Questions You Were Afraid To Ask Earlier this year, I started a series of letters called “Questions You Were Afraid to Ask.” Each time, we look at a common question that many investors have but feel uncomfortable asking. Because when it comes to investing, the only bad question is the one left unasked! We’ve…
Happy Independence Day! When we were kids, one of the things we had to learn is that many people are different from us – and that we are different from other people. We all look different, dress different, talk different, think different, you name it. Sometimes, those differences can be very pronounced, and it’s easy…
The annual Social Security Trustees Report is out. At 275 pages I wouldn’t expect any of you to want to read it! I haven’t read it all, but I will share some highlights (I know where to look). The report really used to be one of those government reports that nobody paid much attention to,…
Happy Father’s Day! Back in March, a train from Ukraine arrived in Poland. Inside were dozens of tired, hungry children fleeing the war. I have no idea what the kids expected to see when they arrived at the station, but the sight that greeted them was certainly not it. Standing there, on the…
Many different factors drive the retirement decision and when to retire. To name a few I’ve seen in the last 2 years: Health or Spouses’ Health Age Job Issues Social Security Enough Money Layoffs Covid Marriage I have heard several stories of people running out of money or running short of money in retirement. Some…
Questions You Were Afraid To Ask A few months ago, I started a series called “Questions You Were Afraid to Ask.” Each time, we look at a common question that many investors have but feel uncomfortable asking. Because when it comes to investing, the only bad question is the one left unasked! In…
Happy Memorial Day! On April 11, 1916, British troops on the front lines were visited by an imposing figure: Winston Churchill. It would be many years before Churchill became a legendary statesman, but he was already well-known, having most recently served as the First Lord of the Admiralty. As Churchill went down the lines, he…
Over the years, one of the most popular ways to save for retirement is to contribute to an Individual Retirement Account, or IRA. That’s because IRAs enable you to invest (and hopefully grow) your money for retirement in a way that also brings significant tax advantages. As you can imagine, much of my time as…
Imagine Rip Van Winkle woke up from a two-year nap and cornered you on the street. “What’s been happening?” he asks. “What did I miss?” After catching him up on the last two years – COVID, the presidential election, Russia invading Ukraine, etc. – he asks you: “By the way, how are the markets doing?” …
Happy Mother’s Day! It’s Mother’s Day and one of our favorite songs lately has been “Unsung Hero” by For King & Country, an Australian Christian duo. The group, composed of two brothers dedicated “Unsung Hero” to their parents for the sacrifices they made in moving from Australia to the United States and molding them into…