Beware: Social Security numbers available online via indexed tax documents

As one who keeps up with the cutting edge of search engines and advanced search querying, it is with much reservation and disbelief that I bring you the results of my latest online investigative research. As of 4/10/2011, I have discovered in excess of 50 tax documents containing any given combination of Social Security numbers, credit card information, names, addresses, tax IDs, and phone numbers being made available online. However, unlike recent leaks of email addresses and password hashes being made available due to hackers compromising systems, these documents are being unknowingly made freely available to prying eyes by the very owners of said information.


Read more at http://www.zdnet.com/blog/seo/beware-social-security-numbers-available-online-via-indexed-tax-documents/2819?tag=nl.e539

The Department of Housing and Urban Development this week rescinded a controversial mortgagee letter that held homeowners or their heirs responsible for repaying, in full, a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage if they wished to keep the property.

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Weekly Market Preview

This Week not much in the way of economic reports. Interest rate markets will continue to take their lead from how the stock market performs each day. The bellwether 10  yr note, although likely to edge higher over the next few months, has twice found near term support when its yield climbs to 3.50% and in  turn is keeping mortgage interest rates from increasing. We continue our outlook that rates will increase but the level of increases won't be excessive; likely not over 4.00% for the 10 and another 40 basis points higher for mortgage rates for the rest of the year.
 
Tuesday the Fed will release the minutes from the FOMC meeting on March 15th; recently there has been an increase of the number of Fed officials that are wanting less easing and an end to QE 2. Global base lending rates are increasing and the Fed has to begin its moves to withdraw from easing. We do not expect the Fed will increase its base lending rate (FF) immediately, the first step will be ending QE 2, whether it ends prematurely is where the debate centers.
 
Two economic reports this week head up or focus; tomorrow the March ISM services sector index and on Thursday Feb consumer credit. Recent spikes in oil prices have likely caused consumers to cut back on other spending, the level of borrowing using credit cards should be watched. This week the ECB will meet with expectations that the bank will increase its base rate as inflation ion Europe has pushed up above the ECB target of 2.0%

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Facebook and Google Encroach on Banks' Turf

Facebook and Google are poised to go head to head with established financial services companies in online payments.

Both Internet companies have developed alternative payment networks that observers say could undermine the scale of dominant payments providers like MasterCard and Visa.

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Court Issues 11th-Hour Stay on Mortgage Loan Officer Pay Rule

An appellate court in Washington late Thursday night granted a stay delaying implementation of the Federal Reserve's loan officer compensation rule until April 5.

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Profit Opportunity: The Baby Boomers' Last Spending Spree

Don't even try to guess what the next big winner will be in the health care sector. Nobody knows which pharmaceutical company will come up with a blockbuster drug. Or which insurance company will benefit most from the new health care bill.

But you can make big profits by betting on just one thing: that the demand for health care will continue to increase. With the investment I mentioned yesterday, I believe you can make 10%+ gains and grab a 5%+ dividend every year for the foreseeable future.

As I said, the baby boomers are going to swamp the health care industry for the next 20 years.

So it makes sense to ride the coattails of this mega-trend.

And one of the easiest ways to do it is by investing in a health care REIT (real estate investment trust). Health care REITs own properties like senior housing, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and medical office buildings. And, like all REITs, they must pay out 90% of their taxable income in the form of dividends.

Why do I like REITs so much?

The main reason is that, because they own the health care facilities, they get paid no matter who the patient uses for insurance, what company manufactures their medication, etc.

And most of their properties are leased to health care providers for long periods of time, usually 10 to 15 years. So health care REITs aren't as worried about economic swings as, say, shopping mall REITs would be. If the economy drops, their retail tenants may go out of business. But because health care is virtually recession-proof, and their leases tend to be long-term, the health care REITs have a much more stable revenue stream.

The increasing demand for health care over the next 20 years means there will be an increasing need for more locations to deliver health care services. And with only 10% of health care real estate already owned by REITs, there's much more room for these REITs to grow.

But as an investor, you don't just get a great growth story. Because REITs have to pay out 90% of their income as dividends, you get a nice dividend check every quarter. And the yield on health care REITs (most average over 5%) is higher than that of most other investments.

Growth and income. The best of both worlds.

By Christian Hill

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Fed Won't Budge on Disputed Rule on LO Comp

The Federal Reserve Board is showing no signs of backing down on its loan officer compensation rule despite congressional requests and industry lawsuits to delay the April 1 effective date.

Here's my question, why does the Fed have anything at all to say about anything?

They are not a government agency, they are not even suppose to be in control of our monetary system! I don't have the space to explain here, but if you want to understand how our entire monetary system and economy has been hijacked, read "The Creature from Jekyll Island". This is one book that does a great job of explaining the fraud that has occurred since 1913.

I am just disgusted with the whole thing.

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