Blog
Don't Blow Up
There’s a long list of investment strategies and products that may look good on paper but can create significant risk. Making matters worse, they are accessible to nearly anyone with a brokerage account.
Read MoreIf He Can’t Do It, Neither Can We
Warren Buffett has built unimaginable wealth by following a strategy predicated on patience, discipline, and compounding. What can we learn from his success to help get us closer to our financial goals?
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How Will We Pay It All Back?
While the economy appears to be recovering and the government is preparing to spend at levels unseen since post World War II, the elephant in the room must be addressed. How will we ever pay back all this debt, and if so, when?
Read MoreThe World Is Changing
Let’s examine five trends developing right now that are inextricably linked and could provide clues into how the world will look in the coming years. None of these can match the excitement of meme stocks or over-levered hedge...
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Is This Another Big Short?
The housing market is on fire and stoking fears of another bubble. What is causing this boom, and how similar is today to what ultimately led the U.S. into one of the worst recessions in history?
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Giving Back
Dividends have played a significant role in equity returns over the past 50 years. Given the outperformance of dividend-paying stock versus those that do not, should investors solely focus on portfolios that emphasize dividends?
Read MoreQuarter In Review
There was no shortage of drama during the first quarter of 2021. There are several trends developing in the undercurrents of financial markets that must be watched very closely. It's imperative to keep a mindful eye on what lurks beneath.
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Who I Read
The Internet and regulation democratized access to information, but this has arguably created bigger problems for investors. How do we consume all of it, can we trust who’s creating it, and how can it make us better informed?
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Should We Rent Instead?
Robert Shiller is an economist at Yale University and is regarded as a leading expert on housing. His analysis concludes that real estate generally keeps pace with inflation but seldom offers any return above1. Returns look even less...
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Is Disco Coming Back?
Given the unprecedented monetary and fiscal response over the last year, many pundits are prophesizing a return to 1970s style inflation. Could this really happen, and if so, how should investors prepare their portfolios?
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Do As I Say, Not As I Did
Here are ten investing lessons that I’ve had to learn the hard way during my career. Most of these were the direct result of making stupid mistakes or relying too heavily on formulas rather than intuition. Hopefully these will...
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When Every Instinct Is Wrong
Panic selling is almost always a bad idea, but staying invested through turbulent times is easier said than done. Let’s look to one of the greatest comedic characters of all time for advice on how to handle market volatility.
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High Class Problems
It’s that time of year. Snow is melting, March Madness is approaching, and springtime rains will soon pave the way for May flowers. It’s also when most Americans compile endless paperwork, organize receipts, and meet with...
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Are We Due?
The stock market has had a strong start to the year, but recent all-time highs followed by volatility in closely watched sectors appear to be fueling fears of an imminent correction. Will one happen, and if so, when?
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Don’t Concentrate Too Much
The risk of ignoring diversification is rarely worth the reward. One of the most infamous stories in modern history can remind us of the inherent dangers of concentrated positions in a portfolio.
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Reading Below The Obituaries
Meme stocks, cryptocurrencies, and Elon Musk tweets continue to dominate page one headlines. But there are far more important stories and trends developing that are being ignored by the media.
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Meme Stock Mania
Meme stock mania continued this week, and investors don’t appear to be laughing. Could this movement create enough momentum to fuel another dot-com style bubble, and if so, when could it burst?
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When Will This Game Stop?
On January 6th, shares of Signal Advance (ticker: SIGL) closed at $0.60. The next day, Elon Musk tweeted “Use Signal” to his loyal followers, and the stock closed at $3.76 for a jaw dropping gain of 627%. There was just one...
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State of The Markets
Last year will go down as one of the worst ever for economic activity but also as one of the best for markets. These two extremes expose a paradox facing investors that likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Read MoreWas That A Good Idea?
The decision by large technology companies to ban President Trump and Parler created a firestorm of controversy this week. Could this be the tipping point for Big Tech, and if so, what are the implications for shareholders?
Read MoreShould Investors Fear The Blue Wave?
Joe Biden is going to be the next President of the United States, and it appears that the Democrats will also win both the House and Senate. How will this “blue wave” impact investors, and what can they do to prepare for this sea change?
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Should Investors Go Passive?
Active vs. Passive Active investing attempts to outperform a benchmark or mitigate a risk. For example, a manager aiming to beat the S&P 500 may own a higher percentage of technology stocks than the S&P 500 if her analysis concludes...
Read MoreHow Will The Market Do Next Year?
It’s that time of year when investors anxiously await predictions from the brightest minds on Wall Street. What can we learn from this prestigious group, and will they bring good fortune?
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Should We Celebrate?
Milestones Google provides a service called Trends1, which graphically displays the popularity of a search phrase over time. The chart below is a trend report on “Dow 30,000” and the blue dotted line indicates that recent...
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Is It Time to Buy Bitcoin?
It’s Back The chart below depicts the meteoric rise in bitcoin this year. As of November 12th, one bitcoin will cost over $16,000, which is a price the world hasn’t seen since late 2017. This has prompted more than one...
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Retirement Report: Are Taxes Going Up?
Hurdles Tax policy has taken center stage in the final days before the U.S. presidential election. The polls show Biden with a commanding lead, and many investors fear this will result in higher taxes. However, there are four hurdles...
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Retirement Report: The Rise of the Financial Machines
Technology has a long history of disrupting industries by replacing human labor with machines and software, and financial services is not immune. Will the surge in “robo investing” replace traditional advisors one day?
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Retirement Report: Solving High-Class Problems
Rising stock prices can create challenges for companies and investors. To alleviate these high-class problems, boardrooms often authorize a stock split. What exactly is a stock split, and how does it work?
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Retirement Report: Halftime Report
The uncertainty facing investors has arguably never been higher. While this may be viewed as a harbinger for safety, this is also when opportunity is the most abundant for patient investors with a strong stomach.
Read MoreRetirement Report: What's the Catch?
Back in October, Charles Schwab announced that they are eliminating commissions. There are no free lunches in this business, so how are discount brokers like Schwab making money if what they broker is now free? No Free Lunch...
Read MoreRetirement Report: The April Paradox
April will go down as one of the worst months ever for economic activity. It will also be remembered as one of the best months for stocks. This paradox has many perplexed. Who could be buying right now with so much uncertainty? Recent...
Read MoreRetirement Report: Are Stocks Expensive?
Last year was a banner year for U.S. stocks. All sectors within the S&P 500 generated double-digit returns. Now that the stock market continues to reach new highs, is it time to ring the register? Nothing Lasts Forever Last year was a...
Read MoreRetirement Report: Winning the War
Many feel that our country is at war. If we run with this metaphor, then what matter most right now is some sign that we are winning the war. There are two current developments that could turn the tide. It’s War “May you...
Read MoreRetirement Report: How Is the Market Doing?
When asked how “the market” is doing, the question invariably refers to the performance of the S&P 500 index. However, the stock market and any index that tracks it are rarely appropriate benchmarks for investors. The...
Read MoreRetirement Report: Is This Another 2008?
The surprising level of panic from the coronavirus pandemic is reminiscent of 2008. Is this a warning sign to investors that another financial crisis is on the horizon? Another Crisis The coronavirus pandemic has sparked an...
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