In this Quarter in Charts, we have several graphs detailing the current interest rate environment, global market events, the bond bear market, and various economic indicators. We use this data to explain what happened (and look ahead to what could happen) in economies, markets, and investment portfolios. But none of those graphs will be able
Category: Investing
Quarter in Charts – Q2 2023
Last month, I got swept up in reading Brian Doyle’s posthumous collection of essays, “One Long River of Song.” I was particularly drawn to his fascination with White Sturgeon. Specifically, an 11-foot-long…
Quarter In Charts – Q1 2023
Kids Today Have It Too Easy As a dad of teenagers, it’s my duty to occasionally put on the “grumpy old man” act and talk about how kids today have it too easy. I say things like, “You know when I was a boy…” followed by a misremembered anecdote of my days working at the
Quarter in Charts – Q4 2022
It’s hard to describe how rare and painful 2022 was for investors of all kinds. The phrase “off the charts” is often overused, but in this case, it seems appropriate. And while we’ll look at the causes and details of this year’s returns, we’ll also spend some time exploring how investors should consider viewing the
Quarter in Charts – Q3 2022
Over the last few weeks, I kept the kids up far past their bedtimes to witness Aaron Judge break the American League single-season home run record. While we had to sit through a whole lot of walks, we eventually got to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event that we’ll tell some grandkids about. Sadly, this year, investors have also witnessed an investment market for the record books. Through the charts below (and a recounting of my real-world experience with our 15-year-old new driver) we’ll examine the year so far, talk through viewing investments through the “windshield” of a financial plan, and see how investors have typically fared better than average coming out of historic times like these.
I Bonds Are Paying 9.62%, What’s The Catch? (Updated)
(Note: At the time of publication, July 2022, I Bonds were paying an annualized rate of 9.62%. Since then, interest rates and inflation have changed, causing the combined I Bond rate to adjust down to 6.89% as of February 2023. You can find the current combined interest rate here.) The US Government introduced Series I
Quarter in Charts – Q2 2022
“The Circumstances” So far this year, investors have experienced a dramatic increase in interest rates and sustained high inflation, coupled with a decrease in both stock and bond prices not seen in half a century. All of this while the US continued to add jobs and public companies increased profits at a steady pace. Below
How to Contribute $67,500 into a Solo 401k in 2022
Solo 401k’s have always had a large annual contribution limit, but the trick is getting to that limit while living within the rules provided by the IRS. There are four rules to follow to contribute the entire $67,500. Rule #1: Qualifying Business You must work in a for-profit business with “one” employee: you. However, the
Quarter in Charts – Q3 2021
According to NPR’s Rob Elving “The Basics” explainer on the Debt Ceiling, congress will likely raise our nation’s imaginary borrowing “line in the sand” for nearly the hundredth time since 1917.
Do Cryptoassets Like Bitcoin Belong in My Portfolio?
Bitcoin has dominance, with 45.6% of the market cap, followed by Ethereum, at 17.1%. As more people have made (and lost) money…