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Headline inflation has eased in the U.S., but according to economist and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, soaring prices may persist amid President Donald Trump’s tariff plans.
“Developments in the last 24 hours suggest we may be headed for serious financial crisis wholly induced by US government tariff policy,” Summers wrote in a post on X on April 9.
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Though inflation rates have come down from the pandemic highs, Trump’s tariffs might reverse the progress. The Federal Reserve, after slashing rates twice last year, announced a brief pause in January.
What’s more, 90% of chief financial officers across large organizations in the U.S. have rung warning bells regarding a resurgence of inflation and potential economic slowdown, according to the latest quarterly CNBC CFO Council survey.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell echoed these sentiments, saying that Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs were “significantly larger than expected.”
“The same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth,” Powell said in early April.
Summers, a vocal critic of the Trump administration, stated that the latest tariff policies made “little sense.”
“If any administration of which I was a part had launched an economic policy so totally ungrounded in serious analysis or so dangerous and damaging, I would have resigned in protest,” he wrote in a different post on X on April 3.
Inflation impacts everyone by eroding the purchasing power of money. If you share Summers’ concerns, here are three strategies to potentially guard against its impact.
Invest in real estate to hedge against inflation
Real estate has long been considered a hedge against inflation thanks to its intrinsic value and income-generating potential.
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 adjusted for inflation. This combination makes real estate an attractive option for preserving and growing wealth during periods of ever-increasing prices.
If you’re an accredited investor, First National Realty Partners (FNRP) allows you to invest in necessity-based commercial real estate.
FNRP has developed relationships with the nation’s largest grocery-anchored brands, including Kroger, Walmart, and Whole Foods. With a minimum investment of $50,000, accredited investors can access promising real estate investments.
Their team makes investing in commercial real estate simple by offering white-glove services to investors. FNRP acts as the deal leader, providing expertise and doing the legwork, while investors can use their secure platform to explore available deals, engage with experts and easily make an allocation.
New investing platforms are also making it easier than ever to tap into the residential real estate market.
For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $36 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.
With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.
With risk-adjusted internal returns ranging from 12% to 18%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.
If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allows you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.
Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level. Their flexible investment amounts and simplified process allows accredited and non-accredited investors to take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class without any extra work on your part.
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Diversify your retirement portfolio with gold
Gold is another popular long-term hedge against inflation.
The reasoning is simple: Gold can’t be printed in unlimited quantities by central banks like fiat money. Because its value isn’t tied to any one currency or economy, diversifying into gold can provide some protection during periods of economic uncertainty. This unique characteristic has led to a reputation for being a “safe haven” asset.
In other words, gold’s appeal as a stable store of value typically grows when inflation erodes the purchasing power of currencies.
Investors have already taken note of gold’s resilience. In fact, gold has increased in value sevenfold over the last 100 years. Even better, in 2025, gold prices have surpassed $3,000 per ounce.
Those looking to incorporate precious metals into their retirement strategy can benefit from modern investment solutions, like those offered by companies like American Hartford Gold.
American Hartford Gold is a leading precious metals dealer – allowing you to invest directly in gold or silver.
With secure storage, expert guidance, and customizable investment plans, American Hartford Gold helps investors diversify their portfolios while protecting against inflation. Gold IRAs provide a tangible safeguard for retirement savings, combining financial security with significant tax advantages, making them an appealing choice for long-term wealth preservation.
Purchase contemporary art as an investment
It’s easy to see why great works of art tend to appreciate — especially during times of inflation. Supply is limited, and many famous pieces have already been snatched up by museums and collectors.
For example, in 2022, shortly after inflation reached a 40-year high, the art collection of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for a total of $1.5 billion at Christie’s New York, making it the most valuable private collection of all time. As such, art can be a popular way to diversify a portfolio because it’s a tangible asset with little correlation to the stock market.
Traditionally, investing in art has been a privilege reserved for the ultra-wealthy.
But now, investors of all experience levels can invest in the art world.
Masterworks is a platform for investing in shares of blue-chip artwork by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Banksy. Masterworks is easy to use and has had 23 successful exits to date, every one of them profitable. Even better, postwar and contemporary art prices have outpaced the S&P by 64% between 1995 and 2023, according to Masterworks.
How it works is simple: Start by browsing Masterworks’ impressive $1 billion portfolio of paintings and choose how many shares you’d like to buy. Masterworks will handle all the details, making high-end art investments both accessible and effortless.
Masterworks has already sold over $61 million worth of art, including the principal, and distributed the proceeds to everyday investors. What’s more, the art market had almost no correlation with the S&P 500 between 1995 and 2024, according to the MW All Art Index, which can make an investment in fine art worth considering for your portfolio.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
