Do you have a financial planner? Does one of your friends have a financial planner? Maybe you take your advice from your broker. As I have said countless times before a broker will make you broker. And a financial planner won't do any better. I know. You thought they would.
Let's look at the real reason investors choose to take advice from these so called "experts". Once they get you into their office or sitting with you at the dining room table or kitchen table you are doomed. Mr. F.P. has come prepared with beautiful slick color brochures and will have a presentation that will utterly confuse, bedazzle and befuddle. You will sit there and be afraid to ask a question because you know it is so dumb. You can't say 'no' or you will be admitting how dumb you are. And he knows that.
It is not that he is a liar. (I hope.) It is that all financial planners and brokers are taught the Wall Street method of "making money". Unfortunately it doesn't work.
The basic things that have been pounded into their heads are false. Let's look at the big three: Do Research, Dollar Cost Average and Buy and Hold. There are others, but these you will hear from every broker and financial planner because that is what the big brokerage companies and mutual fund families want. They want your money and they want to keep it even when the stocks or funds you own go down. In fact, buy some more.
Research is like blowing in the wind. You will be inundated with green sheets, blue sheets, red sheets, slick full color glossies, videos, etc., etc. Think about this. If you can obtain this information then so can everyone else. Everything that is known about a particular stock is reflected in the last price. Morningstar will sell you a beautiful package about a company, but it is worthless. What you really want to know is will it go up after I buy it?
Of course, if it goes down you will be encouraged to buy more to average out your price so that when it heads up again you will make a fortune. Yes, and pigs can fly.
If it does go down your advisor may say to hold on as the market always comes back. He doesn't tell you it may take 20 years or that the company might go out of business. Buy and Hold is the greatest myth of Wall Street. No one ever tells you to sell. Have you been told you don't have a loss until you take it? Please!
You got that advisor because you have not admitted to your self that you cannot pull the trigger. When you have a stock or fund that is falling you don't want to sell. You have to take charge of your money. Just you.
When you look back at the performance of most financial planners from 2000 to 2003 you know you can do a better job. Always ask to see what they did then. If they lost money you don't want them. Don't let them compare their performance to the S&P500. That's smoke and mirrors.
You can do better. Just do it.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
Indian Head Park taxi to Midway .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareI know there are a lot of you out there... Read More
Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever".... Read More
Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress... Read More
First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
The debate rages all over Eastern and Central Europe, in... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
Never lose money in the stock market again. Yeah, I... Read More
Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources... Read More
1. Do not spread your money too thin.My friend has... Read More
This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
The bulls and bears of the stock market are both... Read More
Picture one of those clubs where only the real heavyweights... Read More
Most people think the stock market is a zero sum... Read More
As GuruFocus updates the stock buys and sells of gurus,... Read More
Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a... Read More
We keep hearing about this bear market and that the... Read More
There are red lights, green lights, blue lights and spot... Read More
It is wonderful to be alive in the information age.... Read More
Wouldn't it be nice if you were only in the... Read More
Every broker and financial planner will tell you that you... Read More
I would like to share with the reader an article... Read More
Let's say you are interested in this one company. You... Read More
Most stock traders know that momentum trading can be a... Read More
If you go to Haiti or other places in the... Read More
How many times have you said to yourself, "I'd like... Read More
Bonnie Chicago charter limousine ..It is wonderful to be alive in the information age.... Read More
Every day on CNBC-TV they show a 200-day moving average... Read More
For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More
In a previously written article, we expanded the use of... Read More
After the publication of the first part of this two... Read More
A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
Quick, look out the window. It's raining. No, the sun's... Read More
I know there are a lot of you out there... Read More
You must take the time once a month to review... Read More
As GuruFocus updates the stock buys and sells of gurus,... Read More
That sounds like good advice doesn't it? Don't lose all... Read More
At some time in your life you have been on... Read More
Alfred Winslow Jones started hedge funds in 1949. He was... Read More
Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading... Read More
Trading is a fascinating activity.There are so many layers to... Read More
A Guide to Using Stop Loss Orders Stop losses are... Read More
Having lived aboard a sailboat for 2 years I was... Read More
Ever done any whitewater rafting or canoeing? Long periods of... Read More
I feel that an investment strategy in the stock market... Read More
Every broker and financial planner will tell you that you... Read More
This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
Starbucks earnings are up again and so is their stock... Read More
"If you don't know where you are going, any road... Read More
One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |