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Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s been more than five decades since President Richard Nixon took the U.S. dollar off the gold standard. Yet former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul says he remembers that moment vividly \u2014 and is now issuing a fresh warning.<\/p>\n \u201cI can remember it precisely,\u201d Paul said in a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, referring to August 15, 1971 (1). \u201cOne Sunday night I was sitting in front of the television watching the news come in and oh, a special news clip. And they put up President Nixon and all of a sudden, boy, did my eyes open.\u201d<\/p>\n In that televised address, Nixon announced he had directed then-Treasury Secretary John Connally to suspend the dollar\u2019s convertibility into gold \u2014 a move that effectively ended the Bretton Woods system.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I said, \u2018This is a big deal… It might be one of the biggest things that ever happened in monetary history,\u2019\u201d Paul recalled.<\/p>\n In hindsight, the decision marked a turning point. Since 1971, the U.S. dollar has operated as a fiat currency, meaning it is not backed by a physical commodity like gold. And because the Federal Reserve can essentially print money in unlimited quantities, Paul believes the system is fundamentally flawed and warns that serious consequences now lie ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re approaching that time when bad stuff will really be happening to us because you just can\u2019t print money and lie to the people forever. It\u2019s all based on a lie and it\u2019s fraud, it\u2019s counterfeit money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Paul argued that when a central bank creates excessive amounts of currency, the value of that currency inevitably declines \u2014 a dynamic economists associate with inflation. Americans have already felt that impact firsthand; according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $100 in 2025 has the same purchasing power as just $12.58 did in 1971 (2).<\/p>\n The good news? Throughout history, savvy investors have long found ways to protect their money from inflation\u2019s bite.<\/p>\n When it comes to preserving wealth and fighting inflation, few assets have stood the test of time like gold.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Its appeal is simple: unlike fiat currencies, this yellow metal can\u2019t be printed at will by central banks. Gold is also considered the ultimate safe haven; it\u2019s not tied to any one country, currency or economy, and in times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, investors often flock to it, driving prices higher.<\/p>\n Paul has long been a staunch advocate of gold.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see gold so much in short-term because I see it in over a 100-year period,\u201d he famously shared with CNBC (3). \u201cLong-term, it will always go up so long as we have a Fed printing money.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite a recent pullback, gold prices have climbed more than 70% over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n Other prominent voices see further potential. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon recently said that in this environment, gold can \u201ceasily\u201d rise to $10,000 an ounce.<\/p>\n One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, thereby combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold<\/a>, making it an option for those looking to help shield their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.<\/p>\n When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in precious metals<\/a> for free.<\/p>\n Read More: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don\u2019t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Gold isn\u2019t the only asset investors turn to during inflationary times, as real estate has also proven to be a powerful hedge.<\/p>\n When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts for inflation.<\/p>\n Over the past five years, the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index has jumped by 41%, reflecting strong demand and limited housing supply (4).<\/p>\n Of course, high home prices can make buying a home more challenging, especially with mortgage rates still elevated. And being a landlord isn\u2019t exactly hands-off work \u2014 managing tenants, maintenance and repairs can quickly eat into your time (and returns).<\/p>\n The good news? You don\u2019t need to buy a property outright \u2014 or deal with leaky faucets \u2014 to invest in real estate today.<\/p>\n Mogul, a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties<\/a>, is one option. This gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.<\/p>\n Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide<\/a> for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.<\/p>\n Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours<\/a>, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.<\/p>\n You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another option is Lightstone DIRECT<\/a>, which offers accredited investors access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate, with a minimum investment of $100,000.<\/p>\n Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.<\/p>\n Over nearly-four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles \u2014 including a 27.6% historical net IRR and a 2.54x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.<\/p>\n With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to the same multifamily and industrial deals Lightstone pursues with its own capital<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal<\/a> \u2014 roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.<\/p>\n To hedge against a devaluing dollar, many investors are increasingly turning to alternative assets. These can include everything from real estate and precious metals to private equity and collectibles.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s one store of value that routinely flies under the radar. It\u2019s scarce by design, coveted worldwide and frequently locked away by institutions. We\u2019re talking about post-war and contemporary art, a category that has outpaced the S&P 500 with low correlation since 1995.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to see why great works of art tend to appreciate over time. Supply is limited and many famous pieces have already been snatched up by museums and collectors. That scarcity can also make art an attractive option for investors looking to diversify and preserve wealth during periods of high inflation.<\/p>\n In 2022, a collection of art owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for $1.5 billion at Christie\u2019s New York, making it the most valuable collection in auction history (5).<\/p>\n Investing in art was traditionally a privilege reserved for the ultra-wealthy. Now, that\u2019s changed with Masterworks \u2014 a platform for investing in shares of blue-chip artwork<\/a> by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy. It\u2019s easy to use, and with 25 successful exits to date, Masterworks has distributed more than $65 million in total proceeds (including principal).<\/p>\n Simply browse their impressive portfolio of paintings<\/a> and choose how many shares you\u2019d like to buy. Masterworks can handle all the details<\/a>, making high-end art investments both accessible and effortless.<\/p>\n New offerings have sold out in minutes, but you can skip their waitlist here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Note that past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com\/cd<\/a>.<\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tucker Carlson\/YouTube (1<\/a>); Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (2<\/a>); CNBC (3<\/a>); S&P Global (4<\/a>); Christie\u2019s (5<\/a>)<\/p>\n