in profits and the economy.

The Chief Investment Officer with Citi Global Wealth said, “People haven’t considered the amount of earnings declines and the impact on the markets. There’s a real risk to the economy. It’s why we’re worried about corporate earnings next year.”⁷

The Federal Reserve has proven that they are committed to stopping inflation at any cost. By continuing this path with wavering, the Fed could cause markets to collapse, unemployment to jump and a severe recession to take hold. The effects on retirement funds could be devastating. There is a way to protect your savings. Ask us about a Gold IRA today to learn more.

Notes:
1. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/21/fed-rate-hike-september-2022-.html
2. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/21/fed-rate-hike-september-2022-.html
3. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/21/fed-rate-hike-september-2022-.html
4. https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/fed-meeting-interest-rate-hike-jerome-powell
5. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/21/fed-rate-hike-september-2022-.html
6. https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/stocks-markets-today-fed-rate-hike/index.html
7. https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/stocks-markets-today-fed-rate-hike/index.html

• Stocks plummeted more than 1,000 points on news of rising inflation
• The real estate market could collapse as the Fed must drive housing prices down to tame inflation
• Analysts are saying this bond bear market is the worst year in history due to inflation

Stocks in Disarray

Current events are rewriting the investment rule book. Traditionally, a well-balanced and diversified investment portfolio is like a three-legged stool. One leg represents stocks, the second one bonds, and the third leg is real estate. With inflation stuck at a 40 year high, the stool is falling apart.

Stocks had their worst day in more than two years on Tuesday. The market plummeted after the Consumer Price Index data showed that inflation increased in August. All three leading indexes suffered a drop. The Dow fell 1,276 points. The S&P 500 declined 177 points and the Nasdaq slid 632 points. For the year, the Dow is down 14.4%. The S&P 500 has lost 17.49%. And the Nasdaq plunged 25.64% into bear territory. ¹

The stubborn inflation numbers made investors sell everything. The 11 sectors of the S&P and all 30 of the Dow Jones equities experienced declines. Traders fear the Fed will be forced to continue raising interest rates to bring inflation down. High interest rates will devalue stocks by damaging corporate profits. There is also a high chance that raising rates will cause a recession.

There is now talk of the Fed issuing an unprecedented 100 bps rate hike. The Fed’s own website says that they must raise interest rates above the core rate of inflation. That means the market is vastly underestimating how high rates will go. Powell has repeatedly confirmed his 2% inflation target. Recession or not, any chance of the Fed pivoting away from their aggressive plan is wishful thinking.

Savita Subramanian is the Bank of America’s Securities head. She says the S&P 500 is the “worst thing to own” in this current high inflation environment. That is, unless you are willing and able to wait 10 years. “If you’re thinking about what’s going to happen between now and let’s say the next 12 months, I don’t think the bottom is in,” she continued. ²

Real Estate and Bond Markets in Trouble

The other two investment legs, real estate and bonds, are looking wobbly as well.

Analysts worry the Fed could crash the housing market. Interest rate hikes can lead to higher mortgage rates. Which could give potential home buyers second thoughts. Housing costs are largely responsible for August’s high inflation numbers. Thus, the Fed is going to focus on forcing housing prices down.

Home sales are already slipping. Sales declined in July for the sixth month in a row. Housing starts are a measure of new home construction. They also plunged in July.

The safety of bonds is evaporating too. Analysts are saying this bond bear market is the worst year in history due to inflation. The Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index down more than 20% from its peak for the first time ever. And it is only set to get worse. ³

The Fed is accelerating their ‘quantitative tightening’(QT). In other words, they are speeding up the process of unloading their balance of almost $9 trillion of Treasuries. They bought the assets to help shore up the economy during the pandemic. Now, QT is threatening the already fragile bond market. The government bond market is considered the bedrock of the global financial system. QT is removing the liquidity from it.

Bank of America has described the Treasury market strains as “arguably . . . one of the greatest threats to global financial stability today, potentially worse than the housing bubble of 2004-2007.”⁴

These uncertain times are throwing out the traditional investment rule book. Stocks, bonds and real estate are all stumbling. However, gold remains a sturdy safe haven investment. Robert Kiyosaki is the best-selling author of the ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ series. Kiyosaki says to protect your portfolios with “hard assets” like gold and silver as the “biggest crash in history” unfolds.⁵ To learn more how a Gold IRA can preserve your wealth, contact us today.

Notes:
1. https://www.financialexpress.com/investing-abroad/featured-stories/us-stocks-suffer-their-worst-day-in-more-than-two-years/2667050/
2. https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/warren-buffett-investing-advice-sp500-worst-thing-to-own-bofa-2022-9
3. https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/bond-bear-market-worst-year-history-asset-inflation-bites-2022-09-02/
4. https://www.ft.com/content/70e43592-30d0-4348-916b-673910ad7726
5. https://www.kitco.com/news/2022-09-14/The-biggest-crash-in-history-is-here-protect-your-portfolio-with-gold-silver-and-livestock-Robert-Kiyosaki.html

• The Federal Reserve needs unemployment to increase to bring inflation down
• The Fed is massively underestimating how high the unemployment rate needs to go
• With a ‘soft landing’ unlikely, working Americans will pay the price for the Fed’s mistakes

The Fed Likes Unemployment

People going to work is good thing. Unless you are the Federal Reserve. They were happy to see unemployment increase slightly in August. Especially after it had gone down in July and job openings increased to 11.2 million. The Fed is counting on massive job losses to reduce the soaring inflation now hammering the economy. The idea being that increasing unemployment will decrease consumer spending. By removing money from the economy, inflation should go down. Fed Chair Jerome Powell euphemistically called sacrificing other people’s livelihood “softening the labor markets”.¹

The Fed’s plan to reduce inflation is a double punch to working Americans. Not only are they at risk of losing their jobs. Skyrocketing interest rates are making it harder to get a mortgage, buy a car, and manage debts. Meanwhile, the August jobs report showed hourly wages increased. This fuels the Fed’s decision to keep raising interest rates. The irony is that those wage increases are basically wiped out by inflation. The Fed is hurting the people that the government’s inflation-causing spending spree was meant to help.

For decades, economists have thought about inflation as an outgrowth of the unemployment rate. They will tell you that when the unemployment rate falls, the inflation rate rises. That’s because workers have the power to bargain for higher wages. These costs then get passed on to consumers. When the unemployment rate rises, inflation should drop. Workers have less leverage in a weak labor market. Ideally, there is a balance point where the rate of unemployment doesn’t increase or decrease inflation. The problem is, no one knows that point until after you’ve passed it.

Powell keeps emphasizes his goal of a ‘soft landing’. He believes inflation can be stopped without going into a recession or causing staggering unemployment. Yet, he has committed to doing whatever it takes to bring inflation under control. History is not on his side. “We’ve had 13 or 14 recessions since World War II, and more than two-thirds of those recessions were caused by the Fed raising the interest rate faster than the economy can handle,” said University of Chicago economist Austan Goolsbee. ²

The Fed Underestimates How High Unemployment Must Go

Larry Summers is a former Treasury Secretary. He is pushing back against Powell’s unfounded optimism. He said we need five years of unemployment above 5% to bring inflation under control. That translates to throwing more than 10 million people out of work. ³

The goal of a soft-landing clashes with a historical fact. Once the unemployment rate increases beyond a certain amount, it tends to keep rising. Since the 1940s, modest increases of half a percentage point spiral to jumps of 2% or more within a year. “Usually, once the labor market gets going downhill, it picks up speed and it goes further downhill,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed economist.⁴

“We don’t seek to put people out of work,” Powell said. “But we also think that you really cannot have the kind of labor market we want without price stability.” If the Fed doesn’t waiver from its 2% inflation goal, unemployment may hit 10%. Powell’s soft landing will be small consolation for millions of people. As former Fed Vice Chairman Alan Blinder said, “To the people that lose their jobs, this is not soft at all.” ⁵

Job insecurity is growing every day. It is important to make sure your assets are protected from inflation and recession. Contact us about our Gold IRA to learn how it can provide financial security during this economic downturn.

Notes:
1. https://thenewamerican.com/the-federal-reserve-wants-you-fired/
2. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/24/1112770581/inflation-recession-soft-landing-rates-jobs-fed
3. https://slate.com/business/2022/07/larry-summers-massive-unemployment-fed-inflation.html
4. https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/feds-job-friendly-soft-landing-hinges-history-not-repeating-2022-09-02/
5. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/24/1112770581/inflation-recession-soft-landing-rates-jobs-fed

• Analysts say lingering inflation and recession will send gold prices to record levels by the end of the decade
• Numerous global economic forces are sending investors looking for safe haven assets like gold
• In the near term, gold is forecast to break $2,000 an ounce

Gold Demand Will Send Prices to New Highs

Gold hit record highs this year. And according to recent reports, those records are set to be broken. Analysts say gold is on track to end the year above $2,000 an ounce. It could rise to nearly $5,000 an ounce by the end of the decade according to the “In Gold We Trust Report” from Incrementum AG. The nearly 400-page “In Gold We Trust report” is world-renowned. It has been dubbed the “gold standard of all gold studies” by the Wall Street Journal. ¹

Inflation has already caused stocks to lose value. The Nasdaq has lost 25% of its value this year. The report presents the case that inflation and recession will power a gold bull market. Gold will be sought as a hedge against the losses caused by the two forces.

The report lays out the numerous challenges driving investors to the safe haven of gold. The report predicts inflation and recession will combine to create a period of extended stagflation. It said the ‘Everything Bubble’ will turn into the ‘Everything Crash’. Supply chain snags will continue to drive up prices. And the push for deglobalization will also fuel inflation.

Meanwhile, the Ukraine war will keep up pressure on oil and food prices. Rising interest rates and a collapsing housing market will grind economic growth to a halt. And a price-wage spiral, a cycle where an increase in one causes an increase in the other, has already begun.

Sanctions also powered the demand for gold. As countries fight and currencies are politicized, gold remains politically neutral, has no counterparty risk and is very liquid. Central banks are acquiring gold at a breakneck pace.

Overall, the bleak economic picture creates a good backdrop for gold. The diversification between stocks and bonds of traditional portfolios won’t be enough to stem losses. They will need gold as a hedge. Gold rises during both inflation and recession. In the last 90 years, there have been only four years when both US stocks and bonds posted negative annual performance. Currently, all indications are that 2022 could be the fifth year.²

Predicted Gold Prices

The “In Gold We Trust” report forecasts gold will hit $4,800 by 2030. Pierre Lassonde is an eminent mining expert and CEO of Firelight investments. His gold price predictions are even higher. Due to unstoppable inflation, he predicts gold will hit $2,200-$2,400 an ounce in the mid-term. In the long term, gold could go as high as $10,000 an ounce. He based this estimate on the Dow to Gold ratio. The Dow to Gold ratio indicates the number of ounces of gold it takes to buy the shares in the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. He said the Dow to Gold ratio could converge to 2:1. If the Dow Jones contracts 20-30%, which is possible in an extended recession, that would send gold to $10,000 an ounce. ³

Based on these forecasts, buying gold today could be a wealth generating investment. However, the demand for gold is ultimately derived from its safe haven qualities. If you are looking to preserve your wealth, then you should learn more about our Gold IRA. Contact us today.

Notes:
1. https://ingoldwetrust.report//wp-content/uploads/2022/05/In-Gold-We-Trust-report-2022-Compact-Version-english.pdf
2. https://ingoldwetrust.report//wp-content/uploads/2022/05/In-Gold-We-Trust-report-2022-Compact-Version-english.pdf
3. https://www.kitco.com/news/2022-02-28/Pierre-Lassonde-predicts-200-oil-price-and-2-400-gold-price-in-a-month-as-Putin-s-war-drags-out.html

• Inflation and sanctions are speeding up the process of “dedollarization” around the world
• Russia and China are taking steps to eliminate the supremacy of the US Dollar
• Central banks and investors are moving towards gold and away from the Dollar

Dedollarization Speeds Up

The US dollar hit record highs last month. The greenback’s gains have been fueled by a combination of higher central bank interest rates, haven buying, and recession concerns. But this may be the dollar’s last gasp. Dollar supremacy could be coming to an end. Changing global conditions are speeding up the process known as “dedollarization”.

Dedollarization is the process of other countries moving away from using American dollars. The American dollar became the supreme currency after World War 2. It became the basis for rebuilding the global economy. In the process, the dollar cemented the United States’ superpower role.

But the state of the world has changed dramatically since World War 2. Countries are rejecting the primacy of the American dollar. And this does not bode well for the American economy.

Russia and China started real dedollarization after 2014. Russia had annexed Crimea and was sanctioned by the West. Russia turned to China. They started trading in the yuan to sidestep the sanctions. China was then pushed closer to Russia after the US imposed billions in tariffs on Chinese goods.

The US turned their currency into a weapon and wound up cutting themselves. China and Russia have since cut their use of the dollar for trade in half. Before 2015, 90% of trade was in dollars. Now, it is at 46%. They moved from the dollar to using their own currencies – rubles and yuan.¹

Sanction’s Unintended Consequences

Sanctions made Russia’s access to their foreign reserves of US dollar inaccessible. So, they accumulated Chinese yuan as a reserve currency instead. They now own one quarter of the world’s yuan reserves. Russia has also allowed the purchase of Chinese bonds. In addition, Russia is making bilateral deals around the world that are based in rubles instead of dollars.

Jeffery Frankel is an economist at Harvard University. He warned that while the dollar’s position is secure for now, spiraling debts and an overly aggressive sanctions policy could erode its supremacy in the long run.

“Sanctions are a very powerful instrument for the United States, but like any tool, you run the risk that others will start looking for alternatives if you overdo them,” he said. “I think it would be foolish to assume that it’s written in stone that the dollar will forever be unchallenged as the number one international currency.”²

China Asserts Its Currency

The Chinese government is strategizing how to avoid the sanctions that hit Russia. They are thinking about dumping their US dollar reserves preemptively. China has world’s largest US dollar reserves at $3.2 trillion. If they drop their dollars, it’s the beginning of end of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

And it’s not just China and Russia that are getting rid of their US dollar reserves. The IMF said central banks today are not holding the greenback as reserves in the same quantities as yesteryear. “The dollar’s share of global foreign-exchange reserves fell below 59 percent in the final quarter of last year, extending a two-decade decline.”³

China is also shedding the amount of US debt they buy. The US props up its currency by issuing government debt to other nations to finance its deficit. China rescued the US during the 2008 global financial crisis by purchasing enormous quantities of US Treasury bills. As of last month, China had cut the amount of debt they owned in half. If China stops buying debt, the United States government might not be able to continue functioning. The value of the dollar would plummet, and taxes would soar.

Most alarming is the potential move away from the petrodollar. The US dollar is powerful because, in part, it is the de facto currency for oil sales. That got shaken when China and Saudi Arabia started talking about using the yuan to buy oil. China is the biggest buyer of Saudi oil. Doing so would undermine the power the petrodollar gives the United States.

What’s does this all hold for the future of the US economy? Dedollarization would show a loss of confidence in the US currency as a safe haven. The value of the dollar could drop drastically. Americans could expect inflation, recession, and wild stock volatility. Retirement funds could be wiped out. The US will lose its status as the sole superpower.

As the dollar drops, investors will seek safety in alternative assets, such as gold and other currencies. A survey published in June by the World Gold Council found that 80 percent of the central banks expect to expand their gold reserves within the next year. The survey said central banks are now less confident in the role of the US dollar as a global reserve currency.⁴

If you want to protect your wealth like the central banks, then you should consider the Gold IRA from American Hartford Gold. It is designed to shield your retirement funds from the effects of dedollarization. Contact us today to learn more at 800-462-0071

Notes:
1. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/China-and-Russia-ditch-dollar-in-move-toward-financial-alliance
2. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/China-and-Russia-ditch-dollar-in-move-toward-financial-alliance
3. https://internationalbanker.com/finance/we-are-witnessing-a-global-de-dollarisation-spree/
4. https://internationalbanker.com/finance/we-are-witnessing-a-global-de-dollarisation-spree/