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Just as the amount of outstanding debt has spiraled uncontrollably higher, so too will inflation. The hubris of central bankers who somehow believe they will know the precise time to alter easy money policies in order to prevent a monetary disaster is only exceeded by the foolishness of Congressional oversight in granting that authority. Word count: 1139

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.

Last December the IMF announced that the Chinese yuan would be included in the basket of currencies used to determine the value of a new global reserve currency called the Special Drawing Right (SDR), or world money. Now, less than four weeks following the G20 Summit, the yuan will officially join the SDR making up over 10% of the SDR. With China onboard, the SDR is poised to become the de facto global reserve currency.

One of the most dangerous places to be as an investor is when you’re the smartest person in the room and don't have a heavy dose of humility. That can get you into trouble because it can lead to overconfidence which can lead to overthinking which can be a deadly combination when managing money. Intelligence becomes wisdom with the recognition that no matter how certain you are in your market views, no one really knows how things will play out. This is why it’s so important to fight to...

Most investors assume that the only thing that matters is whether they’re right or wrong...[but] being right or wrong all the time is more about ego than making money. Risk only matters when there are consequences attached to your actions. To understand true risk, investors need to ask themselves: “What are the consequences if I am right or wrong?” Word count: 674

Market-related predictions have become a quadrennial tradition, but that doesn't mean that they're worth the ink that's spilled on them. In terms of broader trends, politics in general - and elections in particular - have minimal predictive value with respect to subsequent market (and economic) activity. Nonetheless, we'll take some time to consider what both the historical - and the more recent data might be telling us about this year's election. Word count: 787

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

Several analysts in favour of gold are predicting a spike to come in the precious metal’s price. They base this prediction on several arguments but, as far as I’m concerned, their arguments won’t be enough to push gold up toward new heights. There are two other elements that need to come into play, and we’re starting to see them.

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.