4% Is a Pretty Good Return on Investment

Most folks lament the low return on investments these days.  1% on savings accounts, 2-3% dividend yield, 1-2.5% return on GICs/CDs.  A well diversified portfolio might return 4 or 5% these days.  Sounds terrible, right?

Not really.  We all think that inflation is around 3%, so we look at a 4% return as paltry.  Only 1% over inflation is not good we say.

Actually, the last time inflation was around 3% in the USA was 2008 (see below).  Right now, we are experiencing about 1% inflation.

So a 4% return today is more like a 6% return in the days of 3% inflation.  Feel any better?

Current Inflation Rate Table

InflationData.com

Current Annual Inflation Rate

YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC AVE 2016 1.37% 1.02% 0.85% 1.13% 1.02% NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 2015 -0.09% -0.03% -0.07% -0.20% -0.04% 0.12% 0.17% 0.20% -0.04% 0.17% 0.50% 0.73% 0.12% 2014 1.58% 1.13% 1.51% 1.95% 2.13% 2.07% 1.99% 1.70% 1.66% 1.66% 1.32% 0.76% 1.62% 2013 1.59% 1.98% 1.47% 1.06% 1.36% 1.75% 1.96% 1.52% 1.18% 0.96% 1.24% 1.50% 1.47% 2012 2.93% 2.87% 2.65% 2.30% 1.70% 1.66% 1.41% 1.69% 1.99% 2.16% 1.76% 1.74% 2.07% 2011 1.63% 2.11% 2.68% 3.16% 3.57% 3.56% 3.63% 3.77% 3.87% 3.53% 3.39% 2.96% 3.16% 2010 2.63% 2.14% 2.31% 2.24% 2.02% 1.05% 1.24% 1.15% 1.14% 1.17% 1.14% 1.50% 1.64% 2009 0.03% 0.24% -0.38% -0.74% -1.28% -1.43% -2.10% -1.48% -1.29% -0.18% 1.84% 2.72% -0.34% 2008 4.28% 4.03% 3.98% 3.94% 4.18% 5.02% 5.60% 5.37% 4.94% 3.66% 1.07% 0.09% 3.85% 2007 2.08% 2.42% 2.78% 2.57% 2.69% 2.69% 2.36% 1.97% 2.76% 3.54% 4.31% 4.08% 2.85% 2006 3.99% 3.60% 3.36% 3.55% 4.17% 4.32% 4.15% 3.82% 2.06% 1.31% 1.97% 2.54% 3.24% 2005 2.97% 3.01% 3.15% 3.51% 2.80% 2.53% 3.17% 3.64% 4.69% 4.35% 3.46% 3.42% 3.39% 2004 1.93% 1.69% 1.74% 2.29% 3.05% 3.27% 2.99% 2.65% 2.54% 3.19% 3.52% 3.26% 2.68% 2003 2.60% 2.98% 3.02% 2.22% 2.06% 2.11% 2.11% 2.16% 2.32% 2.04% 1.77% 1.88% 2.27% 2002 1.14% 1.14% 1.48% 1.64% 1.18% 1.07% 1.46% 1.80% 1.51% 2.03% 2.20% 2.38% 1.59% 2001 3.73% 3.53% 2.92% 3.27% 3.62% 3.25% 2.72% 2.72% 2.65% 2.13% 1.90% 1.55% 2.83% 2000 2.74% 3.22% 3.76% 3.07% 3.19% 3.73% 3.66% 3.41% 3.45% 3.45% 3.45% 3.39% 3.38% Note: Red indicates Deflation, NA indicates data not yet released. Get all Historical Inflation Rates since 1913 from InflationData.com          Web Masters: Get This Widget