Fasten your financial seat belts
 

Looks like inflation is heating up, prices including food and insurance are going through the roof, and no real assurances that entitlements like social security won't be negatively impacted in the medium to long term.

Where to go from here? Hopefully we all have a backup plan for falling equities including a cash cushion - if not I'd suggest getting this setup asap.

This is going to be a bumpy ride for the next few years.

The clouds are parting and the sun is starting to shine after a long time of failed decisions or no decisions for that matter. It always takes time to rebuild after destruction, but my financials are looking bright at least for the next four years.

I have rarely been more positive about the future and happier. Things are looking good!

Why would you call SS an entitlement. We paid for it all those years and now even pay taxes on the payouts

Like return of formerly withheld earned income. It's the return of your government "retirement" plan/investment. We paid in. We deserve to get the benefit we already paid for.

Because we're entitled to it. That makes it an entitlement, by definition. Here's the definition from Merriam-Webster:

You are entitled to a monthly SS check if you qualify by contributing for enough quarters while you are employed.

If the checks stopped when you recovered the amount you contributed then I might agree with not calling it an entitlement. (Without COLAs, age 67-70 for me)

I might even agree if the checks stopped after reaching the total contribution of you and your employer. (Without COLAs, age 73-75 for me)

However, the checks don't stop at either of those points, they keep on coming until you die. And even then, if you have a spouse who did not work they can continue collecting until they die. (With COLAs, hopefully age 85+ for me)

SS is not paying you back for the money you put in, SS is providing a life-long entitlement.

As for the "if we invested it ourselves" line: 401Ks are examples of where we can invest it ourselves. I can't find the stats for how many actually contribute the maximum but looking at the median balances of retirees, it doesn't appear that many do. When we have the opportunity to invest it ourselves, we don't.

Abolishing IRMAA would be wonderful. It is confiscatory.

Solid
 

It looks like we at least can count on the Fed to keep things steady. “The Federal Reserve is prepared to keep its key interest rate unchanged for now as inflation remains elevated and the job market is solid,” Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday on the first of a two-day appearance before Congress.

The inflation trend just hasn’t seemed to abate. It will be an unchanged Spring and Summer of “steady as she goes!” The only real concerns may be the tightening of labor due to immigration controls which could cause the Fed to raise lending rates.

Please do not call social security "an entitlement." It's my money that our government is happy to use and pay me < 1% per year when I withdrawal. An entitlement is, i.e. welfare or food stamps for which a person never paid into the system.

Looks like? Where have been for last 4 years? My SS in NOT entitlement cause the took money out of my pay check for 48 years. IMO once pieces go up they rarely go back down. IMO Why they keep refiguring it’s every so many months. You know like inflation has only risen 1.4 precent but last time it was up 80%. But the new 80% now the standard.

SSI sends checks to the disabled, to spouses of retired wage earners and to minor children of retired wage earners. And probably other groups that I don't know about. It also sends checks that are higher relative to contributions to low wage earners and lower to high wage earners.

But I think everybody knows that. Its not a return of withholding.

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Being subject to IRMAA penalties is annoying, but I think it means we won the game of life. It’s how t seems to me anyway.

The one asset that is sure to go down in value over time is cash.

Taxes are confiscatory and IRMAA is a tax confiscated by the government. You can be positive and think of it as doing something for the common good.

What would be for the common good is charging everyone the same for medicare, groceries, gasoline, whatever.

Inflation report
 

It’s a great time to hunt for high yield accounts. The Fed just received their inflation report. It’s up slightly to3% for January. A far cry from the desired 2%. So look for rates to stay the same or be raised next month. Your browser is not supported | usatoday.com

By definition, IT IS an entitlement.

:shrug:

Emotional market.

:crap2:

True
 

We will always see emotional swings in the market. That’s where the money can steadily be made.

It is exactly and precisely the opposite of what you posted. An entitlement is something you are entitled to. People who have paid into social security, are entitled to receive social security.

No one is "entitled" to SNAP payments or Section 8 housing or welfare. That's something you get when you are living in poverty. If you want a piece of that, feel free to give me all your money and investments, live in poverty, and apply for government assistance.

Surprisingly, not everybody does know that. The idea of Social Security was/is to provide a safety net for our nation's poorest and most needy citizens. If you are fortunate enough to have tons of money, you don't need SS money and may not get any. But if, for whatever reason, you have little or no other source of income, or have special needs, SS can make the difference between survival or being thrown in the street. Seems very Christian spirited of our government to me.
But, in the past, should the markets fail and hundreds of thousands loose everything they own, jobs, savings, investments, property, etc, (great depression) choose suicide, crime, prostitution, gangs.
One of the biggest surprises to me is how many folks that actually need or even rely on SS have been fooled into voting against their own best interests and their Christian principles. That's the way it looks to me.

Common good. Like sharing the load. Give everyone a chance to contribute to make this the best we can be. Civilized and socially responsible.
Unfortunately, some see life as a game of Monopoly.
"Grab all I can and to hell with everyone else".

That and a nickel, I mean $12.50, will get you a cup of coffee.

(Did I just show my age?)

Yes, if only it worked that way is would be very generous of all of us. But the reality check here is the number of people receiving SSI that don't qualify for the benefits. There are so many people on the disability lunch wagon who could be working but they learned how to play the system.:22yikes:

Always...It is by design...All fiat goes to zero.

There still is a lot of investment capital from overseas coming in looking for yield. I think we will be OK. Mag7 P/E isn't too ridiculous except for TSLA and maybe NVDA.

Count on higher inflation.

I am counting on tax free SS in the future...I think it might pass Congress this year.

Yes we have a real sheet show from the policies of the last 4 years. All by design. Corrections are in order. Life will be very good.

Millions of spouses, divorced spouses, widows, and widowers are receiving a Social Security check every month who never paid anything into the system.

You are absolutely right. Tariffs, protectionism and isolationism will make for a very bumpy ride indeed.

Look it is easy to play armchair quarterback when it comes to inflation, the fact the cost of things will continue to increase due to many factors not just one thing. Manufacturing not being able to meet with the demand, greed, disease, severe weather, resources, etc.
The only thing a person can do is to financially prepare, because anyone who tells you they know the one thing that is driving this does not know what they are talking about.

Social Security is not an "entitlement" as you say skarra! It's my money paid in to the system for my more than 35 years of work. DO NOT touch my money

Everything is going to be just fine. Gloom and doom was before. It might be bumpy, but it will be a MUCH BETTER outcome! It's interesting how some try to convince others - at our advanced stage in life - they can change others' opinions or convictions. That's just not going to happen. The future is shining so bright, I have to wear shades! Enjoy and embrace greatness!

There are a lot of speed bumps in our communities, just slow down and proceed with caution, everything will work out fine

We have an ugly situation with the financial system collapsing.
A return to a Federal Government in compliance with the Constitution would be part of the solution.
Elimination of the national debt would be the other part of the solution.
Partisan politics is not part of the solution.

Omg…..go back to bed.

Lets really go down the rat hole:
(A rabbit hole is all warm and filled with soft fuzzy fur, with a cute cuddly animal at the bottom. :smiley: a rat hole is smelly, coarse irritating hair, and has a nasty biting creature at the bottom :evil6:)

Buckle up. There’s a massive move happening in the gold market that almost nobody’s talking about. Huge physical deliveries. Shortages in London. Gold flowing into the U.S. at record levels. Someone with deep pockets is scooping up gold—likely the U.S. Treasury or Fed.

Why? The theory: They’re preparing for a full-on gold audit—meaning they’re re-shoring gold they might’ve leased out. Once audited, that gold could form the backbone of a new monetary system. This could signal a seismic shift in the dollar’s status and value.

The endgame: A major devaluation of the U.S. dollar to reset America’s global competitiveness. Think back to 1971 (Nixon shutting the gold window) or 1985 (Plaza Accord). This time, it might be even bigger—some call it the “Mar-a-Lago Accord.”

Tariffs are key. They aren’t just about steel, aluminum, or stopping fentanyl. They’re the cudgel to force other countries to accept a new currency regime. The U.S. wants to drive down the dollar’s value vs. the yuan, euro, yen, etc. to boost exports and domestic industry.

Meanwhile, there is talk of a “Sovereign Wealth Fund.” This means turning America’s natural resources, mineral rights, and strategic assets into equity. Suddenly the U.S. balance sheet doesn’t look so terrible. But watch for inflation—because that’s the plan too.

Inflation crushes current debts (government and private). But it also punishes everyday people with higher prices. The bet is wages will rise too, thanks to new industrial policies—like forcing profits to be reinvested in the U.S. (a nod to China’s model, ironically).

If it goes “right,” we end with a gold-backed or partially gold-backed currency, new capital controls, and a two-tier dollar (domestic vs. international). The Fed could even get scrapped, replaced by something like stablecoin tech, but with gold in the vault. Wild, right?

This is either a brilliant adult solution to an unsustainable debt spiral... or a step toward a heavily managed, non-free-market system. Possibly both. Either way, the message: “Something must change or the whole thing breaks.” So they’re doing it.

If you’re a regular person? Holding physical gold is the hedge against a collapsing dollar. Expect big changes in trade, currency rules, and prices for everything. The move could be fast. The ‘70s had staggering inflation. This time might be more dramatic.

Bottom line: Prepare for a major monetary reset. One that’s orchestrated (they hope) rather than chaotic. These aren’t half-baked theories. You can see it in gold flows, cabinet policy picks, the talk of a Sovereign Wealth Fund, and a looming forced revaluation.

Stay alert. Keep an eye on gold, tariffs, and any rumblings about “auditing” U.S. reserves. Inflation is coming by design. The old system is toast—time for what might be the biggest economic shake-up since 1971. Ignore it at your own risk.

Some sources to help you understand the plan:

A Users Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System by Stephen Miran: https://hudsonbaycapital.com/documen...ing_System.pdf

October Interview with Howard Lutnick (Commerce Sec. Nominee) Timestamped to his explaining how the Sovereign Wealth Fund will be used: https://youtu.be/4AIgn545PPA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms7Uyg4bwaQ

Is that you
 

William Devane, is that really you? :thumbup::thumbup: