What You Need In Order To Retire Before Age 65 [View article]
let's be honest, in canada we don't have access to care. some 5 million canadians do not even have access to a family doctor. and people wait in lines for months or years (often unable to work) to get basic surgery for knees and hips and other. remember, canada is the only developed nation that has universal coverage, but basically outlaws private sector (and the efficiencies that come with competition). asia and europe have better systems with public and private delivery incompetition. canada's system is nothing short of a disaster. except for sick kids hospital in toronto and a few others that get massive private funding.
3 Reasons Why Gold Could Drop Another 30% [View article]
No one knows where any asset class is going, short of long term. We can start there. But what is a very slight glimmer of hope for the US, and not for gold owners, is that the US deficit is now shrinking.
I don't think that has received much play in the media, or here on SA. But that could be significant. With political will, the US could get out of deficit trouble sooner rather than later - and I never thought I would write that sentence.
Why The Market Is Not Necessarily Cheap [View article]
Great article, I hope most on SA find it. I always have time for an author who offers some humility and admits that they don't know where the markets are going, but that we should factor in the actual and factual long term trends to evaluation risk and return.
Most investors thinks equities do incredible if you just hold them long enough. As we can see that's not always true. And holding lots of equities may not work going forward.
Asset allocation and diversification (and geographic) will still be king going forward, as it has been over the last 12 years or more.
Why 2012 Will Be Way Better Than 2011 [View article]
Joseph, bear markets can last 20 years? I think even your chart shows that. And of course anything can happen. The stock market has no memory. And will the stock market returns be real if there are any, or merely inflation protection with money printing.
US currently prints or borrows 40% of all federal spending. And that trend is continuing to get worse, and is very dangerous. .
Justin, US is in worse shape than Europe on debt and deficit metrics. US prints or borrows 40% of all federal spending - and that's at record low borrowing costs. And spike, and well ...
thanks, I would separate tax increases from definition of austerity. i think that's the other side of the ledger. tax increases are harmful to growth of course. but they may be necessary on a short term basis.
US will likely have to consider it. corporations pay at a very low rate due to distorted write offs and exemptions. US needs to get serious, in a hurry.
Start Thinking In Terms Of Gold Price [View article]
If she bought in '84 and wanted to buy 'stuff' in 01 her gold would have disappointed her incredibly with substantial losses. It's all about the timing, or time frame i should add. If she was in equities over that time frame she would have had incredible returns, even against inflation.
History teaches us that gold is an insurance policy over decades not years or a decade. And I write this as a big fan of gold, and one who has recently cashed in his insurance policy.
Should note though, that with the Canadian index or etf, we are up 70% or so plus dividends from 2000, while the US market is under water. Another example of why Americans should diversify geographically. We are all guilty of holding too much of our domestic market. This time, I was lucky.
The Case For A 100% Dividend Stock Portfolio [View article]
Love your first paragraph. Ha. Wonderful risk management - well as best we can attempt on the internet.
From there it will be up to DIY investors to evaluate their risk tolerance level. That's kind of like asking how long you think you can hold your hand in ice water. You dont' know until you know. And most or many investors over estimate their risk tolerance. But if history has to teach them a lesson or two, so be it. I think most of us have learned much from our mistakes. It is the teacher that seems to offer the most lasting impact.
And for those who have already been investing, they can reflect on how they felt (and most importantly, reacted) to price declines. Whether they be modest or severe.
Dividend Growth Investors - Prepare For The Correction [View article]
Hi, don't know when that big correction is coming, of course. There may be minor corrections, medium-stress corrections/tests before next major correction.
All we know is that historically, they arrive.
Best to be prepared, and have a plan, for most every scenario.
The Crazy Thing About The 2008-2009 Stock Market Crash [View article]
Tim. By the time GE cut its dividend in February of 2009, GE's stock price had already fallen by about 80% from its recent peak (of the period).
Once again, by the time they cut it's usually too late. If one is uses dividend freeze or cut, as the parameter for portfolio inclusion, it likely won't work in many cases. One will have to be able to read some other tea leaves.
Diversification and the ability to stay the course will be key. Mostly the stay the course part. Great entry points for many of these companies will also be when they cut their dividend.
It is certainly not easy to navigate in a major correction.
Some will profit from the next correction, many more will likely flame out - unfortunately.
Modern Asset Allocation: Riskier Than You Think [View article]
... "However, when stocks are not doing well and going down, sometimes significantly as in 2000 and 2008 with over 50% losses to stocks each time, the conservative investor finds themselves with losses greater than ever expected".
Hoping you could explain that, and provide some total return examples. That's a big statement with no numbers to support.
If we simply construct a DIA and TLT portfolio from 2006 through to 2011, and through the 2008 correction - the portfolio never goes under water, and delivers a 51% return over those 6 years.
What You Need In Order To Retire Before Age 65 [View article]
3 Reasons Why Gold Could Drop Another 30% [View article]
http://bit.ly/5BsyVl
I don't think that has received much play in the media, or here on SA. But that could be significant. With political will, the US could get out of deficit trouble sooner rather than later - and I never thought I would write that sentence.
Why The Market Is Not Necessarily Cheap [View article]
Most investors thinks equities do incredible if you just hold them long enough. As we can see that's not always true. And holding lots of equities may not work going forward.
Asset allocation and diversification (and geographic) will still be king going forward, as it has been over the last 12 years or more.
Trouble Brewing Behind Facade Of Bull Rally [View article]
Why 2012 Will Be Way Better Than 2011 [View article]
US currently prints or borrows 40% of all federal spending. And that trend is continuing to get worse, and is very dangerous. .
More Signs Of Economic Improvement [View article]
How's That Austerity Working? [View article]
US will likely have to consider it. corporations pay at a very low rate due to distorted write offs and exemptions. US needs to get serious, in a hurry.
Start Thinking In Terms Of Gold Price [View article]
History teaches us that gold is an insurance policy over decades not years or a decade. And I write this as a big fan of gold, and one who has recently cashed in his insurance policy.
Is This A Bear Market Rally? [View article]
Identifying The End Of The Gold Bull [View article]
macro trends we can play, but technicals are play things, just for fun.
The Case For A 100% Dividend Stock Portfolio [View article]
From there it will be up to DIY investors to evaluate their risk tolerance level. That's kind of like asking how long you think you can hold your hand in ice water. You dont' know until you know. And most or many investors over estimate their risk tolerance. But if history has to teach them a lesson or two, so be it. I think most of us have learned much from our mistakes. It is the teacher that seems to offer the most lasting impact.
And for those who have already been investing, they can reflect on how they felt (and most importantly, reacted) to price declines. Whether they be modest or severe.
Dividend Growth Investors - Prepare For The Correction [View article]
All we know is that historically, they arrive.
Best to be prepared, and have a plan, for most every scenario.
The Crazy Thing About The 2008-2009 Stock Market Crash [View article]
Once again, by the time they cut it's usually too late. If one is uses dividend freeze or cut, as the parameter for portfolio inclusion, it likely won't work in many cases. One will have to be able to read some other tea leaves.
Diversification and the ability to stay the course will be key. Mostly the stay the course part. Great entry points for many of these companies will also be when they cut their dividend.
It is certainly not easy to navigate in a major correction.
Some will profit from the next correction, many more will likely flame out - unfortunately.
The Dividend Advantage Over Gold [View article]
It's like comparing your car to the car's insurance policy. Which one's better? huh?
Modern Asset Allocation: Riskier Than You Think [View article]
Hoping you could explain that, and provide some total return examples. That's a big statement with no numbers to support.
If we simply construct a DIA and TLT portfolio from 2006 through to 2011, and through the 2008 correction - the portfolio never goes under water, and delivers a 51% return over those 6 years.