My house starts to go silent for a few hours this week. For the first time, all four of my kids will be in school. The oldest in eighth grade, the youngest in pre-school. It has been ‘all hands on deck’ for thirteen years, always having a baby or toddler in the house. As you might […]
The conversation starts something like this: “I heard someone say ________ is going to happen to the stock market and I should do _______ to protect myself.” These are two distinct statements. One is a prediction, the other a prescription. Let’s talk about both sides and why big down days for the stock market are […]
As we all try to understand the connections of a volatile global economy, here are some articles from outside sources that I found interesting. I thought of some “Why” questions that have been on my mind and found writers who do a nice job of providing commentary: Why is investing never easy? (Of Dollars and […]
Fear helps us make choices, quickly. Without fear, the stock market would always go up and we would have no need to look for safe alternatives. If we are always making choices between growth, income, and preservation, then what do our investment options look like here in the Summer of 2019? The truth is, our […]
This is about succession. Succession in your family, your business, or anywhere else where you have become the indispensable person. The one whom everyone depends upon. LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION I witnessed succession last week as a dear friend assumed command of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The 11th […]
You are going to meet your financial advisor and just saw that Apple released a new iPhone and the stock has jumped. You make a note to ask your advisor two things: “How can I improve my returns? Shouldn’t I just buy more Apple?” Both questions reflect normal temptations. The desire to do something to improve our […]
The competition for popularity, attention, and eyeballs is a way of life in the public sphere and always has been. The advent of personal branding has only put the “look at me” phenomenon on steroids. It has never been easier for a meteoric rise to take place in pop culture, politics, or business considering how […]
Earlier this year in his weekend “Intelligent Investor” column in the Wall Street Journal, Jason Zweig wrote a memorial tribute to Jack Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group, that compared him to St. Paul, the early Christian missionary. When Zweig wrote that Bogle “blazed with the zeal of the convert” the words jumped off of […]
Yesterday, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team advanced to the finals of the World Cup. The heroics of Goalie Alyssa Naeher in saving a penalty kick late in the match against England sealed their fate. Imagine being inside the head of a goalkeeper facing a penalty kick. Your job is to be the last one, […]
A study was released that found that 96% of Americans choose the wrong Social Security timing to start their benefits. With the option to begin guaranteed payments as early as 62, more retirees are electing this premature option than should, according to the study. If someone elects to wait until age 70, for example, they […]