Are investments worth more than your wife?

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I recently shared a pot of coffee with my wife of 33 years.  Treasured.  Then went to my office and looked at our stock market portfolio. Depressing. What happened next shocked and scared the hell out of me!   I felt more intensely depressed and bitter about our portfolio decline than feeling happy about sharing coffee with my wife.  Was I crazy?  Have you ever had an experience where a material possession or loss meant more to you than a personal relationship with a loved one? Do you need to visit a psychiatrist? One explanation why your material loss feels more … Continue reading →

Is Investment Advice a Dying Profession?

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A recent (November 9, 2021) Wall Street Journal article detailed that 70% of millennials (people under age 40) were self-directing their investment decisions. They could get good-enough and do-it-yourself advice from internet platforms and didn’t need an investment advisor. One man in the article interviewed 4 advisors and felt each one put “too little effort into explaining how their investments were unique and worth the fees.” He decided to invest on his own, primarily in cryptocurrency and real estate. A woman in the article said, “I’m talking to, frankly, a bunch of old men.” So here’s how I, a happy … Continue reading →

How Do You Invest $100,000 Today?

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Here’s a short answer followed by a long answer. Short answer: 25% ($25,000) Vanguard Intermediate Investment Grade Fund. symbol: VFICX 25% ($25,000) Vanguard 500 Index Fund. symbol: VFIAX 25% ($25,000) Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund. symbol: VDIGX 25% ($25,000) Primecap Odyssey Growth Fund. symbol: POGRX Total: $100,000 Pro: I like this portfolio. 75% of your money is invested in the stock market and 25% invested in the bond market. Hold on to this portfolio for at least 5 years. Don’t touch it. You’ll have a good chance of increasing your portfolio worth. Con: 75% of your money in the stock market … Continue reading →

The Secret to Successful Investing

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Would you like to know the secret to successful investing? What would you do with the extra money? Pay off debts? Take a vacation? Money for retirement? Maybe you believe there is no secret. Or you’ve had a bad experience with an investment advisor or the stock market. Don’t trust it, understand it or believe in it. OK. I’m sorry. I still believe there is a secret. It’s a one word answer! Well, what is it? PATIENCE! You or have someone help you create a diversified portfolio of quality stock mutual funds. Then you hold on to these positions and … Continue reading →

The Best Piece of Financial Advice I Ever Received

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Listen to your wife. The Spanish painter Joan Miro said about his work: “Like or dislike it. Being indifferent is the worst response.” My Story My wife and I lived a charmed life 10 years ago. We made a lot of money in the stock market and our future looked bright. Our fortunes changed in 2008 when we had the global financial crisis. This crisis was the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression of 1929. We lost a significant amount of our stock market assets. We didn’t sell any positions but we were a lot poorer on paper. Three … Continue reading →

Your Retirement Story

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Retirement Story Number One You’re middle aged and enjoying your life. Retirement is an unimportant goal down the road. Ya, you’re supposed to save for retirement. But you procrastinate and will deal with it tomorrow. Fast forward. You are now 65. You look at your savings and it’s not a lot. You receive an average monthly Social Security check of $1,503. You realize and worry that you don’t have enough money for a comfortable retirement. What happened? Where did you go wrong? You feel powerless, like a victim. You also feel mad. Retirement is a curse, not a blessing for … Continue reading →

Have you had a BAD experience with money?

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I have a friend who recently had a throbbing toothache. He took lots of Ibuprofen to lessen his pain. He needed a root canal and then a crown on top of his infected tooth. $5,000 later, he’s practicing chewing food on both sides of his mouth. Everyone has an unexpected “financial toothache” sometime in his life. Your car or house may need a costly repair. Or you get sick and have medical expenses. How do you pay for these car bills or medical expenses? You may have the cash. Or you pay the bill with your credit card. You pay … Continue reading →

How Do I Stay Confident in Stocks Amidst the Face of Volatility?

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Winston Churchill: “Stand firm and carry on!” A Brief History Lesson Germany defeated most of Europe in the early stages of World War II. England was next. The English people faced imminent invasion and destruction. Who could stop Hitler? Winston Churchill was England’s prime minister. His army and people were shell-shocked by Germany’s quick victories. Some argued that England should surrender and ask Germany for peace terms. What was Churchill’s response? No. The British people would face a difficult future if he sued for peace. He told his countrymen, “Stand firm and carry on.” Keep fighting, don’t give up and … Continue reading →