October 30, 2009
The #2 item on my list of the ten most common mistakes investors make is discounting the importance of compound interest. Albert Einstein described compound interest as the greatest mathematical discovery of all time. Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s longtime partner, said: “Understanding the power of compound return and the difficulty getting it is the heart and soul of understanding a lot of things.” My son, Matthew Young, puts it this way: “Compound interest is your silent warrior for long-term investing.” The key to compound interest is not interest, but interest on interest. In fixed-income investing over long periods, interest on interest can account for over 60% of your returns. To harness the power of compound interest, you need time and a rate of return. In my monthly strategy reports and at my family-run investment company, I make compound interest a focal point. If you are not already with us, please join us. If you want to study the power of compound interest, spend some time with a compound interest table.
