Good news for those of you on Social Security: Your monthly checks are about to get a little larger. The Labor Department has approved a 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2022 – the sharpest increase in 40 years. The average recipient is currently taking home about $1,550 per month, so… Read More

Football fans are familiar with the concept of a bend-but-don’t-break defense. They might surrender some yardage and get pushed backward at times. But when their back is up against the wall, they stand their ground and push back… refusing to let the opponent cross the goal line. The market… Read More

$48,117. That’s the increase in my High-Yield Investing portfolio over the past 12 months. In the October 2020 issue, the balance stood at $106,250. As I’m writing this, we’re looking at a value of $151,373. That’s a 12-month return of about 45%. The market has provided a nice tailwind over… Read More

There’s another one. The S&P 500 climbed into uncharted territory above 4,545 last week. It’s a regular occurrence these days. For those of you counting, the index has now set more than 50 record highs so far this year. Let’s hope it books a few more before we close out… Read More

I saw a picture that scared the daylights out of me recently. Check it out below. The image, reportedly taken by a kayaker, captures one section of a 900-foot steel beam undergirding the I-40 bridge between Arkansas and Tennessee. Zoom in closely, and you can see a devastating fracture running… Read More

I knew it was gonna happen. Still, that didn’t make it any easier. Thanks to a June swoon, the Chicago Cubs looked to be sellers in the second half of this season rather than buyers. Several big-name players were headed for free agency anyway, and sportswriters had been throwing around… Read More

I knew this day would come. In a few weeks, my oldest son Riley will be heading off to college. As any parent in this situation can attest, the short period of time between high school graduation and college orientation stirs up a whirlwind of bittersweet emotions – part nostalgia,… Read More

The S&P 500 closed lower today – nearly a full percentage point, in fact. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t really be news. But considering it’s only the third losing day for the benchmark index since mid-June, I find it noteworthy. Until Tuesday, U.S. stocks had gained ground nine times in the previous… Read More