Fitch, downgraded US government debt from its pristine AAA rating to one notch lower at AA+. The Fitch downgrade serves as a reminder of the necessity of diversification, as no investment is entirely risk-free.
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.
I’d love to be the person who can tell you why a car squeaks when you drive it and who could fix it. But as time goes by and I haven’t developed those skills, I’m coming to grips with the fact that it probably just isn’t in my wheelhouse. It’s not that I couldn’t learn, it’s that I’d rather focus on and learn about other things. There comes a point with your personal finances when you need to decide what you’ll do and what you’ll pay someone else to do.
You’ve been working for several years now – you’re earning, saving, paying down debt, investing, and giving. What’s next?
Making good decisions and ultimately avoiding costly mistakes can be life-changing. Note that it does not start and end with picking the best player or hot stock but rather goals and a plan.
In my time working with clients, there is one question asked more than any other, “Am I going to be okay?”
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.
Money is emotional and our “news” cycle is a catalyst. Investors react to what they hear and how they feel, oftentimes to their own detriment.
Barbells work great at the gym because they put weight on a bar in such a way that it’s balanced, leaving room in the middle for someone to use it to workout. We often see portfolios that are designed like a barbell at the gym: lots of risk in one account and lots of cash or very short-term securities in another. In aggregate, it might produce some balance, but the reality is that it can create some real challenges.
I am extremely fortunate to work with many different types of clients. Some of my favorite clients are the owners of privately owned businesses. There are always opportunities to have conversations that go well beyond managing investments.
Is the title to this blog supposed to be clickbait? Of course it is. That is the point of this blog. Bad news sells.
It’s one thing to turn in the office keys and ride off into the sunset as a former W-2 employee, but what about those who started and built businesses?
Investing in the market is not about getting rich quick. It’s not led by FOMO, the fear of missing out. Ideally, it’s not driven by fear or greed at all. It’s patient, thoughtful, intentional and guided by a long-term vision of success.
