Retirement is exciting for many, but some people want to remain active and connected to the workforce or their communities. I was curious about the opportunities for active retirees, so I asked ChaptGPT, and here is what it (he/she/they) recommended.

There are many great job options for active...

A Recession Is Coming

by Bill Parrott on

Is a recession imminent because of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank? First Republic Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank are also on the ropes, and I'm sure there are more to come as individuals withdraw their money to buy US Treasuries or bury it in the backyard. If bankers are nervous...

Nothing Is Working

by Bill Parrott on
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Another day, another market sell-off. The latest culprit is the failure and seizure of Silicon Valley Bank after a bank run. It’s two steps forward, one step back. Before COVID, the Ukraine War, rising interest rates, and persistent inflation, the S&P 500 was up nearly 200%, averaging 11.4% annually...

Scary Times

by Bill Parrott on
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Silicon Valley Bank gives us another reason to panic and freak out over our financial future. The FDIC seized the sixteenth-largest bank in the country on Friday, the second-largest bank takeover in US history. At the time of the collapse, twenty-two Wall Street analysts rated the stock a buy or...

Can You Drink Coffee and Retire?

by Bill Parrott on
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A venti honey almond milk flat white coffee costs $5.95; if you drank one daily for a year, it would cost $2,171, and after forty years, you would have spent approximately $960,000, and that’s a lot of coffee beans. Of course, you could brew your coffee at home for about 15 cents, but that’s not as...

Holding Pattern

by Bill Parrott on

Several years ago, I flew from Connecticut to Los Angeles with a layover in Chicago. Nearing Chicago, the pilot informed us we were in a holding pattern due to a winter storm. I was stuck and could not do anything, and it lasted several hours before we finally landed.

Stocks are in a holding...

What Is A Preferred Stock?

by Bill Parrott on

Preferred stocks can generate significant income and are hybrid investments, similar to stocks and bonds. The dividend income is usually higher than owning shares of common stock, and you may get some price appreciation. The preferred label comes from the pecking order on the balance sheet because...

What is a Municipal Bond?

by Bill Parrott on

We built this city; we built this city on rock' n' roll, built this city on rock' n' roll." You undoubtedly have heard this song by Jefferson Starship, and now you are singing it out loud and can't get it out of your head—sorry!

However, with all due respect to Jefferson Starship, tax-free...

What Is A Bond Ladder?

by Bill Parrott on
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An excellent strategy to protect your assets from rising or falling interest rates is to build a bond ladder—a portfolio of bonds with different maturities.

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Bond maturities are similar to rungs on a ladder, and each one you climb gets you closer to your goal. Your ladder can consist of bonds...

Inflation or Recession?

by Bill Parrott on
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Inflation is climbing, while some market indicators are predicting a recession. The market gauges are in flux, leaving investors confused and concerned about their financial future. Which battle should you fight – inflation or recession?

The current inflation rate is 6.41%. The rate is down...

My Daughter Bought A House

by Bill Parrott on

My daughter bought a house, but that is not the story. The story started when she was born, and I opened a Uniform Transfers to Minors Act account (UTMA) to help her pay for college. A contribution to a UTMA is an irrevocable gift, and most advisors don't like to use it because the child may turn...

Should You Buy US Treasuries?

by Bill Parrott on
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The one-year US T-Bill currently yields 5.1%. It's an attractive rate compared to the 1.15% the S&P 500 has returned over the past two years, and it's guaranteed. Stocks are volatile, interest rates are rising, the Ukraine War rages on, and China is a constant threat, so buying T-Bills sounds like...