"Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny."
Mahatma Gandhi

In This Edition
So Much Money Everywhere- Ben Carlson
Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock
Latest Podcast
Testimonial

In April I will be speaking to a room full of graduating Western Washington University seniors, as well as the class (Personal Investing 216) that our Foundation supports. My presentations will include a list of 10 things every investor should know.

One of those items points is, “At any point in stock market history there has always been a list of good news as well as bad. Investors always have a choice which one they want to believe and the likely impact that news will have on the stock market. Of course they can also choose to believe they don’t have a clue what the stock market will do with this news.

We are at a point in society where one group of investors (some with very little in their portfolio and others with more than they need) believe the economy is in deep trouble and their concern is big enough they are calling for a change in national leadership.

Another group is celebrating a strong economy and a raging bull market that has driven the market to breathtaking heights. I suspect the people who have focused on the bad news, rather than the good, may be even more confused as they believed the bad news was sufficient to keep their powder dry in CDs or money market funds.

Ben Carlson, one of our favorite Truth-Tellers, has a new article that includes some surprising information. In his March 18 article, “So Much Money Everywhere” he shares some remarkable information about the financial state of the average household.

While you are dialed into Ben, I hope you will also read,
"Americans Have Never Been Wealthier & No One is Happy"

Of course, true buy and hold accumulators ignore the lists of good and bad news and continue to dollar cost average into the market no matter what’s on the good or bad news lists. I think this group will find this week’s podcast and video on "Fixed Contributions" meaningful.

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock: Thursday, April 11 at 4:30PM

Stan Haithcock, also know as "Stan the Annuity Man," is recognized as one of the top independent annuity agents in the United States. Stan has authored seven books on annuities - all free on his website- and has produced over 1,000 educational videos on YouTube. His goal is to help do-it-yourself investors understand how annuities work and to protect them from costly mistakes.

Latest Podcast- Fixed Contributions 2024 Update

In segment #5 of the 2024 Book Camp Series Paul applies all of the first 4 segments lessons to putting the portfolios to work by making a regular monthly investment into several of the Sound Investing Portfolios. For those coming to the series for the first time Paul suggests listening to the first 4 segments.

#1 Stocks vs. Bonds: The $10 Million Decision

#2 The Ultimate Buy and Hold Portfolio 2024 Update

#3 Sound Investing Portfolios: 2024 Update

#4 Fine Tuning Asset Allocation 2024 Update

In his presentation Paul references Tables J1a, A1a, H2a, B1, B9, C1 and C9.

The purpose of the podcast is to familiarize investors with how to use and compare the rest of the Fixed Contribution Tables. This link takes investors to the rest of the C tables.

Testimonial- Youtube Comment

Bootcamp #3 Sound Investing Portfolio Performance: 2024 Update

"These are all wonderful presentations which lay a fantastic framework on how to look at investment performance… The benchmarks and methodologies presented here should be required for any investor. BRAVO”

The truth about investing: ‘Common sense’ can be the worst advice

Fine Tuning Your Asset Allocation 2024 Update

#5 Fixed Contributions 2024 Update

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In This EditionSo Much Money Everywhere- Ben CarlsonUnderstanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan HaithcockLatest PodcastTestimonial

In This Edition
So Much Money Everywhere- Ben Carlson
Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock
Latest Podcast
Testimonial

Are you focused on good or bad news?