Where To Invest During a Tariff War

Where To Invest During a Tariff War

A number of readers of my previous article on Trump’s tariff war asked about the best places to invest during the current situation. Let’s explore the various stock markets and sectors to see which ones might make the most sense to take advantage of at this time. We’ll start with those areas that are most…
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The Wrong Way To Buy A House

Let’s say you’re in the market for your first house. Thanks to family support and your own frugal lifestyle spending, you’ve managed to accumulate $600K for a down payment. After searching for months you discovered a fixer-upper in the suburbs for $1 million (after all, you’re in the Bay Area). The real estate agent recommended…
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My View Of Trump’s Tariff War

In a word, I believe it’s extremely misguided. Here’s why. First, what problem is Trump trying to solve? The only justifications he has made are that (1) the U.S. is being economically “ripped off” through other countries’ tariffs, and (2) we need to bring manufacturing back onshore (presumably to increase jobs). Let’s tackle the rip-off…
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Retirement In The U.S. Today

Retirement sure has changed since the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued its first monthly retirement check in 1940. That amount was only $22.54. And back then a 65 year-old retiree was expected to live for only another 12-13 years before dying. Today seniors have higher benefits and a much longer life expectancy thanks to improvements…
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Surprisingly Legal Tax Deductions

It’s currently tax season again. Last year at this time I reported on unusual bogus tax deductions that various miscreants tried to get away with. This year I thought I’d provide the opposite: deductions that you might be surprised to discover are legal. Thanks to TurboTax and AARP for the information! The IRS allows numerous…
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Are ETFs Better Than Mutual Funds?

You’re probably familiar with mutual funds. They are arguably the most common type of investment choice for 401(k) and other retirement accounts. But ever since the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) appeared in 1993, investments into ETFs have been steadily overtaking those into traditional mutual funds. Why is this happening? Are ETFs better than mutual funds?…
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