Thoughts on Being Coronavirus Positive
There are some events that have a generational impact on our nation. Some, like the 9/11 attack or Pearl Harbor, brought our nation together. Others, like the Vietnam War or the election of Donald Trump, pulled us apart. Clearly, the coronavirus is one of these events. While it’s easy to [...]
Don’t Stop Investing!
A strong trend change in investing has developed over the past few years. Particularly after 2008, many folks have given up on private investing for growing their long-term wealth. This latest correction of both debt and equity markets obviously will not help. In the Midwest, we do not even like [...]
Have a steady strategy even in a down market
The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, just had its fastest drop of 30%, ever. The others in the top 5 are 1934, 1931, 1929 and 1987. That’s some scary company to keep. Only one of these was more short-term in nature, the 1987 crash. Should we heed [...]
The generosity of Americans shine during times of trouble.
As the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on our economy many both in the private and public sectors are trying to assist those worst hit. With the suspension of the NBA season multiple NBA players and owners have announced their intention to help hourly employees at basketball arenas across the country. New [...]
The Long View
This morning I received a call from a wise octogenarian client. Is it time to buy? he asked. What was he thinking? He described his experience of 1987. In October that year, the S&P 500 index dropped by 30 percent, over 20 percent on that one Monday, October 19. (Sounds [...]
Don’t let experiences from your past determine your future
Recently released data from the Federal Reserve shows that the Millennial generation, of which I am member, own far less appreciating assets than previous generations have owned at a similar age. According to the study, Millennials at age 30 own just 4.6% of total US assets compared to the 7.8% [...]
Prudence and Preparation Are Important
I’m a planner, I always have been. Perhaps it’s my pessimistic nature, but generally speaking, I assume things left to chance will turn out badly. For that reason I live by the credo “hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” As you might imagine, threats like the coronavirus [...]
Many options in forming a tax strategy
It’s tax season again. As part of Stewardship Capital’s continued focus on giving back to the community, I recently became a certified tax preparer through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. In cooperation with the Community Services League, I volunteer to provide free tax preparation services to low-income and elderly [...]
Sound Principles Still Hold Value
In all areas of life, there are principles to be learned and applied. Finance is no exception. Many bedrock fundamentals found in the Bible have proven their worth over the past two thousand years or more. One is diversification. Spelled out in Ecclesiastes 11, verse 2, Solomon counsels, Divide your [...]
Don’t Just Wait and See, Make it Happen!
Monday was the Iowa caucus. I think some of the great things that come out of this early campaign stop are the one-on-one conversations candidates get to have with everyday people. Many of you might have seen a video recently that went viral on social media capturing an interaction between [...]