I’m good, but I didn’t know I was THIS good!

Sales from Black Friday were up a whopping 16% from last year, which, as I write this on Monday morning, is driving the stock markets up, up, up.

Maybe all my readers of last week’s Black Friday tips REALLY took it to heart?

Of course, this may not quite be the indicator we all might hope it to be — after all, Black Friday is notorious for big sales and for penny-pinchers. I might feel better about our economy’s direction if we get a few quarters of sustained consumer spending, outside of the big sales, under our belts.

This week, I’m hoping you will take my advice equally to heart. With just about one month left in 2011, there are some tax moves you simply must make. Why? Because right now, the tax picture for 2012 is extremely murky. Congress has just under five weeks to consider a TON of legislation and expiring credits (here’s a list, in case you’re interested: http://www.bankrate.com/financing/taxes/congress-year-end-tax-tasks/ ).

So the smart money should be leveraged to take maximum advantage out of this year’s tax situation. Because the way our political situation is shaping up … well, the only certainty right now seems to be UNcertainty.

The following is how you can make some CERTAIN tax-saving moves — but I will say this: if your income looks to be over $75K this year and you will have significant deductions, then you really should consult with a tax accountant in order to avoid the AMT. Let me know if you need a good recommendation!

Anyway, here are some moves to make, with an assist from MY CPA…

Rowel Manasan’s
"Straight Talk" Personal Strategy
Make These Tax Moves Now Before 2012
As promised, I’ve compiled some information on expiring tax breaks for 2011, as well as some suggested moves to make before December sees its ball-dropping end.

While you’re at it, you can always do it again on January 1st!

You know how Thanksgiving got its start, don’t you?

Smack in the middle of horrendous civil war, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving which should take place every year.

I believe Lincoln understood a fundamental truth in the human soul: how we choose to see our circumstances often dictates the state of our hearts — and, thereby, our future circumstances. After all, if a war-torn nation can turn its eyes upward — so can you and your family.

You should sit in my office with me sometime, watch the procession of "wealthy" and "poor" clients meeting with me and my staff over their different situations — and watch how the hearts are activated. Sometimes my "wealthiest" clients are the most impoverished … and those without many zeroes in their accounts are flat-out rich.

"Rich" is a state-of-mind–and it’s tied to gratitude. It affects how you see savings, retirement, our current economy, and investment. And, of course, gratitude is the enemy of fear. It’s like an opposite magnet for it — walk in gratitude, and fear just melts away.

So, here’s my advice for this week: Whatever financial situation you happen to find yourself in, be thankful. There are hidden blessings in any trial … and hidden fears lying within any windfall. Find them, savor the blessings, and watch your family thrive.

Now, perhaps this is the perfect segue into my actionable advice for this week — because although I’m a professional in estate planning, for maximum tax and generational wealth-savings, I like to find ways for my clients to find savings all over the place. And aside from turkey, there’s this whole "shopping" thing which is pushing up against our football! Well, I scanned around online, and I’ve compiled some of the BEST (i.e. not-just-conventional) advice for starting the holiday shopping season with a bang…

Rowel Manasan’s
"Straight Talk" Personal Strategy
Manasan’s Black Friday Winning Tactics
Personally, I prefer avoiding this mess altogether, but I just KNOW that many of my clients feel differently. So, if that’s you…here you go:

Expect some Black Friday sales to start on Thursday. Many retailers will start offering discounts online on Thanksgiving day. And some, such as Amazon, will offer Black Friday deals several days before November 25 — so hot items may sell out before the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. And, as you’ve probably seen, some stores (like Target) are even opening on Thursday…

Don’t assume the best deals are only in the stores. It’s a tradition for a lot of people to get up at the crack of dawn and camp out in front of stores to scoop up deals. But a lot of "doorbusters" (those deeply discounted items retailers use to get consumers in the door early Friday) will be available online, too — especially on big-ticket products. And if an Apple product is on your gift list, you’ll probably find it for less online (at Amazon.com, MacMall.com or MacConnection.com) than at an Apple store — AND you may escape sales tax on your purchase (as you know, we like to help you escape a tax or three!).

Only brave the crowds if you’re trying to snag an extremely limited item. You have a better chance of getting the deal if you go to the store – and are first in line. Keep in mind, though, that the items which are marked down dramatically are often cheap items to begin with – not top-selling, name-brand products.

Black Friday is only the beginning. In fact, the best deals on apparel usually appear on Cyber Monday (November 28 this year), when retailers discount items online. Toys will be cheaper the first two weeks of December when Walmart and Amazon go to war with each other to offer the lowest prices and clear out inventory before Christmas. And the best deals on name-brand TVs and luxury items can be found in early December, too.

Watch out for return policy shenanigans. Some retailers tighten their policies around the holidays as a way of compensating for all that discounting they’re up to. Some charge restocking fees if you bring an item back. And some won’t let you exchange items which were manufactured specifically for Black Friday (to be sold at a low price).

This one is pretty universal: Never spring for extended warranties on big-ticket items. There’s a good chance that a salesperson will try to talk you into paying extra for an extended warranty if you purchase a big-ticket item on Black Friday. That’s because revenue from extended warranties helps make up for lost profits on these discounted items. Typically, you’ll pay 10% to 20% more for an item to extend a one-year manufacturer’s warranty through the fifth year of ownership. But most major appliances do not break down within the extended-warranty period. Plus, you might already be covered if you use your credit card to purchase an item.

Just doing my little part to help YOUR economy-stimulation efforts this holiday season get the most bang.

I hope you had a fantastic weekend — though I also know that I disturbed a few of my clients and friends with last week’s email on the blooming higher education bubble.

I’m sorry about that — but I also know that life should be lived in the place of what really *is*, not where we think it *should* be.

So, I’m hoping not to disturb you this week in quite the same way. :) If you already have an estate plan in place, this one’s for you… (and, of course–if you DON’T, call us now. It’s never too late for peace of mind! )

Rowel Manasan’s
"Straight Talk" Personal Strategy
Time For an Estate Plan Tune-Up
Most people are smart enough to keep their cars in good working order–it requires tune-ups, an annual physical check-up, etc. But I’m always surprised by the common misconception about how often they should have their estate plan reviewed.