First of all, let me state that I am NOT a CPA, attorney, nor financial planner. I am just a relatively savvy stock investor who wants to help the general public find their way through some of the maze of stock investing.
I am 82 years young and have been investing in stocks and bonds for about 70 of those years. It is now my main hobby. I invest mainly in high-yield stocks rated A- or lower down to B. I got stung a few years ago when Lehman Brothers, rated AAA, went down the tubes, costing me over $25,000, so decided to never again bother with highly rated (over-rated) stocks that paid only small dividends. I prefer the high-yield stocks from which I can get paid NOW, even though I actually expect to last ...More another 20 years or so. I have developed my own stock investing system that I call MRHY (medium risk, high yield).
I took early retirement in 1987 from a job as manager of a Computer Systems and Programming department at a life insurance company. During my working years, I frequentlly worked closely with the company actuaries and accountants. I even took some actuarial classes to be able to work with the actuaries in their own language and skills. Those experiences, plus my computer skills and high IQ, have alllowed me to build my stock portfolio from less than $300,000 in 1987 to over $600,000 in 2007. I also inherited $everal hundred thou$and in 2011, which I have invested in medium-risk, high-yield stocks, so that my total stock portfolio is now well over 1 million.
The above Bio was posted a couple of years ago and has now (February, 2013) been updated. My stock holdings are now over 1.5 Million and my annual dividend income is nearly $150,000. I also collect income from SSA and 3 annuities that my deceased wife and I started in benefit when we retired.
SNAPSHOT
Description: Retiree.
Trading frequency: Weekly
Interests: Dividend stock ideas & income, REITs, Stocks - long
I think BDCs are the place to be rignt now. With the credit markets all jittery about the Europeans, they are the only place to get capital.
Jul 17, 2011
I am 82 years young and have been investing in stocks and bonds for about 70 of those years. It is now my main hobby. I invest mainly in high-yield stocks rated A- or lower down to B. I got stung a few years ago when Lehman Brothers, rated AAA, went down the tubes, costing me over $25,000, so decided to never again bother with highly rated (over-rated) stocks that paid only small dividends. I prefer the high-yield stocks from which I can get paid NOW, even though I actually expect to last ...More