[Jacquerie]

Only the left could peddle a system that guarantees a low or negative rate of return (after taxes) as a success. But hey, at least you can't pass it on to your heirs.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I recall that no 20 year period including the great depression resulted in a negative rate of return from US stocks.

[NorCalRepub]

Being an Investment Broker I used to have the Ibbotson chart memorized and I can't remember if there was a twenty year period but the market from 1920 to 1936 after the depression went pretty much sideways.........no other periods were negative for longer than 5 or 6 years or so

[Torie]

Here is a chart showing a 17 1/3 year period where there is no increase in purchasing power by investing in the US equity market (with dividends reinvested), using the T bill rate as a proxy for inflation, which actually understates the inflation rate.

[Protagoras]

Only the left could peddle a system that guarantees a low or negative rate of return (after taxes) as a success.

There is NO rate of return at all. Because there is no investment at all.

If they want to push the phony rate of return up, all they have to do is promise to pay higher. The whole thing is a scam, so why not just say they will pay a 100% return? Or 1000%?

I can issue myself a bond with a 100% rate on it, and put it in my other pocket and,,,POOF,,,I'm rich!