The Billionaire Bet That Nearly Broke Silver: How the Hunt Brothers Lost Control of the Market
In the late 1970s, two Texas oil heirs made an extraordinary bet on silver. Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt accumulated enormous physical holdings while also…
A Social Security Tax Increase Could Cost Some Workers Up To $3,000 More A Year
A higher Social Security payroll tax is one of the ideas being discussed to address the program’s long-term funding shortfall, but the change could also reduce workers’…
In 1637, Tulip Prices Collapsed. But Did Tulip Mania Really Crash The Dutch Economy?
In the winter of 1637, some tulip bulbs in the Dutch Republic were trading for extraordinary sums. The rarest varieties could command thousands of guilders, enough to…
He Was Worth $42 Billion. Twelve Years Later, He Told A London Court He Had Almost Nothing
In 2008, Anil Ambani was the sixth-richest person in the world, with Forbes estimating his fortune at about $42 billion. He controlled a sprawling business empire spanning…
He Traded From His Parents’ Bedroom. Then the U.S. Market Crashed
On May 6, 2010, the U.S. stock market suddenly went into free fall. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged about 600 points in minutes, while roughly $1…
Prices Changed While People Were Still Shopping. Zimbabwe Was in Hyperinflation
In Zimbabwe, shopping once meant deciding what your family could afford. During the country’s 2018 hyperinflation crisis, it became a race against time. Prices could change between…
$35 Billion Gone. How One Trading Bet Went So Wrong
Losing a million dollars is a disaster for most investors. Losing a billion is the kind of event that can destroy a financial institution. Yet in July…
You Can Spend a Lifetime Building Wealth. What Happens When It Changes Hands?
You could spend 40 years building a retirement worth hundreds of thousands—or millions of dollars, only to discover that your family has no idea what to do…
You Think Your Estate Plan Is Done. One Form Could Still Undo It
Estate planning feels finished the moment the documents are signed. That may be exactly when the biggest mistakes become invisible. A beneficiary designation can override your will,…
You Worked for Decades. Is Europe Your Exit Strategy?
Imagine reaching your 60s with millions in retirement accounts, no mortgage and the freedom to stop working whenever you choose. For decades, that was supposed to be…