Checks And Balances TV Shows

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Below you'll find all the past videos for the Checks and Balances TV website. Feel free to browse our archives at your leisure. CBTV provides informative news and financial tips that can help give you the edge in these times of challenge and uncertainty.

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Episode No.	Title	Air Date
74	The Bull Market Turns Three: Is it Time to Get In or Get Out? The stock market has made a dramatic turnaround since hitting a low during the recession, when millions of Americans los...[ read more ] The Bull Market Turns Three: Is it Time to Get In or Get Out? The stock market has made a dramatic turnaround since hitting a low during the recession, when millions of Americans lost trillions of dollars. The bull market recently celebrated its third birthday and continues to go strong, giving investors plenty of confidence that happy days are indeed here again. But, are they here to stay? Before you get too excited and pour all of your hard-earned savings into the market in hopes of making back everything you lost, you need to take a step back, relax and realize that eventually, all good things must come to an end. Many analysts and economists believe a bear market could be coming soon, and there are signs that might be true. Rising gas prices, worries over inflation and rising interest rates and the government's ongoing battle to tackle the federal deficit are just a few reasons for concern. The good mixed with the bad is causing investors everywhere to ask themselves, is this the right time to get in the market or get out? Tune in to this week's CBTV show on Friday at 4:00 PM EST to learn why you should be cautious about today�s stock market before deciding to get in or get out!	03/30/12
73	Goldman Sachs: Another Investment Bank Who Appears to Care More About Their Profits Than Their Clients A disgruntled employee quit his job last week, but it was HOW he handled his resignation and WHO he told that raised man...[ read more ] Goldman Sachs: Another Investment Bank Who Appears to Care More About Their Profits Than Their Clients A disgruntled employee quit his job last week, but it was HOW he handled his resignation and WHO he told that raised many eyebrows across the country. That employee was Greg Smith, a former executive director of Goldman Sachs. He had enough and decided he was not going to take it anymore! He told the whole world about his bad experiences working at Goldman in an op-ed piece that appeared in the New York Times on March 14. Smith's op-ed piece detailed how "morally bankrupt" executives at Goldman Sachs cared more about making a profit for the company rather than helping its clients, and that in order to get ahead in the investment bank you must merely make the firm enough money. As a result, shareholders began dumping Goldman stock, as it dropped 3.4% and lost $2.2 billion in market value on the same day the letter ran. Watch this week's CBTV show on Friday at 4:00 PM EST to get the real story on Goldman Sachs and find out more details on how this investment bank has demonstrated that it may care more about turning a profit and less about its customers!	03/23/12
72	In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb � Don�t Get the Wool Pulled Over Your Eyes by a Baaa-ad Financial Advisor! Another scam artist is convicted of a Ponzi scheme. More than 28,000 people fell victim to his crimes, losing more than ...[ read more ] In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb � Don�t Get the Wool Pulled Over Your Eyes by a Baaa-ad Financial Advisor! Another scam artist is convicted of a Ponzi scheme. More than 28,000 people fell victim to his crimes, losing more than $7 billion over a 20-year period. Texas tycoon Allen Stanford was just found guilty on 13 of 14 criminal counts stemming from the Ponzi scheme he ran, and he could spend up to 200 years in prison paying for his crime. We've heard similar sad stories like this before, but what's even worse for the victims is that this one actually could have been avoided! Stanford had a checkered past filled with a number of red flags including allegations of money laundering and fraud and accusations of running a Ponzi scheme, and much more. All of this information was reportedly available in the public domain. The SEC finally busted Sanford in 2009 because of his fictional CD rates, however, they identified him as a 'serious risk' 15 years ago. If his victims receive any restitution at all, it will likely be only pennies on the dollar. Had they just taken the time to do a little research on Sanford before investing their money with him, they would have learned about his wrongdoing and been able to protect their money! Tune in to this week's CBTV show on Friday at 4:00 PM EST to find out how to protect yourself against scammers like Stanford and how to by choose a trusted, true financial professional!	03/16/12
71	American Workers Are Willing to Trade Some of Their Pay for Extra Security in Retirement The fear of running out of money in retirement has hit home for many American workers, as they are willing to sacrifice ...[ read more ] American Workers Are Willing to Trade Some of Their Pay for Extra Security in Retirement The fear of running out of money in retirement has hit home for many American workers, as they are willing to sacrifice some of their hard-earned pay now for more financial security in their golden years. Workers of all ages are making it a higher priority to save for retirement, according to the Retirement Attitudes Survey conducted by Towers Watson. More than four in five respondents to the survey said their employers reduced their pay and/or their benefits over the last three years, leaving some to postpone their retirement plans indefinitely. Others are forced to postpone their retirement plans due to corporate greed! Some companies have cut benefits to fulfill their own agendas, leaving their employees to fend for themselves in retirement. The federal government has stepped in recently with a proposal to help retired workers turn their 401(k) lump sum into a reliable income stream in retirement. Many people lost a lot of their retirement savings when the market took its turn in 2008 because they had just left their money sitting in their 401(k). The government�s proposal will help retirees both protect their life savings and turn it into an income stream they cannot outlive. Tune it to this week�s CBTV show on Friday at 4:00 PM EST to learn more about the newfound importance in securing financial freedom for retirement and what you can do today to turn your retirement savings into a secure income stream.	03/09/12
70	The Dow Hits 13,000: What Does that Mean for Our Economy and Your Investments? The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped the 13,000 mark for the first time in nearly four years recently, providing Amer...[ read more ] The Dow Hits 13,000: What Does that Mean for Our Economy and Your Investments? The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped the 13,000 mark for the first time in nearly four years recently, providing Americans with another positive sign that the country�s economy is improving. Other positive signs include the rate of unemployment, which is holding at a three-year low of 8.3 percent, and the official rate of inflation has remained under 3%. The Dow is considered a "leading" economic indicator as it changes before the economy changes. Critics argue that the Dow is an imperfect measure of the country�s economy since it�s made up of just 30 companies. Dow Jones & Company, which decides which 30 companies are the best barometer, says the index can accurately represent the economy because the 30 stocks make up 25 to 30% of the market value of all U.S. public companies. While it's not the broadest indicator, the Dow is one of the oldest and most commonly followed indices and has been considered a "bellweather" for the American economy since its founding in 1896. Some argue that the S&P 500, which is comprised of 500 of our country�s public companies, is a broader barometer of the economy and its performance is a greater reflection of investor confidence. Despite the good news, rising energy costs are posing a threat to the economy, with gas prices up more than 9% already this year and some experts predicting them to reach an all-time high this summer! Tune in to this week's CBTV show on Friday at 4:00 PM EST to learn why you should still be cautious with your investments and how to implement the "Recession's Lessons" to protect your finances now and in the future.	03/02/12
69	The STOCK Act: Finally, Congressional Lawmakers are Banned from Insider Trading Members of Congress have been able to legally take advantage of insider trading tips on stocks for years, but that is ab...[ read more ] The STOCK Act: Finally, Congressional Lawmakers are Banned from Insider Trading Members of Congress have been able to legally take advantage of insider trading tips on stocks for years, but that is about to come to an end. The STOCK Act stands for "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge" and has been proposed several times in the past. However, versions of the bill have cleared both the House of Representatives and the Senate, so if the law is finally passed, lawmakers will be held accountable for their actions! The proposed bill would prohibit members of Congress and their employees from disclosing nonpublic information on "any pending or prospective legislative action relating to any publicly traded company" to any third party. It would also establish rules for banning Congressional insider trading. A November 2011 episode of 60 Minutes exposed how some lawmakers were enriching themselves based on nonpublic information they learned from their government positions. Regular citizens of the U.S. convicted of insider trading can be fined up to $5 million and sent to jail for up to 20 years. It's about time members of Congress will be held to the same standards.	02/24/12
68	The Federal Reserve Extends Historically Low Interest Rates: Is this Good News or Bad News for your Finances? The Federal Reserve is extending the record low interest rates until 2014! While this may seem like good news for consu...[ read more ] The Federal Reserve Extends Historically Low Interest Rates: Is this Good News or Bad News for your Finances? The Federal Reserve is extending the record low interest rates until 2014! While this may seem like good news for consumers and businesses looking to borrow money, it is bad news for many Americans who are counting on interest income to fund their retirements. The Fed is responsible for predicting unemployment rates, inflation and economic growth and using that data to help set the interest rates. The federal funds rate will remain unchanged, staying at a record low level through 2014 due to a lack of significant improvement in economic conditions. The Fed originally cut the federal funds rate to the current record low back in 2008 in an effort to stimulate the economy. The goal was to promote spending though, not saving, and not raising the rate is a reflection of the Fed's dismal economic outlook for the next two years. The Fed has even been blamed for slowing the recovery process because the lower interest rates have not improved conditions much over the last few years. Tune in to this week's CBTV show this Friday at 4:00 PM EST to learn more about what the Fed's decision to extend historically low interest rates REALLY means and how it impacts your finances!	02/17/12
67	The Bailout Update: Why American Taxpayers Will Never Be Fully Repaid When the federal government bailed out struggling companies in 2008 as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TAR...[ read more ] The Bailout Update: Why American Taxpayers Will Never Be Fully Repaid When the federal government bailed out struggling companies in 2008 as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, it put American taxpayers on the line. There was always a chance that not all of the money would be paid back. Of those companies that took TARP funds, more than $133 billion is still owed back to the U.S. Treasury. Some of that money will eventually be written off as losses. The bailout was created to address the critical sub-prime mortgage crisis, and the money given to financial institutions was intended to promote economic growth through loans to American businesses and consumers. But there are questions about whether or not TARP was truly effective, as the Senate Congressional Oversight Panel has had trouble measuring the bailout�s impact. The University of Michigan recently conducted a study that found banks have continued the same behavior that led to the financial meltdown in 2008 and are continuing to take even more risks with their bailout money, knowing that the government was backing and protecting them. Watch this week's CBTV show to find out why the Treasury Department is waiting to sell its stakes in AIG and GM and learn more about when is a good time to cut your own losses with stocks!	02/10/12
66	A Taxing Situation: How the NEW Federal Tax Code May Hurt or Help Your Finances! If you watched President Obama�s annual State of the Union address on January 24th or have been following other presiden...[ read more ] A Taxing Situation: How the NEW Federal Tax Code May Hurt or Help Your Finances! If you watched President Obama�s annual State of the Union address on January 24th or have been following other presidential hopefuls as they campaign for November�s election, you have probably heard the debate over the capital gains tax rate. The long term capital gains tax has been a hot topic in the media recently, mostly because there is a misconception about how long-term capital gains are actually taxed. The capital gains tax is currently 15%, which means that an investor who held an investment made with after-taxed dollars for one year or longer is subject to a 15% tax rate on any earnings on that investment. If the investment losses money, and that loss is realized, the investor can only deduct up to $3,000 of loss on their tax returns. The lower tax rate is in place to encourage more people to invest in US companies and the economy. Billionaire Warren Buffett, the subject of the "Buffett Rule" has been making the headlines lately as well. His so-called Buffet Rule would increase taxes, including capital gains taxes, to 30% on Americans earning a combined $1 million dollars or more per year. Ironically, Buffett makes a substantial part of his income off investment earnings taxed at the 15% rate. But Buffett also has not been leading by example since his company Berkshire Hathaway reportedly owes nearly $1 billion dollars in back taxes! Tune it to this week's CBTV show to learn the truth about the long-term capital gains tax and find out how changing the federal tax code may hurt or help your finances!	02/03/12
65	New Federal 401(k) Disclosure Rules Reveal Internal Fees! The U.S. Department of Labor is moving forward with new 401(k) fee disclosure rules that will make it necessary for plan...[ read more ] New Federal 401(k) Disclosure Rules Reveal Internal Fees! The U.S. Department of Labor is moving forward with new 401(k) fee disclosure rules that will make it necessary for plan providers to thoroughly explain how their fees will impact your returns. The new compliance deadline is set for April 1st. These new rules will help both employers and employees better understand just how much they are paying in fees and allow them to make more informed decisions about their retirement savings plan. For employers, the uniformity will help them to better understand what is part of a plan for its price and enable them to shop around for the best company plan without making their decision solely based on cost. For employees, they will gain more knowledge about how additional fees can accumulate and can choose their investments and strategy more wisely. The new disclosure rules have been in the works since 2010, when the new regulations were originally published as part of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA was enacted in 1974 to protect the retirement assets of American workers by implementing rules for qualified benefit plans, such as pensions and now 401(k)s. The rules were originally set by the federal government to ensure that those who manage the assets within a retirement account do not misuse the assets and serve as a guideline to how plans should be administered. Most people do not realize how much they�re paying in fees for their 401(k) plan, and some did not even know they were paying fees at all. Watch this week�s CBTV show to find out more about the fees you are being charged with your 401(k) plan!	01/27/12
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