Bear Markets and Life Jackets

For anyone invested right now, it feels like we’re sinking. But just as boats have lifejackets to keep you afloat, your financial life should have its own lifejackets in place to help keep you from sinking in bear market times like these.

Thinking About Stock Market Volatility

What caused the stock market to rise by over 20% in the second quarter of 2020 even as the COVID pandemic was out of control? How about the over 11% rise in the fourth quarter of 2021 as inflation ticked up and the Fed was warning of rate increases? It seems a little more obvious why the US stock market has fallen in the first 6 months of 2022, but should it have fallen more…or less?

What to Do When the Market Is in a Bad Mood

When the going is good, we’re not all that concerned with asking or answering the question. It is when the going gets tough, like right now, that we find ourselves more interested in asking. So, “What should we do?”

Nervous About the Market? Maybe You Need a Lifeboat.

Market volatility tends to unnerve even the calmest of investors. How do we know what to hold and how much to hold at any particular time? That’s a crucial question, but the answer does not need to be complicated.

Are You in the Bear Market Buyer’s Club?

For the person who is currently contributing to a portfolio and does not need to take distributions anytime soon, this is a gift. That’s right, a bear market is a gift to those investors. If you are contributing to an investment account right now, you are already in the Bear Market Buyer’s Club.

Chart of the Month – July 2022

Sooner or later, we're likely going to see demand cool off. The big question is how quickly inflation alters consumer spending and how quickly that pulls back inflation.

How Much Should Associations Hold in Reserve Assets?

A common question among nonprofit associations is how much they should hold in reserve assets. There is a “rule of thumb” that associations should hold six months of operating expenses in reserve. Is this common rule of thumb common practice?

Why Index Funds Don’t Work for Some People

Index funds are popular investment tools for good reason. They are low cost, effective ways to capture market return. Choosing to use index funds is only half the battle though; you must use them correctly to truly benefit. 

Spring Clean Your Financial Plan

You can’t have spring without spring cleaning. As you tackle your home, yard, and other spaces this year, your financial plan might also need to be spruced up. Here are a few tips to clean up your financial plan this spring.

Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon and Wings Level

We often get asked by clients about different ideas they heard from a friend, a new exclusive deal they got invited into, or, most frequently, a specific company or stock that a friend gave them the scoop on. The reality is that a lot of the “great ideas and deals” never amount to any real return, and many end up going to zero. 

Is the Stock Market a Glass Half Full?

The month of January was marked by negative returns for global stock markets. But, as the well-worn phrase, “Is your glass half full or half empty?” implies, our view of, or the way we feel about the state of markets as investors, may be more related to our personal dispositions than what the numbers indicate.

Chart of the Month – Feb 2022

Market declines are never enjoyable in the moment. But these kinds of intra-year pull backs are normal when looking at market history. 

Still Searching for the One?

You do not need to pick the next big winner in order to have a successful investment experience. As a matter of fact, behaving as if this were possible is an almost certain way to have a terrible investment experience. What are the hallmarks of a more successful approach?

Inflation Aware Investing

You know the old saying, “What goes up must come down.” Currently everything seems to be going up at the same time.