Posts

Are the Markets Singing a Familiar Tune?
Just over 50 years ago on January 11, 1973, while Carly Simon was on the radio singing her new number-one hit “You’re So Vain,” the S&P 500 closed at a then all-time high of $120.20. Unbeknownst to the U.S., many things were about…

Focus on the “Personal” in Personal Finance
One of my favorite sayings is that personal finance is far more personal than it is finance. Simple math would tell you the wisest course of action is putting extra cash to work in the market, but the best advice isn’t always driven by cold hard math.

Growing Our Way Out of Inflation
With fall in full swing and snow adorning the mountain tops, I turn to a classic dish for a little winter comfort: Campbell's Tomato Soup. First introduced in 1895, the can would don its familiar red and white label in 1898 after an executive…

My Formula for Building Wealth
Warren Buffett turned 92 on August 30th. Given his investment prowess and lifelong dedication to finance, it's incredible that most of his wealth (96%) was acquired after he turned 50. He attributes his success to a simple and salient truth:…

Ready for a Recession?
Instead of suggesting the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of a recession, I'd like to offer this: If we ultimately experience a recession, consumers are in a far better position to weather the economic downturn than they have been in decades.

Improving Investor Behavior – Your Personal Economy
On August 10, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released updated inflation numbers. While the top line number of 8.5% is still large compared with this time a year ago, the markets and some media outlets latched onto another statistic…

Improving Investor Behavior: The Strength of Endurance
My coach Dan Sullivan likes to say, "Amateurs practice until they get it right; professionals practice until they can't get it wrong." From athletics to engineering, medicine to money management, consistent practice is the secret sauce of…

Improving Investor Behavior: Mindsets During Volatile Times
If you're an investor (and I hope you are), it's probably time for a mental check-in. How are you today? How do you feel about everything going on in the world?

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…

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…

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…

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.…

The Flaw of Average Inflation
The flaw of averages is the idea that plans made based on average assumptions are wrong on average. As an example, think about the statistician that drowned while crossing a river that was, on average, three feet deep.

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.

Building Durability Into Your Plan and Portfolio
Never invest in anything that can kill you. Now I don't mean cigarettes or other harmful items, but instead making the mistake of investing so much of your capital into one venture that its failure could knock you out. That's the gist behind…