The most valuable cryptocurrency will someday be Ethereum (ETH).

Why? Because it’s not just another digital form of money, like bitcoin (BTC).

ETH has “real-world” utility and value. Its blockchain network is being used in decentralized finance (DeFi), to verify and secure our data, to “tokenize” other assets like stocks and real estate — and much more.

So today, I’ll explain why this crypto is essentially the building block of a new, decentralized internet.

And even Fidelity (the third-largest asset manager in the world) plans to invest in Ethereum, providing yet another piece of evidence that ETH is a top crypto to buy before 2030

Find out more on today’s video!

 

(Or read the transcript here.)

 

🔥 Hot Topics in Today’s Video:

  • Market News: The August jobs numbers are “Fed friendly,” so to speak. The rate is at its highest since February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. And Truflation provides a more reliable tracking on inflation than even the Federal Reserve. [1:50]
  • Mega Trend: We’re going where the jobs are! Mining for the metals used for power grids is essential to electric vehicles (EVs), and for green energy. Here’s why the mining industry is like “investing in our future.” [8:25]
  • Crypto Corner: Asset manager Fidelity released an investment thesis for ETH, which will eventually surpass BTC as the reigning crypto. Here’s why it’s the top crypto to buy before 2023. [11:35]

Until next time,

Ian King's SignatureIan KingEditor, Strategic Fortunes

Debating Between an IRA or a College Fund?

Debating Between an IRA or a College Fund?

My daughter just turned three years old, and I’m coming to realize that I haven’t contributed a single red cent to her college fund yet.

By the time her older siblings were this age, I had already stuffed enough into their respective college funds to get them most of the way through their freshman years.

Maybe it’s because I’m older … or because she’s the third kid, and I just don’t have the same sense of urgency this time around. But I’m behind, and it’s time to get caught up.

And while I have college funds on my mind, I figured I’d answer a question I get regularly:

“Money is tight these days, and I have to pick and choose where I allocate my savings. Should I fund a college fund or my retirement plan?”

So, every family is going to be a little different here. It will depend on other sources of wealth, potential inheritances you might expect to receive and a host of other factors.

But as a very general rule, it makes sense to focus on your retirement plan first. You’re going to have a natural instinct to want to take care of your kids. But remember, if you neglect your own retirement, your kids are going to end up having to support you in old age.

It’s better for you to have your retirement under control first. If your kids have to live frugally in college, it will be good for them. And frankly, if they have to take out student loans, there is a good chance a future act of congress will “forgive” them… And even if they don’t, you can always help your kids pay off the loans after the fact.

Regardless, you should fund your 401(k) or IRA first, and if your budget allows it, allocate that next marginal dollar to an Educational Savings Account (ESA) or 529 plan.

But let’s say you’re in a good spot in your retirement planning and really want to aggressively save for your kids’ college expenses. A second question I hear often is:

“What happens to any cash left over in the college fund?”

Your kid might get a scholarship … or drop out of college to found a tech start up … or may simply spend less on college than you budgeted.

(OK, I admit that third scenario is an absurd impossibility.)

Well, there is good news. Starting next year, up to $35,000 of unused 529 plan funds can be transferred to a Roth IRA.

There are rules here, and you can’t move the money all at once. You’re still subject to the annual limit, currently set at $6,500. But all the same, it’s fantastic way for a young college grad to turbocharge their own retirement planning.

And if you want to start turbocharging your own retirement, you’re going to want to join us in 2024. We’re gearing up to reveal the biggest investing opportunities of the year, where each of our financial experts will be there — in person! — to present their new ideas and research.

Want to get in on this special event? Reserve your spot today for the 2024 Total Wealth Symposium.

Regards,

Charles Sizemore's Signature

Charles Sizemore
Chief Editor, The Banyan Edge