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My Friend Gandalf
As a financial advisor, I’m often asked where the markets are headed. Unfortunately, my crystal ball, affectionately named “Gandalf,” has been cracked and in the shop for years; frankly, I’m beginning to think I’ll never see Gandalf again. So, I’m forced to seek guidance from my second favorite source – data. It turns out…
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In my 3rd quarter newsletter for 2022, I mentioned that models from Bloomberg Economics put the odds of a recession within one year at nearly 100%. I’m not much of a gambler, but I believe those are good odds. Oops. 2023 ended the year with a bang! No, that doesn’t mean the economy was exceptionally…
Read MoreChaos and Bloodshed
Staying disciplined and invested can be difficult in times of chaos and market turbulence. History tells us this is the right time not to act.
Read More2022 Annual Review – Everything Will Be Okay
Ouch. Let me be the first to admit I thought we had another six months to a year before the markets woke up from their years-long drunken (on easy money) binge. After all, 2022 began the year with a strong labor market, easy money and record low interest rates, and Elon Musk still wealthy (I…
Read MoreGreen Shoots Amid the Economic Rubble
My apologies for the delay in getting this 3rd quarter review out. I was busy combing through the financial rubble that is the global economy for some glimmer of hope, and it turns out there are some sprouts beginning to grow. But first, the storm. For the 3rd quarter, US markets were off 4.46%, with…
Read MorePredictions, Money and Mattresses
I don’t usually make short-term market guesses – my crystal ball has been in the shop for almost 20 years; at this point I can’t remember if it was cracked or just fogged. I believe in the power of long-term markets, good diversification and poor performance as a result of short-term market prognosticating.
Read MoreRemembering the Good Times
It’s often said that the market takes the escalator up and the elevator down. For concrete evidence, simply look at the performance of the indexes the past few weeks. A close look at the headlines or nightly news (caution: this may be bad for your health and is proven to be bad for your portfolios) and you may think it’s only a matter of time before the indexes hit an all time low! And no, that’s not really a thing!
Read MoreDealing With Fluctuating Markets: Q3 2021 Quarterly Market Review
Whether you’re a long-time investor or you’re new to the market, fluctuations – and losses – can feel jarring. In fact, we know from research that losses are significantly more painful than gains of a similar size are rewarding. Yet successful investors continue to invest because they know that over long periods of time, investing…
Read MoreDon’t Let Your Parents Start a 529 for your Kids
If you have parents who are offering to help you with college planning for your kids…lucky you! With college tuition increasing 7-8% every year, most of us can use all the help we can get. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to accept this assistance. While your parents might want to…
Read MoreIf You’re Doing This, You Might Not Get the Financial Results You Want
As someone who works in the tech industry, chances are you’re going to relate to the scenario I’m about to describe. Someone walks into your office and says, “I’ve been wondering about _____, so I Googled it and now I think I can do it on my own, but I’m not quite sure.” …
Read MoreWhat Makes Financial Planning for Tech Professionals Different?
Almost every client who walks through my (virtual) door these days has one thing in common: they’ve realized their time is better spent doing something other than dealing with their money. Many of us hit that tipping point at some time. You can change your own oil, but that could take you five hours, so…
Read MoreYou Only Live Once: 2021 Q1 Quarterly Market Review
You only live once! Social media investors have banded together on unconventional platforms to drive up the prices of a handful of “meme stocks,” seemingly without traditional evaluation of investing risks and rewards. They made headlines with their “short squeeze” of GameStop (GME), and, as they garner media attention, their tactics continue. While it’s not…
Read MoreGame-Stop Right There!
In the previous blog, GameStop, Blackberry, AMC: How “Dud” Companies are Suddenly Worth Billions, we discussed the origins of the GameStop and meme-stock fiasco. Now let’s take a look at some of the other players (read: enablers) and the possible outcomes of this type of trading. Reddit As GameStop’s stock price was going vertical,…
Read MoreGameStop, Blackberry, AMC: How “Dud” Companies are Suddenly Worth Billions
As shocking as the whole GameStop/Blackberry/AMC activity felt…in the world of commerce it’s actually nothing new. Today’s investor would call this type of trading “meme stock” – “a stock that has seen an increase in volume not because of the company’s performance, but rather because of hype on social media and online forums like Reddit. For…
Read MoreDoes Bitcoin Have a Place in Your Investment Strategy?
In 2013 I bought my first Bitcoin. I was a financial advisor at a not-to-be named wirehouse in Clayton, Missouri and a friend tried to explain to me what blockchain was. At the time, Bitcoin was around $50 per coin. In 2013 I sold my first Bitcoin. After all, how high could this…
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