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Those of us in our 40's or 50's start to think about and plan for retirement. Income from social security benefits is certainly a significant variable in the planning process. Until recently the Social Security Administration made an annual mailing of your benefits statement. This statement contai...

The Internet was still novel, if not new, and more people were getting on board daily. It was considered certain that massive profits would follow, even if there were few profits in evidence at the time. Wall Street was partying in 1999, raking in millions for technology firms issuing stock and for...

In my last post I speculated on the possibility that the Federal Government might default on its obligations. The media drumbeat about possible dire consequences has been getting louder by day. Here are two predictions: There will not be a default. If there is a default, the consequences wil...

You can't escape the daily stories in every news outlet: concern about the Federal Government's debt ceiling, which, if not increased by Congress, could lead the US to default on its obligations for the first time ever. The ramifications of a default are said to be catastrophic. So let's see: only t...

We have all seen our email inboxes peppered with spam mailings. Right now there is a high volume of "official" looking emails claiming to be from the IRS. One such email states that your electronic tax payment was rejected and needs to be re-submitted. The IRS never solicits tax payments via emai...

Sorry, No Jackpot Eastman Kodak's hoped-for billion dollar windfall didn't happen last night. Yesterday the US Int'l Trade Commission was set to rule on Kodak's patent claim against Apple and Research in Motion. In an ambiguous decision, the commission affirmed part and reversed another part of a...

Today at 5 we'll find out whether Eastman Kodak will hit the jackpot. At 5pm sharp the U.S. International Trade Commission will issue its ruling on whether Apple and Research in Motion infringed Kodak's patents on in-phone camera technology. If the result goes in Kodak's favor, it could mean a billi...

I'll admit I don't know all that much about baseball. Now math, that's a different story, basic math at least. Yesterday there was an excellent piece in the NY Times that dealt with the basic math about personal finance. The most basic equation, the unbreakable truth of any financial situation, is s...

For those of you who deduct auto mileage on your tax return there is good news from the IRS. During the final six months of 2011 taxpayers who use the optional standard rates to deduct travel expenses will get an additional 4.5 cents per mile. Effective July 1, each business mile will be deductible...

Our job as financial advisors requires a considerable amount of research about markets and the many factors that affect those markets and thus affect our clients. The reading, listening, and resultant pondering are ongoing; some sources are better than others. Yesterday we had a visit from one of th...