What’s better for investors, Republican Presidents or Democrat Presidents? It’s a trick question. First, because in general, over the long run, it doesn’t matter. While some data correlates Democratic administrations with stronger markets since the end of World War II, there is no evidence of a cause and effect relationship. And this nifty interactive exhibit […]
Preparing for Short-Term Election Volatility Read More »
The FIRE movement captured my interest only recently. Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) is an aspiration of motivated young people today to stop working and retire in their 30’s and 40’s. As a retirement advisor, seeing the obvious challenges of saving enough money and otherwise getting one’s act together at such an age, I rather
The US stock market just had its best quarter in more than 20 years. (Yes, you heard that right.) Of course, that was on the heels of one of the scariest quarters in history, fueled by the Coronavirus pandemic reaching US shores in February. At its worst, on March 23, the S&P 500 was down
2nd Quarter Client Note Read More »
There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen. I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I have quoted Vladimir Lenin in a client note. And probably the last. A great deal has indeed happened since my first post on the coronavirus pandemic, when the implications were just beginning to emerge. The public health implications
1st Quarter Client Note – Covid-19 Edition Read More »
While it may seem morbid, now, during the Covid-19 outbreak, is the time to make sure the estate and disability plans for you and other members of your family are in order. Especially if you or your parents are over 60. These documents typically include: Wills, Living Trusts, Financial and Medical Powers of Attorney and
Now is a Good Time to Review Your Estate Plan Read More »
The S&P 500 (Total Return) Index gained 9.07% in 2019’s final quarter. Bringing the advance for the year to 31.49% — and for the decade, to an average annual 13.56%. (And yet, all anybody wants to talk about is how poorly their bonds are performing. The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index eked out a
4th Quarter Client Note Read More »
Do the mountains call you for your dream retirement? Many people, including most of my clients, aspire to retire to the active lifestyle, fresh air and natural beauty of the Colorado mountains. What will it take to achieve that dream? Here are some considerations for planning your mountain retirement: Follow Your Dream   Â
Dreaming of a Mountain Retirement Read More »
One of the great influences in my practice has been Larry Swedroe. (Another, of course, was the late John Bogle). Fifteen years ago, I started this practice by giving away copies of one of Larry’s first books, The Successful Investor Today, 14 Simple Truths You Must Know When You Invest (St. Martin’s Press 2003). (I
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs… Rudyard Kipling, from the poem If, circa 1895 We will forever be debating the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and the government’s attempts to minimize its effects. But the worst modern bear market other than the one caused by the Great
Celebrating the Ten-Year Anniversary of the Market Bottom Read More »
Has it really been ten years? One of the low lights indelibly associated with the Great Recession of 2008 was the discovery and unraveling of Bernie Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme. It feels like only yesterday that I wrote about that almost incomprehensible fiasco in real time. But the journalist Erin Arvedlund wrote the book on
Lessons From the Madoff Fraud, 10 Years later Read More »
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