Tag Archive for: Steve Booren

Person holding a TV remote

Improving Investor Behavior: Investing time now will pay dividends later

The average American spends more than 85 hours per month watching TV. The same person will likely spend about 265 hours sleeping and 228 hours working. Know how much time they’ll spend working on their finances? About 1.8 minutes, (yes, that works out to 96 seconds) per day.
Knife digging into a log
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Improving Investor Behavior: The Sharp Knife of Compound Interest

As investors, we seek to understand and control compound interest. Like the knife, when used correctly, compound interest is a powerful tool. Even better, the three variables behind compound interest can be put to work for anyone, regardless of income or amount saved.
Alarm clock sitting on a table

Improving Investor Behavior: The Price of Time

Money is a resource; there can always be more of it. But time is finite, and there is no getting it back once it’s gone… or is there?
Order counter at a coffee shop

Improving Investor Behavior: Mind Your “Owned” Businesses

We try to differentiate the value of a company (worth) versus the price. When you focus on the value of the company, your judgment is far more intelligent.
Globe with a focus on China

An Emotional Tour de Force

This last week has been a roller coaster for investors with large, swift swings in the broad market indices. It began with an announcement from the Federal Reserve on interest rates and the White House levying additional tariffs against China, which was then followed by a tit-for-tat spat between the two countries. A devaluation of the Yuan, the U.S. labeling China a currency manipulator, and a drop in the bond market yields all served as reasons for the corresponding drops. All that to say, a lot has happened in the span of a few days.
Rack of comic books

Improving Investor Behavior: Strengthen Your Financial Superpowers

My son and I were in the car driving to the store as he struggled to plug in his phone with a USB cable. He flipped the cable back and forth a few times before it finally slipped in. “If I had a superpower, I hope it would be to knowing…
Sun setting over a tropical beach
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Improving Investor Behavior: Retire to What?

If I asked you to define retirement, how would you describe it? Take some time and think about it. You’re probably envisioning white sandy beaches, trips to the golf course, and visits with family, free from the constraints of work and email.…
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Improving Investor Behavior: The Positive Mindset of Investors

Pessimism is poison for investors. Following national headlines would have you believe we are moments away from catastrophe, teetering on the edge of sheer doom. It’s an easy narrative in which to engage, especially when we hear it every…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Managing Your Time Like Money

As a financial advisor, I am typically hired by clients to help them manage their resources. Most often, these are financial resources including cash, investments, etc. Sometimes I help people to manage their business resources such as connecting…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Doubt, Sold with a Smile

Financial advice is usually broken into three steps. First, define your goals. Where do you want to go? Next comes a plan. This is the recipe for working toward your goals with actionable and measurable steps. Then comes implementation when…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Know the “Why” for your Investments

As financial advisors, we receive questions about all types of investments. Here’s one we recently heard: I am a doctor, and many of my friends and fellow doctors are getting into real estate. There is a group that invests in local…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Learn to Love a Falling Market

The financial markets have given investors quite a ride in the past few months. Not only have we seen a drop in the prices, but the volatility and multiple-percentage point days seems to have investors feeling a little seasick. The first thing…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Focus on the Right Number

With the year coming to an end, 2018 has been a tumultuous one for investors. For the first time in 46 years, there has not been a clear winner in any asset class: from stocks to bonds, emerging markets to precious metals. As of this writing,…
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Improving Investor Behavior – Managing the Pain of Regret

Regret may be the most enduring and damaging emotion investors grapple with during their financial lives. As financial advisors we see it from both sides: clients either regret having done something, or regret NOT having done something, or…
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Improving Investor Behavior: Managing Your Fears

Shark Week is among the longest running and most popular cable programs in history. First appearing 30 years ago in 1988, the show has since been watched and celebrated by millions. Why would a program about sharks and their danger be so popular? I think it plays on the emotion of fear, and more interestingly, people’s desire to be a little bit scared. My point is this: sometimes our greatest fears are the most unfounded. Whether it’s an oversized fish or monsters under the bed, our worst fears take up an oversized portion of our conscious and drive actions that can be damaging and counterproductive. Fear is a powerful emotion and one you must learn to rein in if you want to be a successful investor.