Category Archives: 401(k) Retirement

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Print PDF I previously cautioned investors about the perils of relying on various lists of “best fund managers.” One of the most popular of these lists is issued annually by Morningstar, which annually designates a “Fund Manager of the Year” … Continue reading →

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Print PDF I am fascinated by the way most people invest, because it is demonstrably wrong. Here’s how you probably pick your mutual funds. Your broker calls and tells you about a mutual fund he believes is right for your … Continue reading →

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Print PDF The financial media was all atwitter when Standard and Poor’s downgraded the credit rating of nine European countries on Jan. 13, 2012. France and Austria lost their triple-A rating. CNBC’s reaction was typical. It described this event as … Continue reading →

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Print PDF Brokers and advisors like to describe their activities in terms indicating the benefits they bestow upon their clients. “Wealth manager” is one of my favorites, because it conveys the impression that using them is likely to increase your … Continue reading →

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Print PDF The views of the Republicans running for office are getting a lot of air time. Whatever the relative merits of these candidates, investors might be misled by some of the spirited dialogue. Two issues stand out as having … Continue reading →

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Print PDF Everyone wants to be a stock market winner. There were some big winners in 2011. Investors in US TIPS did great. This index tracks U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities that have at least one year remaining to maturity, are … Continue reading →

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Print PDF As legend has it, when Einstein died, he met two men and a woman outside the pearly gates. Always one to strike up a conversation, he asked them about their IQs. The woman said her IQ was 190. … Continue reading →

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Print PDF This is the time of year when the financial media goes into overdrive. You can expect no end of predictions for 2012. Some will be right. Others will be wrong. Those who are right will anoint themselves (or … Continue reading →

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Print PDF Here is the harsh reality: 401(k) plans are a false crutch for employees. They simply don’t work, if you define “work” as providing funds that will permit retirement with dignity — if at all. According to Fidelity Investments, … Continue reading →

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Print PDF The economy is reeling. Everyone is hungry for business. American firms are locked in intense competition with global competitors. A recent experience I had illustrates how the difference in cultural approaches towards business places American firms at a … Continue reading →