How you invest in stocks and bonds, in other words, your asset allocation can mean more to your investment success than what you invest in. Let me explain. When you look at risk/reward as measured by my efficient frontier, you can see by the fish hook how having your eggs in one basket can mean more risk. Obviously, 100% in stocks will be riskier as measured by a portfolio’s ups and downs or standard deviation. But what’s not always clear is that having 100% in bonds can be riskier than a mix of, say, 20% stocks/80% bonds. As you see above, this efficient frontier is a combination of … [Read more...]
“And I’ve Never Forgotten,” His Nephew Told Me
You never know when you’re going to pick up a nugget of wisdom. Wisdom that can last a lifetime. In a world loaded with information, wisdom is in short supply. Don’t confuse the two. Your Survival Guy was speaking with a client this week. He’s in his early sixties, and he’s ready to retire in a year or two. We talked about his portfolio, his savings, his 401(k) that he’ll roll over to Fidelity, his asset allocation, and how we’ll transition it when he needs to begin drawing from it. “You know how I feel about asset allocation and the efficient frontier,” I said. “I know you’ve been … [Read more...]
Your Retirement Life: Walk Like a Modern Day Warrior
Looking over your shoulder is no way to live. Wondering who's behind you. Wondering if you're safe. Feeling uncertain. Uncomfortable. It's scary. Instead, walking with your head up, eyes forward, and shoulders back is the stride of the modern-day warrior. You never tire. You have the same confidence tomorrow as you do today. You're comfortable with who you are. You don't worry about the other guy. You stick to your game. We make enough tough decisions in a day to keep our lives too busy. Take figuring out "what to watch tonight?" for example. It can shake one's confidence. Then, finding … [Read more...]
Your Retirement Life: Traveling the Efficient Frontier
Are you familiar with the efficient frontier? More on this in a minute. First, let’s talk about risk. One of the more helpful exercises in understanding your own risk tolerance is imagining how you will react if your stock portfolio declines by 30% or so. You can do a historical review of how you reacted in times when markets took a beating. How did you feel? And how did you react? Where you are in your stage of life is crucial, too. If you’re soon to be retired or newly retired, this is most likely uncharted water for you in terms of stock investing and your emotions. When you no longer … [Read more...]
They’ll Tell You Inflation is “Under Control”
When you hear that inflation is under control, all you need to do is sink your teeth into Your Survival Guy’s food inflation chart to get the real story. You and I know that government knows no limits when it comes to spending your money. It will create dollars out of thin air because it can, and expect you to absorb the devaluation of your own hard earned currency. You and I don’t have the luxury of a printing press in the basement, and we need to live our lives with fiscal responsibility. There’s a word worth repeating. Responsibility. It is up to you to take control of your … [Read more...]
Managing Your 401(k) Can Feel Like Time Standing Still
When Your Survival Guy graduated from Babson College in 1994, I got right to work. Right to work traveling, that is. I hit the road that summer, backpacking through Europe beginning with a trip to a Greek isle to visit a fraternity brother at his family’s summer place. That went so well that when I got home, I decided to be a ski instructor for the winter. Then, finally, I made my parents proud, and I got a “real” job at Fidelity Investments. That was March ’95. What’s the rush? One of my tasks at Fidelity Investments was to jump on the phones when call volume was high. The other part of my … [Read more...]
“My Effin’ Life,” by Geddy Lee of the Band Rush
Your Survival Guy’s been reading “My Effin’ Life,” by Geddy Lee of the band Rush. To understand Lee, one needs to know where he came from: the suburbs of Toronto, Canada, a child of holocaust surviving parents. His father died when Lee was only 12, and as such, Lee knew about loss at a young age. His mother, grief-stricken, made it hard for Lee to realize his own pain from the loss of his dad. When Lee looks back, writing “My Effin’ Life” at age 69, he realizes he, too, was a survivor and not just a quiet kid. He was determined. He had calloused fingers from playing, he was hardened … [Read more...]
What’s the Right Amount to Invest in Stocks?
Your Survival Guy has witnessed it all when it comes to investing. I’ve written to you about the top 10 investing mistakes to avoid and the top 10 investing habits of the fairly wealthy (see below). I’ve told you how I see investors get overweight in stocks like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. Then they switch to a strict diet of cash, selling out at the bottom of a bear market, never to get back in. It’s why I don’t try to time the market, nor do I advise it for you because you need to be right twice: when to sell and when to rebuy. Avoid the problem altogether. Don’t get greedy. … [Read more...]
“Survival Guy, How Much Should I Invest in Stocks?”
“How much should I invest in stocks?” It’s a good question. One you might be thinking about. Sure, when you’re working, it’s easy to invest in stocks because you have a paycheck to lean on like a crutch. But what if you’re retired with no paycheck, living on a fixed income? Investing in stocks can be downright scary. The good news is stocks have historically been good inflation fighters. But how much to invest? You’ve seen the brutal corrections so far this century. And chances are there will be more. “So, Survival Guy, how much do we invest in stocks?” When speaking with … [Read more...]
“Survival Guy, What Have You Done for Me Lately?”
“Hey, Survival Guy, what have you done for me lately?” you ask. “Good question.” Let’s refresh our memories. One of the more important tasks of an investor is to protect what one makes. You know how it goes. Rule #1: don’t lose money. Rule #2: don’t forget rule #1. As another wise man said, then there’s rule #6: “Don’t lose money.” When asked about rules one through five said, “There are no other rules.” See how fun this can be? As we get older, we learn the rules. One way or another, we learn the rules. I’d put the school of hard knocks up against Harvard any day of the week. … [Read more...]
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