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Or, confessions of a personal finance writer in Las Vegas. — It used to be “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!” In today’s reality of everything turning up on the Internet sooner or later (usually sooner), Sin City updated its slogan to “What happens in Vegas happens only in Vegas!” They may be on to something. I’ll get to that…

Here’s how I stay invested, sane, and calm. — After a bull run for the ages, the stock market is teeter-tottering at the edge of a bear. Year-to-date (YTD, 2022), the S&P 500 total return is negative 15.1 percent. If it drops just 4.9 percent further (2.5 percent from the worst recent intra-day low), the bear will arrive. Once We Get into a Bear Market, How Bad and How Long Can It Get? According…

With the S&P 500 showing a near-bear-market loss of 17% YTD, should you flee the market to cash, TIPS, or I bonds? — It’s all over the news. Inflation, or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), at about 8% (the last 3 months showed year-over-year increases of 7.9%, 8.5%, and most recently 8.3%) is higher than it’s been in over 40 years! If you stuff your money under a mattress and inflation stays at…

Americans have lost over $1 Trillion in forgotten 401(k) plans. Do this to avoid letting your old accounts join that unfortunate number without paying taxes or penalties… — It was the end of 2008. After a long time contemplating it, I finally pulled the trigger. I gave my supervisor my resignation letter. It was past time to go elsewhere. It was probably the second-best professional move I ever made. …

Here are 9 things you may not know about the widely used index (#3: it actually comprises 505 stocks, not 500) — Warren Buffet, one of the greatest investors of all times, famously said investing in low-cost index funds, and especially ones following the Standard & Poor 500 index (S&P 500®) is best for most people. If you want to follow that advice, remember the well-known admonition (often erroneously attributed to Mark…

Use this method to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck — But I want it! Is that a familiar thought when you see something you want to buy, but aren’t sure you should? I know it is for me. 3 Ways to Think About Spending Now that Support Your Overall Happiness The most important thing you need to remember when considering a purchase is to maintain a good balance between your current needs/wants…

The curious story of how Uncle Sam prefers to not tax certain income, even when otherwise millions of dollars would flow to the treasury… — As something of a personal finance enthusiast, I was absolutely gobsmacked (does anyone actually use that word?) by this one. Imagine you get a multi-million-dollar windfall, and when it’s time to pay tax on it, Uncle Sam says, “Nah, never mind. I’m feeling generous today. You can keep it all!”

Do you have what it takes to invest in stocks? Can you afford not to? — It’s scary. I get it. Especially these days, with the just 2.6% off its all-time high of 4725.79 set on Dec 23, 2021 (see closing-price chart below), and with the index swinging up and down by over 1% almost daily. And seeing how bear markets can wipe out half or…

After a lifetime investing for retirement, do you want to be forced to deplete your nest egg faster than needed? — Taxes. It’s hard to think of a more reviled aspect of our government. When I first met him, a friend was diffident responding when I asked what he does — he’s an IRS attorney… Needless to say, I don’t hold that against him. …