Good morning! Today's email includes: -- some data and theory about US stocks vs. international stocks -- a good lesson about withholding taxes from Roth conversions --a podcast episode about the final glide into retirement --other great content about life lessons, cybersecurity, and market indicators ...and more... ...and more... Will US Stocks Continue to Outperform International Stocks? US stocks have outperformed international stocks by a surprising margin over the past 55 years. So - is...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Good morning! Today's email includes: --The concept of "full price" ⌛ --The hidden 90% of investment account statements 🫣 --Healthcare in retirement, denominators, and giving it away... 🩺 ...and more... The Importance of Full Price We all notice the sticker price. That bicycle costs $400. That's the sticker price. And some of us think about opportunity cost. You spend money now, but you could have more money later. A bird in hand vs. two in the bush. That's opportunity cost. If you invested...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Good morning! Scenes of summer here in Upstate NY. Our elder daughter loves to swim. It's hard to go wrong with a pool + a grilled cheese sandwich. Today's email includes: 🧸 Some thoughts before the (next) bear market. 🫙 What you might be missing on your investment account statements. 👀 Some interesting news about what the IRS is paying attention to ...and more= Jesse on Some Other Podcasts... Many thanks to Paul Lambert and Chris Hill and Joe Saul-Sehy for inviting me on their excellent...
27 days ago • 1 min read
Good morning! It might be smoggy outside, but hopefully you're feeling clarity in your financial plans. Today's email includes: *A listener who asked, "My retirement portfolio is 100% S&P 500 - and it's done great! Why do you say it's wrong?!" *A $500K Roth conversion mistake, and a reminder about the clients I prefer to work with. *Other content about "solo agers," big goals, and Social Security calculators. Ask Me (Literally) Anything We're getting ready to record Episode 150. Many of you...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Good morning! Today's email includes: *A different type of "ask me anything" episode, coming soon. *A podcast episode devoted entirely to your Roth conversion questions *A sequence-of-returns model that you can use and play with. *And other people's content about ignoring the news, knowledge vs. understanding, and being a unique human. Ask Me (Literally) Anything We're getting ready to record Episode 150. Many of you know that my normal AMA episodes focus entirely on retirement and financial...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Good morning. It's hot. 🌶️ Today's email includes: *A new podcast episode about "risk parity" portfolios, and the three H's of retirement, and the five ways to use your money for good. *An old article about "benefits hacking" - an immoral practice, or a genius way of playing within the rules? *Some great content from others, including a great chat Are You Hoarding, Hustling, or Harvesting? In this new podcast episode, I was joined by Frank Vazquez -- retired attorney, creator of Risk Parity...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Good morning from beautiful Keuka Lake, where we're spending a few days at my wife's family reunion. Today's email includes: *A new podcast episode about identity, relationships, and structure - three vital components of retirement that money cannot solve for. *What Warren Buffett called "financial mass destruction" and how to avoid it It *Won't* Automatically Happen Retirement readiness is not only financial. Your life needs structure that many people aren't ready for. It doesn't happen...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Good morning! Today's email includes... The latest "Ask Me Anything" episode - how to "portfolio-tize" your various accounts. We all know stocks beat bonds...but only over the long run. What kind of timelines are we actually talking about? How to "Portfolio-tize" Your Various Different Accounts? You've got a 401(k), an old IRA, a Joint Taxable account with your spouse...oh, and all their retirement accounts too. How do you create one cohesive portfolio? How do you "portfolio-tize" these...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Good morning! Today's email includes... The latest "Ask Me Anything" episode - featuring opportunity costs, TIPS, and asset location. Why a small 10% difference can lead to infinite differences - in both health and wealth. Stop Eating!! It's Costing You BILLIONS! Well...that headline isn't quite true. Though some people like to frame "opportunity cost" as the monster sapping your very life-force. In this "Ask Me Anything" episode, I tackle (3) great retirement finance questions... First -...
2 months ago • 2 min read