The buzz around Jeopardy! superstar James Holzhauer was so big that I had to tune in to a game show I hadn’t seen in years. Holzhauer had purportedly “broken” the game – now in its 35th year – by turning traditional strategy on its ear; the winning did not slow down as the …
The market has been on a decade-long bull run, the proverbial environment for a blind monkey throwing darts to build a good portfolio. And yet, according to recent research, a high number of clients working with financial planners might prefer a blind monkey to the adviser they have. It’s a shocking indictment …
You missed out on hearing the smart people talking the latest in money-management at the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago last week, but you’re no worse off for staying away from the cutting edge in investment ideas. That conclusion was unavoidable as I attended Morningstar’s three-day fund-fest in Chicago last week for the …
The only question left for manager David Winters when it was announced recently that he will close his Wintergreen Fund was “What took you so long?” The fund is dead last in its Morningstar Inc. asset category over the last three and five years, but also the last three months. It is within …
The five dirtiest words in personal finance are “now, next, best, top and must.” As in “Five money moves to make now,” or “The best funds for the new year,” or, doubling up “The next move all investors must make.” For years, lines like those – appealing to base instincts of consumers …
Carl is a 75-year-old retiree from Mercer Island, Wash., splitting time between charity efforts, yard work, family and trying to make sure his money will last for the rest of his life. In September 2018, Carl’s portfolio — 100 percent invested in index and specialty exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – was up more than …
Many people believe that some of life’s best lessons are learned at the worst of times. But a recent study shows that the worst of times in the stock market’s recent memory brought out the worst behavior in most investors, and people who fail to learn from that experience will severely damage their …
Americans don’t save enough for retirement. Countless studies show that. There are a lot of causes to the problem, and none of them are coffee. Yet the seemingly constant banter when it comes to people’s finances is that individuals can save a boatload of money if they just give up paying for …
Market downturns don’t necessarily get average investors to run for cover, but they do convince a lot of people that it’s time for a free lunch or dinner. That meal generally comes as part of an “investment seminar,” and while the food often can be good, the products pitched in these sessions can …
Investors have a lot of reason to think they should avoid the stock market these days. “I’m making so much in my certificates of deposit” is not one of them. And yet, I have met a number of seniors recently who worried their way onto the sidelines for much of the long-lasting …
