May 2015

Just When You Thought Bonds Were Safe

In today’s article Jared Dillian compares the 2/10 yield curve to a “Double Black Diamond” ski slope. In other words, it’s wickedly steep! The yield curve he is talking about here is the 10 year treasury yield minus the 2 year treasury yield. This spread measures the steepness of the yield curve. When it is high there is a big difference between the 10 year treasury yield and the 2 year. When it is small investors are not receiving much benefit for taking on longer term risk. Normally the yield curve is positive and longer-term rates are significantly higher than shorter-term rates. In abnormal cases the yield curve becomes “inverted” and short-term rates are actually higher than long-term rates. As Jared tells us, if even a small amount of inflation returns it will create havoc in the long term bond market.

Just When You Thought Bonds Were Safe Read More »

Why the IRS Seized All the Money from a Country Store

Last July, a swarm of officers from North Carolina’s Alcohol and Law Enforcement, the local police and the FBI descended on McLellan’s place of business.

The agents told the small business owner something that shook him to his core: The Internal Revenue Service had seized all of the money in L&M’s bank account: $107,702.66.

“‘Are you telling me you took my money?'” McLellan recalled asking the agents. “I didn’t understand what was going on. They dropped a bomb on me. I was lost for five to 10 minutes. I can’t believe that y’all guys can walk in here and tell me y’all took every bit of my money out of the bank.”

Why the IRS Seized All the Money from a Country Store Read More »

Scroll to Top