For much of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, European monarchs used a financial instrument known as a tontine to help finance their governments. Tontines were first developed in the 1650s by an Italian government worker named Lorenzo Tonti and were similar to annuities: In exchange for a [...]
Ten strategies for the new year
Looking to update your financial plan for 2026? Below are ten strategies you might consider. 1. Gaining control. January is a good time to audit your investments. I’d start with one very basic step: If you have accounts at multiple brokerage firms, see if you can consolidate them. This won’t [...]
Market Worries
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal ran an article with the headline “Why This Frothy Market Has Me Scared.” The author cited a number of indicators that have him worried, including a survey of investor optimism that is at a 35-year high. Investors, the Journal said, are feeling “euphoric,” [...]
A Retirement Field Guide
A recently-released book titled How to Retire is a goldmine for those in or near retirement. Christine Benz is the director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar, and for this book, she conducted interviews with 20 experts, covering every corner of retirement planning. The [...]
Chesterton’s Fence
In his 1929 book The Thing, British philosopher G.K. Chesterton introduced an idea that is now known as “Chesterton’s fence.” Here’s how he explained it. Imagine two people walking along a road when they discover a fence blocking the way for no apparent reason. As Chesterton tells it, the first [...]
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