Riding the Commodity Pendulum for Retirement

Retirement Saving

Howard Katz describes how and why investing in stocks, real estate, and gold can provide a real yield for retirement. He also provides a historical review of retirement income and economics. Excepts below.
Link: Gold Dip Below $1,000 and NO Retirement, by Howard Katz
The first thing to learn about retirement is that it is a fairly [...]

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The Tough Road Ahead for Retirement Investing

Financial Crisis

Stewart Dougherty delivers some bitter medicine for retirement investing. But he also recommends an antidote.
Link: The Metastasis of Moral Hazard and its Effect on Gold - by Stewart Dougherty    
 
As average American citizens lose their jobs by the millions, become mired in financial distress and are crushed by the largest debt increase in the history of civilization to [...]

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Deflation, Inflation, Paper Currencies, and Gold

Financial Crisis

John Mauldin provides some insight into the muddy economic forces that dominate the financial arena in 2009. Lessons from the past do not fit perfectly, so we must listen to wise and objective people to give us some perspective in investing our retirement money. Excerpts below.
Link: The Elements of Deflation - John Mauldin’s Thoughts from the Frontline
Deflation is a [...]

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Retirement Investing in an Inflation-Deflation World

Investment Strategy

Tony and Rob Boeckh provide their insights into retirement investing in The Great Reflation Experiment: Implications for Investors. Excerpts below.
Note that they recommend investing in gold and related assets.
Link: The Boeckh Investment Letter
Pensions have been devastated and people’s appetite for risk has declined dramatically. The return on safe liquid assets ranges from 0.60% to 1.20% depending on term [...]

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Pension Tension Spreads

Pension Systems

Leo Kolivakis at Pension Pulse  writes:

The global pension crisis is really a crisis of modern day capitalism. If we don’t figure out a long-term solution to this crisis, we risk having a new class of elderly poor who were cheated out of their pensions.

Global pension tension will not vanish. We are better off holding a [...]

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Generous Pensions for State and Local Employees Unsustainable

Pension Systems

Unsustainable pension agreements can mean no pensions at all if the provider declares bankruptcy.
If your pension provider is in financial trouble, you may not have the retirement income you had planned on.
Both private and public decision makers who pass the buck to future decision makers have created a legal and financial nightmare for all concerned.
This is an [...]

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60 Minutes on CBS – 401k Plans Hit Hard by Financial Crisis

401k

Problems with 401k Plans discussed on 60 minutes:

Limited number of mediocre mutual funds for investments.
Numerous hidden fees erode principal.
401k owners  lack investment skills to choose good investment vehicles.

Watch the video below!

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The Social Security Trust Fund Surplus Is Disappearing

Social Security

The viability of Social Security as a source of retirement income is fading fast. As the U.S. government drowns in debt, it is using every possible source of capital to try to maintain the illusion of stability.
You must save and invest wisely to fund your retirement. It’s hard to see how Social Security can meet [...]

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U.S. Household Net Worth Is Declining

Retirement Planning

Retirement expert Bob Carlson  at RetirementWatch.com says that American’s perceptions of net worth affect spending and saving.
Link: The Wealth Effect, Your Portfolio, and Your Retirement
The net worth of Americans is declining. That is no secret, though the extent of the decline will surprise many. The decline has affected and will continue to affect the economy, stock [...]

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Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s Bad Timing Creates Losses

Financial Crisis

The first rule of a sustainable retirement investment strategy: Prevent Big Losses.
Link: Pension insurer shifted to stocks – Boston Globe
Just months before the start of last year’s stock market collapse, the federal agency that insures the retirement funds of 44 million Americans departed from its conservative investment strategy and decided to put much of its [...]

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