2021 Year-End Thoughts
I’m writing this with three days left in 2021, looking back on this past year and looking forward to 2022. I have some thoughts to share with you, in no particular order.
Read MoreAfraid of New Highs?
In an earlier post I talked about one of the media narratives that prices are too high to remain optimistic about the market. And now the market's even higher, so now the scenario may seem even more foreboding. Before I suggested three considerations in response to possible fears. Let's expand on those considerations here.
Read MoreBe Wary of Election Year Narratives
Clearly election season is upon us. How do we know that? Well, of course the Democrats are debating and campaigning in order to secure a presidential nominee. Also, President Trump’s rallies are occurring more frequently in swing states. These are the obvious cues. There are also less obvious cues.
Read MoreWhat’s not important now? What is?
Market volatility has once again made headlines. What's important to know and understand?
Read MoreWhat Resonates with You?
The investment philosophy of our Serious Money Approach rests upon 3 key principles: Faith in the Future Problems get solved even if we can’t predict how it will happen. Patience Problems get solved even if we can’t predict when it will happen. Discipline Doing what almost always works and not trying something that hasn’t. I want to illustrate how the three principles work...
Read MoreIs the market just like a casino?
With the market enjoying a significant rally for the past two months following a big downturn in the market at the beginning of the year, I’m reminded of a statement made to me years ago by a worried investor: “The market is just a big gamble, like a casino.” It is true that the market can gyrate up and down, and it is true that the movements can appear to be random, and it is also true...
Read MoreThe Market Rebounds: Is the correction over?
You may remember how the market began 2016. I used the word “dreary” in my newsletter of January 16, 2016. It is now two months later and we are witnessing a big rebound in the market, such that, as I write, the market has erased its entire negative performance for the year and we are now in positive territory for 2016. I ended my January newsletter with three lessons that I have learned...
Read MoreLet’s talk about this correction…
As I write this on January 19, 2016, the stock market ended 2015 and began 2016 on a dreary note, declining 10-12% in value. This is a market correction, the type of market condition that I’ve written about in several recent newsletters and in my 2013 book, The Serious Money Train (from which I will take the liberty of quoting freely). At this point in the cycle, we don’t yet know if this...
Read MoreA (Fake) Market Update for Serious Money Investors
Many of us have wondered how and why the news media attributes daily market performance to some relatively ephemeral news event (e.g., “the Dow was down 250 points today on news of a poor employment report…”) when common sense tells us that millions of investors nationwide could not possibly have responded to the same report in the same way. Those of you who have asked me this question...
Read More2015 Fund Distributions and Your Taxes
It is that time of the year when your mutual fund companies are notifying us of their expected capital gains distributions for 2015. Many of the distributions are expected to be significant, which will have implications for the tax return you will be filing in 2016. With this in mind, let’s spend a little time to make sure we understand why these distributions occur and how they will impact all...
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