Hi Reader, We have officially entered the final quarter of the year. As we gear up for the final months of 2024, I'm sharing key updates and commentary on: The State of Consumers The State of Companies The State of Investing I'm also sharing two reasons investors should remain optimistic. Let's dive in! 👇 Small Cap Value (Part 3): How to Find the “Best” Fund Learn when (and why) it can make sense to pay MORE for an investment, how to evaluate different funds, and what small-cap value funds to...
7 days ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, Today, I’m sharing five of my favorite investing & economic charts from the past month. These charts cover topics such as: Future interest rate cuts The looming recession Investing in cash...and more! Before we dive in, did you catch the most recent podcast? Small Cap Value (Part 2): How to Reduce Risk + Improve Returns Learn how small-cap value stocks can reduce risk and improve returns, what criteria an investment needs to meet to be included in a portfolio, and why value...
14 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, You may have already noticed, but the title of this note is an oxymoron. There is no such thing as knowledge of the future because, quite literally, the future is unknowable. This is as true in business and the markets as it is in life. In today's email: The disconnect between expectations & reality Predicting versus planning Avoiding investing mistakes First, did you catch the most recent podcast episode? 👇 Small Cap Value Investing (Part 1): Is This Popular Strategy Dead? What...
29 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Throughout our investing lives, we have learned (or assumed) that: Good economic data = markets go up Bad economic data = markets go down This makes intuitive sense, but our recent investing experience has been anything but normal. In his latest memo, Howard Marks shared the following cartoon that captures the confusing world we've lived in for the past couple of years... ...one where it's been incredibly difficult to discern how the markets will respond to various economic data....
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Today, I’m sharing five of my favorite investing & economic charts from the past month. These charts cover topics such as: Market volatility Investing in gold Inflation...and more! Before we dive in, did you catch this week's podcast episode? Retirement, Taxes, and Investment Underperformance In this episode, I provide key takeaways from three of the BEST retirement articles I read this month. One of the articles makes a strong case for why taxes will be HIGHER in the future....
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, When you hear the term "financial freedom," what comes to mind? Frugality. Sacrifice. Success. Independence. In my experience, this term is loaded with broad misunderstandings that cause many people to misappropriate their time, money, or sometimes both. Before I explain, I just want to extend a quick thank you and welcome to all of our new readers! If you want to catch up and read past newsletters, click here. And if you want to introduce yourself and say hello, just hit reply to...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, My wife and I reveiwed and updated our estate plan recently. We go through this process every five years unless we experience a life-changing event or the estate/tax laws change. One of the must-have estate documents for most people is a Power of Attorney (POA). This document can have significant implications for both you and the person to whom you grant this authority. To help you understand these implications, I'm sharing the following in today's email: What is a POA (+ what are...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Just like that, volatility is back! Or maybe it’s gone again. Or maybe it’s not. Regardless, the volatility index (VIX)—often considered a measure of investor fear—reached 65 this week. The VIX has only been at this level three times in its history: Black Monday (October 1987), the Global Financial Crisis (08/09), and the "COVID crash" (2020). Keep in mind that the VIX recently spiked to this extreme level, with the market only down 8% from its all-time high. Not to mention, U.S....
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Today, I’m sharing five of my favorite investing and economic charts from the past month. These charts cover topics like: Market volatility Inflation Fed rate cuts...and more! Before we dive in, did you catch this week's podcast episode? Your Retirement Questions...Answered! Tune in to get answers to big questions like: Why should I do Roth conversions just to help my kids? Are closed-end funds a good investment? ...and more! Listen Now → Favorite Charts (July 2024) Here are my...
3 months ago • 3 min read