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Never Mix Insurance With Investments
This thing needs a constant reminder so before it gets too late, you need to read this. Because the push is strong and it will remain strong as there is so much money in it…not…
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The Wisdom of Crowds
At a county fair in 1906, statistician Francis Galton observed a “guess the weight of an ox” competition, where participants tried to estimate the animal’s weight. After analyzing nearly 800 guesses, Galton discovered that the…
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A Primer On Medicare
You become eligible for Medicare at age 65 and apply for the red, white and blue card. There are a few parts to Medicare… Part A is hospital insurance that primarily covers inpatient care. It…
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Excess Savings In Your 529 Plan
In the hierarchy of goals you plan for, saving for college takes a second or third seat to saving for retirement. There are more than a few ways to pay for college but none for…
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Thousand Dollar Mistakes Are Million Dollar Mistakes
Mistakes cost differently at different stages in life. Mistakes in your fifties don’t matter much because there is not much time left for them to compound. And by your fifties, you are likely seasoned enough…
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Building Good Portfolios
It is hard to generalize investing but once you understand duration, you’ll know where to start. Duration is like maturity. If you were ever sold a bank CD, you know maturity. It is the amount…
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Stock Market Bubbles Are Known Only In Hindsight
Price to earnings ratio or the PE ratio is the first thing you’d look at to figure out if you are getting a good deal on a stock. For example, a PE ratio of 20…
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The Retirement Spending Smile
You think you’ll spend like this… But instead, you spend like this… This is not just anecdotal. J.P. Morgan found that most retirees spend less as they age, not more. And it makes total sense.…
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Buying Cash Flows
Say you are looking to invest in a 10-year Treasury bond that pays a coupon rate of 5 percent. So if you invest one thousand dollars, you’ll get 50 dollars in interest each year for…
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Keeping Fixed Costs Low
I am starting to like biographies, especially of famous people in times past. More than knowing about the people, these biographies provide great perspectives on what life was like then. So think of Benjamin Franklin’s…