On the right, you can see the definition of dividend, provided by Google. We’re happy that the definition mentions profits because, over time, without profits, dividends cannot exist. But we also understand that this definition might not be that helpful. And, we want...
In this follow-up piece, we’re reviewing a real-life example of an “income” or “dividend” portfolio and its results, as compared to a portfolio built for total-return. If you missed that piece, it’s here. Recall that, while one could say the income portfolio provided...
As people consider retirement, here’s a question we get A LOT (the question has many variations): Question: I need income during retirement, so does that mean you will emphasize dividend-paying stocks? Our answer often surprises people: NO. We don’t find that to be...
We often get the question “As I get older, my portfolio needs to become more conservative, right?” Our answer is always, “It depends on what you’re trying to do.” Becoming overly conservative can be a huge mistake. We’ll get to that in a second. However, the reason...
Grandma and the EE Savings Bond Gift My family has an unusual tradition–my grandfather self-built two houses–one completed in 1957 and another in 1996. Yes, he built them, hammer-swinging and all, with family help. My father has also done the same–first completing...
We have prepared 12 Essential Questions to ask your financial advisor. 1) Do you act as a fiduciary? By being a fiduciary, an advisor acts in your best interest 100% of the time. It’s important because if not, they might be recommending something just “suitable” for...
At the risk of not listening to our wonderful founding father, Allen Jacobson, who advises to always accentuate the positive, this might come off as a negative piece. I’m just going to state that now, so it’s out of the way. Our goal here is really to help make GOOD...
When investing, it’s essential to understand if what you’re buying is a productive asset. What does that mean? Well, these assets produce profits or cash, which you can spend or reinvest. We could analyze any given collection; dolls, glassware, coins, stamps, travel...
Market Prices over time As investors, we love to study history. We have what we’ll call a “database” of information about every significant market decline in the past 150 years. We’ve shared in the past that the economy and stock market are related; however, much more...
Sticking to your financial plan and staying invested is essential, especially during tough times. Sometimes our best role is to help “coach” when those times come. A key in playing that role is that we stress-test your financial plans to provide confidence that it’s...
