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BoomerVille: Looks Like the Good Times Will Continue to Roll for One More Year

 Last year the Dow was up 13%. And, according to The Wall Street Journal the bull market could still have enough steam in it for one more year: "Corporate profits and falling interest rates may be enough to lift the S&P 500 to a fourth-straight year of gains, the longest such streak in nearly two decades" For the oldest of us boomers that could mean the lifting of angst about outliving our money. Observe the recent obits. More are crossing over at age 91, not age 79. Thanks to the run of the bulls and the guidance of my Edward Jones financial advisor Michael Hernan I can make it to then and even beyond. Meanwhile some sectors, unlike those getting hit by AI and cost-efficiency, are also enjoying their own versions of a golden age.  Among them is the top tier in law firms. They range from Paul, Weiss to Latham. And a rising tide lifts many other boats. That surge in revenues and profits, for example, feeds industries in New York and London, be it hospitality or commercial ...
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Coastal HCOL Dwellers Head to LCOL Midwest

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We coastals used to mock the midwest as "flyover country." Now, as The Wall Street Journal documents, we're embracing locations such as Wisconsin, Missouri and Ohio as a Promised Land of affordability. Prime example: Because it provides LCOL (low cost of living) home ownership and rentals the majority of us can live here and keep that particular expense at one-third of our income. Actually my rent here in Toledo, Ohio is less than one-third. The utilities covered in that monthly nut include: Water Sewer  Trash Heat Air-conditioning Parking. That's not unique. A number of apartment complexes provide the same deal. Other fixed expenses such as car insurance are also lower than when I resided and operated my business in the New York Metro area.  In some parts of the midwest the regulations are citizen-friendly. For example, aside from the VIN number, there was no initial or annual inspection for my Toyota Prius. In addition, there are lots of freebies. There is no cost t...
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BoomerVille - Nice Kickoff for 2026 Market

  The bull continues its run. We exhale as our financial security holds on. Dow Jones Industrial Average Index Index: DJI Compare 48,175.19 USD ▲  +111.90 (+0.23%) today January 2, 9:30 AM EST  ·  Market Open
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Punch in Gut for Solopreneurs: Possible 114% Increase in Health Insurance Premiums

  The dark humor for the growing number of those intending to become self-employed could be all over the place. One possible snippet could be: Wait until you're 65 and eligible for Medicare . The monthly nut for that version of health insurance is $209.90 for 2026. Add on one of the free supplement plans. And there's an annual cap on out-of-the-pocket co-pays. Another is: Marry someone whose employer provides a top-shelf health insurance plan.  A major obstacle to becoming a solopreneur , as my coaching clients tell me, is what the cost of health insurance has become as the Affordable Care Act extended tax credits end this year. That cost-saver had been created in 2021. France24  (non-US media) reports: "On average, the more than 20 million subsidised enrollees in the Affordable Care Act programme are seeing their premium costs rise by 114 percent in 2026, according to an analysis by the healthcare  research  nonprofit KFF."  For a single 49 male the monthl...
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Solopreneurs: Age Is On Your Side

One third of the aging have started their own businesses. Many of the forms those enterprises take is simple: being a solopreneur . That is, it's just them. No partners. No employees. The latter means not being responsible for a payroll. That opens the door to the adventure of more risk-taking. As a coach I have observed this: The leap into self-employment is not just to counteract the ageism in hiring for full-time, part-time and contract jobs. Age actually brings edges when you're a business owner. Of course, at the top of the list is experience. That puts the entrepreneur ahead on the learning curve.  Another is the loss of youthful self-absorption. Over the years, after weathering so much professionally and in life, there's a humanizing force. Yeah, we are all in this together. So there's more a natural vibe to be out there totally with clients and customers.  But, right now, the growing advantage in following the solopreneur path when 65 or older is this: Medica...
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BoomerVille: Not Every Trading Day Will Be a Good One and More

Dow Jones Industrial Average Index Index: DJI Compare 48,441.56 USD ▼  -269.41 (-0.55%) today If we can pay our housing bills, still purchase fresh produce and aren't "car poor" (the latter refers to those outsized monthly payments on an auto loan) we're doing great. The secret to happiness in aging is this: Lower expectations. There are some things we can no longer do and experiences we might no longer afford to buy. But here we still are.  91 could be becoming the new 79. Success is a mental game. Failure comes from being done in by the “committee” in your head. Together, we reprogram your thinking. Then we change your story. And, unleash success. Intuitive Coaching. Special expertise with transitions, becoming a solopreneur and aging. Psychic/tarot readings, upon request. Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova (Text 203-468-8579,  janegenova374@gmail.com ). Yes, test out the chemistry. Zero risk. Don’t give up before the miracle.
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America Not Hiring in 2026: Back to Golden Age of Solopreneurs?

 For hiring, 2025 was a brutal year to search for a job. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2026 could be worse: "At a gathering of CEOs in Midtown Manhattan this month organized by the Yale School of Management, 66% of leaders surveyed said they planned to either fire workers or maintain the size of their existing teams next year. Only a third indicated they planned to hire." The WSJ adds that pullback from adding manpower could be temporary. But given shareholders' demand for cost-efficiency and the continual improvements in AI, chronic unemployment could become standard. However, there is a solution. An old-fashioned one. That's becoming a solopreneur, that is setting up your own business without partners or employees. The model dates back to ancient times.  The golden age of the solo business owner in America had been from the late 1800s to about the mid 1920s.  There had been a wave of immigrants, discrimination against them and few jobs. They drove pushcarts ...
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