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Christmas Gifts for Couples: Unique Gifts for Couples

January 26th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

On Christmas presenting gifts has been followed from centuries. People present gifts to their dear ones to make them feel special on this festival day. Couples use extra effort to make their beloved happy and special on such festival season. If you are looking for some exquisite gifts for your spouse then consider the Christmas gifts for couples collection, as they are unbeatable and innovative. The collection is fabulous and imaginative that is sure to tempt the receiver’s mind and bring smiles. You can easily find gifts that are fashionable and in vogue. For example: a stylish collection of coinwatch will sure to leave the recipient fall in love with the gift instantly. The elegant collection is striking and classy. The silver or gold coin watch can be fitted with your choice of silver, gold or two-toned bracelet with push release butterfly clasp or brown or black leather strap. The collections of Christmas gifts for couples are rich in design and stylish as they are made from stainless steel case. If you are thinking to treat your beloved in a unique way then Christmas gifts for couples is a perfect choice. You can find experience gifts that are fun-oriented and full of thrill. Dambusters helicopter tour is such a delightful experience gift that is worth considering making the couples happy. This flight experience relives the moments of World War II that have a historical significance. The participant will enjoy the awesome views of beautiful Peak District, Chatsworth House, the Mam Tor Rock Formation and Lady Bower Reservoir/Derwent valley to the location where the Royal Air Force (RAF) was trained for flight attacks on its enemy. London sightseeing tour for two is another exciting gift idea. The participants can also enjoy some of the major buildings and places that attract tourist from offshore. The Christmas gifts for couples are amazing and leave an impression that last forever. A couple can also consider the amazing gifts and gift ideas to entertain each other. If you are thinking to find some fabulous gifts and send Christmas wishes to a happy couple then considering Christmas gifts for couples are worthy. Here you can find personalised gifts that come with the provision of engraving the recipient’s name on it to make it appealing. Thus, you can celebrate Christmas with your beloved in an unforgettable manner with Christmas gifts for couples.

401k plans Vs IRA plans

January 26th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

Deciding weather or not to roll over your 401k to an IRA can be a difficult decision. After all for many people this is the largest check they will ever get from their employer and they want to make sure they get it right. However there are many advantages that an IRA offers you that your 401k doesn't. Let's examine the 5 reasons you might want to move your 401k to an IRA as soon as possible.

Are you familiar with the Stretch IRA? We don't have the room to explain it in this article but it is one of the greatest gifts the IRS has ever given those of us who have IRA plans. It basically allows you to leave your IRA to your children or grandchildren and allow them to continue the tax deferral of your IRA over their lifetime. (certain restrictions apply) What does this have to do with your 401k? Many 401k plans do not allow for this option and will force your beneficiaries to cash out your plan much sooner than they would like if they are trying to postpone taxes. Won't they have to pay tax eventually anyway? Sure but with the Stretch they can delay the tax so long that the compound tax-deferred interest will be so great that the IRS will never catch up. Leaving your money in your 401k may very well prevent you from using this wonderful tax planning tool. If this was the only consideration most people would do the rollover based on this alone but there are many other things to consider.

Another reason rolling the 401k over to an IRA makes since has a lot to do with the first reason. One reason the Stretch does not work well in a 401k is that your plan usually requires that you name a spouse as a beneficiary. Most of the time you and your spouse have about the same life expectancy and so this does not help you defer taxes much longer but it also presents another problem. The other problem is that when doing proper Estate Planning it is often a smart move to name children directly on certain assets to take full advantage of the Estate Planning rules. Doing so will often double how much money a couple can leave to their heirs without having their assets subjected to the dreaded estate taxes. Funds tied up in a company 401k plan do not allow you to name children or grandchildren without a signed waiver from your spouse. This can cause many problems as we get older as having someone sign a consent can become more difficult due to diminished capacity or other concerns. Even if you think this does not apply to you there are still many more reasons to consider rolling over your 401k to an IRA.

Having choices as to where to invest your money is particularly important in these economicly volatile times. When you leave your money in a 401k you can only invest in the options that they give you but if you roll your money over to an IRA the entire investment universe is yours. You can fund an IRA with any mutual fund, or bank CD, or insurance company annuity, or almost whatever you choose. You can even fund an IRA with real estate or gold coins if you want to. But if you leave it in your 401k you can only invest where they let you invest. I don't know about you but I don't like people telling me what I can and can't do with my money. And your company may have great fund choices today but management may decide to go in a different direction tomorrow. I know of one of my clients whose boss changed 401k administrators 3 times during her employment. Each time she was given a new set of mutual funds to choose from. What if you don't like the choices? What if management does a lousy job of picking your options? You're stuck.

Here is another control issue for you. With an IRA you have no withdrawal restrictions. You are in complete control and you don't have to ask permission to get at your own money. However in a 401k plan they may not let you have your money early even it is for something as serious as a personal hardship and you are not yet 59 1/2. And even if they do allow you access getting your hands on that money may take some time. Now if you need cash right away this could put added pressure on you that you just don't need.

Last but not least IRA's generally come with more help. Think about it, when you ask for advice on your 401k who do you have to call? Isn't it usually your human resources department? Are you used to these folks going the extra mile to give you great advice and careful attention? Or do you sometimes gat a less than enthusiastic clerck that really has no interest in your financial success? When you roll over your 401k to an IRA depending where you place it you can often gain access to an advisor who works for you, not your company, and they will often help you customize not only your IRA but your entire retirement plan.

If keeping more control over how you invest or when you can access your money is important to you than you will probably want to roll your 401k over to an IRA as soon as you are eligible to do so. Also if you think you may want to do some tax planning to help you stretch out your tax burden over multiple generations and allow your money to grow to it's maximum potential and avoid estate tax if applicable than you may also want to roll over your 401k to an IRA as soon as you get the chance.

Four Good Reasons to Sell Gold Jewelry Now

January 26th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

The price of gold is near an all-time high, and many people are wondering if it’s time to sell gold jewelry that’s been languishing in their jewelry boxes. Only you can decide if the time is right for you, but there are several reasons to sell your jewelry that you should keep in mind. 1. You can sell gold jewelry quickly and easily through a gold broker, at a pawn shop, online or directly to a gold buyer that is also a gold refiner. Any of these methods are an easy way to get cash fast. It’s one of the few truly valuable, personal possessions you can sell without either a waiting period or an awful lot of paperwork. Try selling an old car, stocks, or anything else of value for cash and you won’t get very far. Gold, on the other hand, can be sold quickly for a great price. You usually only have to fill out one sheet of paper with some very basic information. Do take the time to get a few price quotes if at all possible. Your best bet is to sell gold jewelry to a gold buyer that is also a refiner. By selling directly to them, you eliminate the middleman markup. 2. If you can’t get a job because your kids are too young or you aren’t qualified, you can sell gold jewelry you no longer wear to help your family during a tough stretch. Most jewelry goes out of style after a while, and if you have a drawer full of gold chains you don’t wear, why not use it to help your family without sacrificing the precious time you spend with them. Many women who used to work in a professional environment have gold jewelry they collected for years. As stay-at-home moms, those long necklaces and dangling earrings are now just a hazard for grasping fingers. Turning that jewelry into several hundred dollars gives you the chance to take care of the essentials or even get a little something extra for your family without straining the new, single income budget. 3. You can finance a great holiday surprise if you sell gold jewelry to raise some shopping cash. It can be difficult when you’re on a family budget to really surprise your spouse. When money is tight, how do you get a few hundred dollars together to treat him or her to that special gift? It’s just not as much fun when your spouse knows exactly what you spent and where. If you sell old gold jewelry, watches, coins and other scrap gold, you can have a nice little shopping trip and truly surprise them this holiday season. 4. If you sell gold jewelry, you’re helping the economy and the environment. The demand for gold is greater than ever, but gold mines can’t keep up with this increased demand. Instead, refiners are scrambling to find gold that can be melted down and used for bullion or coins. The more gold that is available for recycling, the less new mining there is to be done. By recycling your gold, you’re stimulating the economy and reducing the need for new mines that scar the environment. When you’re ready to sell gold jewelry, whether it’s to make some quick money, to supplement your family budget or to contribute to the economy, you’ll rest easier knowing your old gold is being put to good use.

Is the time ripe to sell gold?

January 25th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

Investing for a rainy day is no longer just an old adage or the work of ants. It is these times of recession that teaches the necessity and importance of investment. There are many options of investment and the best probable one is gold. It is a tangible as well as liquid source of investment. Unlike other market related investments like shares, mutual funds, and deposits, the returns when you sell gold is much higher. You can buy or sell gold in various forms and with great ease. Gold can be purchased and sold as bars, coins and certificates of ownership. The Gold Fixing of London sets the standard price of gold two times a day. Dealers remain up-to-date with present value of gold. People invest in gold for different reasons such as asset protection, for good return when the gold prices increase, as a preservative asset that cannot be untouched by others (spouse, relatives or creditors) while some are actually fond of wearing gold jewellery. Similarly the reason to sell gold also varies. It may be either to cash in on the price rise or to liquidate any pending credits or settle loans and bills. Though it is comparatively easy to sell gold, there are few considerations to be kept in mind. The market rate of gold may have shot up overnight and most people would be tempted to sell gold either through dealer or online sites. However dealers may be quite unwilling to buy gold at these times as they would rather wait for the prices to return to normal. In fact they may offer a small percent of premium if someone plans to sell gold or they may even ask for a percent discount. Depending on the determination of purity of gold, you can sell gold effortlessly. It is wise to invest and sell gold bullion as the purity and quantity of these can be determined. Further it is simpler in this form to sell gold to dealers all over the world. It is difficult to sell gold bars that have “hidden” purity standards. The authenticity and value of gold bars are difficult to establish. Check with a number of dealers when you plan to sell gold bars to get a competitive price. It may be easier to sell gold bars in certain parts of the world where gold is regularly used to make jewellery. Alloys involved in making gold coins make them less malleable and less valuable to certain dealers while bars can be used for jewellery making with more ease. It is also a good idea to sell gold online through reputed and reliable dealers. In fact due to the recent surge in gold prices, many online sites to which people sell gold have reported record levels of business. Customers sell gold and platinum jewellery that are unused from the comforts of their home. It gives them the benefit of selling gold quickly and not having to wait for a gold selling meet and visit their pawnbroker.

First Spouse Series 2007 Half Ounce Gold Proof Coin Abigail Adams

January 25th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

1 First Spouse Abigail Adams Gold Proof!
In Original packaging from the U.S. Mint!
Only 40,000 minted in both Proof and Uncirculated!
Sold out from the mint in just a few hours!

Product DescriptionThe First Spouse Abigail Adams $10 Gold Proof Coin. It sold out from the mint in just a few hours!

From the U. S. Mint:

This year marks the inaugural year of the First Spouse Gold Coin Series, the United States Mints first coin series to feature our Nations First Spouses.

Four, one-half ounce, $10 24-karat Gold First Spouse Coins will be minted and released annually in the order the spouses served in the White House. The coins will be minted in proof and uncircul. . . More >>

First Spouse Series 2007 Half Ounce Gold Proof Coin Abigail Adams

Tips On Investing In Gold Bullion

January 25th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

For thousands of years, men and women have held gold in high regard. We want more of it! And this is not down to greed, but rather the soundness of gold. Gold is a stable investment; the price does not fluctuate as drastically as oil or the stocks on the stock exchange. Before you go and buy your hundred grams of gold investment, consider these points.
Everyone wants a gold bar. It is the epitome of wealth, after all, you likely have a wealth strategy, and if you don't then hopefully this will make you consider it. Usually investing in gold bullion comes after investing in high yielding savings accounts, stocks and bonds, and other investments, art possibly.
A good strategy is to have 1-5% of your wealth in the form of gold. As I stated earlier, gold is stable. A look at the price of gold does not show major differences. You will not see gold increase 30% in a day, and likewise, you will not see that kind of decrease, so this makes gold such a good investment strategy (to keep just on top of inflation).
Looking for a gold bullion bar will show you many sizes. From ounces to grams, right up to the kilograms if you really want to invest in gold bullion bars, you can. However, buying these amounts of gold in one piece can cause many problems in the long term.
Imagine for a moment, you invest in this gold bullion bar. Now, you have one big piece of gold. That is great! However, looking long term you likely want to pass that gold to your spouse, your children or even a charity when you leave this world. And what about if you really need to sell it to free up some cash in an emergency? The gold bullion bar will at some point in time be exchanged for cash.
Now, it is not as simple as buying the gold bar. Now, you also need to consider how you can convert the gold bar to cash. There are not that many places that will buy the gold bullion bar, and some of the places selling gold bullion bars may not be interested in buying your gold bar back.
This leaves you in a dilemma. One option is to cut the gold bar, but no one wants to do that! The gold bullion bar has stamps on it, which indicates its authenticity.
An overlooked option is gold bullion coins. Coins are small enough that there is no need to cut them to pieces! Also if you should need the cash, then you can sell some of the coins and keep the rest, thus preserving at least some of your original investment.
Gold bullion coins can also be more easily split up in your will. You can distribute some to each of your loved ones, and everyone is happy. Gold bullion coins are also more readily available, and as such more people are willing to buy them. You can even increase your holdings over time, by buying gold bullion coins every few months or once a year, and have a pouch of gold coins!
The price of the gold bullion coins does have its own problems. For example, they need to be kept in pristine condition. Obviously the benefit also is that well kept gold coins may actually be worth more than the base gold value.

Gold Coin Collecting Trends For 2009

January 25th, 2010
Posted in First Spouse News

Gold coin collectors everywhere are celebrating the soaring gold prices that have been seen in recent times. Coins and collections that were once valuable are now very valuable. For 2009, gold coin collecting will remain strong.
Proof gold coins are expected to be strong performers through 2009, as are rare date and early gold. With rare date and early gold coins, the better they look, the higher their value. Proof gold coins are rare by definition and those in F. D. C. (fleur de coin) condition are going to have the highest value.
The Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin is still one of the most beautiful, popular and sought after gold coins on the market, and will remain so for a long time. Saint Gaudens proof coins, and those with no motto (without In God We Trust) on them are more rare and therefore more highly valued.
Newly minted 24-kt Jackson's Liberty First Spouse gold coins, both proof and uncirculated are going to be strong for the coming months. Other gold coins that are remaining high in popularity are the $10 Liberty and the $5 Liberty, the $5 Liberty Half-Eagle (with or without motto), American Gold Eagle bullion coins, the Commemorative US gold coins - 1988 Olympic (uncirculated) and 1986 Statue of Liberty, British Sovereign gold coin - King Edward 1902-1910, Canadian Maple Leaf, and the Australian Lunar gold coins - 2005 1 oz Gold Rooster and 2004 1-oz. Gold Monkey.
In uncertain financial times, gold is one thing whose value continues to remain strong if not rise. Consider adding any of these coins to your collection.
One of the best gold coin investment is Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coins. They represent great collectible and investment opportunity as they increase in price on average about 8% a year. Here is a little history on Saint Gaudens gold coins.
In the early 1900's, President Theodore Roosevelt inquired of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens as to whether or not he would be interested in re-crafting the design or the nation's coinage to look more like the coins of ancient Greece, where democracy first took root. What Saint Gaudens created was a breathtaking high relief design featuring the image of Miss Liberty on one side and a flying eagle on the other. This coin symbolized both the county's strength while moving into the future and independence as a powerful and glorious nation.
Only a few proofs were struck, and then production began of the $20 gold coins. Because of the high relief, these coins were not the favorite of bankers (they wobbled when being stacked). Eventually the coin was altered to be flatter. Even though all of the Double Eagle gold coins are considered collectors items, those struck in high relief are more highly prized.
Interestingly, this incredible symbol of America was, for a time, produced without the motto "In God We Trust. " Roosevelt felt that it was sacrilegious to have that motto on coins that could be used for gambling. The Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin is indeed a symbol of greatness. A symbol of artistry, independence, strength and even the workings of our government, this gold coin has a history that spans a century and beauty that is unmatched.

GOLD FIRST SPOUSE JEFFERSONS LIBERTY

February 19th, 2009
Posted in First Spouse News

The first spouse Jefferson Liberty in perfect MS70 by NCG is also one of the popular liberty first spouse coins. They are now available on ebay.

2008 W $10 FIRST SPOUSE JACKSONS LIBERTY

February 17th, 2009
Posted in First Spouse News, Louisa Adams

First Spouse gold coin Jacksons Liberty is probably the most beautiful of the first spouse gold coins, this coin has the old image of liberty on the front as Jackson did not have a first spouse while in office. Graded perfect by NGC MS70

2008 W VAN BUREN LIBERTY MS 70

February 17th, 2009
Posted in First Spouse News

2008 W Van Buren's Liberty $10 24 KT gold proof 1/2 ounce First Strike Spouse coin graded a perfect PR70 DCAM by PCGS!!. These are the rare first spouse coins of the next generation.
Very few of these coins made the first strike designation. Take a look at this perfect coin. Don't you just love the first spouse gold coins.