Timothy Sumer

There is still some debate over the specific cause of rising prices, but it can no longer be denied that basic goods and services are getting more expensive. Inflation is now impacting the life and livelihood of the average American, and, while it remains true that we have experienced a fortunate and extended period of low inflation, it appears as though all good things do, in fact, come to an end -- and now is simply the end of inflation’s record lows. The implication of high, or rising, inflation costs for investors is that high inflation can impact the value of a future stream of cash flow. For this reason, investors need to achieve returns that are higher than the rate of inflation. This means that now, more than ever, investors should be preparing to adjust their investment strategies moving forward and tactfully plan to hedge against inflation. In our article, we define inflation, discuss how it can be a headwind for investors, and develop one core idea: that real est...