Kevin Kroskey's Money & Mind

Many people are very passionate about politics and are extrapolating what will happen economically if their candidate or the other side gets elected. These extrapolations often run to ruin if the other side gets in and can cause great fear and emotion in the mind of the investor and lead to poor decision making. I like to adhere to the old adage that, "You do not talk about politics or religion." However, I'd just like to say that whatever 'side' you may be on, I'm sure an informed observer can look back through history and see presidents or policies they do not like. Yet, our country and economic system still persist today. I would observe that it is in fact quite resilient and supposing 'this time is different' rarely works well for those making predictions. Jason Zweig of the Wall Street Journal ran a good article in the October 19, 2012 Wall Street Journal, entitled "The Winner for Investors Is...," and  empirically (not pejoratively

Most retirement planning literature portrays a retirement transition in the context of a couple or a family – but what about those who retire alone? What particular challenges do they face, and how must their preparation for retirement differ?   Retiring alone presents unique challenges. Singles who retire may lack a spousal and familial support network other retirees count on. If a lone retiree faces sizable medical bills, he or she can’t draw on the financial resources of a spouse. Unmarried, childless retirees also lack adult sons and daughters who might be able to offer them financial help or serve as executors of their estates one day. Singles must plan ahead for them. The earlier, the better: A basic financial truth can’t be dismissed: single retirees will need to amass savings comparable to those of a retired couple. Why? It is because many retirement costs are fixed. Hospitals, universities, banks, pharmacies, mechanics and home improvement specialists do not of