"If you were putting away a $10,000 investment (set and forget) for each of your kids to get when they turn 20 or 30 (i haven't decided) what would you put it in."
I am not a shtf person nor a manic stacker.
That said, 30 years is a long time.
If one actively managed a stake for that period and there was no great historic change nor were there great decision disasters - a compounding investment would be the best return.
However for a set and forget I would go one way only
gold and or silver --- physical.
It is the ONLY investment that you can be absolutely certain will be a store of value in 30 years.
'Every' other asset could or would change -
shares - companies change - they also cease to exist.
financial planners/managers - they sell their busines or they die - and they might fall over from being good at what they do
Real estate - one, large cycles are very possible. two. Laws change, particularly tax laws. If it is land only - you have 30 years of costs and no income - unless used for farm production or storage - a lot of fuss for 30 years. Improved real estate - ie. rentable buildings - this is definitely NOT set and forget.
Bonds efts and other paper investments -- they all change and some devalue - ie. cash. You also have tax administration - not set and forget.
There of course can be some changes with gold and silver - there could be legal changes - gold could be confiscated - silver is unlikely (not in the constitution) - and there could be tax issues at the 30 year mark -- BUT,
who is going to know besides you that there are chuncks of gold or silver stored securely somewhere? - No one (if you are smart) - whereas every other thing is traceable.
There is also the possibility that gold and silver may not be able to buy you as much in 30 years as it does now - that is a risk -- but the chances are probably slim - the risk is probably more so that you will be able to purchase more of other things than less. Also - if the 30 years does end in a down cycle for pm's -- just wait.
Nothing else fits this requirement. Once you start talking about a reasonable length of time for a store of value - it always comes down pm's -------
that is exactly why gold has been valued for thousands of years.
