By Steven Smith | Peak Thoughts
To paraphrase Mark Twain: Everybody talks about inflation, but nobody does anything about it. Inflation, simply defined, is the erosion of the purchasing power of money over time. It is a natural phenomenon in a growing economy. A ticket to the bleachers at Fenway Park cost my parents $1.00 when I was a kid. A […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Meanderings
Planning for our senior years would be so much easier if we knew how long we will live and the state of our health toward the end of our lives. In my specialty of retirement planning, I have to ask my clients to ponder the imponderable: late-life care. In this article I share information about […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Uncategorized , Waypoints
We finally turned the corner on Covid (hopefully) and now find our European allies facing the worst military crisis since World War II — and possibly on the precipice of a nuclear confrontation with the out-of-control Russian leader. After being down by over 10% mid-quarter, the S & P 500 (total return) Index ended the […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Peak Thoughts
Managing life-stage transitions is an essential component of good financial planning. Late life planning – for a time when you need help with everyday tasks on account of either physical or cognitive decline – can be a special challenge. One increasingly popular choice is the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), which provides both housing and […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Investment Management , Meanderings , Uncategorized
Has it really been ten years? One of the low lights indelibly associated with the Great Recession of 2008 was the discovery and unraveling of Bernie Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme. It feels like only yesterday that I wrote about that almost incomprehensible fiasco in real time. But the journalist Erin Arvedlund wrote the book on […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Financial Lifestyle , Meanderings , Retirement
In an article in Advisor Perspectives, actuary, financial planner and retirement researcher Joe Tomlinson delves into the question: Do We Face a Retirement Crisis? The “we” Tomlinson refers to is American society as a whole. His conclusion is that the “crisis” for the current generation of retirees is a bit overblown, but the future looks […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Investment Management , News , Peak Thoughts , Risk Management , Wealth Management
Unless you haven’t been paying attention (and kudos if you haven’t) you know that the last week or so has seen a significant sell off in the world stock markets. Ordinarily, I’m loath to fall into the financial media’s trap and ascribe market moves to any particular cause(s). But a few things have been happening […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Financial News , Investment Management , Money , Newsletters
Amidst continued slow global growth, particularly in Europe, the Federal Reserve is remaining cryptic as to when it will begin to raise interest rates. Foreign central banks are keeping their interest rates extremely low as well. US economic growth remains sluggish, but is still better than most of the rest of the world. The Fed […]
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Current Newsletter , Financial Lifestyle , Financial News , Life Transitions , Peak Thoughts , Risk Management , Wealth Management
Senior financial abuse has become an epidemic in this country. But there are ways to recognize it and try to prevent yourself or a loved one from becoming a victim.
Continue readingBy Steven Smith | Financial Lifestyle , Financial Planning , Mountain Lifestyle , Risk Management
As wildfires have raged across Colorado and other parts of the country in a shockingly early and devastating fire season, families and whole communities are reeling from the destruction. Whether you are a victim of such disasters, care for people directly affected, or simply want to be more prepared, guest blogger Beth Byerlein offers first-hand lessons to help every home-owner cope with loss and reduce its financial impact.
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