While bear markets are scary enough, this one not only came swiftly, but was also compounded by the uncertainty and fear of watching a global pandemic roll across America. This is not only affecting everyone in some way, but may also be infecting some of our own family and friends. Worse, this is all unfolding as we look around at our communities, which appear as ghost towns as a result of social isolation.
Receiving or accumulating a lump sum of cash can result in a major investment quandary - "Do I investment this all at once, or invest it over time?"
Opportunistic rebalancing is designed to instill the discipline needed in order to maintain our desired portfolio risk/return, while at the same time potentially enhancing our portfolio returns.
Opportunistic rebalancing is designed to instill the discipline needed in order to maintain our desired portfolio risk/return, while at the same time potentially enhancing our portfolio returns.
During volatile times in the markets, everyone needs words of wisdom and comfort to fall back on. Being mindful of our thoughts and words during volatile market times is especially important because it is certainly worrisome to watch portfolio values go down. Finding positive words will not change your portfolio's value, or where the market goes, but they can change how you feel, and therefore how you act.
The Health Savings Account (HSA) is the ultimate savings machine as it is the only type of account with triple tax benefits.
Investors have been reading about the market being overvalued for years. Of course, the tacit assumption is that the stock market is poised for a big “drop”. While there are many valuation metrics, the most popular is the CAPE Ratio popularized by Robert Shiller (also known as the Shiller P/E Ratio).
In my last blog post, I discussed Faith in the Future as the first key to investment success. The second key is Patience.
The first key needed to obtain investment success is to have a resounding "faith in the future".
Rising markets have two very negative and interconnected effects. First, a rising market facilitates unrealistic hopes and high expectations about future stock returns. Second, a rising stock market actually lowers the future expected returns.
One of the hardest things for investors to focus on is the long-term. Instead, investors are very focused on the day/week/month/quarter, etc. It is a "what have you done for me lately" outlook to investing.
Wow. Investing sure is easy in recent years! Just look at the chart below which shows that the the S&P 500 has provided average annual returns of over 18% over the last five years (assuming you were fully invested in March of 2009).
Are you a saver who prefers certainty, or an investor who desires the opportunity for higher returns at the expense of safety? Which emotion do you feel more when you think about investing: fear or euphoria?
The U.S. stock market has just completed an almost five-year bull market, finishing with not only its best year since 1997, but a startlingly wonderful month and final day of the year.
In 2013, there was much to worry about. Not only did we start the year headed off the fiscal cliff, but interest rates rose, bonds got hammered, tax-rates climbed, and the government shut down. YET equities soared with YTD U.S. stock returns the highest seen in a decade. This has been an excellent lesson in the disconnectedness of news and market returns.