Everyone complains about the job market, but they do not do anything to change it. Our country needs jobs in the housing and construction market to get the economy going again, and I have a plan to help us achieve this goal... it’s called IRAD or Individual Retirement Account Diversification.

How about a stimulus program that the taxpayers don’t have to pay back? Unlike the government program we wouldn’t have to be concerned on how the money was spent.

IRAD is about using IRA funds to promote our housing and construction market. IRAD would allow people to use money from their IRAs with no penalties, as long as the funds are used for purchasing land, building (new construction or additions), or to buy a house. The funds could also be used to pay down a house loan. The bank holding the loan would then rewrite or adjust the payment to make it more manageable, at no cost to the home owner. The benefit to the banks is they would be helping the economy boom again, helping their businesses as well.

The government would make a lot of money off this program through taxes on products sold. Right now the government does not make much off IRAs, because most funds were invested in overseas investments. This would put those investments back in our country.

This would be a huge help to states like California, Nevada, and Florida. Just think if all the IRA holders in their 50s and 60s that are looking to buy a retirement home in one of these states; they could buy now when prices are low. When these IRA holders retire they would sell their homes, and that money would be used to pay back IRA funds.

Michael Lenneman

Merrifield