Terry Savage’s Archives
Below you will find the columns terry has written by date.
Below you will find the columns terry has written by date.
Private Equity Targets Your 40l(k)
Wall Street has a new target. With nearly $9 trillion in assets, 401(k) plans have caught the eye of Wall Street insiders. For years, they have been investing in “private equity” and venture capital deals. They find small, promising companies and lend their capital and management expertise — hoping to sell out in the public..
T-Bills (still) beat most CDs (update)
U.S. Treasury Bill interest rates are still mostly higher than the comparable bank CDs. As of July 10, 2025, the yield on a 26 week (6-month) Treasury bill is 4.28%. That's what you received if you participated in the weekly T-bill auction described below. It's easy (see links below) and SAFE! And you can start with..
Equity Linked Annuities
The promises are enticing – stock market upside with no risk on the downside. Or market “participation” with downside “protection.” File this under “too good to be true.” But as with all sales pitches, the devil is in the details. Index-Linked annuity sales reached $65.6 billion in 2024, marking a 38% increase from the previous..
Information, Please
Every day there’s a new headline number to impact the markets. Whether it’s about inflation or employment, about consumer confidence or the rates set at Treasury auctions, each number seems to move the markets – for a moment, at least. And despite all the commentary surrounding those reports, the only true response is felt in..
Social Security — The Latest!
It’s getting worse at Social Security—and it’s not your imagination. Here, as promised, are the latest updates – and some thoughts on the recent SS Trustees report of approaching “insolvency.” Below, my thoughts on that issue – but first some important links for you. CBS’ 60 Minutes updated our Social Security Horror Story report on..
Home Buying Opportunity Coming?
There is never a good time to buy a home – except in hindsight. As first-time home-buyers try to make the leap, the prices and interest rates seem daunting. Prices their parents paid 40 years ago seem like bargains now, and they despair of ever being able to afford their dream house. Take heart. History..
Housing Opportunity?
There is never a good time to buy a home – except in hindsight. As first-time home-buyers try to make the leap, the prices and interest rates seem daunting. Prices their parents paid 40 years ago seem like bargains now, and they despair of ever being able to afford their dream house. Take heart. History..
Artificial Intelligence — A New View
Does the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) scare you or intimidate you? Or do you figure it won’t actually impact your life, so why bother learning about it? Well, AI is definitely entering – and improving – your life, whether you choose it or not. When I first wrote about ChatGPT several years ago, AI..
We Live in a Digital World
We live in a digital world – especially when it comes to money. And, like it or not, you’ll soon be forced to get used to it – especially since the IRS will soon no longer accept – or pay out – paper checks! On March 25th, President Trump signed an executive order mandating that..
I-Bond Update — and Advice
The new rate for Series I bonds purchased after May 1, 2025 is 3.98%. That includes a new base rate of 1.1%, which will stay with the bond for its entire lifetime. Future inflation adjustments to these bonds will be made every 6 months, on top of that 1.1% fixed base rate. The rate will..
Student Loans: Do Something Now!
Student loans have been looming in the background for more than five years – ever since payment requirements were suspended during the pandemic. During that five-year period, there were several opportunities to reorganize your debts, based on more generous income provisions, to lower the monthly payments. Many took advantage of those plans, and re-started their..
Know What You Own
In the midst of all the advice about not panicking over stock market volatility, likes a hidden vulnerability: Most people have very little idea about how exposed they are to the stock market! In fact, if you ask people to just give an estimate of what percentage of their non-housing assets are invested in the..
Social Security: True or False?
Update: April 28, 2025 The Social Security Administration is backing off a plan it announced in March to withhold 100% of many beneficiaries’ monthly payments to claw back money the government had allegedly overpaid them. Instead, the agency will default to withholding 50% of old-age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits, the agency said in an..
The Fine Line Between Fear and Faith in the Economy
There’s a fine line between fear and optimism, between financial fact and emotion. The whipsaw headlines these days make it even more difficult to plan for your future and protect your finances. It’s not your fault that your emotions may overwhelm your good judgment. No matter what your political persuasion, the sudden policy reversals are..
What are the Odds?
What are the odds? It’s a question you should ask yourself when making any financial decision – from investing in the stock market to buying a house. What are the odds that this decision makes sense? What are the odds of profit? What are the odds of a loss? If we each had a crystal..
Fasten Your Seatbelt — Updates
Update on Thursday, April 10 The shock of the original tariff announcement was equaled and exceeded by the stunning and unexpected reversal midday yesterday. From my viewpoint, this whole process has exposed a level of irresponsibility that is shocking. Only when the ability to borrow -- refinance our debt at reasonable rates-- was called into..
The Stock Market — What to Do Now?
I have been asked by many over the past few days: “What do I do now?” I find that question particularly painful, as I have been warning for the past few months that a decline in the market was on the horizon. Read my recent columns, begging people to make sure they have enough “chicken..
Quote of the Day — March 21, 2025
"As we know from experience, every small bear market started out as a correction – and every big bear market was initially a small bear market." Jim Stack of Investech Research (www.Investech.com) goes on to say: " This sharp pullback has brought out a large contingent of investors who are proclaiming that now is the..
Ode to Gold
Gold has now closed at over $3,000. It’s a shame the “original gold bug”, James Dines, is not alive to see his forecast come true. So, this column is written in memoriam to James Dines – and the lessons he taught me so many years ago. To sum up his philosophy, Dines famously said (and..
More Social Security Horror!
There’s good news and bad news for Social Security recipients. And since the bad news is actually horrible, I’ll start with that. I hope you remember Social Security Horror Stories — a series of columns that led to a book written with Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff, and an appearance on 60 Minutes. We revealed..
