My wife Vicki and I happily celebrated 20 years of marriage this Spring. As an advisor, my discussions with clients often revolve around categorizing goals as “short-term” and “long-term”; I’m pretty sure 20 years would be in that Long-Term bucket… (and to many of you reading this, 20 years is nothing!)
If you would’ve asked us 20 years ago how those years would play out exactly, we could only tell you something like “comfortable home in a safe neighborhood, a few kids…” and, well maybe that’s it?
Because just like with investing, we can’t know all the details upfront, can we?
The ups and downs of life and raising children, the trials and the tests, the joys, celebrations, and growth… we can’t see it all ahead of time.
I know it sounds obvious, but the same is true with long-term planning/investing. > SEE MORE
Since the 1970s, economists have measured how consumers are feeling about the financial environment, by asking five questions. How would you answer these today if they were asked of you?:
- “Would you say that you (and your family living there) are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
- Now looking ahead–do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now?
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What a week. With the Federal Reserve increasing their “target” federal funds rate by a half-percent (the last time it was increased this much was the year 2000), the market responded with a wild ride up, followed by a large drop the next day.
In case you’re wondering how stocks typically respond to moves like this, we thought it would be helpful to look at some of the evidence. How has this worked out in the past, and how much should we worry?
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