Recipe For A Prudent Portfolio
The start of the fall season brings excitement for different reasons. The leaves start to change color, cooler temperatures bring relief after the sweltering summer heat, and college football games play all day on Saturday (if you’re an ISU fan this year… condolences to my fellow Hawks fans). There’s lots of reasons to celebrate the […]
“Fear On” & “Fear Off” Markets and the Value of Market Punditry
Last quarter I wrote of the distorting effect fear has upon price in financial markets during panics and suggested that the long-term investor was better off focusing upon portfolio cash flow until calmer spirits returned. Fortunately, during the first and second quarters (and also during the “Great Recession of 2008-2009), income has proven to be […]
The Hype
Not all “hype” is good hype. Some of it is… but certainly not all of it.
Jon likes hamburgers, but I prefer chicken sandwiches. Not just any chicken sandwiches, but Chick-fil-A sandwiches, specifically a #2 deluxe with a side of fries, please. There’s a reason this company is the #1 fastest-growing fast food chain in the country – they live up to their good hype.
What of this, “New Normal”?
I was in the Scottsdale, Arizona area for our annual trip to meet with clients not so long ago. Today, thinking back on that trip, what’s striking is how uneventful it was. February is a good time to visit Arizona, the clients were (and always seem to be) content. Their good cheer reflective of how well markets had performed in 2019. One client had the flu and asked that we reschedule. I didn’t see that as a problem. Libby was making a follow up trip in April and would want to meet the same people anyway. Libby’s trip, of course, never happened.
Avoid Scams Related to Economic Payments, COVID-19
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the United States Secret Service (USSS) urge all Americans to be on the lookout for criminal fraud related to these economic impact payments—particularly fraud using coronavirus lures to steal personal and financial information, as well as the economic impact payments themselves—and for adversaries seeking to disrupt payment efforts.
A “Fear On” Market
Most of the time, financial markets find balance between fear and greed. Most quarters, while allowing for some winners and some losers, will have a slight overriding direction. This was not one of those quarters.
The Refrigerator Door
Last October, I attended a Luke Combs concert with my fiancé and some friends. He performed one of his songs titled “Refrigerator Door” and the meaning behind it got me thinking.
My Experience Working From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As you can imagine, some of our content has changed given the status of our world lately. In light of this, I thought I would share some of my personal experiences during the pandemic.
A Message From Our Managing Partner in Response to COVID-19
Clients and friends,
In our January 2020 quarterly newsletter named “Dividends”, in my piece “My Annual ‘No Prediction for Next Year’ Letter”, I made a statement regarding what to expect from markets in 2020. I stated:
“Here is what we can expect in 2020: stuff is going to happen, weird stuff, stuff we didn’t see coming and so it’s best to be ready”.
Without a doubt, we couldn’t have predicted the impact of the COVID-19 virus. However, I can say with certainty, Iowa Wealth Management is prepared and ready to serve our clients through these unsure times.
How Will the 2020 Election Affect Your Portfolio?
A common question has emerged in recent review meetings: “Should I be worried about my portfolio during an election year?” The answer is complicated, but the short answer is… probably not… but you should expect some volatility.