Running to Retirement
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
Stay diversified, and stay the course. That’s good advice for both runners and investors.
"Everything good in life is just the gap between expectations and reality." - Morgan Housel. This week, Kent Kramer shares his thoughts on market history and setting expectations.
The past fifteen years have been phenomenal for U.S. stocks. They've outperformed international stocks by close to 200%. Unfortunately, no one can predict when international stocks will outperform U.S. stocks, or vice-versa.
Stock market risk is the primary focus of the financial news. The reason is simple. The scarier the headline, the more eyes are attracted to it.
Risks can often feel much different to retirees. The overarching risk for retirees is that something takes place that results in a permanently lower standard of living. Retirement researcher, Wade Pfau, has identified three major categories of risk for one’s income in retirement.
“But it’s different this time!” I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this over the years. While it is true that the set of circumstances driving the market are always unique, the end result is almost always the same.
Many people like the idea of higher expected returns that stocks may produce, but the higher return potential comes with more risk. This week, Kent Kramer walks us through a possible approach to understanding how much of your portfolio could be invested in stocks.
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?”
With the US stock market in bear market territory as we go into the second half of 2022, you might feel like we're in a bit of a storm. If you've been feeling under prepared, Matt Moklestad walks us through six considerations for times like these.
With the US stock market in bear market territory as we go into the second half of 2022, you might feel like we're in a bit of a storm. If you've been feeling under prepared, Matt Moklestad walks us through six considerations for times like these.
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.
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.
As you peek into the future – hopefully one with greater discretionary time and money – do you envision yourself increasing or decreasing your investment in the well-being of the people close to you and the world in general? Do you see yourself sticking close to the mess of the world or investing in ways that escape it?
Almost everyone has a few of their favorite things. One of my top questions to ask friends and clients is, “What are some of your most treasured memories and keepsakes?”
The first half of 2022 has proven to be challenging for investors. Being an investor during volatile markets isn’t easy, but there are a few strategies to consider in order to make the best of a difficult situation.
Recently, I received a gift from the Iowa State Patrol in the form of a speeding ticket. In reflecting on this experience, it occurred to me that I took an unnecessary risk to attain something I didn’t need and ended up sacrificing money I didn’t have to lose.
Does it help or harm the average long-term investor to peek at their own accounts or pay attention to the market every day?
For a minute, I want to think broadly about the question, “What does it mean to be an investor?”
Stocks are down. Bonds are down. Inflation is up. There is a war in Europe. When nothing feels certain, what should investors do? One of the things we can do is pay attention to something else.