You may have heard that Labor Day is the new New Year’s Day? It’s true. The schedule is packed, and the pace of life picks up in a way that would make January envious. For us, it is no different. We have a brisk schedule of meetings, conferences, and professional presentations that keep us informed […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
There are two ways to measure investment performance:In percentages or in dollars. Which of the following feels worse? “I am down 5% OR “I am down $50,000” For a $1,000,000 portfolio those are one and the same. However, much more frequently I hear down investment moves described in dollar terms. Why? Because it feels like […]
In the last month, stock markets around the world have been adjusting expectations. Managing market expectations about the future is important because often it is not a matter of economies being good or bad that drives shares higher. Of greater concern is whether the economy is getting better or worse. The U.S. economy growing at 2% instead […]
The Wall Street Journal ran a feature recently on the popular target date funds that are often found as an investment option inside of retirement plans. These funds are designed to manage risk based on the age that investor plans to retire, typically in five year increments (2020, 2025, etc.). The use of these funds has […]