Over these past few weeks, I’ve been slowly making my case for you to invest some of your money in alternative investments. You’ve had to read and read and read and maybe you’re on track to better understand my thinking. Here is a visual presentation I found recently that re-inforces what I’ve been saying. It …
Continue reading The Case for Alternative Investments – Part VIII
In the first six parts of this series, I’ve given you some simple definitions that apply when the conversation turns to “alternative investments”. I’ve also given you some examples that you might employ as you become more comfortable with this approach. I’m now going to summarize my position. Basically, the market downturn on 2008 scared …
Continue reading The Case for Alternative Investments – Part VII
This calculator can help estimate your Social Security benefits and show you when is the best time to claim Social Security. CLICK HERE...
When I started this series, I began with some definitions to help the reader understand some of the jargon inherent to the discussion. One word I forgot to define is “correlation”. In financial terms, it refers to the extent to which the value of different asset classes (bonds, stocks, gold, etc.) move in relation to …
Continue reading The Case for Alternative Investments – Part VI
Here's who would feel the pain most abruptly: Social Security recipients. The government is due to deliver $23 billion in Social Security payments on August 3, according to forecasting firm IHS Global Insight. If the government is forced to cut 40 percent of its spending, these Social Security checks may not arrive. The suddenness with …
Continue reading Who will suffer if there’s no debt-ceiling deal?
When I started this series, I began with some definitions to help the reader understand some of the jargon inherent to the discussion. One word I forgot to define is “correlation”. In financial terms, it refers to the extent to which the value of different asset classes (bonds, stocks, gold, etc.) move in relation to …
Continue reading The Case for Alternative Investments – Part VI
Ever since I took Economics 101 some 42 years ago, I have understood that "interest", in the financial sense, was the price you paid for the use of someone else's money. If you had money, and someone else wanted it, you could charge "interest" and in time, you would get back what you loaned to …
Washington’s fight over the debt ceiling has obscured a larger reality: Government has lost its ability to influence the economy. A nice analysis that explores the concensus that the state pulls the levers that determine economic health. Zachary Karabell suggests that is no longer true. The essence of his summary: "What, then, can nations and …
Here’s your Weekly Insights update from Curian’s Asset Management Group. This informative capital market update is designed to help you stay informed about important developments from the past week, as well as provide thoughtful commentary on how these events might… CONTINUE...
This calculator estimates your life expectancy. It was developed by Northwestern Mutual Life. It's interesting that there are only 13 questions; yet, they can predict how long you're likely to live. CALCULATOR
Helping Define Your Financial Future 