In statistics classes, students are taught about the “bell shaped curve”, the pattern that forms when quantitative data are distributed normally. Recent census data reveals a barbell-shaped curve; heavy on the ends with very little in between. [Read more…]
BACK TO WORK
September 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
It’s Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer and the official start of school. College football kicks off and the NFL start is just around the corner. It’s time for everyone to get serious and get back to work. [Read more…]
AGAINST ALL ODDS
August 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
U.S. equity markets have managed, against all odds, to put together a five-week winning streak, despite the headwinds to the economy. In the absence of compelling data, can stocks continue to rally? [Read more…]
HALF-TIME REPORT
July 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Those who sold in May and went away may want to come back a little sooner than St. Leger’s Day. After two losing months, stocks roared back in June, posting incredible numbers and closing out the second quarter with sharp gains on strong volume. [Read more…]
YOUNG AND SINGLE
June 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The secret to accumulating wealth is straight-forward: live well beneath your means, invest the surplus and diversify those investments. But the mix and balance of those investments shifts as you age. This is the first of a series of articles on life stage investing. Thanks to a question from Sahra in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, we’ll take a look at goals and strategies for the young and single. [Read more…]
REVERSE MORTGAGES
May 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Are you looking for tax-free income? Would you like to increase your standard of living? Do you need money to pay for healthcare or medical treatment? Consider a reverse mortgage. [Read more…]
THE CASE FOR FINANCIAL REFORM
May 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Big Picture
Wall Street’s fair-haired child has stumbled badly and, for his supporters, at a most inopportune time. Last week Jamie Dimon, CEO of the nation’s largest and one of the most respected banks – JP Morgan Chase, disclosed a $2 billion dollar plus loss for the first quarter. [Read more…]
WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPTEMBER?
Where did the month go? And what happened to the typical September swoon? To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, “it was a very good month”. [Read more…]