Inflation and your purchasing power
Inflation is the quiet tax on every dollar you've saved. These videos explain what inflation really is, why it happens, and what it has done to the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar over the last century.
You'll also learn why investors have historically turned to gold and silver during inflationary decades — and what the 1970s and the 2020s have in common.
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Common questions
Why does inflation happen?
Inflation occurs when the supply of money and credit grows faster than the economy's output. Government deficit spending, central-bank asset purchases, and supply shocks all contribute. Sustained inflation is always a monetary phenomenon.
How does inflation affect retirement savings?
At just 3% annual inflation, the purchasing power of a dollar is cut roughly in half every 24 years. A retiree on fixed income feels this directly — which is why inflation-resistant assets matter in long-term planning.
Does gold protect against inflation?
Over long periods, gold has maintained purchasing power — an ounce of gold buys roughly what it did a century ago in real terms. In the short run gold can be volatile and does not move in lockstep with CPI. It is a long-horizon store of value, not a month-to-month hedge.
Keep learning
Worried about what inflation is doing to your savings?
Talk it through with a specialist — we'll show you the numbers for your situation. Call (800) 200-9553.