Wealth and Wisdom: Week of August 14, 2023

As summer comes a close, there are pervasive signs of strength in the U.S. economy – enough to prompt all but the most bearish forecasters to put off predictions of a recession for the next 12 months. The Fed’s aggressive rate-hike campaign has slowed the economy without stalling it. But last week’s inflation news raised some concerns that the central bank’s work may not be over.

Despite a recent spike in volatility, the S&P 500 recently crept within 5% of its all-time high. Considering what investors have been through over the last couple of years, however, there seems little to complain about. Not that complaining does any good anyway.

No longer the cleanest shirt in the hamper

Thanks to a recent downgrade by Fitch Ratings, the U.S. now has a lower credit rating than Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Australia. (Reading time: 2 minutes)

Stocks or cash?

Rising interest rates are making cash a more attractive option for investors – but for longer-term goals there is no competition. (Reading time: 5 minutes)

The return of dividend stocks?

Some investors believe dividend-paying stocks could come back into vogue once the Fed stops raising interest rates. (Reading time: 3 minutes)

Deep dive: A guide to dividend stocks

If you’re ready to research the world of dividend-paying companies, this overview is a good place to start. (Reading time: 10 minutes)

Retiring broke

As retirement age approaches for millions of boomers, more and more are leaving the workforce with little or nothing saved. (Reading time: 4 minutes)

What happens when you reach full retirement age (FRA)?

Use this Social Security calculator to find out when you qualify for full benefits – and how much you forfeit by claiming them earlier. (Reading time: 1 minutes)

How much you need to retire

Figuring how much you need to save and invest for a successful retirement is no easy task. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it (Reading time: 8 minutes)

Getting a grip on your finances

Here is a step-by-step process for tracking your spending, increasing your savings, and getting out of debt. (Reading time: 7 minutes)

Cutting the cost of college

In this recent client webinar, I explain the four keys to paying less for a college education – despite soaring tuition rates. (Viewing time: 55 minutes)

The world’s most valuable brands

Is the Amazon brand name more valuable than Walmart? Tesla? Samsung? All three combined? (Reading time: 3 minutes)

Words to the Wise

“The real measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.”
– Benjamin Jowett

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