Like many of you Thom and I have been watching the stock market go down and then up again during this pandemic. We’ve also read about how some of our country’s leaders are using their prior knowledge to “rig the system” while the government is throwing billions at the economy to (at least temporarily) keep it all propped up. Clearly some people are making gobs of money during this situation in spite of the fact that many others are experiencing tragic financial, emotional and health circumstances. But are those the only two options? Surely it is possible to invest in the future in ways that are both more equitable and self-sustaining? Surely it is possible to cover our own needs without throwing all other people under the bus. Those thoughts led me to consider how and why most of us invest, as well as a few SMART ways we can strategize for the future. [Read more…]