Social Security
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Facts and Myths About Social Security
Almost everyone has a Social Security number and is eligible for Social Security benefits. Yet, survey after survey indicates people know little about the program and their benefits. Also, much of what people think they know is wrong. Let’s took a look at some key misunderstandings and oversights about the program. Understand benefit statements. The […]
Beating the Stock Market
Here’s an interesting perspective on investing success from Cullen Roche of Pragmatic Capitalism. Roche makes a couple of unique points. One is that for a true passive investor, you shouldn’t be focused on “the market” represented by stock market indexes. You should be focused on all the financial assets out there. He argues that a […]
Do Recent High Stock Returns Mean Low Returns are Coming?
There’s nothing quite like looking at the data. I regularly run into people who say they’re betting that stocks are going to crumble because they’ve done so well since 2009. I ask for the data backing the statement, and they don’t any much. Here’s a thorough article addressing the question. The answers aren’t simple or […]
Beware of Finance Studies on How to Beat the Stock Market
You probably need a subscription to Barron’s to read this. It’s a good one. It’s a summary of an academic study of academic studies on ways to beat the markets. The results are disturbing. The authors concluded that about half the studies simply are false. I’ve seen similar (and worse) assessments of the published literature […]
The Importance of Social Security
Many people downplay Social Security benefits in their retirement planning. Most people who’ve been retired for a while, however, report that Social Security is an important part of their financial well-being. Now, a new study by the Census Bureau (subscription might be required) reveals that without Social Security a majority of U.S. seniors would be […]
Some Data on Stock Market Declines
Every time we have some big down days in the stock market, too many people immediately start talking about the next crash and big losses. At such times, it is helpful to take a look at the data. This blog post is a good summary of the data on corrections and bear markets, including how […]
Knowing When Not to Delay Social Security
Most people don’t delay Social Security retirement benefits. They begin benefits as soon as they are able to at age 62 or shortly thereafter. That’s one reason why I frequently explain the advantages of delaying benefits for at least one spouse in a married couple. Yet, there are two sides to this issue. There are […]
Behind the Stock Market Headlines
Always look behind the headlines, I frequently advise. A good example is the recent news of stock indexes hitting record highs. That’s fine if you’re in the right index fund. But all is not well across the stock markets. Take a look at this analysis from Bloomberg.com. A lot of stocks aren’t participating in the […]
