The chattering classes are having a grand-old-time discussing the who, what, when and where of the looming stock market and economic collapse. I really detest how they love to break things down in terms of animals, Bull! Bear! What if I told you it doesn’t matter? The biggest mistake that investors make (this includes a large swath of professional money …
DIVIDEND POWER
We love being paid to own! It is great to see that global dividends reached a first-quarter record of $263.3 billion. That is a 7.8% rise all in the face of concerns of slowing economic growth. The Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index said that U.S. dividends totaled a record $122.5 billion during the period, up 8.3%. Close to 90% of …
PROCESS
Thirteen years ago, in what is an ongoing effort to explain and simplify concepts in investing, I wrote a column titled Rules of the Road. In it, I list four simple rules that everyone needs to adhere to an order to become successful investors. They are as follows… #1. Compounding is the royal road to riches #2. Don’t Lose Money …
VERITAS
I am starting to realize that the years are starting to add up. One of the first signs was when I started using the vernacular decades ago to date certain points in my career rather than years ago. My eyesight is starting to wane. However, the most annoying age-related issue that I am whining about happens to be my hearing. …
SINKHOLES IN YOUR PLAN
NOVEMBER 2018 In the 1985 film Cocoon, alien life makes its way to earth and provides a way for residents in a retirement home in St. Petersburg, Florida to be rejuvenated and young again. We have relentlessly warned our clients, listeners and readers over the years about the impending financial issues facing Social Security, pensions and retirement plans. Unfortunately, we at Markowski Investments …
LONG TERM CARE…DON’T DOUBT ME!
OCTOBER 2018 “Insurance is something you buy in case bad s__t happens.” Chris Rock Nobody wants to think about bad things happening to themselves or loved ones. However, we are naïve and irresponsible to pretend that they cannot. Having watched too many family members end up in elder care facilities and witnessing what that entails plus the costs involved; I am trying …
ANTIFRAGILE FINANCIAL PLAN
OCTOBER 2018 A recent survey of American adults showed that two-thirds are quite concerned about having enough money saved for retirement by their desired retirement age based upon their current rate of savings. Americans have an average of $84,000 saved for retirement, and about a third have less than $5,000 socked away. This is not surprising, nor is it good. The solutions …
CORRECTION TALES
APRIL 2018 It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when. Fire up the Flux Capacitor and the DeLorean, we are going on a trip. Warning this trip might be very uncomfortable for many. It could bring back memories of strife, anxiety and possibly remind us of some really regretful choices we had made in the past. We are …
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER
The Employee Benefit Research Institute has released its twenty-seventh annual Retirement Confidence Survey. The findings from this survey coupled with some other disturbing headlines in regards to the perilous condition of our nation’s pension system have laid credence to all the anecdotal evidence that I have been yelling and screaming about on the show for almost two decades. I would …