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How will Obama's re-election affect your wallet?


Many woke up this morning to find out President Obama will serve another four years-- begging an important question: How will this affect my wallet?


Financial Advisers say, even though the economy is relatively stable and slow-growing, President Obama's re-election has struck an emotional nerve, which is already affecting your wallet.


"I was disappointed in the outcome," one Oklahoman tells Fox 25's Kisha Henry.


"I had a lady in tears, who sold everything out this morning," says Christopher McNeil, an Independent Financial Adviser. He says President Obama's win dropped the markets down 200 - 300 points, Wednesday. "If you looked at your brokerage account yesterday and you looked at it today, you've lost about two-percent of your value."


Why? McNeil says there's a negative reaction economically to President Obama. "This issue of bailing out GM, bailing out Chrysler, bailing out the stock market, while at the same time not bailing out the average citizen," explains McNeil. He says the negative reaction also comes from what he calls "the war on small business owners." "(President Obama) has said he wants everyone, no matter what, to pay higher taxes starting January 1st, if they make $200,000 or so, or more. The problem is, as a small business owner, I have to pay taxes on all of that money, even though I might take some of that money and hire people, and expand my business. I'm taxed at the high rate, even though I might take home a little fraction of that income," he explains.


He says these actions have caused investors to want to "take their ball and go home," as the old saying goes. This ends up affecting everyone's money. "When we reach a certain point, people start losing faith in markets and taking their money out of the markets. Selling from one portfolio affects your 401k, your stocks, bonds, and brokerage accounts. If half the country starts selling out of emotion, that brings everybody down with it," he says.


McNeil says, oftentimes, the lower and middle-classes tend to demonize the wealthy. "The investor-class feels picked on, and if all of them leave, it hurts everybody. So, we really have to stick together as a country if we're going to move this economy forward," he says.


But, the emotional-aspect of the markets isn't the only issue on the table. "January 1st is the day that all the tax-rates go up," says McNeil. If a deal is not made to extend the Bush Tax Cuts, you will shell out more. This will be a big hit, particularly for the poor.


"The Bush Tax Cuts included zero for the very poor, which everyone thought was a fantastic idea. Well, now that's about to expire, so the very poor might get hit with this gigantic tax increase January 1st. Everybody's taxes will go up. Everybody. Even someone making a dollar will be paying taxes on January 1st if this deal's not done," says McNeil.


But, wait-- there's more. "The only thing I'm concerned about is the debt that the U.S. has," says one Oklahoman.


Financial experts predict we'll hit the debt-limit by November. If a deal to raise the budget-ceiling is not met, we'll go into sequestration-- or mandatory budget cuts. "If we don't get a deal done, a half-a-trillion-dollars comes out of Medicare. Nurses, doctors, hospitals-- they lose half-a-trillion dollars," says McNeil, who says the same will happen to the Defense Department. "A trillion-dollars coming out of a 16-trillion-dollar economy will cause a massive recession January 1st," says McNeil, predicting mass lay-offs and thousands of people hitting the unemployment lines. "Just the idea that it could happen is really scary, so we really need something to budge here."


He's referring to the President wanting to raise the debt ceiling, but Republicans being unwilling to raise taxes. Neither side seems to be willing to budge. Financial experts say these three big issues coming down the pike: whether to extend the Bush Tax Cuts, and whether to raise the debt-ceiling or go into mandatory cuts-- are all decisions that will come to a head in December. "All of these are three separate issues and all three are just catastrophic if they don't get fixed," says McNeil.


"I just hope everybody can work together and get some of the problems solved that need to be solved," says one Oklahoman.


So, what should you do with your money? "If you're 40 or younger, you really need to use the volatility of the next three months specifically to get money into this market. If you're 40 and under, and you have 20 - 30 years until you'll need this money, you should be putting money into this market, into your 401k. Don't stop that. Keep buying good, quality stock mutual funds," says McNeil.


But, what about if you're older? "If you're 55 and older, there's a chance of a real calamitous event in the next three to four months. So, if you're about 60 or older, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reduce your equities a bit, reduce your stock allocation in our 401k," says McNeil, who also recommends everyone watch their money. "Don't just put it in there and forget about it," he says.

How will Obama's re-election affect your wallet?

Posted: Wednesday, November 7 2012, 09:52 PM CST

IN OKLAHOMA NEWS

Forecasters: Potential tornado threat for Oklahoma
May 18, 2013 19:41 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Forecasters with the National Weather Service say severe thunderstorms with possible tornadoes are to move across much of Oklahoma.

Northwestern Oklahoma, including the Woodward area, faces the greatest threat late Saturday. On Sunday, the storm system is forecast to progress eastward, affecting Oklahoma City and Tulsa and areas in between.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman says there is a moderate risk of tornadoes Saturday in western Oklahoma. The threat area stretches north across Kansas and well into Nebraska.

A slight risk of severe storms reaches into central Oklahoma for Saturday night.

Sunday's moderate threat extends from south-central Oklahoma, through eastern Kansas and into western Missouri.

The Storm Prediction Center says the forecast map is still developing and that wind conditions that bring tornadoes could develop rapidly.

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