2022 Year-end Financial Reminders
As we approach the end of 2022, it's a good time to address year-end "to-do's". Please find below a list of financial items to consider before year-end, as well as important deadlines to keep track of this year and for 2023. read more...
Volatile 3Q 2022 Features a Shortlived Bear Market Rally, But Silver Linings Emerging
We began the third quarter of 2022 on a positive note with an equity market rally through mid-August. This was a welcome development after the challenging start to 2022 but did not last, as rising interest rates and uncertainty regarding the direction of the economy created significant volatility through the rest of the quarter. read more...
Helmets Back On: More Potential Market Turbulence This Fall
It’s been quite a summer in the markets. After the weak start to 2022, the markets rebounded substantially in June and July. The S&P 500 Index was up 9.1% for the month of July alone. This strength did not last and was followed by a rapid sell-off in August. read more...
Uncertainty is Worse than Bad News
Human brains do not like uncertainty. In fact, in 2016, researchers at the University College London showed that their subjects experienced less stress if they knew that they were going to receive an electric shock, versus knowing that there is a small chance of a shock. read more...
Roller Coaster Markets
Two months ago, I wrote about navigating the market’s “rapids”, as we had begun 2022 with high levels of market volatility. I’ll continue the theme this month, this time with roller coasters, as the markets continued to be tumultuous through May. read more...
Why We Should Keep Listening to Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger
The 2022 Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting took place on Saturday, April 30th. An estimated 40,000+ attendees lined up for hours in Omaha, happy for the opportunity to attend the first live Berkshire event in two years. read more...
Q1 2022 Market Review: Navigating the Rapids
The first quarter of 2022 has been an eventful one, as rapidly rising inflation, the prospect of faster than expected Fed tightening, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia caused high levels of market volatility. There was nowhere for investors to hide as the equity markets fell into correction territory and the bond markets broadly sold off. As the quarter closed, the S&P 500 index had recovered, however still finished the quarter -5%. read more...
Market Update: What the Invasion of Ukraine Means for the Markets
In January the market was focused on how much the Fed would raise interest rates, and how fast, as inflation measures continued to rise. After a bit of a relief rally at the end of January and beginning of February, concerns of an imminent attack on the Ukraine rose as Russian soldiers amassed on the Ukrainian border, rattling markets and spurring a “risk-off” move to safer securities. read more...
Personal Finance: Step 1: How to Start Getting your Financial Life Organized
This post is the first in a series of personal finance blog posts. Over time, we’ll walk through how to think about and approach personal finance and investing in a step-by-step way. I’ll include several ‘starter’ posts on how to approach personal finance and investing. I’ll also have a “101” post on how the markets work, and additional special topic areas including estate planning considerations, how to talk to the next generation about money and investing, taxes, and charitable giving. read more...
Market Update: Taking Away the Punch Bowl
The old cliché, “markets don’t like uncertainty” can be expanded to “markets don’t like uncertainty or punch bowls being taken away”. After three years of unusually strong equity market returns, 2022 started off on a with high market volatility as investors worried about inflation and the pace of monetary policy tightening. read more...