Follow Imaru Casanova deep underground with shares in mining companies. They’re a leveraged bet, so they’re riskier than gold bars. By William Baldwin, Senior Contributor In 1991 Imaru Casanova, age 16, won a foreign-studies scholarship, left Venezuela and arrived in Denver knowing scarcely a word of English. Her language instruction course happened to be at the Colorado School of Mines. So perhaps it was providential that after a roundabout career that began in mechanical engineering, she found herself last year visiting a gold mine near Jacobina, Brazil. Casanova, 50, runs the $700 million Van Eck International Investors Gold Fund. Among…

Combining annuities with IRAs or 401(k)s can be powerful. Annuities offer principal protection and guaranteed lifetime income. But often people don’t even consider the combination because of widespread misinformation and confusion. Some people say that an IRA isn’t allowed to hold an annuity. That’s not true. The tax code allows most types of annuities to be held in both traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. Annuities also can be held in 401(k)s. In the SECURE Act, enacted in 2019, and the SECURE Act 2.0, enacted in 2022, Congress changed the rules to make it easier for employers to offer annuities in…

If retirement is on your horizon for 2025, now is the time to prepare. A solid plan ensures you’re financially secure and ready for this exciting new chapter. Use this checklist to make sure you’re covering all your bases as you approach retirement. 1. Confirm Your Retirement Date Decide on your exact retirement date and ensure it aligns with your financial goals. Speak with your employer about your planned departure. 2. Review Your Retirement Savings Check your 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, and other retirement accounts to confirm your balances. Evaluate whether your current savings can support your anticipated lifestyle. Contribute…

The ability to switch Medicare plans isn’t as available as many beneficiaries are told or believe. Most Medicare beneficiaries know that each year during open enrollment (October 15 – December 7) they’re allowed to change their coverage. The new coverage will take effect the following January 1. During open enrollment, a beneficiary can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. Or someone in a Medicare Advantage plan can move to original Medicare. A move from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan also is allowed. Of course, during the initial enrollment period (the seven months that include the month…

Uncertainty And Strategic Implications The Trump administration’s estate tax proposals and executive orders have introduced significant uncertainty into estate planning. While some of these changes remain in the proposal stage, they highlight a shift in priorities that could reshape how high-net-worth individuals and families approach wealth transfer and asset management. Proposed Estate Tax Repeal: A Major Policy Shift One of the most notable proposals from the Trump administration is the potential repeal of the federal estate tax. Currently, the estate tax exemption stands at $13.99 million per individual (just under $28 million per couple), but this exemption is set to…

Crypto is riding high once again, but investors still need to be careful about which firms they choose when it comes to digital assets trading. By Javier Paz, Forbes Staff Christmas came early for bitcoin this year. On the back of record-breaking launches of ETFs backed by the likes of BlackRock and Fidelity, which have accumulated $112 billion in bitcoin, and president Donald Trump’s reelection in November, the digital asset crossed $100,000. Enthusiasts are expecting 2025 to be more bullish as a pro-crypto Congress is coming in power with promises to pass regulation that will move the industry out of…

Just the other week, I was at a hockey game with a friend who confessed he was worried about his investments now that Trump is back in the White House. He rattled off concerns about inflation, tariffs, a higher deficit, and the potential for geopolitical unrest. It reminded me of two friends from the past who made similar mistakes. Back in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected, one friend was convinced that Obama’s policies would be too left-leaning and disastrous for the economy. Sure that disaster was imminent, he restructured his portfolio, shifting heavily into bonds, foreign stocks, cash, and…

There’s a gap most people have in their insurance plans, and it eventually could cost them a bundle. In general, people have the right amount of insurance for damages to their property, whether it is their homes, other real estate, vehicles, boats, or other items. But people often underestimate their potential liabilities and carry far too little liability coverage. That puts their net worth and financial security at risk. Liability insurance covers money we owe to someone who is injured by our actions, our property, or while on our property. The most obvious liability is when we’re at fault in…

Within the S&P 500, 36 companies reported earnings last week, with a sizable number being financials. 80% of S&P 500 firms reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter. This week marks the second busiest of the fourth-quarter earnings season, with 104 S&P 500 companies scheduled to report. And most crucially, four of the Magnificent 7 report earnings this week. The Magnificent 7 consists of Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), Amazon.com (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), NVIDIA (NVDA), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Tesla (TSLA). Supportive earnings and stable bond yields sent stocks higher. The S&P 500 rose 1.8% for the week, and the Magnificent 7…

In a pivotal decision on Jan. 23, 2025, the Supreme Court granted the government’s motion to stay a nationwide injunction issued by a federal judge in Texas in the case of Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. v. McHenry. This injunction initially sought to halt the enforcement of beneficial ownership reporting requirements mandated by the Corporate Transparency Act, which is overseen by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Justice Neil Gorsuch, concurring with the decision to grant the stay, proposed that the Supreme Court should clarify whether district courts have the authority to issue universal injunctive relief. This aligns with Justice Gorsuch’s…