Rall Capital Management

06/17/2026

Love this quote from Ray Dalio's Principles —
"Whatever circumstances life brings you, you will be more likely to succeed and find happiness if you take responsibility for making your decisions well instead of complaining about things being beyond your control."
Markets, interest rates, the economy — so much is outside our hands. What isn't? How we respond and the decisions we make from here. That mindset shift makes all the difference.

06/16/2026

Considering alternative investments? It’s critical to sort through the complexity.

With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

06/16/2026

2027 Social Security COLA projected at 4.7% — but the raise doesn't arrive until next January.
That's the central tension in this week's news. May's inflation data pushed the projected cost-of-living adjustment higher, even as the same rising prices are straining retirees' budgets today.
Meanwhile, last week's Social Security Trustees' report moved the trust fund's projected depletion date up to late 2032 — earlier than previously estimated. With inflation outpacing wages, experts warn the current environment may accelerate that timeline.
The COLA helps. But it's a delayed response to a present-tense problem — and the longer-term math bears watching.

06/15/2026

New research from Prudential Financial challenges a common assumption in retirement planning: that spending rises steadily throughout retirement.
For many retirees, spending actually declines over time — what researcher David Blanchett calls a "retirement spending smirk." The takeaway? Retirees with adequate savings may have more room to spend in early retirement than traditional models suggest.
The biggest variable is healthcare. Long-term care costs can shift the picture significantly — which is why stress-testing your plan for that scenario matters.
A well-constructed retirement plan isn't just about protecting against running out of money. It's about giving you the confidence to actually use what you've saved, when you can most enjoy it.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/retireesspending-plan-investments-annuities-long-term-care-inflation-4d0f9be9?st=uB6WAZ&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

06/13/2026

Do you have intellectual property? Have you incorporated it into your estate strategy? Read more about how you might incorporate your IP into your estate strategy in this detailed article.

Do you have intellectual property? Consider how you might include your IP into your estate strategy in this detailed article.

06/12/2026

A new federal report found that major Medicare Advantage insurers denied about 13% of requests for skilled nursing facility care — and when patients appealed, nearly all denials were reversed.

That's a significant finding. It suggests many people experienced delays or gaps in care they were actually entitled to, while others may have simply given up and gone without.

Medicare Advantage works well for some people. But the prior authorization process — where insurers must approve care before it's covered — adds a layer of friction at a time when patients are most vulnerable. It's one of the reasons we generally recommend traditional Medicare unless there's a compelling reason to go another direction.

If you or a family member is approaching Medicare eligibility, it's worth having this conversation before enrollment — not after a hospitalization.

(Source: New York Times, June 11, 2026)

06/11/2026

Here's a data point that doesn't get nearly enough attention:

By the end of 2025, central banks worldwide were holding more gold than U.S. Treasury securities in their reserves — 27% gold vs. 22% Treasuries.

That's a significant shift, and it didn't happen overnight. Geopolitical uncertainty, budget deficit concerns, and evolving alliances are all part of the story.

A similar pattern played out in 1971, right before Nixon ended the dollar's convertibility to gold. History doesn't always repeat, but it often rhymes — and this one's worth paying attention to.

06/10/2026

Well, the Social Security trustees dropped their annual report yesterday, and it's not great news. The retirement trust fund is now projected to run out in late 2032 — a year sooner than last year's estimate.

Worth knowing: that doesn't mean checks stop. It means they'd drop to about 78% of what's scheduled, because the program can only pay out what's coming in from payroll taxes at that point. A ~22% cut across the board.

The trustees blamed lower birth rates, reduced immigration, and some of last year's tax law changes for moving the date up. Congress can fix this — but the longer they wait, the harder it gets.

If this is part of your retirement picture, it's worth talking through.

06/10/2026

The Social Security trustees released their 2026 annual report yesterday, and the trust fund depletion date has moved up again — now projected for late 2032.

Without Congressional action, that would trigger an automatic cut of roughly 22% in benefits for all recipients. The program doesn't disappear — it just pays out what payroll taxes support, which is about 78% of what's currently scheduled.

If Social Security is part of your retirement plan (and for most people it is), this is worth paying attention to. The sooner Congress acts, the more gradually any fixes can be phased in.

06/09/2026

The stock market has a long and storied history, from the Dutch East India Company to Wall St.

From the Dutch East India Company to Wall St., the stock market has a long and storied history.