Planning for Success
We are planning a vacation for later this summer in the Rockies. With the internet, there is too much information and too many choices. One could spend hours and days just trying to figure out what to do and see. The possibilities are all exciting and I’m looking forward to [...]
New Rules Governing Retirement Advice
“I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” On April 6th, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the Department of Labor (DOL) stepped in to do its part to ensure retirement savers get investment advice to help them. The Department issued its final, long awaited regulations regarding fiduciaries [...]
Grandpa’s Lessons
My grandfather, Louis Finke, also the father of the normal columnist for this space, passed from this earth into eternity with God on Tuesday, April 19, at 100 years old. While it seems 100 is the new 80, most I talk to are still in awe of that lifespan so [...]
Too Much Excitement
During the first quarter of 2016, stock ownership provided a roller coaster ride. Last week I railed against the Fed’s free money policy and its consequences. This week we examine whose ox was gored and whose geese were golden. In the short term, I think Mr. Market will continue to [...]
US Manufacturing Shines!
. One of the complaints I hear frequently from many quarters is that these United States do not make anything anymore. Today I intend to make short shrift of that myth. The truth? We are producing more goods than ever before in our history. In 2013, the US [...]
Disconnect: Market and Economy
In spite of the fact that our national economy continues to chug at a painfully slow annual rate of plus or minus 2 percent, it thus far refuses to stall into recession. Even though the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has not fallen in a quarter since early 2014 with that [...]
Good Riddance 2015
I dislike complaining or whining. But if I were ever going to complain about something, it would be the lousy investing climate of 2015. On the whole, it was a great year for our family and it might still be finished fantastically with the birth of our seventh grandchild, our [...]
How Precious Are the Metals?
Perhaps longer than there has been recorded history, gold and silver have been valued by man. Sometimes people ask me, What do you think about gold? Or What about silver? In this one point, at least, I have something in common with Warren Buffett. According to Investopedia, he would never [...]
What’s Up with the Markets?
This year will probably go down in history as having decent returns in terms of the usual stock market indexes. In my prior market history lessons, you may have learned (and undoubtedly forgotten—no fault of your own) that the presidential pre-election year is most often a great year, the best [...]
About Thanksgiving
Some company has a nice advertisement on television right now suggesting that instead of asking What we are thankful for, that we ask Who we are thankful for. I like that idea because our relationships are so much superior in importance than the inanimate objects we use or collect. I [...]