Looking backward at prior years’ soybeans production we exported 3.8 billion bushels of soybeans in 2014 and 2015. Approximately 29% of those bushels were exported to China during those years. They are the number one buyer of US soybeans. Bushels of soybeans sold for about $9 each on average during those years. The total value […]
Today marks the one-year anniversary of my departure from Merrill Lynch. So, I’ve decided to write about the experiences I’ve had over the last year while starting my business. It’s been challenging, to say the least. I knew it would be hard, and I tried to mentally prepare myself for the work, but I’ve never […]
Have you found that you have more personal debt at the end of this summer? A friend sent me a message recently asking “How do you afford your vacations? I always feel like I end the summer with a ton of credit card debt.” Her question made me think. This is a real problem for […]
At what time in your life will your income be higher? Are you young and just starting your job? If so, do you have the kind of education, training, and work ethic that will propel you into a position where you’re earning a much higher income? Does that mean there’s a good chance you could […]
While many of our friends and clients are tearing out wet carpets, wet sheet rock, throwing out their furniture and trying to navigate the muck of insurance and FEMA, they may not be thinking about personal finances. However, this piece of advice may be very timely. If you have any of the following, you need […]
Let me first say that, if any neuroscientist reads this, I’m not one. This is a very basic account of the brain and how it can affect investment behaviors. This post was originally published in September 2017. It has not been updated. According to an annual study conducted by a company called Dalbar, in the […]
The IRS has released information that will be helpful to Hurricane Harvey victims. While Respire Wealth Management, LLC does not provide tax advice, we can advise you to keep your receipts and remember to talk to your tax advisor at the end of the year. Some useful relief measures from the IRS.gov site are: Individuals […]
Introduction Why do stock prices fall? It’s the same as asking “Why do stock prices rise?” Stock prices rise and fall based on the assessed value of a company on a given day, at a given moment. Sometimes prices of stocks are high because of speculation or greed crowding into the market. Sometimes prices are […]
Let me first say that, if any neuroscientist reads this, I’m not one. This is a very basic account of the brain and how it can affect investment behaviors. According to an annual study conducted by a company called Dalbar, in the 20 years from 1997 to 2016, the average investor gained a tiny average […]
People obsess over what the major stock market indices are doing daily. In nearly a decade in this business I’ve had my share of phone calls from clients concerned about what the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average is doing on a given day. Clients should feel free to call me when they have […]
Over 70% of the nation’s wealth belongs to people over the age of 50. And, I’m not calling 50 old or elderly . . . This statistic is just to drive home the point that people over the age of 50 have more assets to target by anyone who wishes to take advantage. Let’s say […]
The month of June was one of great personal loss for me. I lost a good friend and my dad in the span of weeks. I’d watched both of their health struggles leading up to their deaths. I’m still grieving. As I grieve, I also have to work with family to settle Dad’s affairs. We’ve […]
A great gift registry idea is a college savings account. My son was the first grandchild on one side. As a result, we received tons of toys and clothes that weren’t on our registry. It looked like we had eight kids instead of one. We ended up returning or donating a lot of brand new […]
Let me begin by saying that yes, I am worried about Coronavirus and the markets. I can understand any anxiety that it is causing any of you. I want to take a few minutes to address fears and create some understanding. I’ll talk about fear mongering in the news, how our clients are positioned, and say […]
Clients are asking me about the “market melt up.” Bear with me on this one. The next two sentences are sticky for a reason. I’m going to tell you what you need to know. But, I’m also going to tell you what you need to know to understand what you need to know. That is, […]
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The US stock market isn’t going to go to zero. If you buy some horrible stock then that company might go out of business and the investment may go to zero. But, if you buy quality, diversified investments then all you need is time. There are […]
We’re in what’s known as a secular bull market. That’s when the market continuously achieves new highs. A secular bear market is when the new market highs achieved seem to have a ceiling, blocking them from breaking out in a trend above the last high. In a bull market, the price at the end is […]
I’m listing my favorite personal finance resources for you. All of them are free for you to use, most won’t require any kind of login, and all of them are great. But, these sites have to pay the bills and keep the lights on too. So their revenue comes from somewhere. I prefer sites with […]
If you’d purchased a $6 sandwich yesterday at 8 am CST, it would have cost you approximately 0.00051 BTC (whatever that is in units). The same $6 sandwich at 12:40 pm would have cost you about 0.00067 BTC (again, units?). That’s 31.37% inflation in 4 hours and 40 minutes. Food for thought. (Pun intended.) I’ve had […]
Overall consensus regarding the global economy for the next year is . . . the global economic expansion cycle will continue. This is good for both foreign and domestic stocks. It’s also good for interest rates, as it means that central banks will continue to increase interest rates, as we’ve officially made it out of the […]
The market has an average of three to four 5% pull backs per year. The market went 416 days without a pullback, and then it broke the longest run it has had in 20 years. Corrections are defined as declines of 10% – 20%. There have been 36 corrections since 1980 (almost one per year), […]
Yes and no. The news of Gary Cohn’s departure broke shortly after the stock market closed yesterday. This timing may or may not have been intentional. They powers-that-be may have wanted to avoid a tumultuous trading day yesterday, hoping that the news would cool overnight. As I type this, futures are pointing to a negative […]
