When you hear the key phrase “the things that matter most,” what comes to mind? For many Americans, I imagine family and individual freedoms are close to, if not at, the top of that list. I know when it comes to my financial decisions, I always keep my children in mind—for both how I can ensure they are provided for currently and how my financial legacy can help protect them when I’m gone.
I also imagine that for many of us, Memorial Day throws these sorts of questions into high relief. As we take the time to honor those who have sacrificed everything for us, our families, and our freedoms, we consider the importance of those values in our own lives and what we can do to help protect them.
As the economy heads toward a downturn, Americans are left in a cloud of uncertainty.
As I write this, we’re still waiting for a resolution to the current debt ceiling showdown in Congress. But no matter how it turns out, the effects of this showdown on our economy might already be noticeable. According to a May 20, 2023, article by The New York Times, “Even if a deal is struck before the last minute, the long uncertainty could drive up borrowing costs and further destabilize already shaky financial markets…. More broadly, the standoff could diminish long-term confidence in the stability of the U.S. financial system, with lasting repercussions.”
Meanwhile, on May 18, 2023, MarketWatch published a piece saying, “The U.S. leading economic index fell 0.6% in April and declined for the 13th month in a row, pointing once again to a potential recession later in the year.” And on May 19, 2023, Bloomberg also reported that economic forecasters see recession on the horizon, saying, “Forecasters see the U.S. economy continuing to cool in the current quarter before a further slowdown in consumer spending and pullback in business investment cause the economy to shrink in the second half of the year.”
For me, news of a potential recession coming in the second half of 2023 isn’t necessarily bad. Rather, it provides me with the opportunity to reexamine my portfolio and look for growth opportunities and for any chance to get ahead of a potential market downturn to protect my assets, my financial legacy, and my family. And there’s one place I know I can look to for help with both.
Physical gold can help protect and grow your portfolio.
If another recession truly is on the way, headlines touting gold’s hedging abilities and growth potential may be about to become a lot more prevalent. Such headlines are already turning up: On May 15, 2023, Reuters reported that “gold prices edged higher on Monday as the U.S. debt ceiling stalemate and concerns of an economic slowdown steered some traders towards the safe-haven metal,” and a May 19, 2023, headline for The Wall Street Journal states, “Gold Rises Despite Dollar Strength.”
Headlines concerning gold may become more frequent during times of economic uncertainty because, historically, gold has been recognized as a safe-haven asset and way to protect or even grow wealth during these times. But gold’s growth potential isn’t limited to market downturns. In fact, physical gold has consistently outperformed both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last 20 years.
SP500 vs. Dow Jones vs. Gold vs. Silver
Jan 1, 2003–May 1, 2023
Source: Longtermtrends.net
This is why U.S. Money Reserve strives to educate our clients as much as possible about gold and other precious metals. While many headlines only begin to mention gold during uncertain times, those in the know recognize that especially over the long term, gold can help protect their financial future and help preserve their financial legacy for the next generation.
Physical gold can also help you maintain your financial freedom.
Our freedoms matter. Having the opportunity to forge our own future by our own choices and, most especially, hard work, is something that we should never take for granted. That includes the freedom to shape our own financial future—and for many Americans, including myself, gold is a physical representation of that idea.
Gold allows you to physically hold a portion of your wealth in your hands and privately store it outside of the traditional banking system (which isn’t having a great year, given that we’ve seen several of the largest banking failures in our nation’s history take place in the last few months). With gold, you get to decide how much is the right amount for your unique financial situation and goals and how long to hold it before liquidating. Gold can be passed down as a form of generational wealth and even be included in a tax-advantaged IRA.
In short, gold can help you protect what matters most—yourself, your loved ones, and your freedom to be the only person in control of your financial future.