He is the richest person in history. Warren Buffett? At his peak, Buffett’s wealth is less than one-fifth this man’s fortune. Bill Gates doesn’t even come close. Neither does Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton or telecom magnate… Read More

These are truly days of wine and roses for stock market investors.#-ad_banner-# After being knocked down in the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s and again during the financial crisis of 2008, long-term investors are being rewarded for their persistence and dedication as stocks surge higher, breaking record after record. In fact, this bull market turned 4 years old in March and is showing no signs of letting up. Historically, the average bull market… Read More

These are truly days of wine and roses for stock market investors.#-ad_banner-# After being knocked down in the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s and again during the financial crisis of 2008, long-term investors are being rewarded for their persistence and dedication as stocks surge higher, breaking record after record. In fact, this bull market turned 4 years old in March and is showing no signs of letting up. Historically, the average bull market has lasted 4 1/2 years. In and of itself, this means little; for instance, the 1990s bull market lasted nearly seven years without a major correction. But according to my research, there are three distinct signs that make me think this bull market may be ending soon. Here’s what you need to know. 1. Irrational Exuberance This term is best known for its use by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan during… Read More

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey, and it looks like a lot of baby boomers are going to flunk “Retirement Planning 101.” In a nutshell, the survey concluded: — Americans are living longer. — Americans don’t have nearly enough saved for retirement. — Americans are realizing they will have to work longer, and many will never retire. First, let’s take a look at how confident workers are about whether they… Read More

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey, and it looks like a lot of baby boomers are going to flunk “Retirement Planning 101.” In a nutshell, the survey concluded: — Americans are living longer. — Americans don’t have nearly enough saved for retirement. — Americans are realizing they will have to work longer, and many will never retire. First, let’s take a look at how confident workers are about whether they have enough money for retirement: What about those who have already retired? Their confidence also appears shaky… While in 2007, 41% were “Very Confident,” the number in that category has dropped to just 18%. For some additional clarity on the changes, we made a table comparing 2002 and 2013 levels of confidence and included our corresponding grades for each level: Although it’s safe to assume those who gave themselves A’s or B’s think they will be OK, their numbers have dropped significantly. Meanwhile, there seems… Read More

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey, and it looks like a lot of baby boomers are going to flunk “Retirement Planning 101.” In a nutshell, the survey concluded: — Americans are living longer. — Americans don’t have nearly enough saved for retirement. — Americans are realizing they will have to work longer, and many will never retire. First, let’s take a look at how confident workers are about whether they have enough money for retirement: [chart 1] What about those who have already retired? Their confidence also appears shaky…… Read More

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released its 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey, and it looks like a lot of baby boomers are going to flunk “Retirement Planning 101.” In a nutshell, the survey concluded: — Americans are living longer. — Americans don’t have nearly enough saved for retirement. — Americans are realizing they will have to work longer, and many will never retire. First, let’s take a look at how confident workers are about whether they have enough money for retirement: [chart 1] What about those who have already retired? Their confidence also appears shaky… [chart 2] While in 2007, 41% were “Very Confident,” the number in that category has dropped to just 18%. For some additional clarity on the changes, we made a table comparing 2002 and 2013 levels of confidence and included our corresponding grades for each level: [table] Although it’s safe to assume those who gave themselves A’s or B’s think they will be OK, their numbers have dropped significantly. Meanwhile, there seems to be a growing gap between public-sector and private-sector employees. The percentage of U.S. workers with defined-benefit retirement plans is down to 3% as of 2011. That means that… Read More

Many people have a false impression about the wealthy.#-ad_banner-# It’s often believed that the rich are somehow different than the rest of us. The media places them on a pedestal as fortunate people who don’t have any worries and spend their days in a fantasy world of luxury and pampering. But nothing could be further from the truth. Often, the greater the wealth, the larger the problems, worries and stress levels. The only thing that is different is the scale of the… Read More

Many people have a false impression about the wealthy.#-ad_banner-# It’s often believed that the rich are somehow different than the rest of us. The media places them on a pedestal as fortunate people who don’t have any worries and spend their days in a fantasy world of luxury and pampering. But nothing could be further from the truth. Often, the greater the wealth, the larger the problems, worries and stress levels. The only thing that is different is the scale of the issues; otherwise the rich are the same as everyone else. So just what is different about those with self-made wealth and those without? This subject fascinates me, so I decided to discover what characteristics and habits are common factors among the wealthy. Here are seven secrets of self-made wealth. 1. The Ability To Delay Gratification This is truly a key to wealth. The wealthy are able to concentrate on the future along with their everyday tasks. The ability to understand how actions today will affect the future… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality of increased gold production reminds us of the immutable laws of supply and demand. If the world needs more gold, producers will simply mine more. Of course, the next time we get a temporary inflation scare, you’ll hear lots of talk about gold again, as fearful investors seek bullion. What should you do? Ignore the crowd. If you really want to hedge against inflation, look to the types of… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality of increased gold production reminds us of the immutable laws of supply and demand. If the world needs more gold, producers will simply mine more. Of course, the next time we get a temporary inflation scare, you’ll hear lots of talk about gold again, as fearful investors seek bullion. What should you do? Ignore the crowd. If you really want to hedge against inflation, look to the types of… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality of increased gold production reminds us of the immutable laws of supply and demand. If the world needs more gold, producers will simply mine more. Of course, the next time we get a temporary inflation scare, you’ll hear lots of talk about gold again, as fearful investors seek bullion. What should you do? Ignore the crowd. If you really want to hedge against inflation, look to the types of… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality of increased gold production reminds us of the immutable laws of supply and demand. If the world needs more gold, producers will simply mine more. Of course, the next time we get a temporary inflation scare, you’ll hear lots of talk about gold again, as fearful investors seek bullion. What should you do? Ignore the crowd. If you really want to hedge against inflation, look to the types of… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality… Read More

Question: I’ve read that inflation could pick up in coming years. What can I do about it? The Investing Answer: Every few decades, investors start to grow concerned about the runaway effects of inflation. In response, they reflexively place their funds into gold, silver and other precious metals. But that’s a huge mistake — gold and these other hard assets are simply “perceived” hedges against inflation. As we’ve recently seen, gold prices have tumbled as the reality of increased gold production reminds us of the immutable laws of supply and demand. If the world needs more gold, producers will simply mine more. Of course, the next time we get a temporary inflation scare, you’ll hear lots of talk about gold again, as fearful investors seek bullion. What should you do? Ignore the crowd. If you really want to hedge against inflation, look to the types of… Read More