American Households’ Debt Continues to Increase
In a worrying sign for the fiscal health of American households, debt levels continue to increase. Levels of credit card debt have increased 8% from last year, rising to a total of $905 billion. That works out to an average of over $15,000 in credit card debt per household. While that figure is alarming, it pales in comparison to other...
Yellen’s Final Press Conference Demonstrates Everything That’s Wrong With the Fed
Janet Yellen’s final press conference as Chairman of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors underscored everything that is wrong with the Fed and with the modern economics profession. Two particular examples demonstrate that, far from being able to lead the country’s economy, the Fed and modern macroeconomics is hopelessly lost and not at all able to find its way. The...
The 5 Top Threats to Investors
Deutsche Bank’s chief international economist recently published a list of the top 30 risks to financial markets in 2018. While many of them are only of importance to sophisticated financial investors who take positions on certain market movements, some of the bigger picture issues could cause broader risks to the market that could affect Mom & Pop investors. Here...
Congressional Budget Drama Delayed for Two Weeks
The government shutdown drama has come to an end… for the next two weeks. Kicking the can down the road yet again, Congress has authorized a two-week spending bill, meaning that come December 22nd this whole mess will be back in the headlines yet again. The thinking behind a two-week bill is that having a deadline so close to...
No, This Time Is NOT Different
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has broken record after record this year. After breaking through the 20,000 point barrier in February, the Dow has been on a tear and is currently at over 24,000 points. Since February of 2016, the Dow has gained over 50% and has nearly doubled since 2012. Many market commentators have given in to stock...
How to Save for Retirement Without an Employer-Sponsored 401(k) Plan
401(k) accounts have become one of the most popular savings plans for employees looking to save for their retirement. Of the $26.6 trillion in retirement assets held by Americans, $5.1 trillion are held in 401(k) accounts. Even though only about 14% of employers are estimated to offer a 401(k) plan, 79% of Americans work for an employer that offers...