Solution for High Prices
As I attended my oldest grandson’s high school graduation ceremony this past weekend, I thought about the general trends of higher education. I wonder how the continuing upward spiral of costs will play out in classical economic terms. People are generally shocked and amazed when I tell them of my [...]
Free plates and failed planning: What Hawaiian Bros can teach us about preparing for retirement
Over the past several weeks, a fast food chain with its origins right here in the metro made national headlines and went viral online, though not necessarily in the way it intended. Hawaiian Bros, founded in 2018 in Belton, recently launched its “Plates for Plates” promotion, offering a free classic [...]
Lost in the Clouds: How Washington Failed the Budget Traveler
This summer, my family and I have a trip planned to California. Being budget-conscious, we had intended to fly with Spirit Airlines. However, following Spirit’s surprise announcement this past weekend that it is immediately shuttering operations, we are now searching for an alternative carrier. While it was a shock to [...]
Do You Need Identity Theft Protection? What to Know Before You Buy
Last week I wrote about the growing danger of identity theft and fraud as artificial intelligence systems become increasingly capable of making things appear real that are not. This may have caused some of you to begin seeking advice on how best to protect yourself from this threat. One option [...]
S.T.O.P. Before Falling Victim to an AI Scam
A phone rings. The familiar voice on the other end identifies themself as your grandson. He says he’s in trouble and needs money immediately. The only problem is it isn’t him. It’s a computer program using artificial intelligence. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), AI-enabled fraud has [...]
Space X IPO Madness
Space, the final frontier, is now accepting your dollars for investment. In June, SpaceX plans to offer an unusually large allotment of its IPO to retail investors so they can participate before it goes public in what is being billed as a once-in-a-lifetime, generational money-making opportunity. Should you be looking [...]
The hidden Medicare tax most retirees don’t see coming
With the tax filing deadline one week away, many taxpayers are focused on what they owe the IRS. But for retirees, the income reported on that return may also determine whether their Medicare premiums jump dramatically as well. Most people have a general understanding of income tax brackets and know [...]
The Disability Risk
For 28 years, I have practiced as a Registered Investment Advisor, a fiduciary under securities law. When I started 44 years ago, it was not possible to serve the middle class by fees. We had no computers and Charles Schwab had not yet put together his concept of a supermarket [...]
Why time feels faster as we age, and what it means for your retirement
When I was a kid, time always seemed to move at a snail’s pace, except in the weeks before Christmas when it did not seem to move at all. The older I get, however, the more I realize the future arrives faster than I think it will. In psychology and [...]
What Rising Oil Prices could mean for your Retirement Portfolio
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the historical impact major international conflicts can have on the stock market. My argument was that the recent military actions in Iran did not necessarily mean that an imminent market collapse was likely. With that said, the market has certainly been expressing [...]