Friday, November 27, 2020
My wife Jo had some CDs mature. If we renewed them at the current .4% rate, she would take an 80% income cut. She remarked, “That’s not enough income to pay the bills. We don’t want to tap into the principal each month to make ends meet.” What would be a perfect retirement plan? I […]
I recently ran across a special retirement report that included some shocking data. The report used historical investment results to help retirees project how long their savings will last. Of course, the hope is that your retirement savings last for the full length of your retirement. The scary news is that by using traditional investment […]
I recently interviewed Chuck Butler about JP Morgan’s recent admission to five felony counts and $1 billion fine. I asked, “When Is It Going To End?” Right after finishing the interview, ZeroHedge reported: “Goldman Sachs is reportedly on the cusp of settling one of the biggest criminal cases involving a Wall Street bank since the financial crisis: According […]
In early 2020, much of the world went into a lockdown due to a medical pandemic. Governments warned millions could die. The world was scared. Headlines like, “Coronavirus sparks stock market chaos” were common. Wikipedia reports: “During March 2020, global stocks saw a downturn of at least 25%, and 30% in most G20 nations. …. […]
Inflation is defined as, “A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of currency.” Inflation is a silent killer of retirement dreams. Most retiree’s income can’t keep up with inflation; even with the social security inflation rider. Jeff Clark’s article, “How to Deprogram Your Friends & Family from the Cult of Fiat Currency,” […]
I gave myself a wake-up call. Our recent article “Thinking About Retiring? Better Think It Through!” was a jolt for sure. For decades the mantra was save money and grow your wealth. We banked on the “rule of 72”. When the accumulated interest equals 72, you would double your money. Earn 6%, in 12 years you will […]
A friend recently asked me, “How is anyone going to be able to retire?” Since 2008, the retirement landscape has changed radically. This Atlantic article, How Retirement Was Invented provides some history: “In the United States, starting in the mid-1800s, certain municipal employees…started receiving public pensions…. By the 1920s, a variety of American industries…were promising their workers […]
Every day we see infuriating, politically biased Facebook posts, followed by others totally debunking the point. Someone is lying, and may have spent a lot of money for a professional presentation, to make their lie convincing. Who do you trust? “There is nothing from the CDC that I can trust.” Dr. Deborah Birx, concerned that […]
Many investors buy hot or well-known stocks in the hope that share prices will continue to rise. However, as I was advised many years ago, hope is not a plan. The plan I share with my subscribers derives from conversations I had over several decades with investors who have actually become wealthy by investing in […]
The COVID-19 outbreak has shown us once again that life can be unpredictable. The uncertainty produced by these situations is real. Many people give in to the fear, leading to actions such as hoarding toilet paper and dumping investments to lock in their losses. Others look for opportunities to improve their futures. A rearview mirror […]
