Core Insights - Social Security provides a reliable income source for retirees, but it may not match pre-retirement earnings, suggesting the need for investment strategies to enhance monthly benefits [1][2] Short-Term Investing - For investments between one to five years, a conservative estimate of 6% return can be expected from stock markets or high-quality bonds, focusing on preserving and slightly growing Social Security income [3] Medium-Term Investing - A 10-year investment using a balanced 60/40 portfolio could grow an investment of $237,120 to approximately $310,300, yielding a gain of $73,180, while a conservative bond or high-yield savings account could still net over $35,000 [4] Long-Term Investing - Over 20 years, the compounding effect becomes significant, with a full year's Social Security benefit of $23,712 potentially growing to about $25,120 after one year at a 6% return, and a five-year investment could increase to $127,510 from an initial $118,560 [5]

Group 1: Meta Platforms (Facebook) - Meta Platforms has over 3.4 billion daily users across its apps and is investing billions in technology and AI to enhance its services [3][6] - The company reported a 16% increase in revenue and a 37% increase in earnings in Q1, benefiting from the expanding digital advertising market, which is valued at $700 billion [4][7] - Meta AI has seen significant growth, with nearly 1 billion monthly users, and the company has launched a stand-alone app powered by the Llama 4 large language model [5] - CEO Mark Zuckerberg is focused on hiring top talent and plans to invest between $64 billion to $72 billion in infrastructure to support growth [6][7] - The stock is reasonably priced at 28 times this year's consensus earnings estimate, indicating a solid investment opportunity [8] Group 2: Netflix - Netflix has experienced significant stock growth due to its affordable ad-supported plans and paid sharing initiative, leading to new all-time highs [9][10] - The company reported a 12.5% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1, with expectations for 15.4% growth in Q2, driven by regular subscription price increases [11] - Netflix is expanding its operating profit margin, which supports a growing content budget and positions the company to capture more of the 1.5 billion broadband users worldwide [12] - The company is tapping into advertising revenue opportunities, with management guiding for a doubling of ad revenue by 2025 [12] - Netflix's total viewership exceeds 700 million, and the company is expanding into live broadcasts, which presents further advertising growth potential [13][14]