June 2010 archive

The millionaire’s dilemma

By on June 25, 2010 9:12 am

What’s the typical income of a U.S. retiree? $40,000? $50,000? Higher, lower?

It’s $31,157 as of 2008.

That’s the median income of households age 65 and older as reported by Pat Purcell of the Congressional Research Service. The median means that half of older households had a higher income, half lower. Technically, it’s not the income of “retirees,” because it includes the income of older households whether they are fully retired or still working. Still, it’s a good metric of the income of retired Americans.

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Advice to graduates

By on June 11, 2010 8:35 am

In June 1997, Chicago Tribune writer Mary Schmich penned a now-famous column titled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.” In short, the column served as the speech that Ms. Schmich would give if she were asked to make a commencement address. The following year, the column went viral, if you will, in the form of the music single “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).”

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Thoughts on the Greek crisis

By on June 9, 2010 9:43 am

How can a financial crisis in a small European country have such a large effect on world markets? This is the question I recently received from an investor and a friend.

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