Philip Brewer's blog

What's an employee to do? Part 1

During the recession of 1990-1991, and the period of very slow growth that followed, it became conventional wisdom that it was wrong to try to retain key employees through a slowdo

Laddering for higher, more stable returns

When investing in things that pay an interest rate--things like CDs and bonds--it's tempting to try to get the maximum interest rate, and then to try to lock up that rate for a

What if foreigners quit lending the US so much money?

One of the bugaboos of the financial doom-and-gloom crowd is the worry that foreigners (China in particular, but also oil exporting countries in the Middle-East, and others) might

Savers suffering as rates fall--what to do

Interest rates for ordinary savers held up pretty well after the first Fed rate cut in July last year.  There was a simple reason--banks needed the money.  With the cr

Less corn planted, despite ethanol

Prompted by high prices (driven by demand from ethanol production), farmers planted more acres of corn last year than any year since 1944.  This year, though, planned acres for cor

The weird logic of economic growth

Ever notice that we have names for a period when the economy isn't growing (recession or depression), but there's no name for when it is growing?  If they call it anything,

Incentive plans always go awry

Ever worked someplace that had an incentive plan (as in, "Hit these targets and you'll get a bonus")? Here's a little tidbit for you: Incentive plans always go awry.

Taxes on irregular income

This is really a non-issue, if you work a regular job:  Your employer withholds taxes.  It's also not much of an issue if you're self-employed and your income is reasonably

Software review: TurboTax

I wasn't looking forward to doing my taxes this year.  They were going to be more complicated than in years past, because I left my regular job and started working full-time as

Left a job? Do a rollover.

I saw this poster on the window of a store-front brokerage firm office near the grocery store.  Although the firm in question has an obvious self-interest in getting you to consoli

If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?

You don't hear it much any more, but for a long time, "If you're so smart, why aren't you rich" was a pretty effective line for the average Joe when dealing w

You must file a tax return to get economic stimulus tax rebate

Surely by now everyone has heard of the economic stimulus tax rebate. To get it, though, you have to file a return.

Retirement on the installment plan

Among the fraction of the population who manage to put money aside, many view their investments through the lens of retirement.  They've got a number in mind--call it $X--enoug

New $5 bill starts circulating today

The new $5 enters circulation today with a ceremonial "first spend" at the gift shop of President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.

Your equity was always imaginary

You used to hear the term "land rich, cash poor" for people who owned valuable land but didn't have quite enough money to make ends meet.  It's an expression that

How to get a job--learn the secret from a bad movie

I've read a bunch of books on how to do a job search. They all talk about networking. They all talk about researching the company--knowing what they do and what they need don

A decent standard of living

A certain level of comfort above the minimum for survival has always been considered necessary for a "decent" standard of living. Just how much is a social construction.

Non-financial investments

Talk about investments and most people think stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, plus maybe real estate and commodities like precious metals. Let's call those "financial inve

Designing your life

Key decisions that you make—especially when you're young, but also later—have implications that ripple through the whole rest of your life. People treat these early

All about stagflation

Those of you who are old enough may have noticed some worrisome similarities between the economy of the 1970s and the economy today. If so, you're not alone--more than a few p