The Mission Critical Blog
Inflation: the good, the bad and the truth
Recently, a number of folks have asked me: So… we know you’re a pretty optimistic person. But what’s the most bearish or worst-case scenario for the stock market right now? There is a lot of bad news despite the media attempting to paint things in a good light. In truth, you have to balance being optimistic with being realistic. I’m a long-term optimist with an understanding that things can and will get really bad on occasion. See [...]
Why People Make Dumb Financial Decisions on Purpose
Do people really make dumb decisions.... on purpose?! That would actually be called 'cognitive dissonance'. And certainly, people can often work against their own best interests because they follow the wrong information, based on biases. However, the topic we're addressing today has to do with the fact that financial decisions are personal. As in, each of us has unique goals, concerns or interests. What might be okay for me, might be too risky for you because the perception of risk [...]
If you have a Federal Employee TSP – Watch This Video
Do You Know How Your TSP Dollars Are Being Invested? What is Blackrock you ask? In January 2022, West Virginia Republican State Treasurer Riley Moore announced that the state would no longer be using BlackRock Inc. for banking transactions due to the company’s involvement in China and its policies related to coal and natural gas. Well, in June 2021, Tucker Carlson exposed how BlackRock and other investment firms like it, are "killing the [...]
The best non-financial reason to delay retirement
You’ve probably heard a number of good reasons to continue working longer than you may have to. The most prominent are financial. For example, qualifying for higher Social Security benefits. Every year you delay claiming your benefits from age 62 to 70, your monthly check can increase by about 8%. By continuing to work past what’s commonly regarded as retirement age, you can also maintain the continuity of your peak earning years’ income. And of course, by delaying [...]
How long will high inflation last and what should you do about it?
Most people understand that inflation is when prices go up. To be more precise, the International Monetary Fund defines it this way: "Inflation is the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time. Inflation is typically a broad measure, such as the overall increase in prices or the increase in the cost of living in a country (emphasis added)." While many measures of economic activity can seem abstract and far removed from everyday life, inflation affects all [...]
A stock picker asks: Is it really worth all the work?
When it comes to stocks, it’s easy to have a short memory. Everybody seems focused on what’s happening today and the near future. What are the pundits saying about this week? What are the forecasters predicting for the next quarter? Back in 2020, after the market shook off the shock of the pandemic, it came roaring back and major indexes like the S&P 500 ended the year at record levels. Going into 2021, stocks like Nordstrom and Peloton [...]
