James L. Paris's Blog, page 217

Amazon Rolls Out One Hour Delivery

On this episode Jim discusses Amazon's new one hour delivery service, scam couple gets nearly a decade in prison, Illinois to make it easier for cities to go bankrupt, and Jim discusses his trips to Jekyll Island Georgia and his free day at Disney.

Last Minute Tax Filing Q and A With Jim Paris

Jim, I have just determined that I will owe money to the IRS. Can I file an extension and buy myself a few months to pay my tax bill?

You can file an extension to get more time to file your return, but this is NOT an extension for more time to pay what you owe. If you owe money that you can not pay, you will need to file IRS form 9465 to request a payment plan arrangement.

I was just hit with a penalty for not having in place health insurance. I was also told that this penalty will be even more next year. A friend told me that I could opt out of Obamacare and instead go with Christian Medical Sharing, how does this work?

Yes, Christians can become exempt from the insurance mandate and penalty if they join a qualifying medical expense sharing program. You must file IRS form 8965 to claim this exemption.  More information about Christian medical expense sharing. If you sign up for Christian medical sharing now, it won't alleviate any penalties for tax year 2014. It is important to do something, however, as the penalties in 2015 will be substantially more (double for many people). More details on penalties.

 

I filed my tax return, but the IRS has responded that someone else has already filed using my Social Security number. What should I do? 

The IRS has a procedure in place that can take from several weeks to several months to resolve a situation like this. One way to add a layer of protection to future tax years is to request a PIN from the IRS. Much like the PIN you use for your bank account, it would prevent anyone from filing under your Social Security number without it.

I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. They said I had a back tax debt, but I am not convinced that they are an IRS employee. What can I do to verify what they are telling me?

There are a significant number of telemarketing scams involving fake IRS agents. The tip-off to the scam is that the individual will demand immediate payment through some kind of unorthodox means. Commonly the victim is told to buy a cash card or even send a payment through Western Union. The IRS would not make such unusual payment demands. Secondly, you can call the IRS directly and inquire of your status with them at 800-829-1040. 

What are some of the things to look out for to be sure I have not made a mistake when filing my tax return?

The three most common mistakes made by individuals preparing their own return are mistakes entering Social Security numbers, not including all of their income (especially from 1099 and W-2's),  and forgetting to sign the return (If you file electronically you won't need to sign your return). It also makes sense not to be in too much of a rush. I would suggest taking a day or two and looking over your return just to be sure you have not missed anything. A small mistake can lead to big headaches, so take some extra time to do a careful review. 

Helping you make the most of God's Money!

James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice 
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Jim Paris Giving Away Tablet Computers To New Students

Jim Paris recently mused out loud, “If no one reads your ebook…does it really exist?”

While perhaps not as age-old a question as the one about the tree falling in the woods, the subject raised by Jim’s rhetorical query is one that ebook writers must constantly address. The good news about the advent of this new age in book publishing is that it is easier than ever to become a published author; the bad news? It is easier than ever to become a published author.

So, how in the world can this greatly-increased ease at becoming published serve as both good and bad news?

With the evolution of the wide variety of self-administered content platforms, courtesy of the Internet, getting published has never been simpler. Becoming an author is now something each of us can do on our own, from our own computers, without needing any approval from anyone else. You want to write a book about your family, your beliefs, or your own way of doing this or that? Gone are the days when you would have to go through the tedious, and often disheartening, process of submitting a book proposal, or even a finished manuscript, to publishers to see if any one of them might agree to publish your work.

Now, not only can you write your book on your own and publish it without first having to pass through the book publishing world’s long-standing “security gate,” you can easily upload it for sale yourself at the world’s number one book retailer. As a matter of fact, that retailer, Amazon, expressly works at making it as easy as possible for the average person to sell his book through their worldwide store.

The bad news about all of this? Because everyone can publish now, the competition for the eyeballs of the book consuming public is fierce to an unimaginable degree.

To answer Jim’s question noted at the top of this article, even if no one reads your book, yes, it does technically exist…but don’t you want to be able to tell it exists by the attention, the sales, it’s actually garnering? Of course you do.

To that end, Jim Paris and Bob Yetman have just released their latest piece of content for members of the James L. Paris Online Publishing Course, a webinar that outlines three tactical moves you can make through Amazon to pull more eyeballs to your ebook, and away from your competition’s offerings. The presentation is called Kindle Bootstrap Marketing, and it details precisely how you can facilitate these three key efforts on behalf of your ebooks at Amazon.

While this latest webinar workshop should be enough to gain any budding ebook writer’s interest in the Online Publishing Course, Jim has decided to resurrect, for this weekend only, a bonus offer on behalf of his ebook course that was presented only once before, on Black Friday 2014: This weekend, Jim will give away, as a free bonus for each new order of a Platinum Level course membership, an Amazon Fire HD6 tablet!

Why give away a tablet? Because part of becoming a successful writer is reading the work of others, and we want you to be able to do that with ease. That said, the Fire HD is much more than an e-reader; it is a stand-alone, fully-functioning tablet on which you can browse the web at great speed, watch millions of movies, take pictures, and do so much more! It even has both a front and rear camera.

As it stands, the James L. Paris Online Publishing Course provides a wealth of information and assistance to the person seeking to get started in digitally-based publishing, including over 20 hours of video webinar presentations (including the very-popular “manual” The Shortcut Publishing Method: From Idea to Amazon in 2 Weeks), unlimited email-based Q&A with Jim Paris and his staff, and much, much more. However, this weekend, until midnight on Sunday, March 29, every new enrollment at the Platinum Level will receive, in addition to all of these great benefits for a year, an Amazon Fire HD tablet! What a great way to begin your journey into the wonderful world of ebooks and ebook writing!

  

5 Ways To Save Money At Amazon.com

If you are an online shopper, you just have to love Amazon.com. I regularly buy everything from coffee to books on the site, and I love the convenience and great prices. I want to share with you a few tricks over the years which I use to consistently get the very best deals from the site.

1. Amazon Prime

I have had an Amazon Prime membership for several years.  The key benefit is free two day shipping on most items. There are a host of other benefits, however, that many people simply don't know about. As a member you also have access to thousands of free movies and Kindle books (lending library). Additionally, you can tap into the Amazon Prime free music library. Although an annual membership is $99, you can share a membership with other members of your household. In the case of the Paris family, there are four of us that order through one Prime membership. If you are a student (and have a .edu e mail address), you can grab an Amazon Prime student membership for just $39. Another way to defray your cost is to refer friends. Each friend that joins through your link earns you $5. 

2. Used Items On Amazon

A really huge missed opportunity by most Amazon shoppers is to consider purchasing used items. It is easy to miss, but when considering a purchase you will see a link that allows you to browse other offers from Amazon sellers. I love this option, especially for books. If I can get a book for half price I really don't care if it is a bit worn. The information is what I am after and I will gladly pocket the savings. I don't limit this approach just to books, as I have found some tremendous bargains on items that are almost new. 

 

3. Amazon Warehouse Deals

Even though I have been buying on Amazon for several years, I just recently learned about their warehouse deals. Amazon's warehouse deals can save you more than 60% on some items. This can range from merchandise that has damaged packaging (open boxes), to gadgets that have been officially refurbished. 

4. Getting Free Stuff From Amazon

By simply sharing Amazon deals with your friends, you can earn hundreds of dollars monthly to spend on their site. The program is called Amazon Associates and is free to join. You can even choose to get paid in cash if you don't want to spend your referral bonuses on the Amazon site. I teach quite a bit on this in my Internet Business Workshops.

5.  Is There A Better Deal Elsewhere?

It is easy to get lazy and just buy everything through my Amazon account. The reality is that Amazon does not always have the best deal. I use an app called PriceJump that lets me know if there is a better deal on another site outside of Amazon. Another interesting site to look at is ShopRunner which offers a $79 annual membership that provides free two day shipping from not just one, but multiple retailers. It is an interesting concept that is great for those that want an Amazon-type free shipping benefit, but the flexibility of shopping from a wide array of online stores.

 

Helping you make the most of God's Money!

James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice 
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Guy Kawasaki - The Art Of Social Media

Internet marketing rock star, Guy Kawasaki, joins Jim Paris Live to discuss his latest book - The Art Of Social Media. How to make money from social media? The importance of selecting the right name for Twitter. Why your profile pages are a major key to social media success. How much of your own content to share vs. curating content from other sources. Should you follow back everyone that follows you on Twitter? Why social media is no different than an in-person conversation. Guy also shares information about Canva.com, a popular platform that can be used to create stunning graphics to use in your social media posts.

Blood Moons On Wall Street

Jim discusses his new video, Blood Moons On Wall Street. Ephren Taylor is sentenced to nearly 20 years after scamming church members out of an estimated $16 million dollars. Save money at Amazon by tapping into their warehouse deals. Megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar cancels plans to raise money to buy a $65 million dollar jet, and Google to launch low cost cell phone service this year.

Where Do Ministers Like Creflo Dollar Come From?

Creflo Dollar made national news this week, and not for a good reason. His fundraising campaign to buy a $60 million dollar jet become fodder for stand up comedians, and was even discussed on the Rush Limbaugh Show. There are humble servants of God all around us, but they get little such attention. One would think that the example of Jesus would be enough for us to see the importance of humility in ministry. Jesus could have asked for a posh horse-drawn carriage. He might have even required that it be gold plated, so it would garner more attention. We find no example of Jesus employing any such opulent means to spread the Gospel message. The only thing we might find laying next to Jesus after a long day of ministry is a pair of well-worn sandals. 

Now, where do men like Creflo Dollar come from? Where do we get such narcissistic embarrassments to the Christian faith? We create them. If the Christian community would stop worshiping these megachurch pastors, we might return to some level of sanity. My article about multi-millionaire Joel Osteen received dozens of critical comments. Much of the same happened when I mentioned the enormous six figure salary of Franklin Graham in a recent Facebook post. Michael Brown nailed it with his op-ed (Creflo Dollar Defenders: Don't Compare Godly Stewards to Judas).

Now, the issue of airplanes in ministry aside, this was not just a basic plane. The Gulfstream G650 goes for $60 million dollars, and is the word's fastest non-military plane. It travels at near mach speed, with two Rolls-Royce engines, and is fully equipped with a bar and kitchen. I understand that airplanes can be used to spread the Gospel, but why should a non-profit organization set its sights on the world's most deluxe, fastest, and extravagant model? In a word, narcissism. These megachurch pastors have an exaggerated view of their own importance. It is this same hero worship that brings along characters like Ephron Taylor, who was sentenced to twenty years in prison this week for operating a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.  

Creflo Dollar is aptly named. According to Wikipedia, he already owns two Rolls-Royces, multiple estate homes, and a private jet (I guess it is not quite fast enough). Dollar refuses to disclose his salary, and has received one of the most scathing reviews I have ever read on the MinistryWatch website. 

How much good did Dollar do for Christianity this week when he made us all the laughing stock of the culture? This will stop when we, as a Christian community, decide it will stop. These are men, nothing more. They are no better than the rest of us sinners saved by grace. If you are going to live on donations, and represent yourself to be a minister of the Gospel, having a $60 million dollar jet just doesn't come with the deal. 

If we have it wrong here, we invite Pastor Dollar to give us his side of the story. We would also welcome him to appear live on the Sunday night broadcast to set the record straight. 

Helping you make the most of God's Money (not Creflo's)!

James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice 
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Does The Bible Predict A 2015 Financial Collapse?

Does Bible prophecy actually tell us anything about the state of the U.S., and even world, economy? In Blood Moons on Wall Street, a new video presentation available exclusively to members of Christian Money Plus, Jim Paris discusses the possible cues that the secular financial community may be unknowingly taking from the Bible here in 2015.

The Shemitah refers to the Biblical Sabbath year...and coming every seven years…as celebrated in Ancient Israel, a year in which debts between the Israelites are voided and during which lands are left unattended by farmers, so that those lands may be given a chance to recover. The bases for these Shemitah-based laws are outlined in Exodus and Deuteronomy, and, if not obeyed, Scripture suggests that great turmoil will ensue. Although a blessing, the Shemitah can bring with a curse for those not following God.

While you can view the video presentation for fascinating specifics, the climaxes of the first two Shemitah of this millennium, September 2001 and September 2008, each coincided with the largest single-day declines in the Dow Jones Industrial Average in history (as of those dates). What’s more, going back seven years from 2001, to 1994, brings us to the year of a crash in the bond market that is still heavily referenced to this day; if we look back seven years before that, to 1987, we come to the year in which the world experienced so-called Black Monday…October 19, to be exact...when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 22 percent in just that single day, and many of the world’s other developed economies were also pummeled.

Adding to the relevance of the Shemitah is the matter of the current blood-moon tetrad; the blood moon tetrads are the irregular series of four total lunar eclipses wherein the refraction of sunlight by the earth’s atmosphere causes the moon to appear blood-red. Pastor Mark Biltz, an expert in the blood moon tetrads, has indicated that blood moon tetrads throughout history have coincided with important events for Jews and Israel, and Biltz has long been building a case that the fourth of the eclipses in the current blood moon tertrad will occur in late September of this year, suggesting events of great significance (even the second coming of Christ). Overlaying the final of the four eclipses in the current blood-moon tetrad with the climax of the current Shemitah suggests, for many believers, that September 2015 could be a calamitous time for the world’s economies, at the very least.

In this latest video from Jim Paris, which, again, is available only to members of Christian Money Plus (and will not be sold separately in any form outside of Christian Money Plus), Jim discusses his personal journey through the study of these elements of prophecy, his thoughts about them, and also discusses pragmatic financial moves one might consider on behalf of his or her own portfolio in light of the very real possibility of substantial economic fragility. Whether one concludes that there is great worldly significance in these Scripturally-noted events, or simply believes that the machinations of the world’s financial markets at this time are presenting a reason to exercise caution, the alternative investment options outlined by Jim in this video are useful “food for thought” for anyone.*

What should you do with your investments?

Are there any financial sectors that will actually profit if the economy collapses?

How can you put in place insurance to protect your portfolio?

Could this mean a massive increase in price for Bitcoin and other digital currencies?

Is gold an 'automatic winner' if the economy collapses?

Why you need to make decisions now, even though the exact day of the 49 year Shemitah cycle is the end of September.

As a special promotion for this weekend (expiring at midnight on Sunday, March 22), in addition to the Blood Moons on Wall Street video, new Christian Money Plus subscribers will receive, as bonus gifts, the books The Mystery of the Shemitah by Jonathan Cahn, as well as Blood Moons by Mark Biltz. Cahn and Biltz are renowned experts in their respective areas of prophecy, and these materials make terrific companion resources for the person seeking in-depth knowledge of the subjects at issue. These great bonuses aside, membership in Christian Money Plus always comes with a laundry list of valuable standard features, including access to The James L. Paris Report monthly newsletter (including all past issues), podcasts, personal finance webinar workshops, unlimited email-based Q&A with Jim and his staff, and lots more!

Note: The Bonus Offer Applies Only To Annual Subscriptions

* Disclaimer: The information presented is for general information purposes only; you should always seek the advice of a qualified professional before making any changes to your personal financial portfolio.

Laurence Kotlikoff - Secrets To Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits

Jim welcomes famed economist Laurence Kotlikoff to the program to discuss his new book, Getting What's Yours: The Secrets To Maxing Out Your Social Security Benefits. How to carefully select when you will collect your benefit, how to coordinate your retirement benefit with so called 'auxilary benefits,' benefits for children, grandchildren, disabled children, and more.

Grassy Knoll Shooter Confesses To JFK Conspiracy

On this episode Jim discusses the claim made by convicted felon James Files that he was the grassy knoll shooter in the JFK assassination plot. Real estate heir Robert Durst arrested for murder. Is the Fed poised to raise interest rates? The U.S. is about to hit the debt limit again. Yahoo's new password system, and YouTube makes available 360 degree videos.