The U.S. finally stopped minting pennies. Each 1-cent coin cost more than 3-cents to make. In 2024 half of all newly minted coins were … pennies! Hardly anyone uses them. They languish in checkout trays or pile up in jars at home. It doesn’t take much to see that
I’m curious; how many times did you pick up a news feed this week, and didn’t see something about a looming AI bubble or market crash? I think this next downturn – whenever it happens – could be the most predicted correction in the history of the market. Recessions,
This week my inner critic had a lot to say about my questionable market mindset. Why would I ever wish for a stock to go down? Maybe it was the full moon. More likely, it was Michael Burry’s $1.1 billion short. Burry was the guy who famously bet against subprime
Eight years ago today, on November 2, 2017, my dad passed away. It also happens to be All Souls’ Day—a day the Catholic Church sets aside to honor those who’ve gone before us. The night before, his favored Houston Astros won the World Series. And the moon hung huge,
There is a lot of discussions about Artificial Intelligence these days. AI can balance your books, spot skin cancer, plan your next trip, and tell you which houseplant you’re about to kill. AI only arrived in 2022, yet the next generation could design cities that think for themselves, prescribe
Let’s take a quick ride on a stock market roller coaster. As you read this, check in with your emotions. In December 1996, Fed Chair Alan Greenspan warned of “irrational exuberance” in the markets. In plain English, he thought stock prices were way too high. So, what happened next? Stocks rose 105%
This week the government shut down—and yet the Dow and S&P 500 pushed to new highs. With headlines full of layoffs, rising healthcare costs, and relentless finger-pointing, that outcome felt almost surreal. Were you surprised? I was. Let’s play quick game of Government Shutdown Trivial Pursuit to see how previous shutdowns
I’ve just returned from a beautiful two-week trip to Italy, grateful for every moment —and aware of a few I missed. Some experiences I didn’t even know to look for until the opportunity passed. Darn! That familiar tug of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) crept in. Could I have
Hey Succession fans! Have you seen the latest Murdoch news? After losing a court fight to change his trust, Rupert still got his way—Lachlan will take sole control of the media empire when he’s gone. What happened? Here’s a quick sequence of events: After his 1999 divorce, Rupert locked his
My mom always said, “the most expensive vegetable you’ll ever eat is the one you grow.” No joke. This year I turned my entire backyard into a garden. I planted nearly every vegetable Walter Anderson had to offer. Most of them gave me nothing. A did get a few
This Labor Day weekend I’m celebrating my son and daughter-in-law, Neil and Amber. They own a food-cart business, working at fairs and concerts across the pacific northwest. They work like their hair’s on fire and the extinguisher’s out of order! Neil thinks they should turn their life into a reality TV show.
When was the last time you checked your home’s value and felt your jaw drop—followed quickly by the thought, how long can this last? The truth is, summer sales have cooled, and a few cracks are showing: New home prices fell nearly 5% in June, and inventory is up
My mom never wasted a thing. If she found a mystery casserole in the freezer and said, “We got to use this up,” we knew dinner was about to be something that looked like leftovers from the Cold War. When it comes to tax breaks, I’m with my mom –
If a will is found buried under the cushions of a couch … with unclear scribbles, shaky intentions, and crossed-out names … and it contradicts a previous will, giving one child more than the others … and the person who wrote it is very sick … is it valid?
Do you remember the old Roadrunner cartoon? The Roadrunner would lead the Coyote off a cliff – and Coyote’s legs would keep spinning – until he realized there was nothing under him. Then he’d stop, turn his head, give us a wide-eyed look, and fall into an abyss. .
The annual Social Security numbers are out, and they’re alarming. According to William Galston in The Wall Street Journal, the fund is now expected to run dry in the first quarter of 2033—nine months sooner than projected last year. When that happens, benefits could drop by 26% for current
The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) brings some changes to charitable giving – and a head-scratching layer of complication. Starting January 1, 2026, the tax rules get trickier and a little less generous. Let’s break it down and talk about what we can do. If You Take the Standard DeductionPreviously, non-itemizers could not
The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has arrived—bringing nearly 900 pages of tax changes with it. While it’s intended to be a permanent overhaul, some of the most impactful provisions come with expiration dates. Let’s take this bill one piece at a time and start with something that applies to
Think back to a favorite vacation from the past 10 years. Where did you go and what did you do? What did you eat? (I hope you said “yes” to everything!) What were the sensations and the feelings? What made it magical? Was it the best possible vacation you could’ve
When the U.S. bombed Iran last weekend, I was 100% sure the stock market would take a deep plunge on Monday and gas prices would shoot through the roof. I was so convinced, that I got in my car, drove to the gas station, and filled up my
