News & insights
Straightforward thinking on retirement, markets, federal benefits, and the choices that connect them.
Insight & News01
According to Gallup, this Christmas individual Americans intend to spend an average of $932 on gifts. That’s up nearly $100 over last year. Are people planning to spend more because they have more mon…
December 27, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News02
You’ve just been seated at a restaurant and while you’re waiting for your server, you see a little sticker on the tabletop that says, “Scan me for today’s lunch specials.” It would be great to save a …
December 13, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News03
As we’ve mentioned numerous times, temporary declines in stock market prices become permanent only when you sell out of those positions. If a stock or fund loses value, it’s best to fight the urge to …
December 6, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News04
Do people really make dumb decisions…. on purpose?! That would actually be called ‘cognitive dissonance’. And certainly, people can often work against their own best interests because they follow the …
September 12, 2023 5 min read
Insight & News05
DO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR TSP DOLLARS ARE BEING INVESTED? What is Blackrock you ask? In January 2022, West Virginia Republican State Treasurer Riley Moore announced that the state would no longer be using …
September 10, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News06
Warren Buffett is credited with saying, “It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” When we’re young, it seems like we have an easier time with the firs…
February 7, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News07
A long time ago, when Woody Allen was known for writing funny books, he described a character named Weinstein who lay in bed feeling depressed about his age. “Next year I will be fifty-one. Then fifty…
January 10, 2023 2 min read
Insight & News08
When the Studebaker car company ceased production in 1966, it wasn’t just their business that failed. Auditors found that the company’s pension fund also had serious problems, leaving thousands of wor…
December 20, 2022 2 min read
Latest from the blog
Blog
It’s been an interesting half year in the market. I heard a podcast listener ask: If there are no iron laws in markets and nothing works forever as an indicator, perhaps studying the stock market is u…
August 18, 2025 3 min read
Blog
We’ve spoken about this topic a few times, but it’s worth revisiting from time to time. There were 90 changes to this act last year. And per usual, the acronyms given often represent the opposite of w…
August 18, 2025 2 min read
Blog
Following up on yesterday’s festivities: The (H.R.1, 119th Congress) was signed at 5pm Eastern by the Presi…
August 18, 2025 2 min read
Blog
If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll just let that IRA (401k, 403b, ESOP, etc.,) sit and grow forever,” I’ve got some news that might wrinkle your retirement dreams just a bit… Uncle Sam has other plans. See…
August 18, 2025 2 min read
Blog
If you’re receiving Social Security benefits, you’ve now had a couple of months to get used to your new checks since the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) took effect in January. Under normal circ…
August 18, 2025 5 min read
Blog
We’ve mentioned before how a sailing ship is a good metaphor for retirement planning. In both cases you chart out where you want to go, and carefully estimate what you’ll need to complete each leg of …
April 17, 2024 2 min read
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