Silhouette of a spider web
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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.
A woman expressing anxiety on the phone
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Anxiety and Investing: Taking the Fear Out of Finances

The chances that either you, a loved one, or a friend have had an incident with, or an ongoing relationship with heightened anxiety are likely. Almost 20 percent of the population expresses some sort of anxiety disorder in a lifetime. It comes…
Steve Booren

Improving Investor Behavior – Fear of Missing Out

When you are stuck in traffic on the interstate, creeping along, do you find yourself wanting to switch from one lane to another? Do you glance to the left and see the “fast lane,” and are envious of how quickly they are moving? You look…

Frugal Hacks: 5 Simple Ways to Save $50 or More Each Week

Saving money, even with kids, doesn’t have to be a hard. As a financial advisor I tend to focus on things others might glance over, like the price of guacamole at Chipotle. (See #2 below) As a parent with young kids, it seems there are more…
Steve Booren

Improving Investor Behavior – The Prosperity Mindset

Wealth is a mindset. In my years as a financial advisor I’ve worked with many wealthy individuals who have everyday-type jobs. From bus drivers to teachers, entrepreneurs to an administrative assistant at the Chamber of Commerce, I’ve…
Midyear Outlook 2018 from LPL Research

Mid-Year Outlook 2018: The Plot Thickens

Presenting the LPL Research Midyear Outlook 2018: The Plot Thickens, packed with investment insights and market analysis to guide you through all the action we may see in the year ahead. When we as investors began 2018, we were tuned in to…
Pat Alfano

An Open Letter to Employers

There is a national debate right now on how to make 401k plans more effective for retirement plan participants. The question isn’t “how do we supply the workforce with access to retirement savings vehicles?”, but rather “Why are so few employees taking advantage of these important benefit offerings?” In the end, it’s about a lack of familiarity and trust.
Pat Alfano and Dave Anderson

A Retirement Plan Sponsor is Like the Pilot In Command of An Aircraft

The responsibility of being a retirement plan sponsor is like the responsibility of flying a group of passengers from one location to another. Are you and your team operating like a “pilot in command?”
Steve Booren

Improving Investor Behavior – Longevity and the Fear of Running Out

When do you plan to die? Weird question, right? It’s one that financial advisors have to ask their clients. The typical approach to retirement planning involves spending down the portfolio, a lifetime of savings for a client, at a rate that…
Dave Anderson

The 8th Wonder of the World – Compounding Interest

I would like to take a look at the concepts of compounding and inflation. The principles of the two are identical. One works for you in a positive growing way, the other in a silent negative manner.
Nelisha Firestone

My Dad’s Story

When my Dad met my Mom, he told her that he would be a millionaire one day. From collecting hub caps on the side of the road to running a seven-figure business, this is the story of his rise and fall.
Dave Anderson

Patience Isn’t a Virtue, It’s a Necessity

With the increased fluctuations and heightened volatility we have experienced in the markets in the past several months, I would like to share my thoughts and perspective. I feel the most important point I would like to state is: short-term volatility is normal. We will look at some statistics shortly, but first I desire to express that volatility is to be expected. We do not let volatility sway our opinion of the investments we own.
Steve Booren

Improving Investor Behavior – Myths & Language

Many people believe the stock market is risky. It’s often described as a casino, using words like crash, falling, and my favorite Wall Street word: “correction” meaning falling 10 percent or more from a previous high price. My definition…
Steve Booren

Invest in Businesses Rather than Renting Stocks

Most business owners can feel the pulse of their business. If you own a coffee shop for instance, you can go to the location, see and interact with your employees, touch your inventory, and keep your customers happily caffeinated. You can smell the aroma of your business. You can feel it. What if you had that same feeling as a shareholder of a public company?
Steve Booren

Improving Investor Behavior – Make Steady Savings Your Strategy

There’s $15 on the line, and your buddy is stepping up to a 10 footer for a birdie on the 18th hole. It’s a slippery putt, but not slippery enough. As he takes his shot, human nature kicks in. “Miss it, miss it,” we say to ourselves.…