Social Security
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Stock Market Bubbles – The Tulip Mania Revised
Most people who’ve done any reading on investing have come across the Dutch Tulip Bulb Mania of the 1630s. It often is considered to be the first financial bubble and the classic example of manias, financial delusions, and other mental mistakes. This article says that everything we’ve been told about the tulip mania is wrong. […]
The Inevitability of Lower Stock Market Returns
To earn decent investment returns in the future, you’re going to have to diversify out of equities. The Philosophical Economist is back with a long article going into great detail to explain why most pension funds aren’t going to be able to achieve the 7.5% annual investment return that’s baked into their actuarial assumptions. Keep […]
Byron Wein Surveys the World – 8 Important Stock Market Indicators
In his latest monthly commentary, the Blackstone economic analyst reports on his recent travels around the globe and review of the economic data. He’s generally positive for both the U.S. and most other countries. There aren’t too many specific investment ideas in this essay, only a detailed commentary on the economic and political situations in […]
What Could Go Wrong with the Stock Market?
Bloomberg interviewed a number of long-time professional investors and asked them what worries them. Things are going well now, but another crash is possible. Each identifies the factor they think could cause another deep dive in the markets. One of Tad Rivelle’s favorite charts shows the widening gap between the value of U.S. household assets and […]
Who Invests in Stocks? Stock Market Participation
It’s generally accepted that people aren’t equally invested in the stock markets. It’s usually accepted that higher income individuals have a higher percentage of their net worth in stocks than lower income individuals. Did you know that stock market participation also varies by state? The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis published a paper showing […]
Should You Opt for Social Security Lump Sum Retirement Benefits?
Do you know there’s an option to receive up to six months of benefits in a lump sum when initiating Social Security retirement benefits? Not many people do, until they apply for benefits. While a nice option, too many people are surprised by it, and don’t receive the benefit package that’s best for them because […]
“Stealth Taxes” – How to Avoid Getting Taxed on Social Security Benefits
Have you heard of “stealth taxes?” I call them that because people often don’t know about the taxes before getting bitten by them. One of the worst stealth taxes for retirees is the income tax on Social Security retirement benefits. Some aren’t aware of the tax when they retire. Others are exempt from the tax […]
Should You Opt for Social Security Lump Sum Benefits?
Do you know there’s an option to receive up to six months of benefits in a lump sum when initiating Social Security retirement benefits? Not many people do, until they apply for benefits. While a nice option, too many people are surprised by it and don’t receive the benefit package that’s best for them because […]
