bear in the woods

How Long Will a Bear Market Last?

The S&P 500 is down about 17 percent as of May 25, 2022, narrowly avoiding the traditional definition of a bear market at negative 20 percent. The NASDAQ has already fallen well into bear market territory with a loss of about 28 percent…
classroom
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Closing the Wealth Gap Starts with a High School Financial Literacy Requirement

What lessons do you wish you could teach your younger self? I hear many answers from people, but the most prominent is finance. I contend that we need to make personal finance a required subject for those graduating high school.
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Correcting the Word: Correction

The markets are off to a rough start for 2022, with the S&P 500 down about 13.9 percent from its peak in January, according to data from LPL Financial. Global turmoil, inflation, supply chain disruption, and the Federal Reserve are all…
anne schieber portrait

The Gray Area of Good Investor Behavior

If you’re a frequent reader of this column, you know that I’m a large proponent of good investor behavior. Though I’ve spent a great number of column inches espousing the traits of investors I admire or those who have done well by adopting…
tiramisu
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Improving Investor Behavior: The Peloton and Tiramisu

If you're like me, you exercise a lot. Maybe not every day, but you try to hit the gym most days. You sweat, you grunt, you grind it out, every session. Exercise does two things: it makes you hungry, and it gives you a sense of pride or accomplishment.…
gas station
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Improving Investor Behavior: Show Me Where it Hurts

Even with a rising paycheck, people feel inflation. Whether it's the cost of a can of soup or the price of gasoline, everything feels (and is) more expensive. Inflation puts a dent in household budgets and a psychological dent in attitudes. While the U.S. economy may be booming, the smaller economy of household budgets and expenses takes a hit.
signpost in front of sunset
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Improving Investor Behavior – Feeling Confident? Are You Sure?

I’ve contributed to the Denver Post monthly for a while now, and I’m grateful for readers who have reached out to me with thoughts, comments, and questions. Some about my writing, the market, and broader topics like the meaning of wealth…
apples in a basket

Rising Dividends: The Ultimate Inflation Fighter

Two things should matter to retirees and near-retirees: income from investments, businesses, or social security, and how far that income goes to purchase goods and services. Taken in tandem, these elements will define the success of your…
man praying on top of mountain
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Improving Investor Behavior – Deciding on Enough!

At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, the late Kurt Vonnegut informed his friend author Joseph Heller that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular…
box of chocolates
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Many Americans Face a Bitter-Sweet Early Retirement. What Should They Do?

He was sitting on a bus stop bench outside a tranquil park, wearing a khaki suit, checkered blue shirt and sneakers. A plain white box rested on his lap when he greeted a stranger and offered her a chocolate saying, “My Mama always…
Danny Kellogg
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Why Am I Here?

Why am I here?  Well, there’s an existential question for reflection.   I pose this question not to discuss the meaning of our lives, but instead to share why I chose to join Prosperion Financial Advisors and build a practice as…
single tree

Improving Investor Behavior: Where are all the Good Investments?

Read any financial website, and you'll find a common thread among the headlines: the market is overvalued. By several historical measures, the stock market appears to be ahead of itself. Valuations are high, and value-focused investors like…
Contractors install siding

Improving Investor Behavior: Sometimes Nothing is the Hardest Thing to Do

The United States has embarked on a historic economic experiment. Initially, $1.9 trillion was borrowed by our government to fund the American Rescue Plan (ARP). So far, the government has committed more than $5 trillion to support our nation…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Progress and Perspective

Headlines would have you believe COVID has left Americans in financial tatters, but when looking at the broad data, I can't make the same conclusion.   Make no mistake, COVID and the resulting restrictions have left a great many people…
Woman doing taxes
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How Women Business Owners Can Save For Retirement And Reduce Taxes

Women are expected to live another 21 years after retiring at age 65––three years longer than their male counterparts. Despite this fact, women are shockingly ill-prepared for retirement, having fewer investments and less money saved on…