This issue is presented by: Boomer Benefits​

👋 Normal or News? "The market has declined at least 10% on average every 11 months for the last 100 years. So, if you go on TV and predict a 10% decline, you should really just say, 'Everything is normal.'" ~Morgan Housel

NEWS FLASH

🤑 Inflation Reprieve: US inflation slowed to 2.8% in February, down from January's 3% annual rate, offering temporary relief as grocery prices flatlined and gas costs fell. Core inflation also eased to 3.1%, its lowest in nearly four years. While wages continue outpacing inflation for the 22nd consecutive month, economists warn this respite may be short-lived. Trump's escalating trade war—including a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and new steel and aluminum tariffs—threatens to reverse progress, potentially pushing inflation to 3.2% by Q3. The bright spot? Housing costs rose at their slowest pace since December 2021, finally reflecting real-world rent deceleration.

🏦 Tax Hunters Hobbled: The DOGE administration has begun firing thousands of IRS workers mid-tax season, potentially undermining the agency's ability to keep wealthy Americans honest. A new Policy Impacts study reveals the government collects $12 for every $1 spent auditing top earners, largely through the "individual deterrence effect" that makes taxpayers less likely to underreport after being audited. This effect generates three times more revenue than the initial audits themselves. While most Americans eagerly await tax refunds, the wealthy—including Trump's billionaire-heavy Cabinet—maintain an adversarial relationship with the IRS. Commerce Secretary Lutnick even declared Trump's goal is to "abolish" the agency entirely—music to the ears of those fearing audits.

RETIREMENT ARTICLES

What We're Reading

• 100-Year Change: Cost of Living in 1925 vs 2025 (US News)​
• 7 Increasing Probabilities of Error (The Big Picture)​
• With Travel Costs Rising in 2025, Is Trip Insurance Worth It? (Investopedia)​
• Tips on Choosing Between Pre-Tax and Roth 401(k) (Retirement Daily)​
• Research on Women Ages 50+ (AARP)​
• Wow, Have You Seen the Stock Market Lately? (Mr. Money Mustache)​
• Rural vs Suburban American Life Expectancies (The Conversation)​​
• Should You Buy Gold? Here's What Warren Buffett Would Say (AES)​

CHART OF WEEK

Technical Analysis: The Art of Drawing Hope? While technical analysis has its place, remember that no chart can predict the future with certainty. Market movements are influenced by countless, predictable factors—economic data, policy shifts, global events—that go far beyond trendlines. A comprehensive retirement plan and staying focused on what you can control are more effective than fortune-telling.

RETIREMENT PODCASTS

Top Listens This Week

• How to Set Up Your Paycheck in Retirement (The Retirement Answer Man)
• The 2% Trap: Why Retirees Spend Far Less Than They Could (Retirement Starts Today)​
• The Gold Rush—Should You Invest in Gold Now? (The Long Term Investor)
• 10 Myths That Exist Around Women’s Wealth (The Financial Symmetry Show)

PRESENTED BY BOOMER BENEFITS

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Founded in 2005 in Fort Worth, TX, Boomer Benefits is an award-winning insurance agency for national insurance carriers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha, and many other A-rated carriers.

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We are licensed in 49 states. Over the years, we’ve learned just about everything there is to know about Medicare, and we’ve become known as the baby boomers insurance agency. We pass that knowledge on to you – absolutely free. There is never a charge for our services. Boomer Benefits consulting is free.

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