Many investors in retirement have certain goals in common: more money rather than less, minimal wealth volatility, and enough financial cushion to cover the extra costs of, hopefully, living a very long life. Retirees have generally tried to meet those goals with a simple rule of thumb: hold a balanced stock/bond portfolio and withdraw at a sustainable rate. Historically this... View Article
It was in this letter exactly a year ago that we sought to provide some perspective about the steep decline stocks had just experienced in fourth quarter 2018. Over the course of just a few trading sessions in December, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 12%, and the Russell 2000 small stock index fell 14%. The plunge sent the major... View Article
Take a minute to think about your birthday this coming year. Who will be there with you? What will you be doing? What will you be eating, and maybe more importantly, what will you be drinking? Now, think ahead and do the same for your birthday in 20 years’ time. What does the scene look like? Who is there? What... View Article
It’s no surprise that people often struggle to act responsibly, even when they know better. They charge too much on their credit cards, eat ice cream for breakfast and skip the gym. Many of these self-control issues are driven by present bias, which is the tendency to make choices that are distorted by the prospect of an immediate reward. Here... View Article
It has been said that golf is an easy game, it’s just hard to play. Much the same could be said of investing. The principles of long-term investment success aren’t particularly complicated. Construct a well-diversified portfolio appropriate for your risk and return needs. Stay the course and let compounding work its magic over time. Easy, right? And yet…it isn’t. Emotions... View Article
In recent days the increase in volatility in the stock market has resulted in renewed anxiety for many investors. While it may be difficult to remain calm during a substantial market decline, it is important to remember that volatility is a normal part of investing. Additionally, for long-term investors, reacting emotionally to volatile markets may be more detrimental to portfolio performance than... View Article
Some claim that a global recession has begun following a lot of the recent economic data. Others might argue that major problems only exist overseas, and signs of any recession is not present in the United States. Regardless of who is right, we expect a recession won’t be confirmed until twelve months or longer after the fact. This is similar... View Article
Every point in a stock market cycle brings its own emotional challenges for long-term investors. When volatility spikes, as it did in 2018, investors need to muster their intestinal fortitude and avoid the temptation to flee to cash. In times of extended market doldrums, as we saw in 2015-16 when stocks mostly moved sideways, investors must avoid the temptation to... View Article
To be blunt, as part of their financial planning process, many more people should establish a longevity strategy. As we discussed in a recent blog Longevity Planning vs. The 4% Retirement Rule, there are many considerations when making these decisions. However, two primary characteristics determine which pre-retirees and retirees will benefit most: INITIAL FINANCIAL CONDITION: Retirees with “modest-sized” nest eggs relative... View Article
Last month, in our blog The 60/40 Investment Debate, we discussed a few key considerations when it comes to longevity risk. As our focus continues in a pursuit to solve this very important issue, we realize longevity planning is often confused with traditional planning for one’s future retirement. For most, today’s retirement planning only focuses on planning “to” retirement rather... View Article