Jimmy and Jane Have Goals Jimmy Johnson is 25 years old. He and his wife Jane have two children, Emmitt and Patricia, ages 2 and 4 respectively. Jimmy wants to retire in 40 years and build boats. He would like a nice retirement home with some land on a peaceful lake in the mountains of Georgia. Jimmy believes that to purchase a home and lot in 40 years would cost $300,000 in todays prices. In forty years Jimmy also believes he and Patricia can live comfortably on $50,000 a year in today's dollar terms. Realizing that retirement is only 40 years away, and that he still had two children to raise and put through college, Jimmy thought he had better start saving for his retirement dreams. Also, Patricia is only 14 years away from college, and before Patricia finishes, Emmitt will be ready for school in 16 years. Currently Jimmy has $25,000 in an emergency money market account earning 2.0% interest compounded daily. His desire is to never have to use those emergency funds and that they will become a part of his estate. He also owns his own home that has a market value of $225,000 and a mortgage of $150,000. The 5.0% mortgage has 27 years remaining and his monthly payments are $1126 for principal and interest alone. Jimmys annual salary is $60,000. His employer puts an additional $3,000 into a 401(k) retirement plan. This retirement amount currently equals $9,000 and it is invested in a stock mutual fund, which has been earning an annual rate of return of 8.0%. With the current level of the federal debt, Jimmy is not counting on receiving any funds from social security at his retirement. With all of the concern about college tuition increasing over the years, Jimmy believes that the children will have to go to the local junior college for their first two years and then a state school for their last two years. The cost to attend the local junior college is $5,000 per year today, and the cost to attend a state school is $15,000 per year today. Inflation will have a great impact on Jimmys future retirement and college plans for his children. Based on what he has read and heard on the news, Jimmy believes that inflation will average 3.0% per year for the next 40 years; however, the cost of a college education will increase by 5.0% per year for the junior college and state schools. Also, with the desirability of vacation homes, the house and property in Georgia will probably increase at a rate of 5.0% per year, while his current home will increase in value at a rate of 3.0% per year. Jimmy hopes that his annual salary will increase by at least 4.0% per year.

Discuss ways in which Jimmy can increase the probability of achieving his desired education and retirement goals. What role does risk and inflation play in the investment process?

The story above has all of the information to help answer this question. It looks like they want to know how to increase the chances in a positive way for achieving his desired education and retirement goals. If you could help me look at how inflation will play in his investment process. This is a difficult question and you have to look at the whole story and do some calculations to see how he will meet those financial goals. Sorry, this is the best I can give you.