Merry post-Christmas. I hope you enjoyed a relaxing couple of days with your loved ones. If we have one “economic” takeaway from this holiday season, it’s that they’re not giving away food, energy, vitamins, toys, you name it. Stuff isn’t cheap. Which has me thinking about all those investors who invested like someone they used […]
My Favorite Arrondissements in Paris
In speaking with you, you tell me about the trips you’re taking in 2025. If you go to Paris, check out my favorite arrondissement. Originally posted July 23, 2024. With the Olympics about to kick off in Paris, there’s been a lot of news coverage of the city where Your Survival Guy has spent more […]
“65 May Be the New 55, But It’s Not 25”
Your Survival Guy wants you to think about your retirement life. Recently, in a conversation with a client, he told me his older brother, who’s 65 years old, is invested like a 25-year-old. “65 may be the new 55,” I said, “But it’s not 25.” This, I’m afraid, is the new normal. Investors are not […]
Caution: Main Street Investors Holding the Bag
As Your Survival Guy wrote to you about bitcoin, you need to follow the money. When you see companies like BlackRock offering ETFs in bitcoin through their iShares platform, don’t think it’s about their faith and belief in bitcoin. It’s not. It’s about their faith and belief, just like with ESG funds, in their ability […]
Get Rich Quick? Fixed-Rate Deferred Annuities
You may have heard about fixed-rate deferred annuities. Don’t think they’re a “get rich quick” investment unless, of course, you’re the one selling it to investors. Insurance companies are raking in the fees, laughing their way to the bank. The fees range from 1%-2%, with sky-high surrender fees should you need access to your money […]
Boom or Bust: “What Do You Think of Bitcoin?
If you’ve been breathing, then you’ve heard about bitcoin. Your Survival Guy is asked all the time, “What do you think of bitcoin?” Years ago, I was getting my hair cut and was asked about it. I said, “I don’t like it. I don’t see the value. I like the distributed ledger or blockchain technology, […]
Are You Guided by the Prudent Man?
In the September 2015 issue of Richard C. Young’s Intelligence Report, Dick Young wrote: The Prudent Man Rule is based on common law stemming from the 1830 Massachusetts court formulation Harvard College v. Amory. The Prudent Man Rule directs trustees “to observe how men of prudence, discretion and intelligence manage their own affairs, not in […]
“In Seconds I Have the Lay of the Land”
You read here yesterday about a couple of Your Survival Guy’s conversations through the years with Dick Young. Recently, over Thanksgiving in Key West, we had plenty more to talk about, especially his favorite investment tool, the yield curve. “Survival Guy,” he said. “There’s a reason the yield curve is my favorite investment tool. In […]
“Walking Back to the House from 5 Brothers”
Walking back to the house from 5 Brothers, Cuban coffees in hand, it was hard to believe how well stocks were doing. “Remember, Survival Guy,” Dick said, “Study the historical performance of a balanced fund like Wellington and understand the value of counterbalancing.” That was back in 2007 when a certain candidate was running on […]
“Survival Guy, JB was Over the House Saturday”
Your Survival Guy was speaking with a long-time client yesterday, a relationship I’ve had for 15 years. When you consider all the years he read Richard C. Young’s Intelligence Report, it’s a relationship that’s spanned decades. It’s because of my relationship with him that he’s referred me to his friends, family, and work associates who […]
