Wed, December 03, 2008
Sometimes, a well-meaning gift giver just doesn't know enough about a recipient’s needs to select “the perfect gift.” A gift card or gift certificate seems like a nice solution in that situation, but what if the retailer that issued the card subsequently goes bankrupt? In the present economic climate, it seems likely that a few retailers will go bankrupt in the next few months. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you consider giving a gift card. Read the full article
Fri, November 21, 2008
Yesterday I attended the semiannual conference of the New England Economic Partnership (NEEP), a nonprofit organization that analyzes economic issues relevant to New England. The dismal scientists lived up to their name, although there were valiant attempts at optimism during the conference, which was held in the auditorium of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank. Read the full article
Tue, October 07, 2008
A recent survey finds that households that have put into place a comprehensive financial plan tend to experience greater confidence during times of market uncertainty than those that don’t. These households also are more likely to be actively pursuing behavior that enhances the likelihood of financial success. Read the full article
Mon, October 06, 2008
For the last couple of years, Fidelity Investments has surveyed parents of children under the age of 18 about their plans for future college expenses. The most recent survey of about 3,000 parents looks at anticipated college costs and family resources available to pay for college. This year's survey found that 62 percent are counting on student loans to help cover the cost of their children's college education.
Read the full article
Tue, September 16, 2008
As residents of Houston and Galveston grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, it strikes me that every year, some part of the US must deal with a natural disaster. Hurricanes in the Gulf and southeastern states, wildfires and earthquakes in California, and flooding in the Midwest often leave lasting consequences for those living in the affected areas.
Although such events happen relatively infrequently in New England, the region is hardly immune from the possibility of a serious natural disaster. Being prepared for a disaster should be an important part of every household's risk management strategy. Read the full article
Thu, September 11, 2008
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston recently issued an interesting analysis of the nature of the subprime mortgage crisis in Massachusetts. Using data on mortgages, home equity loans, and deeds recorded between January 1987 and March 2008, the researchers were able to examine in detail the nature of the loans that ended in foreclosure. Some of their conclusions are surprising, while most fall in line with what one might have guessed. Read the full article
Tue, August 05, 2008
Several MA cities, towns, and the Mass Turnpike Authority received some investment help from Attorney General Martha Coakley recently. Although it's often assumed that institutional investors are sophisticated in their understanding of investments, the case initiated and settled by the Massachusetts AG shows that even "big" investors sometimes fail to follow one of the cardinal rules of investing: make sure you understand what you're investing in. Read the full article
Fri, July 18, 2008
One solution to soaring gas prices: walk there.
A new website that rates how walkable city neighborhoods are gave Boston the number three slot. The site has a nifty mapping feature tied into Google Local that rates "walkability" on the basis of proximity to amenities: parks, restaurants, grocery stores, and the like. Read the full article
Fri, July 18, 2008
Yesterday the Labor Department released updated regional figures for inflation from June 2007 to June 2008. Nationally, the CPI-U, which measures inflation for all urban consumers, was up 5%. Read the full article
Mon, June 23, 2008
One of the consequences of the subprime debacle is a sharp rise in foreclosed properties. Some areas are especially bad off; in May, the majority of homes sold in the Sacramento area were foreclosures. Foreclosures nationwide were up 48% in May vs.the previous year (RealtyTrac.com), and in Massachusetts they were up 32% (ForeclosuresMass.com) over the same period. The rate in MA would have been higher but for a new law that went into effect May 1st, forcing lenders to delay foreclosure proceedings by an additional 60 days. There seem to be quite a few ads claiming that great deals are available through foreclosure sales. Is buying foreclosed property a "can't-fail" way to make money? Read the full article
Sat, June 21, 2008
On three occasions since 2002 the Santa Monica-based Milken Institute has ranked the states on the basis of how well they’re competing in the knowledge economy. For the third time in a row, Massachusetts ranks #1, while California slid from second to fourth place. Encouragingly, four of the top ten states are in New England. Read the full article
Tue, June 10, 2008
In the Boston area – and probably elsewhere – residential contractors are looking for work. For most of the last 20 years, and especially in the last decade, it’s been hard to find contractors willing to do small renovation jobs, but with the slump in residential construction, there appears to be window of opportunity. Read the full article
Tue, May 27, 2008
Mark Twain is credited with saying a great many things that he may or may not have actually said. Among these is the observation that "People commonly use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support rather than illumination." If Twain did say it, he might have had housing statistics in mind. If you pay attention to news reports, you're likely to hear widely-varying assessments of the state of the housing market. Who's right? Read the full article
Thu, May 22, 2008
There is a warm place in the Bostonian heart for locals who have become famous (or notorious, at least). One such was Charles Ponzi, the colorful fraud who emigrated to Boston in 1903 with a couple of dollars in his pocket and managed to become a millionaire by 1920 (before he got caught). Although he did not invent the "Ponzi Scheme," he carried it off with such flair that when it recurs — as it does fairly often — it is invariably referred to by his name.
The Associated Press reported recently that the SEC has frozen the assets of Safevest LLC and its proprietor, Jon G. Ervin of Mission Viejo, who apparently was seeking to follow in Mr. Ponzi's footsteps. Read the full article
Tue, May 06, 2008
For some months, the number of articles in financial publications on rising commodity prices has increased noticeably. I guess it's not a surprise that articles in the popular press on rising food prices are now cropping up with greater frequency. Read the full article
Return to The FFS Blog Home Page
And now, to keep my lawyers happy: This site is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing contained here should be construed by anyone as an invitation or solicitation to buy or sell any security. This site does not contain personalized legal, tax, investment, or financial advice. Users of this site should consult with a qualified adviser to obtain advice suited to their personal circumstances. Any links provided here to other web sites are for informational purposes only. We take no responsibility for the accuracy or content of linked sites.
COPYRIGHT THOMAS A. FISHER © 2008 - 2015