Several weeks ago, I (virtually) attended the Vanguard Advisor Symposium. Sidebar: One of the unexpected silver linings to the COVID pandemic has been access to great meetings without the hassle and expense of air travel and hotels. The event kicked off with a...
Investing
Risky Business
Why do we talk so much about risk assessment? The financial markets are always reacting to a variety of global events and this volatility can be unnerving for individual investors, especially if investing without first understanding one’s personal risk profile. So,...
Silver and Gold!
"Silver and Gold! Silver and Gold! How do you measure its worth? Just by the pleasure it gives here on Earth!" - Sam the Snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer I can’t help but think about Cornelius the prospector from the Rudolph movie when people ask about...
What Should I Do With My Money? It Depends…
From the perspective of personal financial planning, the answer to many of life’s complexities is, “It depends.” Of course, we all prefer black and white answers to important questions. But “It depends” fails to give us any certainty of outcomes. Here are some common...
Basic Investing Building Block #3
How can you reduce investment risk? Diversification! Diversification in investing is a technique whereby you allocate your money in different financial instruments, industries, etc. By doing so you reduce your risk by limiting your exposure to any single company....
How Will the Presidential Election Impact My Financial Plan?
Consider these election headlines: “Should you hoard cash before the election?" "This election could help make or break your retirement." "The nastiest election of our lifetime." "A Trump win will tank the market.” Were these headlines published last week? No, they...
5 Tips to Prepare for Market Turbulence
Many investors are switching their concerns from the coronavirus to the stock market. If the resurgent virus forces a new economic shutdown, and if everyone is forced to stay-at-home again, will the stock market take another 30% hit? Of course, the bottom line is: “No...
Basic Investing Building Block #2
Investing can be complicated to the average “Joe or JoAnn.” However, having just the simplest knowledge of what it is and how it works can help you manage your money with confidence. Let’s break it down in a way that makes it easier to understand. This is the...
To Convert or Not to Convert? That Is the Question!
What am I talking about, you ask? Roth conversions. What is a Roth conversion? A Roth conversion is taking all or part of an existing traditional IRA and moving it into a Roth IRA. The main difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA is that traditional...
Is It Time to Change Your Investment Strategy?
Uncertainty is a fact of life. With uncertainty comes fear. Without a doubt, the global pandemic has escalated uncertainty and fear in our lives. Learning to cope with uncertainty is essential to a resilient life. But how do we do this? Some thoughts: Have a financial...