Fear Not?
A few weeks ago, the article I had planned for this space did not include a question mark. President Obama was newly installed…
Author: Art Ernst
Annuities: the Perfect Investment if Your Goal Is to Die Penniless
A frequently aired commercial for a large insurance company presents an 800-pound gorilla, a common metaphor for a hugely important issue somehow often…
Fools’ Gold: A False Safe Haven
As of this writing, the Standard & Poor’s 500 is down over 45% from its peak 15 months ago; bond prices of esteemed…
Age-Based Asset Allocation: Avoid the Gimmick
Over time, about 90% of the rate of return on one’s investments will be determined by the allocation among equities, bonds, and cash….
How Bad Service and Abuse of Other Peoples’ Money Deepened the Financial Crisis
This morning as I was driving to a meeting I heard a radio talk show host lament about the general lack of service…
Why to Keep Investing Amid the Turmoil
Economics is often referred to as “the dismal science”, a term coined by historian Thomas Carlyle in the mid-18th century when the discipline…
Reverse Mortgages: A Convenient Way to Wipe Out an Estate
It is almost impossible to watch 30 minutes of television without seeing an ad for reverse mortgages. As seniors talk about their “favorite…
Mutual Sales Fees: Front, Back, Continuing, Harmful, and Avoidable
When dining at a restaurant, how would you feel if your waiter ate some of your food on its way from the kitchen?…
Wrap Accounts: Great for Brokers, Not for You
One way to serve clients is to stop others from disserving them. In space dedicated to providing ideas to help you and your…
How to Tell if Your Financial Adviser Is a Salesperson
If you visited a doctor who, after seeing you, prescribes a particular medicine, should you pay his fee and buy the drug? Most…