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.
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..
Social Security: True or False?
Update: April 14, 2025 Social Security has announced new rules around application procedures. After first saying that no phone applications for benefits would be accepted, the agency responded to the huge public outcry. Here is the latest as of April 14th: - You can now apply for all benefits over the phone. HOWEVER, the agency..
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..
Recession?
It’s been a significantly long time since the United States last went through a recession – longer than the average gap between economic slowdowns, if you don’t count the Pandemic recession of 2020 that lasted only two months, but saw GDP decline by about 20%. If you don’t count the brief pandemic recession, it has..
Tax Return Security
The most frightening place for identity theft to occur is around your tax return. You typically find out when someone else has filed a tax return using your Social Security number! And likely claimed a refund. But sometimes the IRS will catch the fraud first, or at least they will notify you that they suspect..
Chicken Money Update
The stock market seems to be taking uncertainty in stride. Neither economic concerns over the impact of tariffs, nor the political concerns revolving around the rule of law have so far dented enthusiasm for American stocks. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a bear market, and this column is not in the business..
Tax Time, Again
It’s income tax time again – and this year it’s time to make a big change in how you file if you’re one of the small minority (less than 10%) who still file a paper return and then trek down to your local post office to send that return by registered mail – return receipt..
Tariffs 101
Note: This was written on Friday as an explainer, before tariffs were announced on Saturday, and before Canada and China announced retaliatory measures on Sunday, and before the tariffs were delayed for 30 days on Monday! This is a risky, high-stakes game for our economy, and theirs -- as described below. Let’s talk about how..
I-Bond Update — and Advice
The new rate for Series I bonds purchased after Nov 1, 2024 is 3.11%. That includes a new higher base rate of 1.2%, which will stay with the bond for its entire lifetime. Future inflation adjustments to these bonds will be made on top of that 1/3% fixed base rate. The rate will change again..
Housing Affordability
Housing affordability is going to be a huge topic in both personal finance and politics in the year ahead. It’s not your imagination that housing – whether home ownership or rental – is taking a bigger bite out of your income. The question is what you – and the government – can or should do..
Quicken LifeHub
Quick – think about who would know where everything is if you were in an accident or had a stroke that left you unable to communicate. By “everything” I mean your healthcare power of attorney, your health insurance documents – or even the password to your cellphone so they can notify friends and family. While..
Roth Conversion Advice
Read this column and watch Terry's Roth Conversion Podcast with Economist Larry Kotlikoff, who created the MaxifiPlanner.com software that includes specific advice on Roth Conversions, as described below. To Watch the Podcast, click HERE! Would you send the government a big check this year – in return for a potentially far larger future tax break?..
Social Security Fairness Act Passes!
The Social Security Fairness Act was passed in the waning moments of Congress, just before the budget bill was approved. And now President Biden has signed it into law. It essentially repeals the WEP and GPO – two acronyms familiar to the nearly 3 million American retirees who found their earned Social Security benefits reduced..
Dealing with Debt in the New Year
Americans enter the New Year of 2025 with record amounts of credit card debt! And with an average credit card interest rate of 22.3%! That kind of interest can bury you – destroying all your efforts to get ahead, undermining the hours you put in at work, and painfully demonstrating that they system is destroying..
New Year Head Start
Forget resolutions – just do it! Get your financial life in order by following these easy steps as you move into the New Year. 1. Get Organized. This is the moment when you get to start over with no excuses or recriminations. If you’re still using paper, set up a filing system – a few..
FAFSA, Again!
Last year families that filed the FAFSA form for Federal Student Aid for college found themselves trapped in a computer nightmare. In an attempt to make the process simpler, the government’s botched rollout left many families unable to file FAFSA until January – three months late. And that delayed college notifications of financial aid until..
