Robert Kiyosaki says that hot inflation will 'wipe out 50% of the US population' — what he means and how to protect yourself

It’s a vicious cycle criticized by many investing veterans. And Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki is one of the latest experts to sound the alarm.

“When inflation goes up, we’re going to wipe out 50% of the U.S. population,” he told Stansberry Research earlier this month.

Let’s take a closer look at what Kiyosaki means by that.

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Consumer crunched

Kiyosaki isn’t exactly pleased with the current state of the U.S. economy.

“America has stopped producing products, we produce bubbles,” he says, adding that we now have bubbles in the real estate market, the stock market and the bond market.

The author also criticizes President Joe Biden’s decision to halt the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which he believes is a major reason energy prices are so high.

It also spells trouble for those who want to enjoy their golden years. When the bubbles burst, Kiyosaki says, the stock market will crash. So those relying on their 401(k) plans “are toast.”

“We don’t have a retirement, our pensions are bust.”

Time to protect yourself

Given his grim outlook, it’s no big surprise that Kiyosaki is a fan of safe haven assets like gold and silver. Precious metals can’t be printed out of thin air like fiat money, and they’ve been helping investors preserve their purchasing power for centuries.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given investors a new reason to check out the yellow metal.

While Kiyosaki invests in gold — he first purchased the yellow metal in 1972 — he prefers silver in today’s economic environment.

In a recent tweet Kiyosaki revealed that he had purchased 2,500 American Silver Eagle bullion coins.

Bubble tactics

Bubbles tend to pop — eventually. When they do, many people see their wealth take a significant hit. But large declines also create opportunities for those who are willing to buy the dip.