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 Times¹ 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 discuss inheritance,” we often limit the lessons we teach our children, especially our adult children.

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 its 11th year (i.e., 121st month) a week ago today on 7/01/19, making it the longest-running expansion in our nation’s history based upon government data that has been maintained since 1854 or for 165 years (source: National Bureau of Economic Research).

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 with an old friend led me to conclude there may even be more at stake than I realized. 

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. 

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?” 

June 30, 2019

It’s possible you may have heard the term inverted yield curve by reading about it in a financial publication¹ or while aimlessly surfing through the 500 channels offered by your cable provider.

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 doubled from 159.1 million to 332.8 million while the number of Americans at least age 65 quadrupled from 12.8 million to 52.4 million (source: Social Security 2019 Trustees Report).

May 15, 2019

Consumer Reports asked etiquette experts—Diane Gottsman and Julia Esteve Boyd—to recommend which service providers to tip, and the amount.  These suggested tips represent their combined recommendation, summarized in the graphic below.

May 15, 2019

It’s always a bit of a Deja vu moment for me when I wind up in a situation where I have to give myself the same advice I give to clients. When I speak to clients, I often say the words: “I understand,” though I may have never had that particular experience. It’s an attempt at empathy; acknowledging that I realize you’re in the process of making a difficult decision. 

May 15, 2019

Many investors aren’t aware of the concept of fee-only financial planning, so we’re sending along the article below from Financial Planning Magazine¹ because it’s the best one we’ve seen written on the subject in years.

Written by Bob Veres, a well-respected industry observer for decades, it’s clearly sarcastic in tone. It’s intent, however, is to point out the players in the personal finance marketplace and the incentives behind their compensation.