Salient to Investors: Stocks are most useful for long-term goals so it does not make sense to change your investment strategy based on a blip (sic) of market activity. There is absolutely nothing abnormal going on in the market. Research shows that long-term portfolio performance suffers badly by missing just a few days
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Sean Williams writes: FRB of St. Louis reports the US personal savings rate averaged 4.8% in June, 2015, no change from a year ago. The OECD reports the rate in 2011 for Germany was 11.4% and for France 16%. Hearts & Wallets reports that in 2014, 45% of
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: William Emmons at FRB St. Louis said: Americans born between 1928 and 1945 have become the richest old generation ever by benefiting from improved health, a more generous social safety net, an exit from the job market ahead of the past recession, rebounding stock and home values, and
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: HelpAge International said: Norway is the best of 96 countries to grow old in, followed by Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and Germany. Afghanistan is the worst. Australia, Western Europe and North America rank highly. By 2050, 21% of the global population will be over 60, when 40 of the 96
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Moody’s Investors Service said: The 25 largest US public pensions – 40% of the $5.3 trillion in US public pensions – face $2 trillion in unfunded liabilities, showing that investment returns cannot keep up with ballooning obligations and inadequate pension contributions – from 2004 to 2013 an average
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Calpers’ exit from hedge fund investing underscored that there is no magic bullet to dealing with mounting pension fund costs. Chris Mier at Loop Capital Markets said the problem cannot be fixed very rapidly. Wilshire Consulting said that in 2013, state pension plans had 75% of what they
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Amateur investors are giving up on trying to beat the market, while even the most sophisticated investors are rejecting strategies that require advanced math and managers with million-dollar salaries. ICI reports the average expense ratio on an equity mutual fund is down 25% in 10 years. Boston Consulting
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: More than half of US adults are single versus 37% in 1976. Singles need bigger emergency funds more insurance protection. Couples who wait to have kids in their 30s end up with three big financial burdens all at once: retirement planning, saving for a house and saving for college.
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports the share of Americans 65 and older with mortgage debt rose to 30% in 2011 with a median debt adjusted for inflation of $79,000, from 22% in 2001 with a median debt of $43,400. The increase in mortgage debt makes these households more susceptible
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies said millennials – born from 1979 to 1996 – began saving for retirement at a median age of 22, versus 27 for Generation X and 35 for baby boomers. 71% of millennials offered 401(k) or similar plans contributed a median 8%
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