Do your investments match your values?
I have written before the current age has been called the Anthropogenic Era, the human era, because mankind is reshaping the geology and environment of the world. The economic system is adjusting to these changes taking place. The economic system set up 100 years ago does not behave or react the same way because the environment is different in which it operates.
The internet is revolutionizing the economy.
Continue reading “A Guidebook for the Anthropocene Era”
A new report from World Economic Forum shows that retirees could outlive their savings by a decade or more due to higher life expectancy. “Women should prepare to bear the brunt of such shortfalls, going without retirement savings for at least two years longer than their male counterparts.” (3)
“The size of the gap is such that it requires action,’ says report co-author Han Yik. (1)
Continue reading “Closing the Retirement Savings Gap”
Thanks to endless rain and historic flooding that has stretched on for months, many farmers have not been able to plant crops at all, and a lot of the crops that have actually been planted are deeply struggling. What this means is that U.S. agricultural production has the possibility of being way, way down this year.
Continue reading “Climate Change Affecting Crops in 2019”
A recent Bloomberg article titled “The Global Growth Hotspots of the Future Are Here” discussed an HSBC report which advises that investors need to focus on the growth of cities in the Emerging Markets. (1)
“While wealthier countries are more urbanized today, the proportion of urban to rural dwellers in emerging markets is expected to climb to 63 percent in 2050 from 50 percent now, according to the study, which draws on research by McKinsey and the United Nations.
Continue reading “Global future growth… and Climate Change”
Several recent studies show peoples number one fear is running out of money during retirement.
To prepare us for retirement the government gives workers the ability to set up qualified accounts in order to save for retirement and get tax deferred growth. By deferring taxes money saved can grow faster. You put money away, not paying taxes now, but paying taxes on the money when you pull it out during retirement.
Continue reading “RMD: What are the Risks and How Can We Address Them?”
In the Fall of 2018, equity markets sold off.
What was the cause?
Widespread view among economists was an expectation of slowing economic growth in 2019 and a Federal Reserve led by Chairman Jay Powell that was expected to continue to raise rates three more times in 2019.
As anxiety and stress built up in November and December, markets dropped. Between October 3 and October 29 the SP500 fell 9.7%. Between October 29 and December 7 the market bounced around rising 6.5% only to give it back and to fall .3%. However, in the weeks before Christmas, December 7 to December 24 the market fell another 10.7%. Showing the rapidness of the decline, on Christmas Eve the SP500 fell 2.6%.
Continue reading ““Data Dependent” Fed Changes Course and Markets React”
Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t easily shed tears. But I did on Monday March 18th, 2019. For over an hour I wept.
On this day it was announced that Alan Krueger, beloved Princeton economist, had passed away over the weekend. (1)
Michael Mckee of Bloomberg said “He was one of the nicest people in economics, always willing to sit down and explain concepts to you, to talk with you, it’s a real shock…” Peter Coy continued, “If he were just a nice guy it would be one thing, but he was also a deep scholar…” McKee explained, “There are a lot of economists doing important work, but Krueger really had an enormous impact on public policy outcomes.” All concurred, “It’s a tragedy.” (3)
Continue reading “In Memoriam, Alan Krueger”
Its no secret that human longevity has been growing due medical advances over the past 30 years. Life expectancy in 1960 was 66 for men and 73 for women; in 2010 the average expectancy was 80 for men and 84 for women. (1)
However, in addition to longevity, one of the issues people have struggled with is a decreased quality of life in a person’s later years. Chronic diseases play a major role in limiting peoples experience and inflicting pain on the elderly and their families… cancer, strokes, dementia, respiratory, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s.
These issues not only reduce a person’s enjoyment of life but affect their financial health as well. The expenses associated with medical care and long-term care are substantial. But baby-boomers are not sitting still…
Continue reading “The Benefits to a Healthy Diet: Quality of Life, Financial Security and Legacy”
“Current Bull Market Continues To Climb A ‘Wall of Worry’” (1)
The “wall of worry” is one of the phrases frequently used to illustrate the resistance or fear of investors to invest in a stock market that had earlier gone down. Since the Great Recession of 2008 and the financial crisis many investors have worried about the possibility of another financial crisis.
On October 3rd, 2018 the 10-year yield moved dramatically higher increasing 3.3% in a single day. Pundits have listed many reasons for rates and bond yields to move higher… a strengthening economy, decreasing unemployment, rising oil prices signaling inflation, a Federal Reserve committed to further rate increases into 2019. (3)
These pressures have been building for some time and signal a good economic environment.