A little while back I began jotting down some of the rules that I try and live by when it comes to personal finance. Eventually, I turned it into what you see below, something I’m calling a personal finance vision statement. My plan is to update this over time as I continue to learn more about money, investing and life. For now, here is version one.
DetailsNow that the election is behind us, it is safe to say that Trump’s victory was unexpected. Just like the Brexit vote back in June, his victory raised more questions than it answered. It has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and markets typically respond to uncertainty with heighted volatility. So what does this mean for…
DetailsNo matter the age of your children, whether they are toddlers or even adults themselves, being a parent is not easy. Neither is being an investor. Ironically, the rules for succeeding at both – parenting and investing – are quite similar.
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As financial advisors, people rely on us to provide direction regarding their financial well-being. Confusion can arise when the advice that we offer is not consistent with the news headlines, the “promising” strategies, the “surefire” bets and the sophisticated products being touted by the media. While we are always open to learning about potential opportunities…
DetailsLast night, I was sitting at my 10-year old son’s little league playoff game. It was the last inning – bottom of the 6th – and we were up 5-2 with 2 outs and a full count on the batter. Our pitcher threw a curveball that coasted across the back corner of the plate –…
DetailsPATIENCE, n. A quality apparent among such lower life forms as snails and tortoises but rarely among humans who invest in financial assets. [Jason Zweig, The Devil’s Financial Dictionary] When we discuss the importance of disciplined investing with our clients, we tend to emphasize how critical it is to stay invested in the midst of…
DetailsInvestors seem to love dividend paying stocks. The appeal of these stocks rests largely on the idea that a dividend paying stock allows an investor to collect income while leaving the principal intact. Safe, easy money, right? Not quite.
DetailsThe financial press had a field day with headlines in 2015. In the fourth quarter alone, we were greeted with news stories about plummeting oil prices, a sharp slowdown in China, and the first Fed interest rate hike in more than a decade. At one point during the year, the S&P 500 was down 12%…
DetailsWhenever the market is in a bit of turmoil, it’s important to revisit some of the common behavioral mistakes that can potentially derail even the most well thought out financial plans. Below I discuss six mistakes that we should all look to avoid. Fear and panic: Perhaps the most costly and pervasive of all behavioral…
DetailsThe quarter three numbers are in, and the S&P 500 index finished down just over 6%, while non-US markets finished down more than 10%. The end of August was particularly bumpy, when amidst of headlines of a Chinese stock market crash, looming Fed rate hikes, and fears of an earnings slowdown in the U.S. the…
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