Finance

The more I think about where the “monetary policy community” of academic elites has brought us, the angrier I get. It has been a long time since I have been this passionately upset about something - and not merely because the policies are stupid - but what the Fed has done is to destroy the retirement hopes and dreams of multiple tens of millions of my fellow U.S. boomers (and when we include the effects of the destructive policies of the rest of the world’s central banks, the number becomes hundreds of millions). This article looks at the FOMC’s decision-making process for monetary policy and surveys the unpalatable future that our leaders are cooking up for us.

Retirement should be thought of as the start of something not the end of something. As such there is a lot of work to do as far as how to spend your time, assess your finances (even if you have an advisor), become your own health and fitness advocate (and there's probably more) and all of them are multi-faceted in their scope. Once you get to retirement it is an opportunity for many things if you have the right perspective. This article addresses 8 brutal truths about retirement and how to make the most of each.

A large majority of what the financial industry calls financial advice is really just glorified product sales. What most people actually need is advice about how their investments fit into their overall financial plan, and more importantly their life. Investment management & financial advice are both necessary components for long-term success, but it’s important to understand the differences. This article points out those differences.

The following infographic highlights 9 relatively recent “black swan” events that will have a lasting impact on how investors approach markets.

The next six months could be the most conflicted period that most of us have ever experienced, so, I'm suggesting that we enter it open-eyed, cautious, and conservative in managing our money and financial affairs at least through the spring.

The complete and total collapse of Deutsche Bank would be an event many times more significant for the global financial system than the collapse of Lehman Brothers was. Global leaders simply cannot afford for such a thing to happen, but without serious intervention it appears that is precisely where we are heading.

This site is devoted to enlightening oneself regarding the economy, the markets and investment options to strengthen one's financial wellbeing. That being said, occasionally I think a meaningful site should share other ways to improve one's life to make it the absolute best it can possibly be - and this is one such article.

Increasing stock market prices are largely driven by an increasing rate of monetary inflation BUT monetary inflation growth has now been either flat or declining for the last three years, depending on what time frame one looks at. Conclusion: Earnings, and ultimately valuations, must fall as an ever-expanding rate of monetary inflation is unsustainable and as interest rates cannot forever be kept artificially low.

The Federal Reserve has decided to leave its target interest rate unchanged at a range of 0.25% - 0.5% while suggesting that a hike later in the year was very likely. This article presents the differing points of view of two former Fed officials as to whether it was the right call or not.

What is the value of education for household income? The Census Bureau's annual survey data for 2015 published last week gives us some interesting insights into this question.