Category Archives: Financial Independence

Among those who were advised by a healthcare professional to get pregnant to manage or treat endometriosis, a total of 1570 participants responded to the open-ended survey question How did the advice to consider getting pregnant or having a baby impact your life in the next 12 months?. Seven major themes were identified in the responses to this question (see Fig.1).

Some participants responses indicated that the advice to consider getting pregnant had an impact on their knowledge about endometriosis, fertility and pregnancy. After receiving the advice to get pregnant, some participants stated that they felt their knowledge was improved. Other participants stated that they knew pregnancy wasnt a cure for endometriosis and sought information to refute the advice they were given. They mentioned feeling disappointed, misinformed, surprised, irritated, angry, offended and frustrated on receiving this incorrect advice.

Didnt take it [the advice] on board as Ive read numerous times its [pregnancy is] not proven as a treatment [for endometriosis].

Some respondents acknowledged that the advice to get pregnant was given to address fertility concerns, but they were not seeking fertility advice at the time. However, other participants did believe pregnancy would alleviate their symptoms or felt they should have received advice to consider having a baby earlier.

Just that I knew I would probably have a hard time falling pregnant, but it may give me some relief for a few years.

Many participants indicated that their health professionals advice to conceive, prompted them to try for conception or pursue treatments such as surgery to facilitate conception. Participants also reported using artificial reproductive techniques [30] such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and freezing eggs for future pregnancy. Some participants described feeling stressed or pressured for a baby and rushed into considering pregnancy.

At the moment we are trying to seek fertility treatment as we have been unsuccessful for the past 2 years in trying to conceive.

Participants reported concern about their ability to have children in the future. Some indicated that they were unsure whether they wanted children and yet others felt that they had no choice but to consider having a baby. Some participants had adopted a baby or used surrogacy to complete their family. A few even described becoming obsessed with the idea of having a baby.

I became obsessed with babies, pregnant women, getting pregnant, the thought that I would never be able to give birth to my own children.

A small number of participants reported being happy with the advice. Among participants who did have a baby, post-partum issues such as worsening of endo symptoms and not receiving post-partum care for endometriosis management were raised as a concern.

Some participants described the advice to have a baby as unsuitable or inappropriate for their situation and rejected it. They reported not [being] in a position to have children or not ready for a baby or were too young to have children. People indicated being single or not being in a relationship in which they wanted a baby.

Didnt take it [the advice] on board.

I was 13. It wasnt appropriate.

I ignored it [the advice to get pregnant] and continued with my high school studies.

Others were still at university with no financial independence and felt that the advice to have a baby was inappropriate for their circumstances.

Given that I was 19 at the time, I knew that in the future [I] wanted to be a mother but [I] knew that it wasnt at that stage in my life yet.

I was 21, single and at uni so it simply wasnt an option.

Yet others disregarded the advice as they already had children, felt they were getting too old to have children or had decided not to have children at all. Some respondents mentioned being too unwell to have a baby.

As bad as I felt I knew in my heart I wouldnt be well enough to take care of a baby. I could barely walk [two and a half] weeks out of the month.

A small number of participants regretted not following the advice, stating that they made the wrong choice.

Participants reported that advice to become pregnant or have a baby impacted their lifestyle, finances, career and major life events. They described how the advice to have children prompted major life changes, including searching for a suitable partner, marrying earlier than planned, moving country, considering having children earlier than planned, considering IVF treatment sooner rather than later, and putting off major expenses such as buying a house.

Brought forward plans to have a baby by several years, despite reservations of my fianc. I felt quite stressed and that it was a race against time to conceive.

I rushed my plans over the next 5 years.

Some participants reported stressful financial impacts, including affordability issues concerning ART procedures such as IVF.

After 6 months of trying, I couldnt get pregnant naturally, so we started IVF. First IVF resulted in [an] ectopic pregnancy which was very painful. 2 years later and after another 6 stimulated cycles of IVF, the endo grew back into my bowel requiring another large bowel resection and removal of other organs. Another 2 stimulated IVF cycles after that. So, 9 IVF rounds in total, we are broke financially, emotionally and physically.

Participants described needing to take time off work as affecting their career and that planning a family required them to re-evaluate their career.

Participants reported that the advice they were given impacted their other experiences with the healthcare system. They mentioned delayed diagnosis, unmet needs, and feelings about interacting with healthcare professionals. Participants reported a mismatch between what they wanted (e.g., pain management) and the advice they were provided.

The pain and other issues I was experiencing werent dealt with to an adequate level.

The fact that I wasnt given any advice suitable to me was very upsetting. I travelled & spent a lot of [dollars] trying to find a practitioner to help with pain management.

Others reported that prescribed treatments didnt work well for them (e.g., hormonal treatment). A few indicated seeking a second opinion as they were dissatisfied with the advice to get pregnant. Others turned to alternative medicine to manage their condition. Many participants expressed that such experiences led them to lose faith in the medical profession while others mentioned that they avoided going to the doctor or changed their healthcare professional.

I ignored it [the advice to get pregnant] and continued with my high school studies. But it likely led to me actively avoiding having to visit that GP.

Some participants reflected on a delay in diagnosis or being diagnosed with other conditions before receiving their endometriosis diagnosis.

The first time [I] complained about the pain in my mid-twenties, [I] was told it was just my body and no one checked to see if [I] had endo, so I lost a tube, and the disease decimated my egg reserve, not enough information.

Some participants reported having a positive experience with healthcare professionals around receiving the advice. They were looking for fertility advice, were satisfied that fertility issues were addressed and reported that their doctor was supportive.

Fertility issues and endometriosis were diagnosed and treated, and I had a baby. Obviously, that advice isnt going to be right for everyone. In my circumstances wanting to get pregnant led me to finding out I had endometriosis.

Many responses touched on the theme of mental health impacts of the advice to get pregnant and have a baby. Participants reported the advice had impacts such as being anxious, panicked, stressed and/or depressed. Some people required help from a psychologist.

It [having a baby] was in my mind every day and added a significant amount of stress to day-to-day life. It is a huge decision to make, endometriosis or not. I was very confused and depressed.

Depressed at the prospect [I] may never have children.

It was a nightmare for me and something that impacted me greatly on an emotional level.

Frustration. Feeling invisible. Feeling irrelevant. Angry. Disappointed. Deflated. Seen as a baby making oven instead of being seen as a person.

Additionally, participants described feelings of isolation, dismissal, and loneliness about being given this advice. Respondents reported having negative self-beliefs such as feeling powerless, low self-esteem and feeling un-womanly when their fertility was affected due to endometriosis.

The advice participants received impacted partner/spouse relations, family, friends and social relationships. Those with partners reported that discussing the pregnancy advice with their partner was stressful and couples felt pressured to have a baby.

I talked with my husband but decided we didnt want to be pressured into having a child when we werent ready just because of endometriosis.

Some participants also reported that their relationship was adversely impacted by the advice due to differences in partner desires or readiness to have a child.

It ended up ruining my relationship as I felt a huge pressure to have kids young and my partner couldnt understand the intense conversation at a young age.

Some participants also described negative impacts on their sexual relationships. They stated that they experienced painful sex due to endometriosis. Given the pain, the rush for a baby added further stress.

I cant really have sex because of the pain. [My partner] knew this, but still thought I should have a kid. This triggered depression around my sexual dysfunction and inability to be in a normal sexual relationship.

Participants who were not in relationships in which they wanted to have a child also described strain.

I was in an abusive relationship. The nurse said it in front of my partner who then decided I no longer needed OCP. I fell pregnant on the first cycle but luckily for my own safety found out 2 weeks after leaving him. Terminated pregnancy.

Participants indicated that they also experienced challenges with other relationships, feeling as if family members didnt understand their struggles. Some said that they experienced family pressure to find a suitable partner to have a baby with.

When I told my parents, I could feel their hope that I might find an older man who could look after me and with whom I might start a family with. I didnt feel pressure to find this person, but I could tell thats what they wanted for me and put that pressure on myself, whilst at the same time thinking that no man would want to be with someone who had so many health problems. I was very lost.

See more here:

Patient experiences of being advised by a healthcare professional to ... - BioMed Central

By Dr. Francis Bayes, WCI Columnist

Other Boglehead-inspired, buy-and-hold investors must surely dream about juicing up their portfolios annual return. I do. Even Dr. Bill Bernstein, who advises investors to stop playing if they have won the game, must have done so when he was in his accumulation phase. After all, he wrote about different ways to juice up a Boglehead-ish portfolio in his book, Rational Expectations.

Someone in their accumulation phase, i.e., saving for financial independence, should increase their allocation to stocks if their savings will not be adequate when they stop working. This should be a rigorous process in which they consider: 1) How much more could they save each year?; 2) How many more years could they work?; 3) What is the expected return of stocks? One should change their asset allocation only after they review those questions.

Even when they are on track to meet their financial goals, someone who plans to own stocks for 20-30 more years should consider buying even more stocksinstead of maintaining their asset allocationunder some circumstances. Ones financial plan could include such circumstances as indications for changing their asset allocation.

Here are some important disclaimers:

*I can picture someonemost likely Dr. Jim Dahlecommenting, This is too much work. But as the OG WCI also likes to say, there are only so many ways to write about why one should buy and hold.

If I have not triggered you yet, here are three stock market circumstances and two personal circumstances in which you might want to increase your allocation to stocks in order to increase your expected annual return.

J.P. Morgan supposedly said, In bear markets, stocks return to their rightful owners. Bernstein interprets the rightful owners to be the wealthiest investors with unimpaired capital. Although Vanguard continues to demonstrate that its retail investors tend not to sell stocks during bear markets, the Federal Reserves data suggest otherwise. The percentage of stocks as households net worth decreases with each recession and stock market crash (first figure below)in part due to households selling stocks (second figure).

Regardless of who the rightful owners tend to be, a mature individual investor who follows the WCI principles should believe that they are one of the rightful owners. If one already has a 100% allocation to stocks, they should increase their savings rate. If one has an allocation to safer assets, they should rebalance into stocks AND also buy more stocks than usual with future savings for financial independence. As Bernstein said,

Investing is an operation that transfers wealth to those with a strategy and can execute it from those who do not or cannot.

When should one stop?

One could have a threshold-based rulesimilar to the one that Bernstein recommends in Rational Expectationsby buying more stocks than usual until their allocation is greater than 1.2x (e.g., increases from 80% to 96%). Or one could just be a contrarian. When the short-term return becomes positive (e.g., YTD, one-year) or the media declare the bear market to be over, mature investors could return to their normal allocation (gradually, not instantly, as I explain in #2 below) as immature investors feel confident about stocks again.

More information here:

Watching Stocks Return to Their Rightful Owners

Momentum is a legitimate factor, just like size and value. For an active investor, the trend matters as much as valuations, whereas for a buy-and-hold investor, holding momentum stocks is risky. Still, one can consider the S&P 500 index, which Warren Buffett prefers over a total stock market index, to be a momentum strategy as well.

The disclaimer past performance is no guarantee of future results exists because investors tend to buy stocks after they have gone up. We would all like to buy the dip. But we feel better when we are riding the wave rather than swimming against it. Consider this: six-, 12-, and 24-month returns are higher on all-time high days than on all other days.

When should one stop?

Bernstein would disagree with buying more stocks than usual at an all-time high because he recommends decreasing allocations on the upside (e.g., a 1% decrease in stock allocation for every 10% increase in stock price). He also recommends checking valuation metrics such as the Shiller CAPE ratio, which is the ratio of the S&P 500s current price to the 10-year average of inflation-adjusted earnings. But this is likely too much work for most WCI readers (including myself!).

If figuring out when to start buying fewer stocks is too challenging, one should not start buying more stocks at new all-time highs. An appropriate middle ground might be to continue with the usual stock allocation, regardless of price or valuation changes (aka My crystal ball is cloudy). At least with the knowledge that all-time highs beget all-time highs, one should tune out those who call every all-time high a bubble.

I am writing this in April 2023. Remember when value was dead or when international stocks were no longer worthwhile for diversification? Maybe next year, we will also forget that all the small and regional banks, which are a significant part of small cap value index funds, were supposed to disappear. (Meanwhile, I hope this column does not come back to bite me!)

Staying the course with an underperforming asset class is already challenging, so increasing its allocation could be unthinkable. An average member of the WCI community is likely an above-average investor, so the underperformance must be bad enough to start hurting when WCI community members are questioning their allocation on podcasts and forums or when Jim has to write a lengthy defense like he did with small cap value in May 2020.

International stocks and small cap value stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 since those posts. Although we need to wait to see if their recent outperformance will continue, there are parallels to the 2000s when they outperformed the S&P 500 (e.g., relative valuations, growth stocks bubble). Such posts on WCI might be a good indicator to increase ones allocation to an asset class 1.1x or more.

When should one stop?

Similar to the contrarian approach for #1 above: immature investors look at an assets most recent performance, and slightly immature investors look at its 10-year performance, which is often the longest duration listed on websites (besides max or since inception). A mature investor knows that even 10 years is too short. Perhaps, they should return to their original allocation when everyone can see that the asset class has outperformed VTSAX or SPY for 10 years.

More information here:

How Do Financial Habits Form And Can They Be Changed?

Splurge on This, Not on That

Debt is like a negative bond. If one has been buying stocks with debt, they have been using leverage. If they have (knowingly or unknowingly) tolerated the stock market volatility with debt, why not increase their stock allocation without debt?

Someone who does not flinch at the volatility might have a 100% stock allocation in their portfolio for financial independence. One may consider loans to be a negative bond. With $100,000 in stocks and $50,000 in student loans, they actually have an asset allocation of more than 100% stocks (150% stocks) since they are now investing on leverage. However, lots of people don't think about their debt as part of their asset allocation and so might be able to tolerate that more aggressive allocation just fine behaviorally speaking. Later, they might be inclined to start buying positive bonds, such as the Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBTLX), with 33% of their future savings for financial independence.

Or, while they are young, they could test their risk tolerance before they take out new loans in the future (e.g., a mortgage). Even with the US Treasuries paying 4%-5% interest, someone in their 20-30s who paid off their loans might need to take more risk in the long-term. They could increase their stock allocation gradually (say, 1.1x) until they find their theoretical sweet spot. If they do so in a bull market, most of their increase in stock allocation could come from not rebalancing. If they do so in a bear market, they would be buying even more stocks when they are cheaper, thereby increasing the odds of higher future returns.

More information here:

The Best Ways to Use Debt to Your Advantage

This is here for completeness, as this is beyond my pay grade.

The sequence of return risk (SORR) is why one needs to decrease their allocation to risky assets when they retire. Much has been written about it. Briefly, SORR is the long-term effect of negative stock market returns in the initial years of retirement. Many consider the five years before and 10 years after the year of retirement to be when the SORR is the greatest.

When one no longer fears the SORRwhich is easier said than donethey can consider increasing their allocation to riskier assets such as stocks. If one might end up with too much money at death, they should consider buying even more stocks. Their charities or heirs will appreciate it.

In his booklet, If You Can (available for a free download), Bernstein outlines five hurdles that investors must overcome to succeed in saving and investing for retirement. This column is for those who have overcome the first two hurdles: spending too much money and not understanding the theory and practice of finance. The circumstances above are related to the other three hurdles: learning the financial and market history, overcoming yourself, and discerning good financial advice.

I hope that this column at least encourages one person to stick to their financial plan. During the accumulation phase, the moments when one wants to sell stocks are usually when they should buy stocks. They can afford to now buy even more stocks, but they should not stop buying.

[Founder's Note: Warren Buffett famously said,

Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful.

Likewise, Nathan Rothschild said:

Buy when there's blood in the streets.

These quotes mostly illustrate the fact that stocks bought at times of maximum pessimism tend to have the best returns. Whether this can actually be done in practice by the typical investor is a completely different question. I admit that when markets are down, I feel motivation to find more money to invest. But the truth is that since I'm already fully invested, the only way to do that is to spend less (which I don't want to do) or work more (which I also don't want to do.) So while I allowed this column to run, I do have enough reservations about it to include this note.

This post is mostly talking about tactical asset allocationthat is changing your stock-to-bond ratio in a moderate amount based on expected future returns, i.e., being more conservative when returns are expected to be low and more aggressive when returns are expected to be high. In essence, this is market timing lite. While careful study will reveal that lots of smart investors (Bernstein, Bogle, Buffett, etc.) have written about this, you need to recognize that, like all market timing, it requires a somewhat functional crystal ball for success. That's something I don't have, so I don't do this. In fact, this is a question we ask our Recommended Financial Advisor list before approving them to advertise here. More than a tiny amount of tactical asset allocation, and we simply won't sell them an ad.

The Dahle family approach over the last two decades has simply been to follow our written investing plan (currently 60% stock, 20% real estate, and 20% bonds). When do we buy more stocks? When we have more money to invest. And when the percentage of our portfolio invested in stocks drops below 60%. That's it. Boring? Absolutely. Effective? Absolutely. There's no guessing about the future. There's no stress. We always know what to do. Some months, we get a better deal on the stocks we buy than others. It forces us to automatically buy low. I'd say buy low and sell high, but we really don't sell. Like Nick Maggiulli, we Just Keep Buying. If you do decide to incorporate a little tactical asset allocation into your investing plan, do it in a prescribed, automatic way you decided on beforehand and wrote down. And good luck.]

What do you think? In what other circumstances should you consider buying more stocks? Comment below!

Read the original here:

When You Should Consider Buying Even More Stocks | White Coat ... - The White Coat Investor

Kenyan singer and actress Sanaipei Tande. PHOTOS | COURTESY

Kenyan singer and actress, Sanaipei Tande, has shared her perspectives on marriage, polygamy and financial independence.

In a candid interview with Oga Obinna, Sanaipei shared her thoughts on the importance of having ones own source of income and maintaining respect within relationships.

Sanaipei spoke of the need for individuals, particularly women, to have jobs and secure their own income.She cited instances where couples separate, leaving one partner struggling to support themselves due to financial dependency.

Stressing the importance of self-sufficiency, she advised individuals to have something of their own, even if their partner assures them of financial care.

We have seen how many people are splitting and finding themselves in situations where they now cant cater for themselves, and you must have something for yourself, Sanaipei said.

Also read: Sanaipei Tande responds to haters over her viral mini-dress photo

She also acknowledged the uncertainties of the future, raising the question of what would happen if a partner were to pass away unexpectedly, leaving financial matters in disarray.

By encouraging personal financial stability, Sanaipei urged individuals to safeguard their own well-being and independence.

Even if he tells you that he will take care of you with everything, you never know about tomorrow. What if he dies and things were not in order? What will you do?Lets face it, Sometimes even the family takes everything from him after he is gone. You must always have something of your own. You can take a both parents must nurture the children equally, she said.

On whether she would allow her partner to have a second wife, Sanaipei acknowledged that such situations often occur, regardless of permission, and highlighted the emotional complexities involved.

Also read: Kambua shares moments before the birth of her rainbow baby

Dont they cheat always? If you allow or not, some will just do, she said, adding that decisions regarding polygamy depend on the specific dynamics of each relationship and the individuals involved.

Regarding the possibility of dating multiple men, Sanaipei admitted uncertainty, suggesting that it ultimately depends on the depth of love and the unique circumstances of the relationship.

She acknowledged the challenges of sharing a partner, but also recognized that some individuals choose to remain in such arrangements, weighing the pros and cons while considering their own needs and desires.

Sanaipei emphasized the importance of respect within relationships.

Also read: Viral video of drunk Bahati and his wife Diana sparks online controversy

Originally posted here:

Sanaipei Tande's insights on marriage, polygamy and financial ... - Nairobi News

Soon, summer internships will wind down and recent college graduates will march off to their first entry-level jobs. As they start their careers, many young people from underserved backgrounds will be left behind, without the network, resources, or skill sets they need to compete in the job market.

Workforce training programs are meant to fill that gap by putting underserved youth on the path to full-time jobs with a living wage, benefits, and opportunities to move up. Right now, those programs are falling short.

College graduate looking for a job. (Shutterstock/Shutterstock)

In New York City, unemployment for workers of color is significantly higher than for white workers. This year, 12.2% of Black workers and 7.5% of workers of color overall are out of a job, compared to only 1.3% of white workers. Inequality is worsening the difference in employment rates between Black and white workers, is skyrocketing, recently reaching its highest point in decades. The job search has been even more difficult for young people, with about 17% of New Yorkers unemployed, with young Black men disproportionately represented in that group.

If were going to narrow that gap, we need to increase rates of employment in high-quality jobs for underserved youth. That means workforce training programs need to innovate.

The Heckscher Foundation, the philanthropy I lead, is one organization aiming to do that through a new funding model. Heckscher works with New Yorkers under the age of 25 who spent time in foster care, have been through the court system, or have some or no college education. We fund programs offering full-time job commitments that help them achieve financial independence.

This month, we started the Heckscher Foundation Challenge, which today is awarding $7.6 million in grants to New York high schools, colleges, and nonprofits that run workforce training programs for young adults from low-income communities and communities of color. Weve funded workforce training programs in the past, but we made a commitment to only fund organizations that secure hiring commitments from employers as a result, more than 1,100 young New Yorkers will have full-time jobs.

Tying funding to job guarantees from employers is one way to make programs more effective. One example is the model honed by the Gap and now Old Navy, called This Way ONward, where New York youth are trained to manage the challenges of a career through jobs skills training provided by The Door, mentorship and with the employers committing to hire successful graduates of the training program.

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Yet another promising new approach is the Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeship program recently announced by Mayor Adams and Chancellor David Banks, which will place 3,000 New York public school students in paid apprenticeships. As with all new workforce training programs, its success will depend on whether these apprenticeships result in full time employment.

Nonprofits and employers are hungry for innovations like these. Unclear communication from employers about the skills theyre looking for makes it difficult for providers to develop training curricula, while employers complain that they cant find workers prepared for the demands of even entry-level jobs.

The job market is giving training programs an opening to break this stalemate. Some industries like manufacturing, finance, and hospitality dont have nearly enough workers to keep their businesses producing, while others like clean energy are creating new jobs faster than they can fill them. These industries are all looking for workers ready to hit the ground running, which means that employers are willing to collaborate with training programs in ways they might not otherwise.

Trainers and hirers mutual desire for change was apparent in our inaugural Heckscher Foundation Challenge application cycle. Overwhelming numbers of nonprofits and employers participated 96 organizations applied for grants for their training programs and 234 companies offered to guarantee jobs to those programs graduates. Their enthusiasm about trying something new makes us confident that changing funding and training models can make a difference for the young people we work with.

At the same time, policymakers are beginning to recognize the dangers of failing to adequately train workers for critical jobs and investing millions of dollars in workforce training across the country. Those investments give us a unique chance to create a society where everyone can build a career that satisfies their needs and supports their family, regardless of the educational opportunities they got growing up.

These new commitments from government, philanthropy, nonprofits and businesses show the will exists to put underprivileged youth on the path to great jobs. Lets give our workforce training programs a makeover so they can make the most of it.

Sloane is chairman and CEO of the Heckscher Foundation for Children.

The rest is here:

Real jobs for eager young people: The Heckscher Foundation ... - New York Daily News

A rare window into the early American monetary history thanks to techniques from physics

Benjamin Franklin may be best known as the creator of bifocals and the lightning rod, but a group of University of Notre Dame researchers suggest he should also be known for his innovative ways of making (literal) money.

During his career, Franklin printed nearly 2,500,000 money notes for the American Colonies using what the researchers have identified as highly original techniques, as reported in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research team, led by Khachatur Manukyan, an associate research professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has spent the past seven years analyzing a trove of nearly 600 notes from the Colonial period, which is part of an extensive collection developed by the Hesburgh Libraries Rare Books and Special Collections. The Colonial notes span an 80-year period and include notes printed by Franklins network of printing shops and other printers, as well as a series of counterfeit notes.

Manukyan explained that the effort to print money for the fledgling Colonial monetary system was important to Franklin not just as a printer but as a statesman as well.

Benjamin Franklin saw that the Colonies financial independence was necessary for their political independence. Most of the silver and gold coins brought to the British American colonies were rapidly drained away to pay for manufactured goods imported from abroad, leaving the Colonies without sufficient monetary supply to expand their economy, Manukyan said.

However, one major problem stood in the way of efforts to print paper money: counterfeiting. When Franklin opened his printing house in 1728, paper money was a relatively new concept. Unlike gold and silver, paper moneys lack of intrinsic value meant it was constantly at risk of depreciating. There were no standardized bills in the Colonial period, leaving an opportunity for counterfeiters to pass off fake bills as real ones. In response, Franklin worked to embed a suite of security features that made his bills distinctive.

To maintain the notes dependability, Franklin had to stay a step ahead of counterfeiters, said Manukyan. But the ledger where we know he recorded these printing decisions and methods has been lost to history. Using the techniques of physics, we have been able to restore, in part, some of what that record would have shown.

Manukyan and his team employed cutting-edge spectroscopic and imaging instruments housed in the Nuclear Science Laboratory and four Notre Dame research core facilities: the Center for Environmental Science and Technology, the Integrated Imaging Facility, the Materials Characterization Facility and the Molecular Structure Facility. The tools enabled them to get a closer look than ever at the inks, paper and fibers that made Franklins bills distinctive and hard to replicate.

One of the most distinctive features they found was in Franklins pigments. Manukyan and his team determined the chemical elements used for each item in Notre Dames collection of Colonial notes. The counterfeits, they found, have distinctive high quantities of calcium and phosphorus, but these elements are found only in traces in the genuine bills.

Their analyses revealed that although Franklin used (and sold) lamp black, a pigment created by burning vegetable oils, for most printing, Franklins printed currency used a special black dye made from graphite found in rock. This pigment is also different from the bone black made from burned bone, which was favored both by counterfeiters and by those outside Franklins network of printing houses.

Another of Franklins innovations was in the paper itself. The invention of including tiny fibers in paper pulp visible as pigmented squiggles within paper money has often been credited to paper manufacturer Zenas Marshall Crane, who introduced this practice in 1844. But Manukyan and his team found evidence that Franklin was including colored silks in his paper much earlier.

The team also discovered that notes printed by Franklins network have a distinctive look due to the addition of a translucent material they identified as muscovite. The team determined that Franklin began adding muscovite to his papers and the size of this muscovite crystals in his paper increased over time. The team speculates that Franklin initially began adding muscovite to make the printed notes more durable but continued to add it when it proved to be a helpful deterrent to counterfeiters.

Manukyan said that it is unusual for a physics lab to work with rare and archival materials, and this posed special challenges.

Few scientists are interested in working with materials like these. In some cases, these bills are one-of-a-kind. They must be handled with extreme care, and they cannot be damaged. Those are constraints that would turn many physicists off to a project like this, he said.

But for him, the project is a testament to the value of interdisciplinary work.

We were fortunate to have student researchers on this project with interests both in physics as well as in history and art conservation. And the core research facilities as well as the Rare Books and Special Collections team were incredible research partners. Without an uncommon level of collaboration across disciplines, our discoveries would not have been possible.

In addition to lead investigator Manukyan, the research team for this project included Armenuhi Yeghishyan, a laboratory technician in the Department of Physics and Astronomy; Ani Aprahamian, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Physics and concurrent professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Louis Jordan, an associate University librarian emeritus for academic services and collections; Michael Kurkowski, a former undergraduate researcher studying physics and mathematics; Mark Raddell, a former undergraduate researcher studying finance and physics who is now a consultant at Deloitte; Laura Richter Le, a former undergraduate researcher who is now a graduate student at the Conservation Center at New York Universitys Institute of Fine Arts; Zachary D. Schultz, a former associate professor at Notre Dame who is now a faculty member at the Ohio State University; Liam Spillane, who works at Gatan Inc.; and Michael Wiescher, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Physics.

This research project was funded by an internal grant from Notre Dame Research. For more information on the Nuclear Science Laboratorys work investigating historical materials, visit sites.nd.edu/kmanukyan/research/.

Contact: Jessica Sieff, associate director, media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu

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All about the Benjamins: Researchers decipher the secrets of ... - ND Newswire

Welcome to a journey towards amassing wealth by harnessing one of the most potent tools in the world of finance. Its a powerful yet simple concept that is often overlooked in the pursuit of quicker gains. This strategy, appreciated by successful investors worldwide, is the fascinating concept of compounding. This blog post will delve deep into understanding this fundamental principle, unearthing the secret to the exponential growth of wealth. Through the art of patience, the importance of time, and the magic of reinvestment, I aim to enlighten you on a proven path to financial independence and prosperity. So, lets embark on this exciting journey, mastering the steady strategy to multiply your money.

Compounding, often hailed as the eighth wonder of the world by financial enthusiasts, is the process where the value of an investment increases exponentially over time due to the earnings on both the principal amount and the accumulated interest or dividends. This snowball effect enables your wealth to grow faster and faster as time goes on.

The true magic of compounding lies in its exponential growth. Unlike linear growth, where you add a fixed amount each time, exponential growth multiplies your wealth. The principal and the profit earned on it both contribute to your earning potential. Therefore, the longer your money stays invested, the more potential it has to grow.

The Rule of 72 is a simple way to estimate how long it will take for an investment to double, given a fixed annual rate of return. By dividing 72 by the annual rate of return, investors can get a rough estimate of how many years it will take for the initial investment to duplicate itself. The Rule of 72 is reasonably accurate for steady interest rates.

Here are some examples:

Annual rate of return/Years to double the original capital:

Its important to note that this rule is a mathematical concept and does not consider other real-world factors such as inflation, taxes, or changes in the interest rate.

Here is how long it takes to compound and double return rates most similar to those in the stock market and investing:

Here are the years required to double your investment for annual capital gain rates from 11% to 20%:

Again, its important to remember that these are rough estimates, and the time to double your investment may vary based on several factors. Higher rates of return are typically associated with higher risks. Of course, no returns in the real world are this steady; this is just to show what is possible with compounding at different return rate areas.

At its core, compounding is the process where the return on your investment, in turn, earns a return, which then gets added to your original investment. This process continues over time, resulting in the exponential growth of your wealth.

As a simple example, heres how it works: Lets say you invest $1000 at an annual interest rate of 10%. After the first year, you would earn $100 in interest (10% of $1000). If you reinvest this interest, your total investment becomes $1100. In the second year, you earn interest on the total amount ($1100), not just your initial investment. This means youll earn $110 (10% of $1100). This cycle of earning interest on your interest continues, and thats where the magic happens.

Lets look at this above example over forty years to see the power of compounding:

The formula for compound interest is A = P (1 + r/n)^(nt), where:

If you invest $1000 at an annual interest rate of 10% compounded once a year (n=1) for 40 years, the calculation would be:

A = $1000 * (1 + 0.10/1)^(1*40)

So, A = $1000 * (1.10)^40

A = $1000 * 45.259255

A = $45259.26

So, $1000 compounded at 10% a year for 40 years equals approximately $45,259.46.

The longer the time, the more dramatic the compounding effect becomes. Over time, your investment doesnt just grow; it soars. This is why its often called the magic of compounding.

For example, if you invested $1,000 at an interest rate of 10% and left it untouched for 40 years, the power of compounding would turn your investment into approximately $45,259.46 without adding any additional funds.

Therefore, the key ingredients for taking advantage of this magic are: start investing as early as possible, reinvest the returns you get, and give your investment time to grow. Its not about making quick gains but steadily accumulating wealth over time. This is the power and magic of compounding for wealth creation.

In compounding, patience is not just a virtue but a necessity. The power of compounding is best realized over long periods. The more time you give your investments, the more they can compound and grow. A crucial element of harnessing this power is investing as early as possible. Its not about timing the market but the time spent in it that makes a difference.

There are many investment avenues where compounding plays a significant role. Stock markets, mutual funds, bonds, or even your savings account can leverage the power of compounding with a high-interest rate. Any investment avenue to reinvest the earnings can potentially compound your wealth.

To maximize the benefits of compounding, there are a few key strategies to follow. First, reinvest your earnings from interest, dividends, or capital gains. By doing so, your earnings start to earn too. Second, diversify your investments across various channels to spread the risk and potential for compounding. Lastly, consider investing in avenues that compound more frequently.

The key to successful compounding is consistent and regular investments. Regardless of market conditions, invest a fixed amount at regular intervals. This disciplines your investment habit and averages your cost of investing over time, a concept known as dollar-cost averaging.

A common mistake among investors is not giving their investments enough time to compound. Withdrawing your investments prematurely can significantly dilute the potential of compounding. Another pitfall is not reinvesting the returns. Remember, in compounding, the reinvested earnings generate additional returns.

To enhance the effects of compounding, you could consider increasing your regular investments over time, often aligned with increments in your income. Another effective technique is investing in windfall gains like bonuses, tax refunds, or inheritance, which can significantly boost your wealth compounding.

The power of compounding can turn your retirement dreams into reality. Starting early with a disciplined investment strategy can build a substantial retirement corpus. Moreover, many retirement accounts tax-deferred or tax-free status can enhance compounding, as taxes can significantly erode the compounding potential.

Compounding can be your secret weapon in the quest for financial independence. Its not about chasing quick riches but steadily growing wealth over time. Compounding with patience, time, and consistent investments can pave the way for financial freedom, allowing you to live on your terms.

In essence, attaining wealth via compounding is a journey of steady and measured growth rather than a frantic race. It calls for a deep understanding of the multiplying effect that time, patience, and re-invested earnings can have on your principal amount. Being mindful of potential errors, such as withdrawing investments prematurely or failing to maintain consistency, is essential for leveraging compoundings full potential. Adopting effective strategies, a diversified investment approach, and an early start can significantly boost the compounding process. Ultimately, compounding serves as a reliable path to a secure financial future and independence, facilitating the realization of your long-term financial aspirations and a comfortable retirement.

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Through passion, energy and vision, women across all generations have been historys changemakers, and todays women and girls are again leading the way on many global issues including gender equality.

At P&G and in the communities we serve, we want to create an inclusive environment with equal voice, representation and opportunity for all. When we unlock the potential of women and girls through access to education, business investment and leadership opportunities, we can see families thrive, communities flourish and economies grow.

As a part of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we partner with organizations, changemakers and women leaders from all generations who are creating positive impact. We admire our longstanding partners, including CARE, Girl Up, Save the Children, Vital Voices and many others, as well as the young people they support who are leading the way.

Bontle Modiselle is a Guinness World Record holding entertainer, dancer, choreographer and advocate for #KeepingGirlsInSchools. Partnering with Always in South Africa, Bontle uses dance to tackle stigma around periods and inspire a movement of sisterhood. Most recently, Bontle led a nationally-recognized dance at a local high school to the Blood Sisters soundtrack with Always Keeping Girls in School beneficiaries for Menstrual Hygiene Month.

Nora Salem is a graduate from the United Nations Womens Stimulating Equal Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs who has become a successful business owner. Overcoming a long-held belief that a womans role is in the home and the stigma as a single mother, Nora showed her community whats possible when you give women opportunities. Shes inspiring her daughter and generations of girls who follow her to believe they can have financial independence and reach their dreams.

Be inspired by the "Not Only a Mom" documentary and learn more about the programs barrier breaking and business building impact.

Sarah Kapesa as a Girl Up Teen Advisor, Sarah demonstrates to other girls the power of raising their voices to create impact in their communities. She works with Girl Up by supporting decision-making and advising on strategy to advance global gender justice. Her passion for gender and racial equality inspired Sarah to participate in a project to find sponsors for the education of 32 inspiring young girls in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Get started with more details the Teen Advisors Program.

Zuriel Oduwole is an education advocate, founder of Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up and an Advisory Board Member of CARE, who has inspired more than 50,000 young girls across 21 countries to believe in the power of their dreams. Zuriel was a youth activist in 2015 when she first partnered with Always to help make its iconic #LikeAGirl campaign, which helped educate girls about puberty. She wrote, narrated and produced the video Unstoppable Like A Girl and continues to be just that...unstoppable!

Watch Zuriel announce P&Gs latest news on the companys campaigns to create more equality in the world at the Global Citizen Festival.

Katherine Batzin, Mara Teresa Torrez and Valery Quintero are alumni of the Vital Voices Voces Que Inspiran Program (Voices That Inspire), which empowers a generation to bring creative solutions to todays biggest problems. Since graduating the program, each of them has launched an organization with important impact in their communities:

Katherine was motivated to start the Brave Guatemala (Voces que Florecen) project, which provides comprehensive and sustainable support to girls between the ages of 14 and 18 who are institutionalized in public and private orphanages in Guatemala. The project aims to increase their hope and ability to fully integrate into society.

Maria Teresa started the Nan Gana Project in Panama, which educates mothers, or caregivers in vulnerable conditions, about study methodologies, soft skills, and technology so that they can be mentors in their children's learning and to acquire knowledge and skills that serve them for their lives.

Valery Quintero believes that "with small actions, great changes are achieved, and the main change begins with you." She founded Activate to promote mental health by conducting workshops that foster emotional intelligence and soft skills in children and young people in Panama.

Learn more about our partner program Voices That Inspire.

All these young leaders will join us at Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda, where there will be space and support to connect and create the impact that they know is possible. Together we can unlock the innovation, creativity, and impact of this entire generation of change makers to help move us towards an equal future.

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Women Deliver 2023 | Together We All Lead - Procter & Gamble

How do I know if my adult child is struggling?

What should I do if I dont like their romantic partner?

Should I lend them money for their new startup idea?

Can I give parenting advice to them?

An estimated 65 million American parents currently have a child in their 20s or 30s, and it turns out these parents have a lot of questions about navigating their relationships with their adult children. Earlier this year, Laurence Steinberg, a Temple psychology professor and leading international researcher on teen behavior and brain development,came to their rescue.

Steinbergs new book You and Your Adult Child: How to Grow Together in Challenging Times (Simon & Schuster), which was published in April, is a comprehensive guide for parents with adult children in their twenties or thirties.

To Steinbergs knowledge, this is the first parenting book ever published that is specifically directed at parents of 20- and 30-year-olds, so it was important to him to be as comprehensive as possible. The book covers everything from maintaining healthy day-to-day relationships with an adult child, constructively resolving conflicts with them and supporting their mental health to assessing whether they are struggling, handling a variety of issues concerning their romantic lives, and finding the appropriate level of involvement in their college education.

There may be confusion, at first glance,about why an expert in adolescent development would be writing a book about managing relationships with adults in their twenties or thirties. But there is a connection between this slightly older demographic and Steinbergs 45-year career studying adolescent development and behavior.

In Steinbergs 2014book,Age of Opportunity: Lessons From the New Science of Adolescence, he argued that adolescencetypically considered to end at age 19was now elongating for many young adults to the age of 25. This is due, at least in part, to the changing economy that has made home ownership and financial independence a challenge for some young people in their twenties or thirties. As a result, some are finding themselves back at home with their parents or needing financial support from them. This is foreign territory to parents who had vastly different experiences when they were this age.

Soon after publishing Age of Opportunity, it struck me that this elongation and lengthening of adolescence have implications for parents that havent really been discussed, Steinberg said. This was reinforced by the increasing number of parents who would approach him after his public speaking events, desperate for more information about managing their relationships with their adult children.

Around the same time AARP, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing quality of life for people 50 years old and over, also noticed a significant uptick in the number of questions they were receiving from their members about how to handle relationships with adult children in their twenties or thirties. To properly address their members concerns, AARP decided to encourage the development of a book, in partnership with Simon & Schuster, on the topic and started searching for an expert who could lead the project.

"Now that youve let go of some of the prerogatives of parenthood, youll likely find your child to be a source of emotional support, a good listener, a good teacher who knows more than you do about many things, and a good companion.

-- Laurence Steinberg

Suffice it to say, it didnt take long to identify Steinberg as the expert for AARP and Simon & Schusters book project. About a year later, You and Your Adult Child was published. This new book combines his research and expertise in a way that provides parents of adult children with not only an understanding of whats happening in their adult childrens brains during this critical moment in their lives, but also provides effective communication strategies that strengthen their relationship with their adult children.

The conflicts over autonomy you and your child had when they were younger will dissipate once you both come to a new understanding about your relationship, Steinberg says. Youll start seeing them in a different light and appreciate how mature they are.

Steinbergs hope is that his book helps parents learn to navigate this new landscape with their children in a healthy way, allowing all parties to deepen their appreciation for each other and enjoy this time together as adults.

In exchange for being open, theres a good possibility the two of you will develop a deeper friendship than youve ever had with them before, Steinberg writes in his book. Few people have known you for as long or as intimately as your child has, and few relationships have been as close. Now that youve let go of some of the prerogatives of parenthood, youll likely find your child to be a source of emotional support, a good listener, a good teacher who knows more than you do about many things, and a good companion.

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From the very moment Kate Chastain came aboard Bravos hit seriesBelow Deck, the star left a lasting impression on fans and cast members alike due to her work ethic.

For context,Below Deckfollows yacht employees during the charting season as they worked and lived on a luxurious boat. Chastain whoseyachting career dates back to 2007 became a chief stewardess after many years in the field, a position she kept when she joinedBelow Decksseason twocast in 2014.

Chastain successfully chartered numerous boats during her time there and instantly became a fan favorite for her managerial skills, sense of humor, and facial expressions. Despite the accomplishments, the former reality star appeared ready for a new chapter in her life and career as she expressed displeasure in her chief stewardess responsibilities. Chastain remained on the show until 2020 when she shockingly announced to Captain Lee Rosbach that she was leavingBelow Deck after season seven to pursue other endeavors on land.

In addition to breaking the departure news to Captain Lee Rosbach, Chastain took to her official Instagram to reveal the main reason behind her exit: financial independence. Following the revelation, Chastain claimed that the decision to leave Below Deck wasnt an easy one, in fact, it took months of reflection and internal discussions. She wrote,

After many months of reflection and internal discussions, I have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new land based role. I intend to step back as a senior member of the Below Deck Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support His Majesty Andy Cohen

So what happened to Kate Chastain after leavingBelow Deck and what has she been up to lately?

Shortly after Chastains departure, she moved to New York to start a radio show withSirius XMnamedUnapologetically Kate Chastain.According to the 2020 press release, Chastains radio show featured her unfiltered opinion on pop culture, social commentary, etc.

Along with the radio show, Chastain reportedlybegan a production company titled Remotely Possible Productions. Although Chastain revealed little details regarding the company, the star disclosed the sole reason behind its creation at the height of the pandemic in an Instagram post. She wrote,

At this point Im ready to start my own pandemic proof production studio.calling it Remotely Possible Productions; where good enough is safe enough.

To date, it is unclear if Chastain is still working at Sirius XM, however, since leavingBelow Deck, her business relationship with Bravo Network continued. The star briefly appeared onBravos Chat Roomand aBelow DeckspinoffGallery Talk, a serieswhere cast members bond and review the latest episode ofBelow Deck. Most recently, Chastain participated in the competition seriesThe Traitorson Peacock.

Most recently, Chastain participated in the competition seriesThe Traitorson Peacock. As for her humanitarian efforts, Chastain createdGenesis Boutique. Genesis Boutique is a Florida resale store that raises funds for their organization, providing shelter for homeless women and children.

In order news, Chastain became a mother for the first time in May 2023 after she welcomed her son Sullivan Cay. Although the identity of Cays father has yet to be revealed to the public, many fans assumed that it was Chastains former co-worker Chef Ben Robinson due to the pairs striking resemblance. Still, both parties have denied the allegations, and Chastain has since revealed that she is raising her son alone in Florida.

Despite the fact that Chastain left Below Deck three years ago, the star did possibly tease in a previous interview with Entertainment Tonight that the only way she would come back to show is if she was demoted to level three stewardess because of the lack of responsibilities, or if the network agreed to pay her more money.

Idjust be down there with my music saying, Hey, guys You get to be part of it with zero responsibility. When youre third stew, you dont realize how wonderful life is.

But after the birth of her son Sullivan Cay earlier this year, it is unlikely that Chastain will return to the popular series.

All seasons of Below Deck are available on various streaming services for a small fee including Peacock, Vudu, Hulu, and many others.

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As New York City struggles to assimilate a deluge of migrants, key education and child care programs that help make recent arrivals less reliant on city services are at risk of being pulled out from under them.

A half-dozen high school programs that offer intensive English classes are not expected to have the resources they need to help teenage immigrants learn the new language, according to a new analysis released Tuesday by Advocates for Children of New York.

And hundreds of undocumented immigrants could lose access to subsidized child care by the end of the month with the expiration of a program open to all parents regardless of immigration status that freed them up to work, find housing and apply for asylum.

Bronx mom Gabina Morales and her daughter, Jaydy. (Courtesy of Gabina Morales)

It is befuddling that they are threatening to cut the resource that allows our newest New Yorkers, especially those who are women, to go to work, said Councilwoman Shahana Hanif (D-Brooklyn) at a hearing last week on the initiative, called Promise NYC.

This program is an economic driver that will make asylum seekers more self-sufficient and less reliant on costly city-funded shelter beds, said Hanif, who chairs the Councils immigration committee as well as its progressive caucus.

Many of the families whove recently arrived in New York have struggled to access the city services and legal help such as applying for asylum and work permits that could help get them out of city care. Close to 18,000 new students in temporary housing arrangements have enrolled in local public schools this school year estimated to be mostly Latin American migrants.

As more young people who did not speak English immigrated to NYC, the city rolled out new programs last fall at six existing alternative high schools in the outer boroughs, where many migrants live.

But each principal was allocated only $50,000 for the initiative less than the cost of hiring just one Spanish-speaking staffer, the advocates found. They are looking for an additional $3 million to strengthen these programs.

Its just such a small amount of money that its hard to imagine that it can go far at all, said Rita Rodriguez-Engberg, director of the Immigrant Students Rights Project at Advocates for Children. You cant hire a single teacher or social worker with that amount because it cant cover a full salary.

Gabina Morales transferred her daughter to a specialized high school program for non-English speakers who recently arrived in the U.S., where she found a passion for painting and drawing. (Courtesy of Gabina Morales)

Bronx mom Gabina Morales sent for her daughter Jaydy in Mexico about a year ago. A few months later, she enrolled in the local high school, but it was not a good fit.

She didnt feel like she was learning, Morales said in Spanish. She was anxious moving to the country and never been in a school that large before.

Morales transferred her daughter to a specialized program for non-English speakers, English Language Learners and International Support Preparatory Academy, where she can learn the language after school and on Saturdays, and receive counseling in Spanish.

My daughter is receiving a lot of help and shes learning how to speak English well, Morales said.

The need for such programming has only grown, the report suggests. The number of young people between ages 14 and 17 living in shelters run by the Department of Homeless Services grew by almost 77% from last spring to this year.

According to the Department of Education, any student who needs services to help them learn English will receive them, and that all high schools are equipped to instruct them.

Asylum seekers are greeted by the founder of Artists, Athletes, Activists, Power Malu (black hoodie and red pants), and the Immigrant Affairs Commissioner, Manuel Castro, as they arrive at Port Authority on May 3, 2023, in New York City. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News)

In another potential blow to economic self-sufficiency, hundreds of undocumented migrants are also at risk of losing subsidized child care within weeks, advocates and local lawmakers warn.

Rolled out earlier this year, Promise NYC now enrolls 664 young children up from 172 kids in March, according to new figures provided at the Council hearing. The city provides $700 per week to cover the cost of child care.

The city has allocated $10 million for the program since January that, if not renewed, would dry up by the end of June. Some councilmembers said those dollars should not only be included again in next years budget but doubled to last the full year.

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Im very confused on what a ramp-down would look like, said Councilwoman Tiffany Cabn (D-Queens) at the hearing. A ramp needs a runway. And there is no runway not to mention the fact that outside of that, it is a central service that needs to not just exist, but expand.

The Adams administration would not commit to renewing the program for another year.

We... hope that our collaborative advocacy can bring change at the federal level so that we do not need to rely alone on city funds for childcare assistance for this population, said Elizabeth Wolkomir, deputy commissioner of child and family well-being at the Administration for Childrens Services, and could more adequately support the families that need it.

Also on the chopping block is funding that helps schools reach out to immigrant families not only by email and websites, but also through text messages, ethnic media, and print campaigns from nail salons to bodegas.

The last two years was a first step figuring out what ways were most effective, said Rodriguez-Engberg. Wed hate to see that not renewed because we know it could have a huge impact, especially on new families who dont have a cellphone or live in shelters, who can only get information by being out in the community.

Education officials said every school has a designated language access coordinator, and they ramped up interpretation services at shelters and emergency centers to help with enrollment.

Regardless of their immigration status or language spoken at home, every student deserves access to high-quality schools that meet their unique needs, education spokeswoman Nicole Brownstein said in a statement. We will continue to work with students, families, and partners to ensure that newcomer students have what they need in our public schools.

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Programs that help NYC migrants achieve financial independence ... - New York Daily News