The Need for Speed — Is There a Limit to Moore’s Law?

My Comments: OK, this has nothing to do with investments or estate planning or taxes or what I usually talk about. It has to do with computers. My computer has sat on my desk now for about 5 years and it works great. But the software is getting a little long in the tooth. Not …

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7 Things You Need to Know About Term Life Insurance

My Comments: It’s very easy for financial professionals of all stripes to get into heated arguments about the merits of life insurance. Or the lack of merits, depending on your perspective. A story I tell is about someone who in all seriousness asked “When is the best time to buy life insurance?”. And the answer …

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Stop Tinkering With Your Retirement Portfolio

My Comments: I can’t tell you how many times over the past 40 years that a client has talked with me suggesting something is wrong with his investments. It usually comes after a long run up in the markets and he or she thinks his portfolio is lagging. And almost every time we’ve made a …

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Thought For The Week – October 16, 2014

My Comments: This comes from a colleague in San Diego. He owns an agency whose focus is seniors and the insurance they need to achieve financial freedom. From time to time he sends out his ‘Thoughts For The Week” which are worth repeating. This is one of them. By Gene Pastula of Westland Financial -  …

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Why Public Investment Really Is a Free Lunch

My Comments: The author of this article, which appeared in the Financial Times, is no stranger to economists, investors, and politicians. My first reaction, however, was that it tends to endorse Keynesian economics, from a source that up to now has argued that the way to achieve economic recovery and more jobs, is for there …

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Corporate U.S. Healthiest in Decades Under Obama With Lower Debt

My Comments: I admit to a strong bias in favor of the Democrats and the values they deem important. As someone with a good understanding of economics and finance, this article that appeared about ten days ago itemizes several positives that have become clear during the past six years of Obama’s presidency. They are worth …

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Hospital Sticker Prices

My Comments: No, this has nothing to do with the price of hospitals that are looking for buyers. This has to do with the sometimes dramatic discrepancy from one hospital to the next for what you are charged for the same medical procedure. This comes from Seattle which is obviously a long way from Gainesville. …

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Why Income Inequality Is a Drag On Economies

My Comments: I’ve written before that it’s my belief that at some point, if income inequality between the haves and the have nots gets too large, social chaos will follow. The spread or relative level of spendable income between these two groups is continuing to widen. So it becomes just a matter of time until …

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What Should We Expect From Our Stock Investments?

My Comments: Lots of questions about the markets these days. I came across this short summary and thought it relevant. I didn’t understand the chart until after I finished reading, so be warned. I’m in a very cautious mode and have my clients positioned to avoid large losses and perhaps make money as things go …

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J.P. Morgan Weekly Market Recap – October 6, 2014

Here is the most recent Weekly Market Recap from J. P. Morgan and Co. It's a great summary of what is going on to help you make better decisions about your investments. Click on the following image and you'll find yourself at a JPMorgan webpage to download it and read at your convenience.