Social Security - Money Weekly Newsletter from alooola®
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
Social Security
March 23, 2026
Germany created the first Social Security system in the late 1800s, with a retirement age of 65, when life expectancy was about 43, so few people collected. Today, the U.S. still uses roughly the same retirement age, but with life expectancy near 80, and about 90% of workers draw benefits. 1
The Iran conflict has some investors worried about stagflation, but during the last U.S. episode (1973–1982), small-cap stocks and US housing were the best-performing assets — outpacing inflation by about 5.9% and 5.5% annually. *2
U.S. public markets have shrunk, with listed companies down ~36% since 2000, while private-equity-backed firms have risen around 475%, resulting in roughly 25% of all $1B+ companies being privately held. 3
Housing affordability has deteriorated, with inflation-adjusted home prices about 45% higher than in the 1970s. Baby boomers now make up 42% of buyers, up from 29% for millennials, reinforcing wealth concentration among older generations. 4&5
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alooola® is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Material presented is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to be advice to any individual. Talk with alooola® to see how this information may apply to you. Consider your current financial situation, tolerance for risk, and investment objectives before you invest funds in securities through alooola®. For a more complete explanation of the alooola® service, please visit www.alooola.com. Information presented, including past performance of various sectors, vehicles, and indices is not to be construed as a forecast or guarantee of future results. Actual results, performance, or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied herein, and all investments are subject to risk, including loss of principal.
Sources:
Bloomberg – “When the Best Retirement Is No Retirement at All”
MarketWatch – “History Says These 2 Overlooked Asset Classes Are the Only Real Shield Against 1970s-Style Stagflation”
Barron’s – “Earnings Reports Every Quarter? The Pros and Cons From Wall Street Insiders”
Bloomberg – “Gen Z Is Full of Financial Angst. Listen to Them.”
National Association of Realtors – “Baby Boomers Regain Top Spot as Largest Share of Home Buyers”
*Past performance is not indicative of future performance
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