Conservatory Chat

<p>The U.S. investment scene, in aggregate, churned out another unusually positive investment experience this past year, with 20+ percent gains heaped on top of 2023's historically unusual gains.<br/><br/>The experts...

<p>Legendary investor Warren Buffet, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, was asked about investing in gold, and he was perplexed by the question. His response was that gold (unlike investments in stocks and bonds) doesn’t...

<p>When it comes to the economy, the Fed Funds Rate is one of its most closely watched and talked about factors driving the conversation. Pundits endlessly opine, while economists pour over the tea leaves that are the...

<p>We’ve been hearing about how America has underinvested in its infrastructure for decades, and how the new Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act is supposed to turn that around. Some of us have looked with envy at the...

<p>The rarest of economic events is the so-called “soft landing,” where a robust economy (and long-time bullish markets) are gradually cooled without triggering a recession and bear market. We might be witnessing such a...

<p>Against all odds and expectations, the number of women who either choose not to have children or, for other reasons, do not, has become a major political issue. This raises the question – are more women today...

<p>Quick – name the world’s greatest market timer in all history.<br/><br/>This is a question I often raise with investors who want to act on their impulse to get out of the market at the first sign of a hiccup or put...

<p>Do you have any leftover euros from your last vacation in Europe? You might want to hold onto them.<br/><br/>The U.S. dollar is declining in value compared with a basket of international currencies. The greenback has...

<p>There are two kinds of car owners in this world: the people who buy a new car every few years, and the people who continue driving their older cars until the transmission drops out onto the pavement. A recent study...

<p>The U.S. is experiencing a new epidemic: bankruptcies. Filings are up 28% from this time last year, for a total of 45,592 over the past 12 months. Commercial Chapter 11 filings, meanwhile, increased 40% to 542 –...

<p>Yes, folks, our government just keeps making our lives simpler and simpler by the day.<br/><br/>There was a time, back before 2020, when the rules covering people who inherited traditional IRA accounts were simple...

<p>We’re starting to see private equity firms make short-term investments in companies across the business landscape. At best, they’re looking to make a quick buck; but at worst, they’re looting the companies they...

<p>The markets seem to be testing new highs every week or so. But the first thing you’ll notice, if you look closely at the numbers, are the more modest returns experienced in the second quarter compared with the first...

<p>Several U.S. states have become attractive destinations for retirees since they don’t charge state income taxes. Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming fall into this thrifty...

<p>It seems like every news cycle includes an article about how the Social Security trust fund is about to run out of money. “About” may be somewhat of a misnomer. Estimates vary, and change as the economy goes through...