Article: Do We Live In A Golden Age of Investing?

[Jake]

This article has an interesting comparison of fees to investors in the 1970s and today. Apparently there has been a 99.6% reduction in fees http://www.businessinsider.com/do-we-li ... ng-2012-10

[MediumTex]

When I first started investing, if you wanted to buy or sell a stock you had to call up a dopey broker and have him place your order for you and it cost $20-$50 per trade.

I miss that about as much as I miss paying for long distance.

[moda0306]

I've been waiting for a thread to talk about how great we have it in today's world if we allow ourselves to realize it.  This will do.

[Jake]

I've been waiting for a thread to talk about how great we have it in today's world if we allow ourselves to realize it.  This will do.

Have you read "The Rational Optimist" by Matt Ridley? I think you would like it.

[MediumTex]

I've been waiting for a thread to talk about how great we have it in today's world if we allow ourselves to realize it.  This will do.

Have you read "The Rational Optimist" by Matt Ridley? I think you would like it.

If people would simply eat better, exercise more and calm down a bit, our current world would be a near-paradise compared to every other time in human history.

(That's JMHO, of course.)

[clacy]

I think it's human instinct to worry, complain about everything and think that we have it rough. Maybe that's what causes us to strive to meet challenges, innovate, advance technology and move forward.

Because when you stop and think about how good we have it in this country, how could you not realize what a gift you've been given.

[MachineGhost]

If people would simply eat better, exercise more and calm down a bit, our current world would be a near-paradise compared to every other time in human history.

And take supplements!

[Reub]

I'd gladly pay higher commissions for those yearly 10% plus stock market returns!

[melveyr]

Branching off of Reub's point, the ease of buying could result in higher equity prices than otherwise, lowering expected returns. The extreme example is the tech bubble.

Harder to access asset classes often have higher returns that compensate investors for the illiquidity.

[MachineGhost]

Harder to access asset classes often have higher returns that compensate investors for the illiquidity.

That does seem to hold true.  As way of example, as tax liens have become more popular and easier to invest in through online state or county-level auctions, investors are bidding yields down so low in some casese, that it becomes more and more profitable to step aside.

So it seems like any asset class is sort of like a Ponzi scheme.  You've got to get in early to get the big rewards.

I'd say we're a good 7-10 years off before tax liens become a waste of time due to "everyone and their mother" investing in them.

[TripleB]

Tax liens were discussed in Rich Dad Poor Dad book series so that's probably one reason they are popular today.