The Rule of 72 is a time-proven method to predict the time needed for a portfolio or income stream to double.

Mandatory IRAs as proposed by the Obama Administration is just the 1st step in stealth nationalization and forced investment of our retirement benefits to support the treasury debt market! [As such,] every American with substantial retirement assets must [begin now to] protect themselves from having to become buyers of last resort for US treasury obligations. [Let me explain.] Words: 6349

Appearances are all that seem to matter in our society today. Dying in debt will be common place in the coming years. Fully 21% of Americans say they don’t think they will be able to pay off their debts — including their car, credit cards, student loans and mortgages — in their lifetime. Our debt addict society is dying of an overdose.

Beating the S&P 500 is so difficult that the index outperforms most active money managers but Warren Buffett has consistently done so. Over the last 30 years BRK.A has had an average annualized total return of 14.9%, while the S&P 500 has returned 9.4%.

These charts tell me that, even though gold is still down from its 2011 peak, investors continue to value it as an attractive store of value.

The Q Ratio, the total price of the market divided by the replacement cost of all its companies, is a popular method of estimating the fair value of the stock market and it illustrates the secular trend toward higher valuations.

Despite continued market worries about a global economic slowdown and potential recession, investor sentiment appears exceptionally healthy at the moment.

It is a “no brainer” to stock up on precious metals and other tangibles given that our governments are working overtime to make our paper money worthless.

The modern consumer is becoming increasingly distinct from those of years past so for us to truly understand how these changes will affect the marketplace and our investments, we need to rethink and update our image of the modern consumer. Here are three ways the new consumer is different than in years past:

We have entered the endgame for the dollar as the dominant reserve currency and most investors and policy makers are unaware of the implications - but those who are will have positioned themselves in the one asset most likely to be left standing when the dust settles - gold.