Be Prepared: A Big Tax Increase Is Coming

The current economic crisis is terrible. But something much worse is going on in Washington... a nearly inescapable problem.

I try to be an optimist. I believe there's always somewhere you can make money. But this nearly inescapable problem is hard to get optimistic about.

I'm talking about the problem of government financial promises. The promises our government has made simply can't be kept without bankrupting our country.

According to the excellent documentary film I.O.U.S.A., "Our country would need $53 trillion invested today – which is about $175,000 per person – to deliver on the government's obligations and promises. How much of this $53 trillion do we have? Zip."

My wife and I watched an advance copy of the DVD this weekend. We were hooked from the start, and we're passing the film along to friends.

I.O.U.S.A. leads off with televised excerpts of presidential promises. Every president (since the beginning of television) has promised they won't leave our growing national debt to future generations. But look at the truth:

At the end of 2008, our government debt – ultimately paid by taxpayer money – will reach nearly $11 trillion!

And while that sounds like a lot, it's only a portion of the true debts... That $11 trillion doesn't include Social Security promises, Medicare, and Medicaid. When you add in those liabilities, the total U.S. government promises rise to over $50 trillion – $175,000 per man, woman, and child in America.

In order to fulfill these promises, government spending will have to soar. There are two ways out of this: Drastically cutting government spending and reneging on these promises... or increasing taxes. Which way out do you think is more likely?

I.O.U.S.A. tells us we are "facing a doubling of taxes if we continue on our present path... The problem is bigger than people understand."

The thought of doubling taxes gives me the shivers... It means my son's standard of living probably won't be as high as mine. And it's not just my son who could face a decreased standard of living – it's every American.

So what can you do?

If you haven't done so already, you should act immediately to minimize your future tax burden. And as we've noted in other essays, another likely way the government will "pay" its tab is through inflated dollars. So you want to own gold and other assets that increase as the dollar's value declines.

It's coming. Be prepared and get informed on the facts. I.O.U.S.A. is a great place to start.

Good investing,

Steve

P.S. The I.O.U.S.A. DVD is not available to the public. But I'll share a way that you can receive a free copy of it right now... The DVD is included as part of my friend Chris Mayer's "Emergency Personal Bailout Bundle." Chris is one of the best analysts I know. 

The movie (along with the companion book) explains the dire situation. And Chris is the ideal person to show how to get through this situation safely, with more money than you started with. Click here for the details.