Portfolio goals

Today, let’s pause and take a moment to reflect on the wondrous powers of small, quiet acts.

If there’s one trait nearly everyone shares, it’s a desire to make the world a better place. No wonder there’s so much interest in environmental, social, governance (ESG) investing. Who wouldn’t want to try earning decent if not stellar returns, while contributing – or at least causing less harm – to the greater good?

Many investors view dividend payouts as a reliable source of income. However, those expecting to receive consistent dividend income may have been surprised to see lower- than-expected dividend payouts following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when both market volatility and market declines were extraordinary.

In a recent piece, we explored how to invest available cash: Should you invest it all right away as a lump sum? Or are you better off wading in more gradually with dollar-cost averaging?

Here’s an interesting puzzle: Why do we cringe at the sight or sound of breaking glass, but we salivate over breaking news?

In third-quarter markets that represented a second consecutive quarter of remarkable overall gains, what stock outshone all the others in the S&P 1500 Composite Index?

Zoom? Apple? Netflix? Nope, none of these nor any of the other trendy FAANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google’s parent company Alphabet). Not Tesla, either.

The anticipation building up to elections often brings with it questions about how financial markets will respond, but the outcome of an election is only one of many inputs to the market. Our exhibit examines market and economic data for nearly 100 years of US presidential terms and shows a consistent upward march for US equities regardless of the administration in place.

Good news – you have an extra $24,000, and you’ve decided to invest it in the stock market. It’s always nice to have investable cash on hand, but you also might feel as if the pressure is on. Nobody enjoys seeing the market take a dive shortly after they jump in. Unfortunately, we never know when it might do exactly that.

For many of us, the daily routine has changed dramatically from a year ago. The near future offers little reason to expect any change.

In selecting or retaining a financial advisor, how do you know if you’re making a wise choice?

This is a challenging subject, indeed. First, the stakes are high. The quality of your selection, or lack thereof, can literally make or break your family’s fortune.