Eight years ago to the day, March 9th, 2009, we opened our doors at Modus Advisors. In many respects, it was the absolute worst time to start an investment services and wealth planning business. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) peaked on
Where Do You Get Energy?
One of the hardest things in the politicized world we live in is to find unbiased information. I’m a Certified Financial Planner®, and about the farthest thing from a scientist or a physicist. When the topic of energy comes up, I’d love to be more informed, but the subject has generally been
How do Presidential Elections Affect Markets?
Every four years we as citizens of America march to the ballot box to elect our next president. It’s arguably the greatest civil duty we possess as everyday Americans. Had our founding fathers known the wonderful personalities that the democratic process could create, however, I think they might
Investing in The Stock Market is like Playing the Lottery!?
To many people, investing in the stock market is akin to playing the lottery. To these people, the stock market is rigged, and only the insiders or the big institutions have the ability to consistently make money in stocks. According to Gallup, the numbers bear this out.* In the spring of 2016,
I’ve Projected Your Retirement and It Looks Great! But Wait…
“You’re on track to a healthy retirement.” “You need to increase your contribution to meet your retirement income needs.” At one time or another you’ve probably seen quotes like these either on your 401(k) website or after looking at a retirement income calculator. The quote was likely accompanied
The Reasons Not to Invest
I was cleaning out some files recently when I came across a 1992 Investors Guide from The American Funds Group. The 20 page brochure was in mint condition, having been buried in a file for many years. As I flipped through the pages, I came across a chart that is called “The Reasons Not to Invest”
Time
“Time” has been on my mind a lot lately. Our son Peter just graduated from high school, and I put together a slideshow of the 18 years since his birth. When the slideshow was completed and we all sat down to watch it, there were many smiles, many laughs, and a few tears. 18 years is a very long time
We Have Met the Enemy…
A friend and client sent me a copy of the prayer that was delivered by the Rev. Brian Konkol, Chaplain of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, to open the legislative session at the Minnesota State Capital on May 8, 2015. I was glad to see that prayer is still allowed in this setting, and the
Everyone is Scared!
I saw this headline recently online, and of course it caught my attention. Robert Shiller, the Nobel prize winner for economics in 2013, was expounding on his belief that the human race has deep underlying fears about technology and the lives their children will lead in the future, based on what he