- May 20, 2025
- Category: Gold
Imagine this: after 40 years of hard work, a retired couple—let’s call them John and Susan—walk into their local bank. They’re excited. After all, they’ve finally paid off the house, the kids are grown, and it’s time to enjoy their golden years.
John tells the teller, “We’d like to withdraw $250,000 from our savings account.”
The teller nods and soon returns, sliding a stack of crisp bills across the counter.
Susan glances down, frowning. “That’s it?” she asks. “This paper is our life savings?”
The teller smiles. “Yes, ma’am. That’s it. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
John and Susan stand there in disbelief wondering how their hard earned retirement savings turned out to be worthless paper?
The Decline of the Dollar
Paper money—what the government calls “fiat currency”—has no intrinsic value. It’s not backed by gold, silver, or any physical commodity. Its value is purely based on trust: trust that the government won’t print too much of it, and trust that it will still buy the same goods tomorrow that it buys today.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
Since the 1970s, the U.S. dollar has lost over 85% of its purchasing power. What used to cost $1 in 1970 now costs over $7. If you retired with $250,000 in cash back then, it now only has the buying power of about $35,000.
That’s not security. That’s erosion.
Gold: Real Money That Stands the Test of Time
Now imagine instead of taking that $250,000 in paper, John and Susan had taken it in gold.
The price of gold in the year 2000 was about $280 per ounce. As of now, it’s hovering well above $3,000. That means even small amounts of gold have significantly outpaced inflation and preserved purchasing power in ways that cash simply can’t.
Gold isn’t a number on a screen. It’s not subject to political decisions, reckless government spending, or sudden inflation spikes. Gold is tangible. It’s been used as money for over 5,000 years, and it’s been trusted in every major civilization—from the Egyptians to Wall Street.
Retirement Should Be About Peace of Mind
When you’re nearing or already in retirement, peace of mind matters more than risky promises. The market may rise and fall, currencies may come and go, but gold remains a predictable and stable store of value.
John and Susan, like many retirees today, are rethinking their portfolios. Not out of fear—but out of wisdom. Because while paper may crumble, gold never rusts, rots, or disappears.
If you’re holding onto paper and hoping it holds up, you’re trusting a system that’s designed to lose value over time. Consider owning real physical gold in your retirement account. American Bullion can help you easily add gold to your IRA or 401k, tax free and hassle free. Make sure you are investing in something future generations will still find valuable.
Isn’t that the kind of legacy you want to leave?
