Ask Doc This just doesn't happen in modern America...
We've all seen photos of folks in crisis-ridden third-world countries who've lined up for hours to get basic necessities. And we've seen bizarre shortages in the U.S., like last year's run on toilet paper.
But when Americans go to a gas station, we expect to find gasoline there. That's why my senior analyst Matt Weinschenk was caught off guard when he visited a Maryland gas station this past spring to find handwritten notes taped to each pump... "No gas."
No problem. He drove to another gas station, two miles away. The handwriting was different, but the sign was the same.
The same thought kept coming back to him: "This just doesn't happen in modern America..."
It was time for calculations that Americans don't usually have to worry about.
Matt was going on a weekend trip with his family. He didn't have enough gas to make it there and back. If he didn't fill up first, the family would be stranded if they couldn't find a place to refuel during the trip.
Pennsylvania still seemed to have gasoline... but was it worth the time and gas to drive up there and find out? Matt instead took a less risky gamble on a gas station seven miles away.
It worked out – but it was an eye-opening experience.
Without basic infrastructure, life rapidly gets a lot more complicated. Taking a drive when you know you can get gas every few miles is easy. When you lose that certainty... that trip becomes stressful in a hurry.
You've probably heard about this fuel shortage... A hacker took over the computer systems of a gasoline-distribution company called Colonial Pipeline. Its network runs from Houston to Atlanta, up through the Carolinas, and finally all the way into New Jersey.
With Colonial Pipeline offline, gasoline supplies fell sharply across the Southeastern U.S. Drivers rushed to stock up on the supply that remained, emptying gas stations.
We've seen lots of supply-and-demand problems in recent years...
This week, my colleague Dave Lashmet revealed a classic supply-and-demand story that is attracting billions of dollars in federal funding... And hundreds of billions more from some of the biggest financial players is pouring into the space...
It's giving huge upside potential to a tiny stock.
For now, this company remains almost completely unknown. But according to Dave, several factors are in place to change that soon... and this company could be hit with a trillion-dollar windfall.
Click here for all the details.
Time to dig into this week's Q&A. Keep sending your questions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected].
Q: My grandson is 16 and wanted to learn about investing, the first thing I told him was to learn to save money, are there any books you could recommend for him? Thanks. – D.W.
A: Congratulations to your grandson on such an early interest in his future!
We have a list of our favorites to help build financial literacy here. One of my favorite books for new investors is The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John Bogle. It's a great reference guide on index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and mutual funds. And he details how to avoid paying unnecessary fees. For a young investor just starting out, this book offers a great way to build a diversified portfolio without needing a lot of money.
We might be a bit biased, but we'd also strongly recommend a subscription to our flagship monthly newsletter, Retirement Millionaire. Don't let the name fool you... In Retirement Millionaire, we give investment recommendations and advice that people of any age and investment ability can use.
We even created a special report for subscribers called "Generational Retirement Plan: The No. 1 Thing You Need to Do to Retire Rich," where we outline the keys to building wealth from your 20s through your 60s. Retirement Millionaire subscribers can click here to access it. They can also read our issue introducing the "Gift of Wealth Portfolio," which describes how to start putting money to work for the long term.
Q: I am wondering if the gold and silver we have in a U.S. bank safe deposit box is indeed safe when the central banks are purged of their criminal affiliations?
If not, what to do? Thank you. – B.B.
A: Longtime Retirement Millionaire subscribers know I've been concerned about safe deposit boxes for years...
In 2016, despite years of paying for her box, a Florida woman went in to find the lock changed and her priceless necklace put up for auction as "unclaimed property." In her case, she hadn't visited the box in several years, so the bank argued that the statue of liability had expired.
I've heard of cases from across the country where folks hadn't visited their box in only one year and it was claimed by the state.
How can you protect what's in your safe deposit box, either from unclaimed-property regulations or any bigger concerns you have about the U.S. government?
Move it out of the U.S.
Canada is a reasonable option for opening a safe deposit box. All you need to open a Canadian safe deposit box are two forms of identification – a passport and driver's license work – and visiting the bank in person.
This can vary slightly depending on the bank, so call the bank you're interested in first. One reputable option is the Royal Bank of Canada.
You can use your box to store precious metals, cash, and other items you want out of the U.S. government's eyes. And the box fees are similar to the fees you'd pay at an American bank. Some banks do not allow you to store currency or legal tender in a safe deposit box, so call the bank you're interested in before making the trip.
Transporting your gold to Canada may seem frightening to some people. I've heard stories of people having their gold confiscated by ignorant customs officials. But taking gold into Canada is 100% legal as long as you declare it to customs (you have to declare any amount of currency over $10,000).
Of course, it's also risky to carry large amounts of gold as you travel. If you don't want to handle transporting precious metals or cash to Canada yourself, you can use a professional transport service, or simply purchase gold or silver in Canada.
I offer more tips to move your assets out of the U.S. in my "New Era" Playbook, available for Retirement Millionaire subscribers. If you're not already subscribed, click here to learn how to protect your wealth now.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? Let's run my "magic formula" and see what stocks it spits out.
- Something different: The difficulty of fighting phone scams.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
August 27, 2021