Category: Wealth Strategies

Topics, articles, and posts that deal with the Wealth Strategies topic and service offering.

Passive Income & Practicing What I Preach

You may have seen that during the 2020 slowdown in business activity I turned to old skill sets and created a t-shirt business.  Four, if you’re counting stores, product themes, or work I did for clients running other businesses.  Is that a departure from my financial services and education content?  Not by any stretch of…… Continue reading Passive Income & Practicing What I Preach

Puzzle Pieces 2020

Jn 3:19 "... and this is your condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

If you aren’t free to pursue your dreams, you aren’t free to accumulate wealth and use your wealth to power the projects that are important to you, whatever those projects may be.  That is why this topic is included in the Wealth Strategies topic list as well as my status blog.  Your wealth is certainly…… Continue reading Puzzle Pieces 2020

Defying the Giants…

Artwork Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Battling Giants

Who Will Face This Giant? My mother named me for David, the boy who would one day be king, that faced insurmountable odds against a giant and famed Philistine warrior.  Me?  I keep suggesting ways to fight those in power and I’m getting a little irritated at those who think “they” can’t be instrumental in…… Continue reading Defying the Giants…

How to Prepare for Financial Crisis

What can be done to brace for a market crash? What did people need that they didn’t have in March of 2020? This is what individuals, households, businesses, and countries need to have but didn’t in the Spring of 2020: When the market lost 33% over the course of four weeks from February to March,…… Continue reading How to Prepare for Financial Crisis

Trouncing the First Amendment

"Give me Liberty or Give me Death." Patrick Henry, 1775

Social media platforms, established by the tech-savvy who seem to drift unerringly far left, have been claiming two stakes, and changing their stance whenever it suits them!  I’ve written on this topic before because this type of discrimination has happened to me before, and has been perpetrated on conservative voices for many years. The Platform…… Continue reading Trouncing the First Amendment

The “Freedom Trumps Socialism” Tee-Rant

Created with GIMP

Socialism carries a much more dire impact than financial relief, debt forgiveness, or “free stuff”; and I don’t care who you vote for. You should though.  As someone said recently, “elections have consequences.”  The topic is too important to shortcut; so I’ll apologize that this didn’t fit into a 1300-character social media post. The image…… Continue reading The “Freedom Trumps Socialism” Tee-Rant

Turn and Face the Strange

Meme with NASA Apollo 17 image

That first line from David Bowie’s Changes sums it up well, as does the other lines of the chorus:  “Don’t want to be a richer man…just gonna have to be a different man…Time may change me, but I can’t trace time.” What follows are my notes on the following two videos and my periodic responses…… Continue reading Turn and Face the Strange

Facing a Torrent Swimming Upstream

The multi-national corporation dogs need to be leashed.

In my opinion, you either value your own freedom and by extension the freedom of those around you or you don’t.  What that looks like for those who will say they value both your freedom and their own has become an open defiance and possibly assault upon the United States, it’s Constitution, the tenets of…… Continue reading Facing a Torrent Swimming Upstream

The End of the Fed Dollar is in Sight.

Relics of History: Fiat currency backed by nothing and tokens in scrap metal.

Cash disbursal and debt forgiveness have come to the table in many conversations from those “leading” in government and those watching closely their decisions, discussions, and actions. I’m never a proponent of “taking the easy road” when the easy road is “the wrong thing to do”, but our leadership has been doing the worst thing…… Continue reading The End of the Fed Dollar is in Sight.

Economic Impacts of Covid-19

US Silver Dollar over fiat money paper and tokens.

The impact of Covid-19 or #coronavirus is to #trigger events in sectors of the economy where a lack of fiscal or monetary integrity has weakened the #infrastructure. Some people with compromised immune and cardio vascular systems are at serious risk since this targets the lungs, but almost every soul on Earth uses #money and the…… Continue reading Economic Impacts of Covid-19

Amazing Safire Sun Project

Differing plasma formations with Safire Project.

Technology may get us through some of our problems yet… This Safire project has been doing some really interesting work over the past few years.  Their recent release discusses putting the “electric sun model” to work for practical use as a system that: produces clean energy creates a serviceable heat source remediates nuclear waste The…… Continue reading Amazing Safire Sun Project

The Elephant in the Room

The elephant in the room.

At the time of this post, we are headed for a breaking point.  The issues that arose in the banking and housing industry back in 2008 have only been expanded and become more unstable.  It’s beginning to look like the black swan event that many have been expecting since then is nearly upon us.  That…… Continue reading The Elephant in the Room

The Uphill Climb

For this status post I had to pass on a segment of Peter Schiff’s recent podcast where he discusses the relationship between your employer, government regulations, and you as an employee. Who Pays for Government Programs? In the linked podcast, Peter covers how government mandates something that costs an employer money to deliver that government…… Continue reading The Uphill Climb

In Uncle Sam We Trust

Slowly but Certainly, Social Security Is Failing. I see this routinely as I assist clients in preparing for retirement and other financial goals.  This statement is directly from the Social Security Administration’s web page that assists people with estimating their expected benefits at retirement: “The law governing benefit amounts may change because, by 2034, the…… Continue reading In Uncle Sam We Trust

Testimonial Videos Premiere!

Testimonial Video Slide

I have been wanting to include some of my best clients in video testimonials for prospective clients and for new clients to review and also share.  When you find something good, something exceptional, it’s natural to want to share it with people close to you whom you care about. Each of the instructional videos I…… Continue reading Testimonial Videos Premiere!

Motive, and Opportunity…

Yes, the market’s numbers have been higher and setting records, but why? Many companies have borrowed money at near zero interest rates and are buying back their own stock. This reduces the amount of profit paid out to shareholders, and with the company buying more (generally not caring what share prices are paid), the demand…… Continue reading Motive, and Opportunity…

Which Straw? Which Camel?

More and more I find the old axiom true: its not what happens, but how you react to events, or are prepared for them, that matters. In 2008 a bursting real estate #bubble was one key event in bringing down market values in the financial sector and therefore the entire #market. While scores of mortgages…… Continue reading Which Straw? Which Camel?

“A False Sense of Security” – Jim Rickards

Jim Rickards

As I speak with prospects, clients, and participate in chats and conversation, I find that people are having three main issues indirectly related to their financial well-being: 1) Work and family keeps them busy so they have difficulty keeping up with information that can help them. 2) Most don’t have a good source of information:…… Continue reading “A False Sense of Security” – Jim Rickards

Mutual Funds & Retirement: Strange Bedfellows

Sailing with headwinds and threatening skies.

When you dig deeply enough to understand how financial vehicles work, it’s easy to see their benefits and short-comings.  In my educated opinion, it isn’t hard to see just how short mutual funds can fall when used to grow your retirement, family, or personal wealth.  Abysmally short, in fact, when applied within the “qualified” 401(k),…… Continue reading Mutual Funds & Retirement: Strange Bedfellows

The Thinly Veiled “Hedonic” Economy

As both mainstream media news, not-so-mainstream media news, and even our current administration tout the “strength” of our present economy, we must remember that they are measuring in units that are and have been a moving target of value.  Even President Trump, who called out the misleading statistics published by the US Government as “Candidate…… Continue reading The Thinly Veiled “Hedonic” Economy

Time will tell… But don’t wait that long!

Although it’s my birthday today, I’m building a business and working on marketing that will attract new clients, so I don’t see that I’ll be taking much time to “celebrate”. I meet with friends regularly, and even had coffee with a friend planned this morning, but that got moved. In my opinion, true friendships aren’t…… Continue reading Time will tell… But don’t wait that long!

Over 60% Polled Not Comfortable with Retirement Plans

The Problems: Many people of working age are not comfortable with how their financial plans for retirement are advancing.  A link to the article that spurred my own reflection on the topic appears at the end of the article.  What follows are comments from my own perspective gleaned from working with clients on such plans…… Continue reading Over 60% Polled Not Comfortable with Retirement Plans

“Those Who Don’t Learn From History…”

… are doomed to repeat it.”  That’s how the axiom goes.  Well doesn’t this sound frighteningly familiar. Back in the early 2000’s, as a strategy to “beef up” the economy, the Federal Reserve banking cartel continued flooding the economy with easy money in a move they called “quantitative easing”, or QE2.  They had done it…… Continue reading “Those Who Don’t Learn From History…”

Guilt-Free Spending (part 2)

Part II When you keep a budget, you should know where your money is, where it went, what it’s being used for, and how much you have reserved for your personal use.  The reason that many people don’t have money is that they don’t plan to have money.  Really, that’s not a flippant statement.  People…… Continue reading Guilt-Free Spending (part 2)

The Crypto-Currency, Gold Connection

Even with all the crypto-currency hype, nearly everyone was shocked at the 1,270.5% gains of crypto-currency flagship Bitcoin in the last year.  Even more shocking, the distributive ledger technology that allows it to work is already outdated! If Moore’s law, an observation coined in 1965, that estimates the exponential advancement of technology as “the number…… Continue reading The Crypto-Currency, Gold Connection

Retirement Expectations “Crumbling”

While many people don’t take the time to actively consider their retirement plans amid the constant press of their daily activities and schedule, it’s been suggested that such consideration today is not just important, but immanent!  It’s no surprise that the pressures of the economic times in recent history have been felt by more and…… Continue reading Retirement Expectations “Crumbling”

Seasoned Professional, 10 Years to Retirement

This engineering professional had accumulated a good-sized 401(k) with a large public firm and had a desire to remove as much of his accumulated retirement wealth from the risk of any Wall Street market exposure as possible.  The description on his account statement that he was “100% vested” lead him to believe that he was…… Continue reading Seasoned Professional, 10 Years to Retirement

Business Entrepreneur’s Education / Retirement Fund for Daughter

A business entrepreneur with a young, pre-teen daughter wanted to set up an account usable for college funding.  While a 529 account might come to mind, once funds are placed into a 529 account the government stipulates, in return for tax-deferred status, the purposes to which both the capital and the gains can be applied. …… Continue reading Business Entrepreneur’s Education / Retirement Fund for Daughter

Grandfather with 5 Grandchildren, Age 85

A grandfather of five grandchildren and one great-grandchild inquired if I could assist him in setting up a wealth-transfer to his several grandchildren.  “I have money in my bank account that I’m not using, am not likely to use, and am earning next to no return on!”, he stated, opening the discussion. “I want to…… Continue reading Grandfather with 5 Grandchildren, Age 85

Young Single Professional Woman, age 26

The account with which we matched this young professional woman provided the ability to leverage a large sum of tax-free money available to her while allowing her to build wealth away from the market downturn exposure of Wall Street and at much better rates than those available from the banking industry.    Both capital and…… Continue reading Young Single Professional Woman, age 26

The Game You Write Your Own Rules For…

Empowered to do what you’d like to do and to be who you’d like to be.  All too often these days people, organizations, and ‘authorities’ are making all too many decisions ‘for your own good’.  If you’d like to retain or recover more of the ability to make your decisions based on your own values,…… Continue reading The Game You Write Your Own Rules For…

The Worst Debt Reduction Advice…

"What, no cash? Here, borrow mine!"

As I was researching some ideas for debt reduction I came across this article published on the AARP site.  As I read through the suggestions I couldn’t believe some of the ideas that the author was recommending as a ‘good’ overall financial strategy to reduce debt. My comments and analysis follow the tenets of the…… Continue reading The Worst Debt Reduction Advice…

Oh, Not So, Mr. Ramsey!

I agree with many things that Dave Ramsey says, this is one of those rare, yet glaring exceptions. On a Facebook Meme this morning, Dave Ramsey issued, “Debt is dumb.  Cash is king.”  Without further explanation, I must take an exception to this blanket statement.    “Debt is dumb.” If you’re both broke and in-debt…… Continue reading Oh, Not So, Mr. Ramsey!

USAA and Fox’s Sean Hannity

USAA recently pulled its advertising from the Sean Hannity show on FOX’s news network due to the political content and thousands of clients are dropping their accounts! While it’s a good thing to recognize market extortion when you see it, and even more impressive to take a stand and react to it actively, many people…… Continue reading USAA and Fox’s Sean Hannity

Numismatic Coins vs. Precious Metals

Numismatic coins, valued for their rarity, beauty, and the perceived value of those that seek them, do not equate to the security of bullion; pure precious metals like gold, platinum, and silver. Precious metals all have more than one function, the first being as an instrument in trade as ‘money’.  Metals have specific characteristics that…… Continue reading Numismatic Coins vs. Precious Metals