Posts in the finance category
Once Again, It’s the End of the World
The most popular question these days is: when will life get back to normal? The most accurate and honest answer to that is: no one knows. Especially when dealing with a novel virus with no vaccine, and the immunity levels of the people with antibodies unknown, making predictions seems like a fool’s errand, and yet, we can’t stop thinking about it because everything else depends on it. Let me present a case below, on how expectations and the outcome can fall on exactly opposite directions. Read More
Hind Sight is Twenty Nineteen
In this last newsletter of the year, I think it is suitable to start with a story involving Dionysus, the god of wine, ritual ecstasy and theater, as most of us will likely be engaged in a related activity in one shape or form, joining the spirit of the season. Read More
Charitable Giving: Beyond the Basics
We all love to give. It feels great to give to others, whether it is your favorite charity, or as a demonstration of love and support of friends and family members. However, just like any expense, giving should be budgeted, tracked, and done with intention. It is not healthy to give beyond one’s means. It is not wise to support financial dependence in others, or to give out of a sense of guilt or shame. Time spent in support of people and causes you love can be just as valuable, as a financial gesture. Many find this kind of hands on giving to be even more rewarding. Read More
Financial Win-Win: Give to Charity and Avoid the Income Taxes on $100k
The tax code, with all of its hundreds of pages of regulations, stipulations, and loopholes always leave something be learned. Not only is the U.S. Internal Revenue Code massive, different write-offs and deductions occur at different stages in life, so it’s unsurprising if you don’t know the details of the IRA (Individual Retirement Account) charitable rollover. Read More
To Cut, Or Not To Cut…FED Is The Question
We’re living in interesting times indeed. Wherever we look, a new, better, improved version of every product, service, policy or methodology is available for a spin. Some of these trials end up becoming hugely successful, and some of them prove to be disastrous. Read More
2019…And the Plot Thickens
According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 is going to be a Pig year and since it is a water animal, it can be as murky and confusing as a mud pile, or as clear as Lake Tahoe. Today, I will attempt to turn the murkiness of the current market conditions into a clearer picture. My goal is to share relevant facts without distorting them, and make useful and actionable forecasts…so, let’s start. Read More
Most Hated Bull Still Running
Recently, I’ve got invited to a Rotary Club to share my thoughts on current economic and market conditions. I chose instead, a topic more interesting and not as dry for many, and talked about the findings of a relatively new field of study called Behavioral Finance. It is a hybrid of psychology and economics and aims to understand how people make financial and consumption decisions. Read More
Glass Half Full (or empty?)
When the markets don’t give us a clear direction and has mixed data flowing from many different sources, depending on our bias, one can easily call it half full or half empty. Either way, we would be right. Today, one can conclude that the stock market is due a correction or that it is building momentum for an uptrend. How so? Read More