Friday , 19 April 2024

Personal Finance

U.S. Consumer Debt Has Jumped To A Record High

Consumer debt – student loans, auto loans, and revolving credit such as credit cards and personal loans - but excluding housing-related debts such as mortgages and HELOCs – jumped...by 4.7% ($187B), to a record $4.2 trillion in the fourth quarter 2019.

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More Reasons You May Not Be A Millionaire – Yet (+4K Views)

Many people assume they aren't rich because they don't earn enough money. If I only earned a little more, I could save and invest better, they say. The problem with that theory is they were probably making exactly the same argument before their last several raises. Becoming a millionaire has less to do with how much you make, it's how you treat money in your daily life. The list of reasons you may not be rich doesn't end at 10. [Here are 10 more.] Words: 842

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Is It Time To Fire Your Financial Advisor? (+3K Views)

As more and more investor education and information is freely available online... investors now have an important choice to make. Should you go it alone, stick with your financial advisor, or fire him and find another, perhaps this time a fee-only planner? Words: 740

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Protect Yourself From A Future Windfall Profits Tax On Gold – Here’s How (+3K Views)

Many have speculated that the U.S. government could once again turn to gold confiscation/nationalization if it became desperate enough. These fears are not unfounded given the abysmal financial situation of the U.S. government that only continues to get worse, coupled with a total lack of political will to cut spending but would the U.S. government really turn to a 1933-style grab again? I would argue that they wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean the threat to your gold has diminished. Quite the opposite. [This articles identifies what they might well do.]

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Canada is a Great Place to Retire – Here’s Why (+4K Views)

While [Green Valley] Arizona, [Naples] Florida, [Ajijic - Mexico or Mendoza - Argentina,] or some hidden island in a foreign land, might seem like the dream place to live out the end of one’s life, it turns out that Canadians just might be better off at home [and Americans and others should seriously consider emigrating to Canada sooner than later]. Here is a brief summary of the reasons why. Words: 842

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15 Criteria for Choosing the Ideal Investment Advisor (4K Views)

An investment advisor friend of mine recently asked me to summarize for him the criteria I would use if I were looking to identify an investment advisor to work with and I came up with 15 characteristics I would look for in what for me would be an 'ideal investment advisor' which I would like to share with you. Words: 679

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Welcome to the New Retirement Model – NO Retirement! Here’s Why (+4K Views)

Welcome to the new model of retirement. No retirement. In 1983 sixty two percent (62%) of American workers had some kind of defined-benefit plan. Today less than 20% have access to a plan. The majority of retired Americans largely rely on Social Security as their de facto retirement plan [and the 35 and younger cohort are not able to save, or save enough, to eventually retire. True retirement is now a thing of the past except for a privileged few. Let me support this claim.] Words: 1091

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