Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
@Dex and David,
Asking whether college tuition is too high currently is different from asking whether a college education is a waste of time and money. Here's an example illustrating the difference:
"asking whether a college education is a waste o…
Dex,
Finaid notwithstanding.
The problem is that colleges, like any business, are there for their enrichment.
College education is the new housing bubble
Builder = college
Lender = Finaid institutions
Location = fields of study with poor jo…
@DavidM said, >
How true! My doctoral advisor once said "the more you know that you realized how little you really knew".
Therefor, education makes you dumb?
I think most investors suck at it and are their own worst enemy (myself included) - there are many reasons - non of which we can change. Back in the day - I loved interest paying things - bonds, CDs. When I got into stock mutual funds I screwed my…
Hi Dex,
But I also have a significant second motivating factor. At my advanced age (81), the brain cells and connections are rapidly decaying. My writing helps to attenuate the decay process. So while I'm hopefully helping others, I'm simultaneo…
Investing is serious stuff, and I give it the respect it deserves on this fine website. Please do the same.
Best Wishes.
I'd suggest you consider a few things in your posts:
- attention spans are decreasing
- long posts don't resonate with peopl…
@hank - I think that's really a very good, rational response. Instead of using rigid rules of thumb like 4% annual drawdowns, the better advice is to be more flexible and to adjust as conditions change. It sounds like that's what you are doing. …
Well a million isn't what it used to be.
Year = 2015
1965 = $7,549,365.08
1975 = $4,420,167.29
1985 = $2,210,083.64
So pick a year and then ask the question what percentage of the population has the equivalent amount now.
That would tell us m…
??
from the article:
>> That means 1 in every 20 households in the U.S. has more than $1 million in investable assets. Those figures don’t include the value of real estate.
I go back and forth on this issue. 5% investable assets sounds high.…
Hi Dex,
Often the retirement decision is a high anxiety event because of portfolio performance uncertainty. If the retirement depends on a portfolio drawdown, a few bad years can do lasting damage.
There are plenty of millionaires in the USA. In…
2. The wealth disparity in this country is astounding. It's unfortunate that not all, especially our young, have equal educational opportunity.
The disparity is reverting to historical norms. Another way of looking at it is that the non-dispa…
FYI: Last week, I got together with a few of my old high school friends. Our educations differ. So do our incomes. As a high school teacher, my salary was the lowest. Andy, a former business school graduate, makes a bit more than me. Joe, a civil…
All this does not matter. At the end of the day, like always, it is money that will talk. Jeb Bush and Hillary will win the nominations.
At this point true. Sad but true.
I think it will get interesting on the Dems side - Biden and others migh…
Yet, for their own selfish interests a tiny few think this is a social site where anything goes including tabloid material, politics, religion, or whatever.
Ted
Yes! no socialism here!
Our risk and return performance metrics through quarter ending June 2015 have been posted to the Search Tools, including updates to Three Alarm, Honor Roll, and Great Owl funds, and well as Dashboard of all funds profiled.
I think we need another ca…
Dex said, "That is why I advise people to buy lottery tickets for their retirement - they have a 50/50 chance - either they win or they lose."
First, I'd never try to characterize anything Bob C says - because no one else can say it so well.
But De…
http://www.wsj.com/articles/imf-cuts-u-s-2015-economic-growth-forecast-to-2-5-1433424601
IMF Urges Fed to Wait on Interest Rates Until 2016
IMF cuts U.S. 2015 economic growth forecast to 2.5%
=====
The economic recovery has been tepid. Maybe not a…
Does it really matter? I look at it this way: every year the odds are 50-50 the markets will go up and 50-50 they will go down.
Very true. That is why I advise people to buy lottery tickets for their retirement - they have a 50/50 chance - eith…
I'll scrimp on unnecessary expenses (e.g, I pay about $10-$30/year for cellphone service, depending on my limited usage). But I won't cut corners on essentials, like health care, or on family (stop smirking, all you people thinking of Greece :-)…
I don't have a mortgage either and it is a nice feeling.
I'm thinking that at some point it may be advantageous to take out a mortgage. With low interest rates AND a fixed rate mortgage AND the offing (I'm guessing in 10 years) might look good.
…
Given today’s market conditions and the S&P 500 CAPE valuation, I anticipate an equity annual real return of 1.0%, and a bond return of 2.5% (mix of treasury and corporate holdings) over the next 10-year time horizon.
Add another 2.5% for in…
@Dex: There's nothing stopping you from writing a suumary after next month's Commentary.
Regards,
Ted
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggg it on!
However, when I wake-up I'll dig right into the meat of the matter. There's a lot of great information here David.
Regards,
Ted
How about a summary after that?
@Dex My condolences for your loss. My mom passed last year. She was in a nursing home. Similar situation where she died when the money ran out, except to pay a few incidental medical expenses.
I picked a lousy time to put money into VGSNX. Cha…
>> GOP totally relieved despite usual pissing and moaning; next year's clown beating will be less.
SCOTUS got the GOP off the hook. If subsidies were eliminated, the GOP would have been blamed. Then if the Dems wrote a law to put them back t…
And by the way, that's interesting. You brag about being able to get a subsidy in your financial condition but I'd be willing to bet that many in the same place don't feel that the poorer or poorest of us should get free or subsidized healthcare.
P…
Great SCOTUS decision - I get a subsidy - probably about 4K & you can too.
If your income is less then 4x the federal poverty line you can get something.
Think about that for a moment. If you own your home, no mortgage, low living expenses an…
@Clacy - I believe that you are right and that the majority of the American public agrees with you. Now if we could just get politicians to see the light.
Just a quick search ...
??????????????
A new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that …
PRESSmUP and scott , thanks for the replies. I definitely like this space and I can see the demand sky-rocketing going forward. Junkster has another post out there about life expectancy. I believe in 20 years it will not be uncommon for people hitti…
Cash is an invest few talk about.
Cash or not depends upon your circumstances.
If you have a job or pension/SS that meets your living expenses you may not need cash.
If you are retired you may need cash (or 'near cash' as I mentioned in another…
I'm 60, and have been using 85 as my check out date. I think sitting on your butt is the thing that will kill you the fastest. Financially, I think after a point (excluding high inflation) expenses will remain constant. As you slow down, discre…
