My first boat was a small 22′ boat with twin outboards hanging off the back. A total newbie, I took the Coast Guard course by mail. We had a tiny Florida condo on a very narrow canal. Off I went, learning how to drive, navigating the twists and turns into the Atlantic. It was windy and choppy; I needed considerable […]
» Read moreI recently interviewed my nephew James about building wealth. His experiences were similar to mine, explaining wealth accumulation can be accomplished by paying off your debts; not only high-interest debt, but also paying off your mortgage as soon as you can. I was in my late 40s the first time I filled out a Retirement Plan Income Calculator. After carefully […]
» Read moreEarly Generation Xers (1965-1980), age 58, are nearing retirement, while the younger (43) folks are turning the corner into their peak earning years. The National Institute on Retirement Security report “The Forgotten Generation: Generation X Approaches Retirement” indicates the majority are FAILING to save anything close to enough to retire comfortably. Even with 401k programs available their entire careers, most […]
» Read moreI recently wrote about spending time with my 13-year-old grandson Brock. Apple phones and other nice things are something he is aware of; along with understanding that adults have to EARN the money to pay for them. How do young people get started in accumulating wealth? In 2017, I interviewed my nephew James, a late Gen Xer (1980), who was […]
» Read moreCongress just keeps spending money we don’t have. It took just five weeks to add $1 trillion to the national debt after Congress authorized yet another increase in the debt ceiling. The US debt clock projects our borrowing out to 2027 – it is scary: It now takes over $1 trillion in taxes just to pay the interest, which has […]
» Read moreInflation is increasing prices and a fall in the purchasing value of money. Banks and governments make inflation sound complicated as it serves their interest. It’s a hidden tax. Government-created inflation weakens the value of the currency, our money buys less. Anyone shopping goods, services, airline tickets, an automobile, clothing, and particularly medical care is seeing significant price increases. While […]
» Read moreWith a big grin, former colleague Doug Casey told me, “Sure, you can trust the government!” I raised my eyebrows. He continued. “In the event of a crisis, you can not only trust the government to NOT do the right thing but also to do the exact wrong thing.” Remember the Karma law of Humility; “You can’t change something if […]
» Read moreTrillions for bank bailouts, secret loans, exorbitant inflation, negative interest rates; middle class struggles while the rich get richer…. How did we get into this mess? Frontline on PBS outlines, “The Long Demise of Glass-Steagall.” (Emphasis mine) “1933 Following the Great Crash of 1929,…politicians, see market speculation…by banks during the 1920s as a cause of the crash. In 1933, Senator […]
» Read moreThe Fed leaped into action when the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failed, and Congress quickly agreed they were derelict in their duties. No one asked why the Fed doesn’t act to keep us safe? The Fed’s website tells us: “What is the purpose of the Federal Reserve System? The Federal Reserve System,…’the Fed,’ is the central bank of the United […]
» Read moreShortly after the Fed bailed out the Silicon Valley bank depositors, Reuters reported that Credit Suisse failed: “ZURICH, March 20 (Reuters) – Credit Suisse and UBS could benefit from more than 260 billion Swiss francs ($280 billion) in state and central bank support, a third of the country’s gross domestic product, as part of their merger to buffer Switzerland against […]
» Read more