Skip to main content

San Antonio Express-News Homepage

Photo of Michael

Business Columnist

Michael Taylor

Michael Taylor is the author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates: Invest Before Paying Off Debt and Other Tips Your Professor Didn’t Teach You. Through his “Smart Money” column, and blog www.bankers-anonymous.com, he pursues the mission of making complex financial topics simple.

Stories By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Does Texas believe in free speech?

Texas leaders have forgotten their First Amendment constitutional duty, as HB 20 threatens the constitutional values of free speech. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: ‘Politically correct in Texas’ laws a bad trend

Based on laws passed in the 2021 Texas Legislature, any company entering a state contract worth $100,000 or more must certify what I call “politically correct in Texas” stances. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Elon Musk’s wild ideas make sense — on Mars

Reading a biography confirmed my suspicion about Musk’s personality. It also gave me an appreciation for his focus on the mission to colonize Mars. By Michael Taylor

Spooks, oligarchs, sociopaths — oh, my!

If you enjoy financial/military/spy/conspiracy thrillers, you will love “Undermoney.” By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Despite what you’re told, these are the good times

The financial infotainment-industrial complex loves to tell us bad, shocking, surprising and emotionally arousing news. It’s less good at other types. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Texas is a low-tax state? That’s a tall tale

Because they don’t pay a personal income tax, Texans think two things: It’s a low-tax state and no income tax is a good thing. I disagree on both counts. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: A reality check as Texas, U.S. tweak taxes on wealth

It’s easy to slip into a “tax breaks good, tax hikes bad” mindset. That ignores the fact that when someone pays less, someone else often pays more. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Breaking up is cheap to do with S.A. firm’s website

Uncontested.com provides a “law-tech” solution for getting divorced in the most financially efficient way. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Even inflation and war can’t put a shine on metals

Your periodic reminder: Gold and silver are never a great investment and, despite the ads, current events aren’t changing that. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Larry Fink’s undemocratic approach to democracy

His firm BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world. So when Larry Fink says capitalism needs to consider more than just profits, people listen. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Waging a risky financial war with Russia

It’s probably morally correct. But it probably will not accomplish the main goals of stopping the shooting war — or toppling Putin’s regime. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Bandera — the town that said no to corporate welfare

A small city in the Hill Country notched a rare victory against putting Texas taxpayers on the hook for subsidies in the name of economic development. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Trying to understand San Antonio’s DeLorean delusion

Later is too late for a company and economic development officials to tell us what they know when handouts of public money are being discussed. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: What’s right age to start taking Social Security?

At the extremes of health and wealth, it’s easy. But for those in the middle it takes a mixture of probability, mortality and knowing the rules. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: What to do when your spouse cheats — with your money

As we approach Valentine’s Day we need to have that talk. The one about infidelity, I mean financial infidelity. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: This philosopher king advocates for automatons

I’ve been reading “Principles: Life and Work” by Ray Dalio and shuddering to think what kind of dystopia he wrought at Bridgewater, the hedge fund he founded. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: How to be a tax-savvy small business in 2022

That means monthly bank reconciliation, and it means mid-month reviews of KPIs. Also, retirement contribution limits for self-employed workers are growing. By Michael Taylor

Taylor: Corruption in plain sight

Enforcing rules on stock trading by members of Congress seems like one of the most obvious good government rules to affect, but also the hardest. There’s a bit of positive momentum on the issue this month. By Michael Taylor

Billionaire Peter Thiel loves monopolies, not democracies

Getting to know the philosopher-billionaires of our new Gilded Age: Peter Thiel seems among the most dangerous, according to the first major biography of him, “The Contrarian.” By Michael Taylor

Taylor: To profit in 2022, maybe best to keep it boring

Looking back, 2021 was a monkey barrel of an investing year. Looking forward, I suggest sticking with good old equity index investing. By Michael Taylor