Gary Halbert’s newsletter includes over 40 facts about a topic that interests almost everyone: Money. Here are just 10 of the sometimes-surprising facts:

1. More of our fantasies are about money ... than sex.

2. More than 80 million people call the I.R.S. Information Hotline phone number every year. One-third of those calls go unanswered. And, according to the Treasury Department itself, 47 percent of the answers the 'get-through' callers receive are incorrect.

3. The average wedding in America costs a staggering $20,000.

4. Sunday newspaper coupon inserts are the second-most read section of the paper, after the front page.

5. If we could have any luxury in the world (and money didn't matter) more of us would choose to spend money on a butler and a maid than anything else.

6. Ninety percent of Americans who own pets buy them Christmas gifts.

7. Money is the leading cause of disagreements in marriages.

8. For $10 million most of us would do almost ANYTHING! Including abandoning our family and friends and our church. A very high percentage of us would, for that same amount of money, change our race or sex. And, 1 in every 14 would even murder someone for $10 million bucks.

9. Ninety-two percent of us would rather be rich than find the love of our lives.

10. According to Employee Benefits Research Institute 96 percent of all people who have jobs right now won't be eligible for their full Social Security benefits when they reach age 65.

Gary Halbert Newsletter February 12, 2004