tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:30:19 +0000http://www.i-pension.com/blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil Fragasso)Blogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-9001373993331917491Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:29:00 +00002009-12-18T11:30:19.242-05:00Please visit Phil's web site www.HardWorkingMoney.com for his latest investing insights.http://www.i-pension.com/2009/12/new-blog-site.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil Fragasso)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-5245322653803048754Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:45:00 +00002009-09-11T08:45:37.220-04:00National 401(k) Day is an annual event promoted by the Profit-Sharing Council of America to highlight the importance of employer-sponsored retirement savings plans. It’s celebrated on the first Friday after Labor Day to remind people that retirement closely follows work.Unfortunately, the market of the last decade has provided investors with little reason to celebrate – unless you were smart http://www.i-pension.com/2009/09/its-national-401k-day-do-you-know-where.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil Fragasso)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-7673074955001220457Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:53:00 +00002009-01-13T11:32:41.039-05:00As an investment advisor, I get a lot of finance-related email offerings. And I'm frequently struck by the audacity - and absurdity - of these communications. Here's an example.Just yesterday I received an email promoting a "Complimentary 2009 Market Forecast." I was told that "Forecast 2009 clearly shows when a nice rally - and a major, major - decline comes in 2009 for the Stock Market." In http://www.i-pension.com/2009/01/dont-get-scammed-by-investment-spam.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil Fragasso)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-5634275316521949239Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:21:00 +00002008-12-24T13:09:51.344-05:00The press has been full of reports of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme in which he stole some $50 billion from his clients. Madoff's arrogance and callous disregard for the fortunes of the charitable foundations, private banks, and wealthy friends for whom he managed money is the stuff of legends.The sad part is that Madoff did not and could not succeed on his own. He succeeded in his criminal http://www.i-pension.com/2008/12/it-your-money-so-make-sure-you-keep-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-6950437844618831085Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:14:00 +00002008-12-24T13:09:51.344-05:00We humans have a strong fascination with the macabre. That's why we experience traffic jams as people slow down and rubber-neck to observe the details of a car crash or the identity of a speeding ticket recipient. The same thing is happening today with the stock market. People who wouldn’t recognize a credit default swap if it hit them in the head are nonetheless glued to CNBC, mesmerized by http://www.i-pension.com/2008/10/watched-market-doesn-rise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-5254812801692313889Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:40:00 +00002008-12-24T13:09:51.344-05:00The third quarter was a disaster by any measure. The S&P 500 (-11%), the NYSE Composite (-13%), and international stocks (-22%) were all down significantly. Commodities had their worst quarter since the 1970s; and bonds returned less than 1.0%. Household names like Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers are gone. Global behemoths like AIG and Merrill Lynch were brought to their knees before being http://www.i-pension.com/2008/10/sky-is-falling-buy-sky.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-2856201412803090225Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:47:00 +00002008-12-24T13:09:51.345-05:00Seems like every day there's a new story in the press about Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CIT, Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual and every other financial services firm that's been caught up in the ongoing mortgage crisis. The stock prices of each of those firms have plummeted as much as 90% in the last year, and there are few compelling reasons to buy them even at today's rock-bottom valuations.On http://www.i-pension.com/2008/08/buy-debt-sell-stock.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4316767690705282487.post-7058906914733808237Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:52:00 +00002008-12-24T13:09:51.345-05:00"These are the times that try men's souls." With those words, Thomas Paine captured the fears and uncertainty surrounding the early stages of the American Revolution. His words also have meaning for us as we struggle through the worst bear market since 2000-2002. It's a difficult and painful time to be an investor – or an investment adviser. The best approach is to maintain a focus on the http://www.i-pension.com/2008/07/where-do-you-go-when-there-nowhere-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Phil)0