Wealth and Wisdom: Week of February 16, 2026
- 32 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Here’s a story of three billionaires.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, once called Warren Buffett and asked him this question: “You’re one of the wealthiest guys in the world, and your investment thesis is so simple. Why doesn’t anyone copy you?”
To which Buffett replied without hesitation: “Because no one wants to get rich slow.”
The third billionaire is featured in our third item below. Elon Musk apparently believes that artificial intelligence is so powerful that one day we’ll no longer need to work, save, or invest for retirement. Robots and automation will be our servants (unless, of course, the robots figure this out first).
I’m a frequent customer of Amazon, and I believe AI is probably here to stay. But when it comes to financial advice, I think I’ll stick with Warren Buffett, who once said, “My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest.” See Item #4 below for an eye-opening illustration of what he’s talking about.
Inflation statistics reflect the prices you pay for what you buy – but what if those goods and service are getting smaller at the same time? (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Today’s average American worker has less than $1,000 saved for retirement. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
The world’s richest person says AI is going to make us all rich. The silly ideas just keep coming – but this one is cruel and dangerous. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
Learn to live on less than you earn, invest the difference, and over time your money will do most of the hard work. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
If any of these apply to you, you might want to stay on the job a while longer. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
It typically makes sense to postpone Social Security benefits to let them build – but there are exceptions to this strategy. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Here are eight ways retirees get tripped up at tax time – costing them money and opportunity. (Reading time: 7 minutes)
If you understand the rules and act quickly, you might be able to avoid a hefty 25% penalty for missing last year’s deadline. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
You don’t need to feel guilty or bored when you retire. Use these 10 tips to give your life structure and purpose. (Reading time: 6 minutes)
These ideas can help you protect yourself, your money, and your privacy the next time you take a trip. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
Words to the Wise
“The first rule of compounding is to never interrupt it unnecessarily.”
– Charlie Munger
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