Financial Planning

• Over 40% of Americans apply for Social Security at the earliest age possible, 62. The way Social Security works, this locks in the lowest possible payment for life. It is important to run the numbers and consider your own situation before electing to apply. The New York Times
• State by state percent change in tuition from 2008-2013 for public 4-year colleges CBPP

Markets

• The average tenure for a company in the S&P 500 large company U.S. stock market index is now 18 years. It was 61 years in 1958. Chart Innosight

U.S. Economy

• Retail sales fell in April after strong gains in February and March Reuters
• Housing starts rose sharply last month USA Today

Around the World

• Despite some headlines, “China Isn’t Overtaking America.” The size of an economy is most appropriately measured in terms of what a nation can buy on the international market. In these terms the U.S. is about twice as large as China The New York Times
• Economic growth in Eurozone was lower than expected during the first quarter Bloomberg
• Inflation in the Eurozone is running well below the European Central Bank’s target The Wall Street Journal