Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Here. Should You Buy In?

Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Here. Should You Buy In?

Last year I wrote about the progress being made on the Bitcoin investment front (https://www.cognizantwealth.com/2023/07/07/is-bitcoin-almost-ready-for-prime-time/).  At the time there were only two ways to invest in Bitcoin: through a private exchange or via an ETF holding Bitcoin futures. Last week the SEC authorized eleven spot (current price) Bitcoin ETFs to begin trading. Is this the…
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A Review Of 2023 Stock Market Predictions

“It’s hard to make predictions. Especially about the future.” That’s one of my favorite aphorisms attributed to Yogi Berra. At the beginning of every year hundreds of economists, strategists, and self-proclaimed pundits announce their annual predictions for the capital markets, blithely ignoring their own past history. Let’s take a look back to see how well…
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Is Inflation Bad For Stocks?

Although inflation has been mitigated over the last couple of years, it’s still on the minds of many investors. Should we avoid stocks when inflation is high? Can inflation be used for market timing in some way? Unfortunately the answer is “no” in both cases. There is no demonstrable connection between periods of high inflation…
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Can I Retire Today Using Only Cash & Bond Interest?

A reader writes: Now that bonds are yielding over 5%, can I fund my retirement just from the interest? This is a great question that goes to the heart of retirement planning strategies. The first requirement is that you have managed to save enough money. If you expect to spend $100K per year in retirement,…
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Quitting Your Job? Be Aware Of COBRA

According to eHealth almost 50% of Americans receive subsidized group health insurance through their employer. Given the phenomenally complex health insurance marketplace one has to navigate these days, not to mention the cost, that’s a huge benefit. But what happens if you want to change employers? Thanks to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (also…
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How Wealthy Are You?

Have you ever wondered how you stack up financially against other Americans? The Federal Reserve has just completed the 2022 survey of consumer finances (SCF) that it has been carrying out every three years since 1989. It provides a ton of comprehensive data covering practically anything you’d want to know about the financial standing of…
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