{"id":108654,"date":"2021-01-17T14:03:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-17T14:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=108654"},"modified":"2021-01-17T14:03:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-17T14:03:57","slug":"improving-investor-behavior-understanding-inflation-the-cancer-of-retirement-planning-part-1-the-denver-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/business\/improving-investor-behavior-understanding-inflation-the-cancer-of-retirement-planning-part-1-the-denver-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving Investor Behavior: Understanding inflation, the cancer of retirement planning (Part 1) – The Denver Post"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the greatest challenges to retirees and investors alike is inflation. Not only is this principle often forgotten, but rarely understood. So, let’s discuss inflation: what it is, where it’s been, and where it might be going in the future. How can you as an investor combat inflation over long periods of time, helping to ensure that the purchasing power of your money remains unchanged for years to come?<\/p>\n

Inflation is an economic phenomenon of price increases. Traditionally a result of increased raw material pricing (like steel or lumber), inflation also occurs when there is increased demand or less supply. Both roads lead in one direction: higher prices. We all experience inflation when we look at the cost of what we purchase over time. Compare what you paid for food, computers, prescriptions, or rent five years ago. It is an easy way to see inflation. Think about purchasing a car or a house 30 years ago versus today. Inflation is all around us.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The United States measures inflation through the Consumer Price Index or CPI, which monitors the change in price of “a basket of goods and services” that attempts to symbolize typical purchases a family might make. This includes larger expenses like home prices and vehicles and day-to-day costs like bananas, phones, medications, etc. Not only does the government track inflation, but the Federal Reserve actively has a hand in either raising or lowering the amount of inflation we experience. They do this primarily by setting the prime interest rate and adding to or removing money from circulation.<\/p>\n

Inflation has been remarkably tepid over the past 20 years or so, but those of us who lived through the late 70s and early 80s may recall the difficulty in finding home loans with less than a 10% annual percentage rate. There have been natural forces that have kept inflation remarkably low, including:<\/p>\n