Bob Carlson offers his expert opinion on where to invest your money so that you can get through retirement safely and securely
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The economy is growing at a solid rate despite the fastest tightening of monetary policy in 40 years. Don’t expect the growth rate to continue. At almost any other time, the rapid tightening of monetary policy the Federal Reserve engineered in 2022 and 2023 would have triggered a serious recession or, at a minimum, stalled […]
Is the Federal Reserve finished raising interest rates? Is it about to cut interest rates? Will the economy avoid a recession while inflation declines to the Fed’s target? In other words, are we about to live through the Goldilocks scenario? I address these questions and more in this month’s Retirement Watch Spotlight Series, my semiannual […]
Investors finally are realizing the Federal Reserve changed its playbook. That’s why market interest rates rose in recent months even as Fed officials indicated the end of the tightening cycle was approaching. When the hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) failed 25 years ago, it roiled the financial markets and Fed officials worried the effects […]
The bond market caught investors unaware over the summer, and there’s probably more of that to come. Investors believed interest rates bottomed last November. Futures markets forecast that through 2023, the Federal Reserve would ease monetary policy, and interest rates would decline rapidly. Even as inflation remained above expectations and the Fed tightened policy, investors […]
In my new Retirement Watch Spotlight Series, I’ll share my newest breakthrough strategies for protecting your assets and growing your portfolio, including how to prepare for the next market downturn. Click here now to learn more.
As often happens, 2023 has been filled with economic and financial surprises. Commodity prices have been unexpectedly weak for a couple of primary reasons. Economic growth in China lagged, which I’ll discuss shortly, reducing demand for commodities. Also, the war in Ukraine didn’t disrupt supplies as much as expected. Governments around the world and major […]
The key retirement issue is how to turn your savings into cash flow and income. You have to establish a retirement paycheck. Many retirees and pre-retirees know the importance of the issue and want solutions. They’re very worried. In a recent survey, 23% of pre-retirees said the problem is “terrifying” and another 57% said it […]
The markets are fighting the Federal Re- serve, making the Fed’s job harder and increasing uncertainty about the economy and markets. Fed officials openly stated they’re serious about controlling inflation, and backed the words with action, rapidly raising interest rates and reducing the Fed’s balance sheet. The more actions the Fed took, the more optimistic […]
There’s no such thing as “divorce benefits” in the Social Security law, but divorced spouses are eligible to receive benefits based on an ex-spouse’s earnings record. Spousal benefits are often available to ex-spouses and on fairly liberal terms. Divorced spouses sometimes have better options and more flexibility than current spouses. But a small difference in […]
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