Fifty years ago, W. M. Kiplinger—our first editor in chief—wrote a special Kiplinger Letter that looked much further out than the forecasts he and his staff made every week for their clients, as we still do today.
In the form of “A Letter to a Grandson” (all six of his grandchildren were boys, including me, then 15 years old), he forecast sweeping developments in demography, economics, politics and technology—trends that he deemed likely in our lives. His foresight proved to be uncanny.
There were many hits and a few misses. The last few decades did see the eventual arrival of fuel cells, microwave ovens, a moon landing, live global TV broadcasts, irradiated food, phones you can carry in your pocket, flat-screen TVs on the wall, and plastic plumbing.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Not yet here but coming soon: self-guiding cars. Probably not coming soon: passenger jets that can span the oceans and continents in 90 minutes. (The Concorde supersonic jetliner of the ‘80s was the last of its breed—at least for now, due to cost and environmental constraints.) Yes, “wonder drugs and vaccines,” but not yet a cure for all cancers and the common cold.
As editor in chief today, I want to share this special letter with you, for the here-and-now benefit of its analysis and advice. Perhaps you will wish to share it with your children and grandchildren, too, to show them how much has changed in the last 50 years.
Best wishes for the new year,
Knight Kiplinger
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Soar on China Trade Talk HopesTreasury Secretary Bessent said current U.S.-China trade relations are unsustainable and signaled hopes for negotiations.
-
2026 Disney Dining Plan Returns: Free Dining for Kids & Resort BenefitsPlan your 2026 Walt Disney World vacation now. Learn about the returning Disney Dining Plan, how kids aged three to nine eat free, and the exclusive benefits of staying at a Disney Resort hotel.
-
The Economic Impact of the US-China Trade WarThe Letter The US-China trade war will impact US consumers and business. The decoupling process could be messy.
-
AI Heads to WashingtonThe Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze MRIs and other medical images. But also big challenges that clinicians and companies will have to overcome.
-
The AI Doctor Coming to Read Your Test ResultsThe Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze CAT scans, MRIs and other medical images. But there are also big challenges that human clinicians and tech companies will have to overcome.
-
The New Space Age Takes OffThe Kiplinger Letter From fast broadband to SOS texting, space has never been more embedded in peoples’ lives. The future is even more exciting for rockets, satellites and emerging space tech.
-
Rising AI Demand Stokes Undersea InvestmentsThe Kiplinger Letter As demand soars for AI, there’s a need to transport huge amounts of data across oceans. Tech giants have big plans for new submarine cables, including the longest ever.
-
What DOGE is Doing NowThe Kiplinger Letter As Musk's DOGE pursues its ambitious agenda, uncertainty and legal challenges are mounting — causing frustration for Trump.
-
A Move Away From Free TradeThe Letter President Trump says long-term gain will be worth short-term pain, but the pain could be significant this year.
-
The Explosion of New AI ToolsThe Kiplinger Letter Workers and consumers soon won’t be able to escape generative AI. Does that mean societal disruption and productivity gains are right around the corner?
