NSIG Community News and Updates

Introduction to Alternative Economics

Steven Hettema — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:20:00 GMT

Alternative Economics™ was first introduced to the public on a local level as a personal system of financial growth and an emerging industry by the National Strategic Investment Corporation (NSIC) in January 2005. Founders of NSIC recognized growing financial disparity in homes on a national level due to inefficient financial planning traditions, a failing social security system and mismanaged or impotent government and corporate retirement programs that overlook many beneficial alternative investment strategies and asset accumulation principles. With the philosophy that, “Alternatives are always better than traditions in changing economic conditions”; Alternative Economics was born. Personal financial disparity in America has reached a climax as the public is encouraged to take charge of its own financial future. The challenge to this solution lies in the progressively fast changing economic climate of this country caused by the effects of rapid technology growth among other major changes, events and government spending. The national education system can not keep up with these changes, leaving the public to make financial decisions based on perception and not reality. Financial decisions made with the old or just inaccurate information of perception, yield a less than encouraging gain which extinguishes motivation for savings or investment activity. Not to mention the ever increasing personal debt of most households, decreasing available cash flow to invest. As a result, less than 1% of this nation’s household income is currently being invested in any kind of retirement or savings plan. Alternative Economics™ is an answer to the call to the American public being shouted by top officials from every political party of the federal government to plan our own financial future. The message is clear, “the government will not be able to support us as we get older”. n www.saversummit.dol.gov (Secretary of the Department Of Labor)n www.nber.org/papers/w12502 (National Bureau of Economic Research)n www.ebri.org (Employee Benefit Research Institute)n www.asec.org (American Savings Education Council)The "Savings Are Vital to Everyone’s Retirement Act of 1997" (SAVER) was enacted by congress on November 20, 1997. The purpose of the SAVER Act is to advance the public’s knowledge and understanding of the importance of retirement savings. The Act directs the Secretary of Labor to take action in four general areas: 1. To maintain an ongoing program of outreach to the public to effectively promote retirement income savings; 2. To disseminate specific educational materials related to retirement savings and the principles of saving and investment; 3. To establish a web site as a means to disseminate these materials, and 4. To convene these National Summits on Retirement Savings.In 2006 this was the objective of the National Summit of Retirement Savings taken right from the DOL web site located at http://www.saversummit.dol.gov/

National Summit Objectives
	Advance the public's knowledge and understanding of retirement savings and its critical importance to the future well-being of workers and their families.
	Facilitate the development of a broad-based, public education program to encourage and enhance individual commitment to a personal retirement savings strategy.
	Develop recommendations for additional research, reforms and action in the field of private pensions and individual retirement savings.

Alternative Economics™ fulfills all three of these objectives. But why is our savings so important to the federal government? The answer is two-fold: 1. The productivity of this nation and therefore the health of its economy are directly related to the saving habits of its people. 2. Based on current savings habits in America the majority of future generations will not have the ability to retire or even support themselves on their own resources. Coupled together, these two effects of the current saving habits of the American people could result in an unrecoverable condition and even a collapse of our national economy. “Left uninformed, ambition is paralyzed by fear of the unknown. Opportunities go unrecognized and our dreams of a prosperous future fade away into excuses.” - Steven Hettema - Why you need Alternative Economics™The why is easy, if you don’t then you’re screwed! Oops, are we supposed to say things like that? Well that’s exactly what is being said by politicians and high ranking public officials to the American public; just not in those words. I don’t normally use words like that but wanted to catch your attention. The fact is if you don’t implement a personal system of financial growth that will provide for your retirement and future health needs, no one else is going to. This nation’s people have been educated to work for a living and save for the future. We have been taught to leave the investing of our savings to those who are more educated and can do better managing our money than we can. The Social Security System, corporate and government pension plans, and of course Financial Planners are examples of this philosophy. We’ve already addressed the failure of the Social Security System as well as corporate and government pension plans. Shortly we will explain why investing in stocks, bonds and mutual funds only and ignoring your additional alternatives is problematic at best. But for now let’s take a moment to focus on the deficiencies of the financial planning industry and the solutions brought by the implementation of a personal system of financial growth based on an education in Alternative Economics™. According to most Financial Planning Association’s (FPA’s) the financial planning profession was officially born in 1969. This is how most financial planners and FPA’s would describe the industry: “Financial planning is the process of wisely managing one’s finances to achieve certain goals and dreams, while at the same time helping to negotiate the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life. The financial planning profession exists to help people make those financial decisions and achieve their life goals.” That sounds fantastic doesn’t it? But let’s take a deeper look at how the financial planning profession has veered from this lofty vow to help us achieve our goals and dreams. Before we do, I would like to make a short disclaimer. There are exceptions to every rule. Even though the information we are about to disclose to you is accurate there are some individuals in the financial planning industry who truly advise with their clients best interest in mind. Unfortunately, the heredity allowed by the industry’s education and training often limits the effectiveness of their recommended financial plans, still leading to less than desired results despite good intensions. The Deficiencies of the Financial Planning Industry According to the National Strategic Investment Corporation, failure of the traditional financial planning industry to produce enduring economic results for the general public is caused by, but not limited to, five observed deficiencies: 1. Financial vehicles such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, insurance policies and annuities suggested by professionals of the financial planning industry are often chosen based more on the benefit to the financial planner than anticipated gain to the investor. Investments that do not yield a profit to the financial planner are regularly ignored or even spoken against without accurate justification. 2. Special treatment and investment opportunities given to the more affluent (Accredited Investors) leading to an uneven playing field. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says that an accredited investor is someone who is knowledgeable and sophisticated. Then they proceed to say that you can only be considered knowledgeable and sophisticated if you make $300,000 per year income or have $1,500,000 in assets. (This standard serves only 3% of the nation’s population). Knowledge and sophistication is a function of education? Many financial planners will not even advise or accept as a client someone with less than what it takes to be accredited. 3. Traditional financial planning at the public level does not consider major changes or events that impact the activities of large sections of society. These changes or events often have huge effects on the economy that should be considered to determine asset allocation strategies, but are typically left un-mentioned. 4. Most major financial growth principles known to be used by the wealthy, banks and other large companies are almost completely absent from financial planning for the general public. On going, applicable education programs offered to the public to teach financial growth principles, using all available strategies, are almost unheard of. This is evidenced by the need for the Saver Act of 1997 mentioned in the introduction. 5. When known general down-turns in the market are expected by financial planners, their clients are often not told to move their investments as they should. On the contrary, they are most often told to, “Just ride it out, it will come back up, remember this is a long term investment!” Motive for this poor advice can be observed by recognizing that financial planners are compensated by moneys under their management despite the benefit to their clients, the investors (YOU). Conventional wisdom is wrong because it is promoted by the people and businesses that profit greatly from our doing what is good for them – not for us. Watch this video produced by the TV news show 60 Minutes as they uncover this truth: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAHgr9dY9BU In the Alternative Economics™ education program, you will learn that one of the elements of a personal system of financial growth is a comprehensive and on-going education process that offers irrefutable alternatives to the traditions we have been brought up to believe. The same traditions that have and will continue to keep us from achieving all that we are capable of if we don’t learn and apply our economic alternatives. This education process is designed to infuse you with the knowledge and sophistication necessary to break our limiting thought processes imposed by our social heredity, allowing us to make decisions from Reality and not Perception. Conclusion and reason for a Personal System of Financial Growth based on Alternative Economics™… Alternative Economics™ is the process of establishing and personally managing a personal system of financial growth to not only achieve desired life goals, but to achieve them in shorter time than previously thought possible, without sacrificing lifestyle now, nor taking high risks. This is accomplished by: 1. Breaking the law of financial heredity through accurate insights and education that disrupt conventional thinking with the introduction of irrefutable alternatives. 2. Identifying and employing assets most Americans are unaware they possess, making it possible for anyone to achieve what they desire despite social or economic status in much shorter time than previously thought possible. 3. Learning to consciously and consistently apply asset acceleration and growth principles to maximize returns and minimize time necessary to achieve financial goals, without taking unnecessary risks. 4. Using group strength of a large social network to negotiate discounted transactions and services from professionals who understand Alternative Economics™, and other benefits of community strength through numeronics. 5. Reaching beyond the confines of traditional investment options, or what most would consider conventional investing, by engaging in alternative investment strategies. 6. Tapping into reliable economic change information resources to assist in determining proper asset allocation, and regularly adjusting investment strategies accordingly. 7. Using creative, private and little known financing options that compliment and maximize results of alternative investment strategies.

Without the application of the principles of Alternative Economics™ and a personal system of financial growth, we are sunk!!! Is that a better word?

What Alternative Economics is

Steven Hettema — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:49:00 GMT

Over the last four decades the financial well being of the American public and health of our national economy has been trusted to the financial planning industry and government managed retirement programs to our demise. Continuing with old traditions has proven faulty at best and it’s costing us our future but it doesn’t have too. Alternatives are always better than traditions in changing economic conditions. What this country and its people need are economic alternatives. We need Alternative Economics™. To convey what Alternative Economics™ is, let’s start by explaining what it’s not. Alternative Economics™ is NOT learning stocks, bonds and mutual fundsAlternative Economics™ is not about stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Our corporate retirement plans, pensions plans, 401ks and IRAs have been invested primarily in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Let’s face it, we’ve all seen or experienced the poor performance of these traditional investment classes. We’ll talk in more detail in another chapter about why we believe these investments are yielding such disappointing results. We’ll also discuss how Alternative Economics™ will solve this problem on a personal level for anyone who actively applies the methods and principles suggested. But for now let’s keep the conversation a little broader in scope. As a country, we’ve lost faith in these investment tools and are no longer motivated to save or plan for the future in the manner that we used to. This is evidenced by the fact that Americans save or invest less than 1% of our income. Some believe this is just because we are less disciplined today or we just don’t care anymore. Suggestions have been made that we are entering a new economic era lead by an irresponsible generation with an immediate gratification mindset. These explanations blame this depleted savings habit of our nation on the actions of the people and not the cause for these actions or lack thereof. The American people of this generation are not stupid; we are simply reacting to our common sense…Why engage in a plan that we know is failing for so many? After all, discipline comes from motivation and motivation comes from faith in an action that will yield a desired result. We just don’t believe anymore in the traditional financial plan which relies (for the most part) on the performance of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. What we need are better alternatives. Alternative Economics™ is NOT reliant on your FrugalityAlternative Economics™ is also not reliant on your frugality. Most Americans are under the perception that growing assets and/or investing are only possible at the price of significant lifestyle sacrifice. It’s no wonder people think this way. Listen to what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was quoted saying:

“Unless the current generation is willing to sacrifice by cutting consumption or increasing savings, future generations could face a heavier reduction in living standards.”

"We can mitigate the adverse effect of the aging population on future generations, but only by forgoing consumption or leisure today. As the population ages, the nation must choose among higher taxes, fewer government programs, cuts in Social Security and Medicare, a higher deficit or some combination of those options.”

USA TODAY 10/05/2006, by Sue Kirchhoff

The reality of this perception left to us by the media, our political leaders and our heredity, makes more understandable the lack of motivation Americans have to save or invest in a conventional manner. Think about it. Who in their right mind would be motivated by this financial plan?: Take money from your current budget, sacrificing lifestyle now, to save or invest for your future in a system that, based on past performance and future projections, will leave you with a retirement savings that won’t even support the reduced lifestyle you endured to make a better one. With that kind of outlook, no wonder we are more apt to say, “Spend it while you can enjoy it and hope for the best at retirement.” Even though that’s not a plan it makes more sense than the traditional option described above. Alternative Economics™ deals with the necessity of Asset Accumulation with the question of feasibility but does not necessitate frugality. The difference will be explained later. Alternative Economics™ is NOT using corporate or government managed retirement programsFinally, Alternative Economics™ is not reliant on corporate managed 401k programs, pension plans or government managed retirement programs such as Social Security. In a recent Frontline Report titled "Can You Afford to Retire", which first aired on May 16th 2006, observers were made aware of corporate financial strategies that lead to the demise of employee pensions. Specifically, federal law allows companies that offer pension programs to use those employee pension funds for company expenses with the hopes to repay the deficit at a later date. If the company experiences financial difficulty and cannot repay the pension funds then they can file chapter 11 bankruptcies to wipe out the debt leaving employees with nothing. Check out the full report at the link below.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/retirement/ The Social Security system has predicted its own bankruptcy date and publishes it in its own report to the American people every year. Most of us have, at some time in our working life, received the yearly Social Security statement. If you are like the majority of people, when you finally take the time to look at the document you immediately turn to the 2^nd and 3^rd pages which outlines your personal benefits if you retire, are injured or die. This year take the time to read the first page. On it you will find the details of when (not if) the Social Security system will be bankrupt. Specifically, it’s in the paragraph on the upper right hand side of the cover page. When you read it you will understand why the government is so emphatically encouraging us all to make financial plans for retirement that do not include government or corporate managed programs. We must form our own personal system of financial growth. It’s time for alternatives; it’s time for Alternative Economics™.

What Alternative Economics™ isAlternative Economics™ is a personal system of financial growth education program designed to reveal hidden assets and apply them to alternative investment strategies using personal money rules that engage all four asset acceleration principles through three financial growth stages. It is your own personal economic bailout plan. Let’s break that down: - Personal system of financial growth- Reveal hidden assets- Alternative investment strategies- Money Rules- Four asset acceleration principles- Three financial growth stages The rest of the Alternative Economics™ e-book is broken down into these six elements.

Alternative Economics is the solution for the coming economic storm in America

Steven Hettema — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:41:00 GMT

America is facing a perfect economic storm, caused by a federal government that spends, borrows, and prints so much money that our dollars are eroding in value at an alarming rate. Year after year our federal government spends beyond its revenues, prints new money to pay its debts, and borrows hundreds of billions abroad in the form of Treasury obligations that someday must be paid. With too many dollars and debt instruments in circulation, and no political will in Washington to cut spending, we've created a monster. Our perceived prosperity depends on keeping the great debt and credit engine pumping, but the only way to attract new lenders to fuel the engine is higher interest rates. At some point one of two things must happen: either the party in Washington ends, or the supremacy of the dollar as the world's reserve currency ends. It's a sobering thought, but a choice must be made.

How did this happen? How did we get to such a state? The answer is found in the nature of politics itself. The truth is that many politicians and voters essentially believe in a free lunch. They believe in a free lunch because they don't understand basic economics, and therefore assume government can spend us into prosperity. This is the fallacy that pervades American politics today.

I believe one of the greatest threats facing this nation is the willful economic ignorance of the political class. Many of our elected officials at every level have no understanding of economics whatsoever, yet they wield tremendous power over our economy through taxes, regulations, and countless other costs associated with government. They spend your money with little or no thought given to the economic consequences of their actions. It is indeed a tribute to the American entrepreneurial spirit that we have enjoyed such prosperity over the decades; clearly it is in spite of government policies rather than because of them.

We have all certainly seen a great deal of economic ignorance in Congress over the years. Few members pay any attention whatsoever to the Federal Reserve Bank, despite the tremendous impact Fed policy has on their constituents. Even many members of the banking and finance committees have little or no knowledge of monetary policy. Perhaps this is why so many in Congress seem to believe we can all become rich by printing new dollars, or that we can make 2 + 2 = 5 by taking money from some people and giving it to others.

We cannot suspend the laws of economics or the principles of human action any more than we can suspend the laws of physics. Yet this is precisely what Congress attempts to do time and time again, no matter how many times history proves them wrong or economists easily demonstrate the harms caused by a certain policy.

I strongly recommend that every American acquire some basic knowledge of economics, monetary policy, and the intersection of politics with the economy. No formal classroom is required; a desire to read and learn will suffice. There are countless important books to consider, but the following are an excellent starting point: The Law by Frédéric Bastiat; Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt; What has Government Done to our Money? by Murray Rothbard; The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek; and Economics for Real People by Gene Callahan.

If you simply read and comprehend these relatively short texts, you will know far more than most educated people about economics and government. You certainly will develop a far greater understanding of how supposedly benevolent government policies destroy prosperity. If you care about the future of this country, arm yourself with knowledge and fight back against economic ignorance. We disregard economics and history at our own peril.

Having this basic knowledge of economics and government will help you understand the value of the principles of Alternative Economics financially on a personal level and the effects we as an aggregate can have on the health of our nation’s economy. Through wide spread knowledge and sophistication of the principles of Alternative Economics as well as the application of its methods, politicians will be forced to cater to a different philosophy which demands fiscal responsibility to be elected and remain in office. This is how the people of this country can control our individual financial futures and once again steer our government into safe harbor and avoid the impending economic storm.

Compete Website Face Lift - Many Great Changes and Additions - Come and SEE!!!

Steven Hettema — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:10:00 GMT

Hello All,

If you haven't been to the www.NSICgroup.com website lately, come and check out all the changes, additions and improvement!!! We've changes the navigation to be much more intuitive. You can get to where you want much faster. We still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be but we think you will really like what we've done to the place. Feedback is welcome...

Make sure to check out the featured items found on the home page. They include a Target Market tour on a Caribbean Investor Education and Lifestyle Cruise, REO Passive Investing strategy webinar (view a recording immediately), the new Alternative Economics E-Book (Free Download value at $49.95), Our Truly Self Directed IRA program (Free CD and Free Consultation offered), and our featured investor club.

We have also launched a series of very educational webinars that are free to the public on Alternative Investment Strategies. We just completed the one on REO Passive Investing (which is investing passively into bank owned, foreclosed properties) which you can see a recording of as mentioned above. We just started a new series on the Secrets of Tax Lien Certificate Investing. These are purely education (no selling) and they are absolutely free. Please learn more and join us on this Tax Lien series by clicking on the following link:

http://www.nsicgroup.com/NSIG+Membership/NSIG+Events/Next+Webinar/default.aspx

Finally, NSIC has added a new program to our educational efforts. This program is directed toward, and provides solutions for, employers who are being forced to cut employee benefits due to current economics conditions and the employees who are facing those cuts. We call it the AE Self Directed Employee Benefits Workshop. You are bound to know someone in the HR department of a company in this situation or an employee who is experiencing this right now. It may be you! Please take the time to learn more about our workshop and how it can solve both sides of this great challenge by clicking on the link below:

http://www.nsicgroup.com/Home/Affiliate+Programs/Affiliate+Opportunities/Human+Resources/default.aspx

There is so much I want to tell you about that is happening at NSIC but that all I have time for in this message. Have a great holiday weekend!!!

Sincerely

Steve Hettema
Founder / President
(888) 788-4472
(360) 824-6003 Fax
steveh@nsicgroup.com
www.nsicgroup.com

Vision for the NSIG Community "Just Like Heaven"

Steven Hettema — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:12:00 GMT

Often I've been asked to describe my vision for the National Strategic Investor Group Community. Today I received an email from my 13 year old daughter Hannah that describes perfectly the picture of what I desire this community to become:

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and
said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the
middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table
was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's
mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They
appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles
that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.'

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand.'

It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'

My vision is for the NSIG Community experience to be "just like heaven"...(I love you Hannah)