From the category archives:

Macro Economy

Will America’s Economy Recover in Time for You to Retire?

by macromikeAugust 4, 2011

Like you, I read a lot. I read newspaper articles, journal articles, blogs and books. Sometimes I get great ideas from these sources and use them (citing them, of course) in my blog – thank you for reading my blog by the way! Most of what I read is bland, repetitive and doesn’t say much. [...]

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How Will the Tax “Burden” Affect Your Retirement?

by macromikeAugust 1, 2011

During the “debt ceiling” negotiations over the past few weeks, almost every politician has discussed that the “rich should pay their fair share” of taxes.  That phrase, which is overused to the point that it’s meaningless, got me to thinking – is there a “fair” share that anyone should pay in the United States? Let’s [...]

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Foreign Ownership of United States Treasury Debt – How Will it Affect Your Retirement?

by macromikeJuly 29, 2011

Here we go again – the macro topic of the day that just won’t die – “What will happen on August 2nd? Will the U.S. default on some debt obligations?” I’ll admit to some surprise – I guessed that the Congress would have approved a debt ceiling increase by now. Perhaps they’ll wait until the [...]

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Debt Ceiling – Will This Question Ever be Solved? How Will This Effect Your Financial Future?

by macromikeJuly 27, 2011

Is it August 2nd yet?  We’re all painfully aware that “something happens” on that date, perhaps the United States declares bankruptcy? Will we all be in the streets trying to sell apples to each other? Some background here – since 1939 the Congress has specified a maximum amount of debt that the U.S. Treasury could [...]

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QE2 is Over at the End of June – What Does This Mean for Your Retirement Planning?

by macromikeJune 28, 2011

QE2?  Isn’t that the doomed ocean liner from the days of the Titanic? No, unfortunately QE2 is a bit less exciting.  Quantitative Easing (“QE”) is a monetary policy alternative employed by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the United States’ central bank.  The “Fed”, as it’s sometimes called, adds cash to the economy when it determines that [...]

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State of Vermont is the “Single Payer” for Health Care Insurance?

by macromikeJune 24, 2011

Nancy Folbre wrote a great article in the New York Times recently about the State of Vermont and its legislation shifting Vermont towards a single-payer health care insurance system. Peter Shumlin, Vermont’s governor, signed the bill in late May which would provide coverage for all of the Green Mountain state’s 620,000 residents.  Importantly, while the [...]

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It’s Time to Pay the Piper

by macromikeJune 10, 2011

It’s no secret that the United States and other developed countries are borrowing money (issuing debt or bonds) at a rate never before seen in this generation.  In fact, it’s difficult to pick up a newspaper or browse online without hearing several opinions on “what should be done”.  Happily, most commentators agree that to continue [...]

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Disability Causes Foreclosure 16 times more than Death!

by macromikeMay 25, 2011

Sixteen times?  Can that statistic really be true?   According to the National Safety Council, it’s 16 times more likely that a foreclosure is caused by disability vs. death. Let’s examine what this means in the context of retirement planning. First, what is disability?  According to the World Health Organization: “Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering [...]

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Job Losses Fall Hardest on Lower Income Families

by macromikeMay 19, 2011

On Friday, May 6th, the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the April employment report.  Wall Street watches this particular report very carefully as it indicates whether the unemployment rate is rising or falling, and by how much. In April, according to the BLS, “Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 244,000…and the unemployment rate [...]

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Higher Education Leads to Higher Wages and Lower Unemployment

by macromikeApril 20, 2011

Laura D‘Andrea Tyson’s recent blog in The New York Times cites some very interesting statistics regarding how “The dramatic increase in college education among women is one major reason that het earnings of female workers have increased, that the gap between male and female earnings has fallen, and that, in recent recessions, the unemployment rate [...]

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