Being smart with $$ -- Take a Xanax and sit tight when markets go insane

Markets in disarray.  What to do?  Remember that every decision starts now.  You cannot go back and sell stocks Thursday and avoid a 5% loss.  Research shows many investors sell after a fall and buy after a big rise, often with the worst timing possible. Even experts don't know what's next.  Many smart senior Wall Street traders will disagree with each other.  So leave emotion out of it and maintain the risk profile and stock exposure that is appropriate for your circumstances.  And maybe take a Xanax to get through the next few trading days.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ - 20 minutes of hilarious & excellent advice

MUST SEE. The funniest and most useful 20 minutes you can spend understanding how to be smart about investing and protect yourself against bad advice from financial advisors. 

Larry Pike, CFA

www.clientpriority.com 

https://youtu.be/gvZSpET11ZY

Being smart with $$ - BREXIT: What now?

BREXIT! Market tsunami! What's next? Do the experts know? Societie Generale advises that there is "grave danger of further weakness in the weeks ahead." Yet market guru Mohamed El-Erian says on CNBC that there's quite a few opportunities for those with cash. Who is right? Potentially both. But those who exit the market now may miss a large rebound. Or those who plow cash in may find they have invested just before a further fall. The experts don't know. But if you have the right amount of cash invested in stocks based on your personal circumstances, perhaps you should wait it out and enjoy the upside that can be expected over the next 10 or 20 years.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ -- When to sell stocks

Do falling stocks make you want to sell? You should sell before they fall, not after. How do we know they're going to fall? We don't and that's what makes stocks risky in the short term. But in the long term historically they have provided great returns for patient investors. So when should you sell? Only when money invested for long-term goals becomes money needed for shorter term goals.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ -- Diversify or bust

Why do we diversify our investment portfolios?  Because of a day like today.  The big monthly jobs report says the economy might be weaker than we thought.  That has led stocks to fall.  But a weak economy is often good for bonds and other holdings affected by interest rates.  So bonds, preferred stocks and REITs are all up.  If you are diversified, you're ok today.  If all your money is in Globalstar Inc., a satellite service company, you're having a monumentally bad day.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ -- Maybe you shouldn't "Sell in May and Go Away"

"Sell in May and Go Away."  Or don't.  The old Wall Street adage says stocks do worse in the summer but do they?  Sometimes.  Stocks underperformed June-August last year vs. the rest of the year but outperformed during the same period in 2014.  This year analysts are largely saying what they often say: "This year might be different."  Of course it might.  Every year is different and the dynamics that affect the markets are always changing.  But if you stick to your financial plan and don't try to time the market, you have the best chance of reaching your long-term goals.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com