John F. Wasik

I turned 55 on July 2. As a member of the Baby Boom generation who hopes he’s aging like a fine wine and not turning into vinegar, I abhor the idea of losing money again in a 2008-style meltdown.

My grandmother had a coffee can for spare silver coins. My Dad saved at his local post office in a savings account. Those were a sign of the times — the U.S. postal savings system was the first government-guaranteed savings vehicle, but it disappeared in 1967.

In every year, there are a host of surprises that come along like earthquakes: They are nearly impossible to predict. We can be thankful that more didn't go wrong with the global economy, although things could certainly go haywire next year. Check out four issues, including health care reform, that made the list.