What the H&@! is Gross Domestic Product?

Referred to in the press virtually every minute. Referenced in every Fiscal Cliff, Fiscal Cliff II (son of Fiscal Cliff, aka. Debt Ceiling), Jobs and unemployment, and most all other finance and economics articles. What the heck is this really and why does it matter (and how does change in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) affect me – potentially)?

Great question!

Having spent some time looking at the fourth-quarter 2012 GDP report last week, it occurred to Commonwealth Financial’s Brad McMillan* that it would be “helpful to step back and take a look at exactly what GDP is, what it is composed of, how growth happens, and what it means.”

I offer to you Brad’s blog article: What is Gross Domestic Product? »

Please call or email us with any questions relating to your circumstances and investments that come to you.

*Brad McMillan is the chief investment officer of Commonwealth Financial Network where he also leads the Retirement Consulting division. He has degrees from Dartmouth College (BA), MIT (MS in real estate development), and Boston College (MS in finance) and holds the CFA®, CAIA, MAI, and AIF®, professional certifications. He has traveled around the world. In his free time, Brad reads extensively in history, math, and science and plays very bad golf.