The positive implications of technology are so ubiquitous that the general public has become inured to the constant proclamations of breakthroughs, game changers, and world shifting inventions. In the realm of medicine, it’s taken for granted that new treatments will be discovered, life spans will be extended, and diseases will slowly but surely fall to […]
Local Government Cuts Pension Plans Trying to avoid possible bankruptcy, the city of Detroit continues to outline major budgetary cuts and cost saving maneuvers. Amongst the more noticeable of these cuts is a massive reduction in pension benefits. These would include reducing existing pension checks, as well as eliminating pensions completely for those who have […]
Last time we spoke about the kind of property that a novice real estate investor might want to purchase for his/her retirement fund. A conservative rental, single or multi-family, was offered as a good option because of the cash flow that it generates. However, not all rental properties are created equal. Here are 5 common […]
A few weeks ago we looked at the case of Rachel: a successful nurse who had $200k in her 401(k) and wants to get into real estate. Rachel had no previous real estate experience and wanted to jump right away into big commercial deals. We explained in Part 1 why that would not be a […]
Self directed IRAs certainly have a number of advantages over standard retirement plans. They give you unlimited access to various asset classes, do away with a ton of retirement-crushing fees, and allow you to take a break from the topsy turvy roller coaster known as the stock market. That being said, there are still a […]
What’s better? To live an opiated existence and see the world through rose colored glasses, or to actually get a glimpse of reality with all of its cringe inducing flaws? If we’re talking about Twinkies (R.I.P.), then please leave me alone while I devour the yellow goodness. I don’t want to know what’s in it, […]
In a recent MarketWatch article, Brett Arends lists 5 of the most unpopular investments for 2013. The logic of such a list is that a savvy investor can make a move now to get in on the ground floor of something big. Coming in at number four on the list is the only non-stock asset: […]
What defines “real”? The search for authenticity is occasionally embarked upon by the individual in an effort to find some kind of existential meaning. The attentive gourmand strives for real food, the wife for real love, and the artist for real expression. But how to define this so-called real is always fraught with ambiguity. How […]