A client recently asked this question: I’ve got some money I’d like to leave to my grandkids. I want it to grow, but I’m not comfortable putting it at risk in the market. Meanwhile, safer investments like CDs seem like they’re barely keeping up with inflation. Do you have any suggestions? It’s a classic case …
What’s the most overused phrase in the English language? Here’s a vote for “the new normal.” (“At the end of the day” runs a close second.) Pundits talk endlessly about “the new normal” in healthcare, politics, foreign relations, sexuality, the climate, the workplace—you name it. One exception is the financial world where I’m seeing a …
What a year it’s been financially! Here’s a snapshot… A year ago, the stock market, as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average, closed at 34,390. Today (I’m writing this on September 30, 2022) the Dow stands at 28,725—about 17% lower! Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has been falling since early January! A year ago, an …
“I have some other things I’d like to do,” he said with a slight hesitation in his voice. “So, I don’t think I can commit to that right now.” He was responding to my encouragement that he establish a regular saving plan. How unfortunate. Because except for those rare souls who win the lottery or …
The last time the stock market had such a terrible January-through-June performance, I was in junior high. The year was 1970. For me, that was a time of pimples, polyester clothes, bad hair, trying to impress girls, and Mrs. Lawrence’s English class. All not-so-fun experiences—a lot like investing is for most people right now. For …
In early October, 1871, a fire turned Chicago’s business district into a smoldering ash heap. Today, visitors to the Windy City marvel at a skyline of beautiful architecture. In late December, 2005, quarterback Drew Brees of the San Diego Chargers suffered a severe injury to his throwing shoulder. Many experts believed his NFL career was …
Back in the 1970s, an OPEC oil embargo sparked a period of hyperinflation in America. To clamp down on rising prices, Fed Chairman Paul Volcker raised interest rates. By 1981, you were lucky if you could find a home mortgage for less than 16%. Business loans were going for 25%. On the bright side, if …
“I bet you’re getting a lot of calls.” I could tell by the background noise he was driving with his windows down. I suppose calling to needle me seemed a good way to pass the time. I didn’t take the bait. “Calls about what?” “This dang market,” he said. “Inflation is out of control. Fuel …
“The stock market is like gambling,” someone told me earlier this week. I understand such feelings. Thanks to inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and other factors, the markets are more volatile than normal. The S&P 500 is a prime example. It fell 12% earlier this year. It has since recovered about half that year-to-date …
If you typed the word “inflation” into your favorite search engine, you’d get over 380 million results. Whew. That’s a lot of reading. Let me save you time and confusion. Here are short answers to the five most common questions people ask about inflation. 1. What is inflation? In simple terms, inflation is when our …
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