Young Research & Publishing Inc.

Investment Research Since 1978

Disclosure

  • About Us
    • Contributors
    • Archives
    • The Final Richard C. Young’s Intelligence Report
    • You’ve Read The Last Issue of Intelligence Report, Now What?
    • Dick Young’s Research Key: Anecdotal Evidence Gathering
    • Crisis at Vanguard
  • Investment Analysis
    • Bonds
    • Currencies and Gold
    • Dividend Investing
    • ETFs & Funds
    • Investment Strategy
    • Retirement Investing
    • Stocks
    • The Efficient Frontier
  • Investment Counsel
  • Dynamic Maximizers®
  • Retirement Compounders®
  • Free Email Signup
  • Dick Young’s Safe America

Learn an Investment Lesson from an Ivy League’s Mistakes

December 17, 2019 By E.J. Smith

Your debt load in retirement will determine who’s in control, you or someone else. My father taught us that lesson. I remember when he brought my sister and me as kids to the bank to set up a savings account. The teller politely counted our money and printed the sum on the first page of the passbook. It wasn’t much, of course, but it was a beginning, and that was what was important to my dad. Through the years, we continued to save, and over time the numbers began to add up. This was in the late ’70s, so interest rates were much higher than they are today. By adding up all the interest lines, I learned real fast what compound interest means, and that simplicity is sophisticated.

Debt is compounding in reverse. One of the country’s top Ivy League universities borrowed $1.5 billion over the past decade to cover new projects. In the last fiscal year (6/30/08 to 6/30/09), its endowment lost 27%. Compare this with a more appropriate balanced fund like Vanguard Wellesley, which was down only 3.6%. Prior to the market crash, approximately 4.7% was withdrawn from the endowment to cover operating costs. All things being equal, that same 4.7% would be approximately 6.7% this year. But this year, programs and classrooms once thought to be untouchable are dealing with major cuts. Both draw rates are above the 4% recommended by Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. What were the managers doing with such an aggressive portfolio? These are experts, right? Simplicity is sophisticated.

The university is certainly not in the poorhouse. But not many of us can borrow like they can. Who’s going to bail you out in times of trouble? Debt will be a constant drag in retirement, and for many will increase when adjustable rate mortgages reset. You don’t want to be forced to sell an asset at the wrong time to cover debts. Reduce your debt as you work to get your financial house in order. If you need a plan, or help, give me a call at (800) 843-7273. And remember, simplicity is sophisticated.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

You Might Also Like:

  • Your Retirement Life: Investment Planning in One Chart
  • Your Retirement Life: Sweet Home Alabama
  • Your Retirement Life: Parents, do You have an Investment Plan?
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
E.J. Smith
E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zilldjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West and Paris.

Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@youngresearch.com
Latest posts by E.J. Smith (see all)
  • You Are Why Serious Investors Join Me - April 23, 2021
  • Where Are We With This Stock Market? Well… - April 22, 2021
  • When Stocks Drop by 33.9%, 49.1%, or Even 56.8% - April 21, 2021

Search Young Research

Most Popular

  • The Three Bubbles Threatening Your Portfolio Today
  • The Vanguard Wellesley Way
  • Vanguard Wellesley (VWINX) vs. Wellington (VWELX): Which Fund is Best?
  • There Are Plenty of Ways to Invest in This Market
  • When Stocks Drop by 33.9%, 49.1%, or Even 56.8%
  • Turkey Bans Bitcoin
  • TIPS Not the Best Inflation Hedge Today
  • The Highest Yielding Dow Stocks
  • Chinese Taking Aim at Tesla
  • The Power of a Compound Interest Table

Don’t Miss

Default Risk Among the Many Concerns with Annuities

Risk and Reward: An Efficient Frontier

How to be a Billionaire: Proven Strategies from the Titans of Wealth

Could this Be the Vanguard GNMA Winning Edge?

Cryptocosm and Life After Google

Warning: Avoid Mutual Fund Year End Distributions

Is Gold a Good Long-term Investment?

How to Invest in Gold

Vanguard Wellington (VWELX): The Original Balanced Fund

What is the Best Gold ETF for Investing and Trading?

Procter & Gamble (PG) Stock: The Only True Dividend King

The Dividend King of the North

You’ll Love This if You’re Dreaming of an Active Retirement Life

RSS The Latest at Richardcyoung.com

  • “Suicide by Cop” – Spinning Out of Control
  • FBI Warning: Multiple State Scammers Are Bilking Millions
  • OUTRAGE: LeBron James Threatens Police Officer
  • VIDEO: Lara Trump and Herschel Walker on the Future of the GOP
  • “Hillbilly Elegy” Author J.D. Vance May Run for Senate in Ohio
  • Get Out Your Guns
  • The County Sheriff: America’s Last Hope
  • A Look at the Future of Main Street America
  • U.S. Survival AR-7
  • My Grandkids All Own Guns

About Us

  • About Young Research
  • Archives
  • Contributors

Our Partners

  • Richard C. Young & Co.
  • Richardcyoung.com

Copyright © 2021 | Terms & Conditions

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.