With markets down into almost-bear-market-territory, nerves are fraying and questions are being asked. It is perhaps time for another reminder that, “This too shall pass.” The following is the market data surrounding all the bear markets (or near bear markets) in the S&P 500 since its inception on March 4th, 1957. In the 26 years

Read More

A “Bear Market” is usually defined as the condition in which the price of a market falls – on a closing basis – 20% (or more) from recent highs amid widespread negative investor sentiment. That’s the definition. Can you tell me: Are we in a Bear Market? It depends. Your answer to the question, “Are

Read More

The last couple weeks we’ve been highlighting the only three percentages that matter. These are the three measurable and controllable percentages that are absolutely critical to your long-term financial plan, especially your retirement-income success: Savings Rate: The percentage of your income you save Equity Allocation: The percentage of your portfolio you place in equities Withdrawal

Read More

Featured Articles: Good Writing From Around The Web Mapped: Global Happiness Levels in 2022 Global happiness in pictures. 2022 World Happiness Report The full World Happiness Report for 2022. Putin and Xi Exposed the Great Illusion of Capitalism Globalization, with all of its warts, is a good thing. When we think of future leaders, the

Read More

From last week’s Mindful Money Weekly, you remember that there are three measurable and controllable percentages that are absolutely critical to your long-term investment success. These are the three financial levers each of us can pull to alter our long-term financial outcomes for better or worse: Savings Rate: The percentage of your income you save.

Read More

Shawn Yesner and I talk about the simple fact that most of us, myself included, spend time with serious debt problems – and that overcoming those problems begins with establishing a “No shame zone.” ABOUT SHAWN YESNER & THE CRUSHING DEBT PODCAST Yesner Law is a boutique real estate law firm in Tampa, Florida, that

Read More

Yes! No. Maybe? No one knows, and it doesn’t matter to long-term, goal-focused, and planning-driven investors. Always remember, the market cannot be timed. By definition, no one knows for sure that we’re in a recession while we’re in the recession. A recession is 2 consecutive quarters of GDP decline, and they’re “called” by the National

Read More

Last week, we introduced the constant competition between two camps of investors: the Active vs. the Passive. And, without taking a stance re: financial outcomes (performance is entirely unpredictable), we made the case that a passive approach might be the better approach. It is the one I choose personally, and recommend often – if for

Read More

“Difficult to see, always in motion is the future.”  -Yoda To my fellow Berkeleyans and other Bay Area residents, the headlines about the decline of American democracy are getting downright scary. I have begun to hear questions about how this might affect the economy and markets. It’s probably a good time to return to our

Read More