August 15, 2019 Despite my non-violent predilection, should I ever meet the person who coined the phrase “Growing old gracefully,” I would probably hit him. After all, how many seniors do you know who have aged gracefully? Some seniors I know may be less aggrieved than others, but virtually everyone I know has one (or more) afflictions. I can’t speak...
August 15, 2019 During periods of volatility, or in anticipation of volatility, or just about any day of the week, it’s common to speak to a client or two about market volatility. The questions are often similar: “How can I get market returns with less risk?” Or, “Can’t we sell everything and go back in when things settle down?” If...
August 15, 2019 Life expectancy has increased over the past 100 years. Thus, it’s not uncommon for clients to suggest that their retirement plan include an extended life span, sometimes to 95 years or more. But if a plan covers retirement to age 95 (or beyond), is there a downside? Our clients are individuals, not statistics, but we have to...
August 15, 2019 We’ve previously written about helping young children to learn about charity and savings. Those lessons can be life-long, and life-changing, and they shouldn’t stop. As the New York Times 1 points out in an article titled “The Birds and the Bees. Why Not Bequests? Parents will talk to their children about drugs or sex, but often won’t...
Source: Direxion Funds August 15, 2019 GOING, GOING, GONE – 7,037 American retail stores have closed YTD through 6/30/19, already exceeding the 5,864 closures that occurred during all of calendar year 2018. This year’s store closures are on pace to exceed the all-time record of 8,139 from 2017 (source: Coresight Research). LONGEST IN HISTORY - The US economic expansion began...
June 30, 2019 If you’ve read Stan’s World for a few years, you may recall that I often advocate for volunteerism. While some of us may have more time and opportunity than others to help those less fortunate, I fervently believe that what we take away from volunteering is so much more than we invest. In fact, a recent conversation...
June 30, 2019 While a study involving Google and the DNA website, Ancestry.com, notes that our DNA may not play as big a role in our life expectancy as we all assume, a subsequent study published in the journal, Circulation, highlighted how we can take responsibility to increase our lifespan. As noted in Businessinsider.com 1 , the study noted “five...
June 30, 2019 When the U.S. stock market goes up, it’s only logical to question why there’s a need to own anything but U.S. stocks. That argument can be further bolstered by pointing out how many U.S. companies derive sales from international markets. “If I own Coca-Cola, aren’t I invested internationally?” A recent Vanguard paper 1 highlights three major reasons...
June 30, 2019 It’s possible you may have heard the term inverted yield curve by reading about it in a financial publication 1 or while aimlessly surfing through the 500 channels offered by your cable provider. Simply put, an inverted yield curve means the yield on a Treasury bond that matures in 10-years is lower than the yield provided by...
Source: Direxion Funds June 30, 2019 THERE HAVE BEEN A DOZEN TUMBLES – During the index’s bull run that started on 3/190/09, the S&P 500 has withstood 12 drops of at least 5%, including 6 drops of at least 10% and 3 drops of at least 15% (source: BTN Research). AGING POPULATION – Between 1950 and 2018, the US population...