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Current Newsletters -2012-
Read our most current newsletter -here-
January: History and Perspective on the current Economic Conditions with possible Investment Implications. Click here to download an example of 'unpredictable rates of return' mentioned in this newsletter.
Please feel free to contact us if you'd like to review your account with either Steve or Lauren.
-Newsletter Archives- 2011
February: This newsletter attempts to concisely explain in simple language several important concepts:
- How government exerts strong influence to keep interest rates low via “quantitative easing”. - Why it is related to creating more jobs.
- How we will compete with other countries trying to do the same thing.
- How this relates to the value of the dollar and these factors interact with each other.
- A few interesting economic trivia items were added and a conclusion.
June: How is the USA really doing? In our June newsletter we attempt to discuss in plain English concepts like our federal debt and the “debt ceiling”
July interim: Some people have asked for our view of the debt ceiling debate and have expressed uncertainty about where the economy is headed. Hence, I wrote the attached quick note of just my personal view on those two topics and am glad to share it. - Steve
August interim: This email contains observattions which I noted over the weekend.
Basically, after a big unexpected drop, it's generally not the time to sell. I've been entering buy orders, despite the uncertainty. -Steve
September: We are trying to make sense of a turbulent market.
Please feel free to contact us if you'd like to review your account with either Steve or Lauren.
-2010-
January 2010: This newsletter posed several topics for thought:
- With all the bailouts, etc. our government debt is huge. There are only three things the government can do: raise taxes, cut programs or print money ... and the first two won’t happen.
- The value of our dollar is sinking, compared to currencies of other countries. Given all our problems, the days of the strong dollar are over. Prepare to learn Chinese.
- America needs to change course. America has been focused on two things: building houses and building cars... America is extremely efficient at importing products from abroad and then buying them using credit cards.
- I think the big losers will be the major banks, insurance companies, hedge funds, etc.
- What we really have ... when all is said and done ... is a political problem in how we function.
The newsletter concluded with 7 recommendations for 2010.
May 2010: Fiscal Crises in other Countries and International Investing.
Our May 2010 newsletter noted that almost all the major countries have financial problems and at first there might seem no logical place to invest. However, some long term opportunities probably still exist; not all is hopeless.
August 2010: This newsletter again mentioned international money flows and interest rates:
Major Immediate implications: T Uncle Sam gets a windfall interest rate benefit. He is deeply in debt and badly needs to refinance, when along come foreigners offering to loan him tons of money at about 1.75% for five years (Treasury yield curve as of 7/15/10). We U.S. taxpayers who must pay that interest on the huge federal debt are temporarily very fortunate. T Our consumer lifestyle may get an extension because imports will remain cheap. T Oil prices will likely remain near current levels for a while. T Inflation will therefore remain low for a while (and because of the recession). T Our investments in international stocks and mutual funds owning them (which benefited in the past) now typically go down more than US stocks and related funds.
November 2010: Amidst Noise and Confusion, consider some Basics.
This November 2010 newsletter starts with partly outdated* year end strategies, but contains a long term outlook regarding our consumer based economy, China’s manufacturing based economy and why the dollar will likely lose value. When that happens, the things we import from China (which seems like almost everything) will begin to cost more. This seems a fundamental, long term, basic trend.
(*some Federal tax laws were changed in December 2010 retroactive to the beginning of the year!)
Our Collection of 'Oldies but Goodies
This article published in April, 2003 gives a plain English description of how “special needs trusts” are sometimes created for accident victims and how the trusts operate in conjunction with Medicaid. Restrictions and rules may seem strict, but they must be followed. Such trusts can be very beneficial for the injured person.
In 2008, as the “subprime mortgage crisis” affected the rest of the economy, Steve’s Business to Business article described - in non technical language - two fictional home buyers and how mortgages could trigger the sudden downfall of huge financial institutions.
(In a later newsletter he wrote: “The mortgage loans were not called junk, but instead ‘subprime’. That’s about like calling a skunk a non-purebred cat.”)
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Hample & Peck Financial Planning And Investments
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Hample & Peck - Medical Arts Building - 300 N. Willson AvenueSuite 202B - Bozeman, MT - 59715 - Phone: (406) 587-4300
