Thoughts On Money [TOM]

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3y08bG8 Let me ask you this, why did Goldilock’s parent allow her to wander alone in the forest? It’s never a good idea to invade the space of a bear, especially not three of them.  I don’t want you wandering the forest of personal finance tabloids or hanging around permabears.  Join me as I unpack the history of gold and call into question some of the hea...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/446kXz1 Turns out, the path to a prosperous retirement is not too different than learning to line-dance. The steps you take, and the sequence of those steps, can either carry you to the finish line or leave you woefully out of place. Without spoiling the surprise, join us today as James Andrews unpacks the steps to securing your retirement. Links mentioned...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3VNPHTq Lately, bonds have been behaving a lot like stocks. This can become a major issue for investors. The growing correlation between stocks and bonds challenges the historical diversification benefits that investors have relied on. What is an investor to do? Join me today as I unpack diversification via dividends and present a classic solution to a mod...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3vzmbWH The stock market has quite the win streak going. I submit that this in itself should not concern investors, but it is something investors should be aware of. Markets are indeed unpredictable, and markets are multi-directional. Sometimes win streaks can lull us to sleep allowing us to forget that markets are… multi-directional. Join me today as I di...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3Tr9Ag4 If you know me, you know I love cycling. If you know me, you know I love personal finance. Today was a treat for me, as our author Blaine Carver allowed my two favorite topics and hobbies to collide. Today, cycling meets financial planning in order to explain the importance of recognizing the drag taxes can have on returns. Furthermore, Blaine expl...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3uQ2RnS Leverage is debt. Is leverage good or bad? Neither. As is applicable to most things, leverage can be prudent in some cases and it can be misused in others. Debt can allow us to enjoy something today, while we stretch the cost over a defined time period. Debt can also be the culprit behind many stories of financial ruin. Join us today as James Andre...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3P61dFn When stock prices (valuations) feel stretched, it can be a bit scary.   Elevated market prices can lead to high peaks, which precede deep valleys (drawdowns).   So, when euphoria starts to become contagious, it’s important to steep ourselves in the lessons of history.   I will unpack all of this and more as we introduce today’s topic with a comical...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49EildP Today, I will discuss how both chefs and investors are influenced by their experiences, and I will share my personal recipe for designing an investment portfolio and financial plan.  I hope you will enjoy the personal side of the article, as well as the wisdom and humor I sprinkle in along the way.  Enjoy! Links mentioned in this episode: http://th...

This week's blogpost - Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3uqi2DW Please join us today as James Andrews explains how something even as minute as rainy days can be so incredibly disruptive and frustrating. James dives into the intangibles of financial planning and leads us back to what matters most. An article and a podcast you won’t want to miss. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/42rcKV3 Often, we are our own worst enemies.  To grow/mature as an investor, it is helpful to watch game film to slow down, reflect, and understand how things played out last year.  Please join me as I unpack why the markets in 2023 were a lot like fishing.  I will also conclude with some guidance on why (1) constantly refining your process and (2) control...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/429YLTH What is Risk? Seems like quite a philosophical question, no?  Yet, one we must wrestle with when it comes to investing.  A misunderstanding of risk can be costly.   Blaine Carver uses this analogy, and I think it’s perfect: We need to adjust our financial binoculars. We need to focus less on the blurred foreground and more on the horizon. The short...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3RXvTZY The temptation to overcomplicate wealth management in the name of sophistication is strong. Financial advisors are especially prone to fall into this category as we seek to add value to our clients. I encourage our readers to focus on the north star, not to be pulled away by the clever gimmicks that pop up every year, and to exercise discipline in...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3tDVijt Last week, we discussed the short life spans of New Year’s Resolutions. Blaine Carver offered some simple and profound wisdom around setting goals first by defining WHO you aspire to be prior to defining WHAT specifically you plan to do. This is a great segue for our dialogue today on what are the key attributes and/or traits of a successful invest...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3H0IPt9 Today Blaine Carver shares his Thoughts On Money. We know that gyms and juice bars will be as busy as ever in January; why? New Year’s Resolutions!  Yet, come February those trends tend to normalize as resolutions are ditched and old habits return.      Some of us have become disenchanted with these resolutions because we know historically these co...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3RBuYOT Yoda tells the young Jedi, Luke Skywalker, “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.”  I can’t think of a better piece of wisdom for investors, both young and old.  When you start to be drawn in by the seductive results of unsustainable returns, you have set a course to the dark side, a path to financial ruin.  Join...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/47WPz7e Today we welcome back James Andrews to share his Thoughts On Money. I won’t spoil it, but the opening story alone is worth a read. James goes on to talk about decision making and the importance of thinking beyond just the initial benefits or consequences.  Whether it is a rippling pond or a tipped over domino, we get this idea that one decision can...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3sZxIgP Today we will discuss the importance of understanding the why behind the what.  Too many financial decisions are made in a manner where the action gets more attention than the intent.  Understanding the why is one of the keys to financial success.  To unpack this truth I will share some funny stories, including one from my childhood – you won’t wan...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49XwxPv Imagine trying to build a 1,000 piece puzzle without the box cover – nearly impossible, right? Today, Blaine Carver unpacks this analogy of coverless puzzles and aimless financial plans. Words of wisdom that are pertinent for investors both young and old. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/47gGZj8 Growing up, it’s normal to dream about your future. As we grow up, our career aspirations shift, morph, and evolve. Perhaps in 3rd grade, you dreamed of being an astronaut. By 5th grade, you settled on being a pro baseball player, and by college, you find yourself two years into an art history major when your dad nudges you to pivot to something mo...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3MAS2vx Today, we welcome back guest author James Andrews. Also, please remember to join us for the podcast where we riff on the article and offer some extra insights on the topic. I especially enjoyed James’ section today on what he calls unforced errors and the unnecessary detriment these missteps can cause to investors. I am sure you will enjoy this and...

This week's blogpost - Have you ever attended a walk for breast cancer? Or perhaps a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research? A discussion with almost any attendee will lead to a conversation about how this disease or cause hits close to home for them. Whether it’s their own battle or that of a loved one, you can connect the dots from their passion to their support. Our experiences can drive our belie...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/498rCeb We all have flaws. All of us. The problem is that not all of us are aware of our flaws. We are hyper aware of the flaws of those around us, but often blind to our own blemishes. As the Ancient Greek maxim states, “Know thyself.” This is of course not news to you – I am well aware of that. I know that you know that we all have our own flaws. Here’s...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49dCWWz Last week we had an incredible guest author, Blaine Carver.  To continue the trend, we are now welcoming in James Andrews as this week's guest author on Thoughts On Money.  James starts us off with a story of sleep training that all parents can relate to and then dives into a teaching on mental models.  James takes us on a journey around financial...

This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3ZWJHYy I am excited and honored to introduce a guest writer today on Thoughts On Money. My good friend and colleague, Blain Carver, has prepared a wonderful entry for us today. We will talk road trips, finances, emotions, and the intersection of all of the above. Please join us for the written and the accompanying podcast – you won’t want to miss it. Link...