Last quarter saw the bear market continue. Global stocks went down almost 7%¹ and US bonds lost almost 5%.² We’ve seen several positive indicators, but war, inflation and a potential recession have battered the markets. Recently a client asked me, given the bear market and bad news, “How can you be so calm?” In the moment, I said something to the effect of, “It’s a combination of belief and experience.” Since that conversation, however, I’ve been thinking more about the question, particularly in light of the “Bear Market Toolkit” we released last quarter.
Greater comfort. Isn’t that what we all seek in this new era, where a rogue virus can shut down the entire world in a matter of months? Where our portfolios can be cut in half in a matter of weeks? And, where we have so many messages and so much noise coming at us in just a matter of minutes, we don’t know who to believe or trust. Particularly in times of chaos or when so much seems out of our control, it is natural to seek comfort. It’s what’s sold to us. But it can come at a high price.
When we experience stress, we often get the impulse to “do something” to help relieve it. As citizens, we can vote for leaders who share our values. As capitalists, we can invest our money in companies that share our values. Indeed, aligning one’s investments with one’s values is a core piece of our work at
Planning elderly care for yourself or your aging parents is never an easy topic, and because of that, it can be tempting to push it off for as long as possible–until it’s suddenly urgent, rushed, and incredibly complicated.
On June 25th, 2020, we were delighted to host a webinar with Susan Fox, MA – Executive and Life Coach, A.I.M. High Coaching and Mark T. Johnsen, CEO and Chief Wealth Architect of Wealth Architects. The conversation focused on the following topics…
I often ask my clients to get a bit vulnerable. It takes courage to sit with your financial advisor, maybe even for the first time, and talk about sensitive topics like the purpose of your financial wealth or your goals for non-financial growth. Yet, over the past 25 years, I’ve seen these unvarnished conversations pay real dividends on both material and emotional levels.
