Archive for March, 2012
« Previous EntriesInteresting Success Story: Sara Blakely
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012I read this profile of Sara Blakely several days ago. I don’t know about you, but I like reading about how people attain their wealth. Sara Blakely’s story is particularly interesting because she’s now a billionaire and runs a private company (Spanx) with no debt. That’s a rarity this day and age. I urge you [...]
What If You Could Dollar Cost Average Your Social Security Contributions
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post, which you can read here. As I mentioned yesterday, I have monthly total return data for BOTH the S&P 500 Index and the Barclay’s Aggregate Bond Index going back to January 1991 (I have S&P data going back to 1926). I thought it would be interesting to look [...]
Interesting Ways to Look at Return and Volatility 1991 – 2011
Monday, March 26th, 2012How’s that for a catchy title? I have monthly total returns for the S&P 500 (S&P 90 prior to February 1957) going all the way back to January 1926. However, I only have the Barclay’s Aggregate Bond Index (formerly known as the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index) going back to January 1991. Anyhow… I thought it [...]
Insurance Agent Gets Jail Time
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012This is the first I have heard of this story: Annuity Case Chills Insurance Agents. Last month, Glenn Neasham, an independent insurance agent, was ordered to spend 90 days in jail on a felony-theft conviction for selling a complex annuity to an 83-year-old woman who prosecutors alleged had shown signs of dementia. The agent’s conviction, [...]
Greg Smith: Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012Anyone seen this yet? Why I am Leaving Goldman Sachs. Mr. Smith’s problem with Goldman Sachs? To put the problem in the simplest terms, the interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about making money. Tell me one commission-based company (or any company for that matter) [...]
Total Return Update for the S&P 500 and Other Indexes
Friday, March 16th, 2012Better late than never… Here are the year-to-date total return numbers for the S&P 500, S&P Midcap 400, S&P Smallcap 600, MSCI EAFE, MSCI ACWI ex US, MSCI Emerging Markets, Barclay’s Aggregate Bond Index (formerly the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index), Oil, and Gold. I’m thinking of adding the returns for the corresponding exchange-traded funds so [...]
OT: George Burns – “I Wish I Was 18 Again”
Friday, March 16th, 2012My father-in-law sent this to me the other day and I thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy.
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