Articles by Ben Steverman

Here Comes the New Generation of Very Rich Americans

The rich are getting richer, and younger. A survey of U.S. investors with $25 million or more finds their average age dropped by 11 years since 2014, to 47. These fabulously rich Americans, whose ranks have more than doubled since …

Potential Trump Tax Loophole for Pass-Through Businesses

If exploiting a tax loophole is as much an art as a science, then the tax planning profession is poised for a creative renaissance. The inspiration is the tax law signed by President Donald Trump in December. The patrons are …

More Senior Citizens Working Past Retirement Age

More and more Americans are spending their golden years on the job. Almost 19 percent of people 65 or older were working at least part-time in the second quarter of 2017, according to the U.S. jobs report released on Friday. …

Actuaries Have Disappointing News for Americans Including Millennials

Death awaits all of us, but how patiently? To unlock the mystery of when we’re going to die, start with an actuary. Members of this 200-year-old profession who study risk and uncertainty pore over the data of death to estimate …

Marijuana Ties May Signal ‘Risky Lifestyle’ to Insurers

A few weeks ago, Derek Peterson got a letter from Mutual of Omaha, turning him down for life insurance. “Our decision was based on,” the letter said, then trailed off (Monty Python-style) and picked up in all caps: WE HAVE …

The Unpleasantness of Selling and Buying Insurance

Do you have a minute to talk about your death? It isn’t easy to sell life insurance. Investing in a mutual fund, you feel like you’re saving money. Purchasing insurance, you feel like you’re spending it. “It’s not a pleasant …