June 2019 E-Newsletter: Making Investment Decisions
Jonathan M. Gardey, MBA, CFA®, CFP®
President and Chief Executive Officer
Are your choices based on evidence or emotion?
Information vs. instinct.
When it comes to investing, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware of.
Deal du jour.
You’ve heard the whispers, the “next greatest thing” is out there, and you can get on board, but only if you hurry. Sound familiar? The prospect of being on the ground floor of the next big thing can be thrilling. But while there really are great new opportunities out there once in a while, those “hot new investments” can often go south quickly. Jumping on board without all the information can be a bit like gambling in Vegas: the payoff could be huge, but so could the loss. An astute investor will turn away from spur-of-the-moment trends and seek out solid, proven investments with consistent returns.
Risky business.
Many people claim not to be risk-takers, but that isn’t always the case. Most proficient investors aren’t reluctant to take a risk, they’re reluctant to accept a loss. Yes, there’s a difference. The first step is to establish what constitutes an acceptable risk by determining what you’re willing to lose. The second step is to always bear in mind the final outcome. If taking a risk could help you retire five years sooner, would you take it? What if the loss involved working an extra ten years before retiring; is it still a good risk? By weighing both the potential gain and the potential loss, while keeping your final goals in mind, you can more wisely assess what constitutes an acceptable risk.
You can’t always know what’s coming.
Some investors attempt to predict the future based on the past. As we all know, just because a stock rose yesterday, that doesn’t mean it will rise again today. We know this, but often we “shrug off” this knowledge in favor of hunches. Instead of stock picking, exercise a little caution and seek out investments with the potential for consistent returns.
The gut-driven investor.
Some investors tend to pull out of investments the moment they lose money, then invest again once they feel “driven” to do so. While they may do some research, they are ultimately acting on impulse. This method of investing may result in huge losses.
Eliminating emotion.
Many investors “stir up” their investments when major events happen, including births, marriages, or deaths. They seem to get a renewed interest in their stocks and/or begin to second-guess the effectiveness of their long-term plans. It’s a case of action-reaction: they invest in response to short-term needs instead of their long-term financial goals. The more often this happens, the more incoherent their so-called “financial strategy” becomes. If the financial changes they make are really dramatic, it can lead to catastrophe. Many times, there is no need to fix what isn’t broken or turn away from what they’ve done right. By enlisting the assistance of a qualified financial professional (and relying on their skill and expertise), you can be sure that investment decisions are based on facts and made to suit your long-term objectives rather than your personal, changing emotions or short-term needs.
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Important Disclosure Information
Gardey Financial Advisors Disclosure Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Gardey Financial Advisors (“Gardey”), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this commentary will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this commentary serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Gardey. Please remember to contact Gardey if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. Gardey is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the commentary content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of Gardey’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.