As we write this piece in April 2018, overall market temperatures have been relatively mild for quite a while. Many newer investors have yet to weather a perfect market storm, and even those who have may have forgotten how panic-inducing they can be. To help you prepare for the next market downturn, or respond if you’re reading this during one, here are 10 timely actions you can take when financial markets are tanking … and, frankly, even when they’re not. Don’t panic (or pretend not … [Read more...]
Q&A: Should you buy into Bitcoin?
It’s hard to ignore all the recent commentary on bitcoins, block chains and cryptocurrency. But why all the buzz about these relatively new buzzwords? Should you buy some bitcoin to have and hold? Should you invest in it? What is “it” to begin with? Fortunately, my colleagues at Dimensional Fund Advisors have published a handy, three-page piece on this very subject: “To Bit or Not to Bit: What Should Investors Make of Bitcoin Mania?” Having done my own due diligence and reached … [Read more...]
Q&A: As my wealth accumulates, should I invest in alternatives?
As I covered in this month’s post, “Alternative investing: Feast or famine?” high-net-worth investors are often tempted to get fancier with their investing once their net worth opens access to more exclusive alternative investments (hedge funds, private equity ventures, non-traded REITs, etc.). Unfortunately, once you whisk aside the velvet curtain and take a closer look, high-end alternatives usually fall short compared to more straightforward solutions. Here’s why: Risk and expected returns … [Read more...]
Q&A: What is evidence-based investing?
I talk and write about this thing called “evidence-based investing” all the time. Why use it, and what are its basic benefits? Good questions! I and a couple of alliances have come up with a nifty infographic that showcases the main differences between evidence-based and traditional “active” investing. Would you like to know more? Please contact me. … [Read more...]
Q&A: Stock markets are at all time highs … should we sell?
Here’s a question I received recently, which rhymes with many I’ve heard before: Now that the Dow has hit 20,000, we should seriously get out and put the cash under the mattress ... don't you think? This time it was the Dow’s recent high-water mark. In the past, it’s been the same question in various forms, all of which could be rephrased to this question behind the question: Should the all-time nominal stock market highs be used as some sort of signal to reduce equity holdings? Or … [Read more...]
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