Hutchison Whitehead Wealth Management, LLC

Only 22% of Americans are confident they'll reach their retirement goals (source: Ameriprise)

Is Congress trading on Inside Information? [Video} http://ow.ly/7t4m9

The U.S. Treasury has announced that it is phasing out the mailing of Social Security checks to retirees. Beginning May 1, anyone newly applying for Social Security, Veterans Affairs, or other federal benefits will need to choose an electronic payment method. Paper checks will no longer be an option. People currently receiving their federal benefits by paper check must switch to direct deposit by March 1, 2013.

In this video, Kenneth French explains why lower economic growth may not hinder future stock returns. In fact, history shows that average returns tend to be higher during periods of economic difficulty. The information about a current recession is factored into stock prices, and investors may require a higher expected return to induce them to take higher perceived risk.

Using an illustrated timeline, David Booth of DFA chronicles US stock market performance in four periods since World War II. His review suggests prevailing market sentiment is often wrong and that investors must stay disciplined through all market environments to pursue their long-term goals. Click through to see the short video. What do you think?