February 10, 2012

Factor In Your Income Sources When Seeking Diversification

Are You a Stock or a Bond

When it comes to diversification, you have to look at your entire life and not just your portfolio.  Several years ago there was a book I really enjoyed that dealt with this topic called Are You a Stock or a Bond?: Create Your Own Pension Plan for a Secure Financial Future. It explained some professions, like tenured professors, are like bonds - there is little risk of you ever losing your job, the pay it steady and almost fixed with small incremental increases based upon inflation, and you … [Read more...]

Here Is One of My Secrets to Making Money (Or, How I Once Bribed Women to Code for Me with Diamonds, Rubies, and Chanel)

Diamond and Ruby Bracelet with Bottle of Coco Chanel Mademoiselle Perfume

The Secret: Strike Deals Where Everyone Has Limited Downside and Harness the Super Power of Incentive Some of you have been writing to me privately and asking about the early days when we started out and were trying to build our companies.  I thought it would be useful to share some of the things we did during that time that worked out well ... and maybe I'll even talk about those things that didn't work out so favorably.  I hope you find it useful in your own endeavors. When Aaron and I … [Read more...]

PPL Corporation Stock Risk Analysis

XLU components

This is a risk analysis of PPL Corporation stock for a friend of mine that was hired by the company.  Those of you who want to know how I think about risk management are perfectly welcome to read it but it is specifically targeted so I'm not sure how useful you'll find it. I've worked my way through a few hundred pages of the PPL 10K report and I already reached several conclusions. Here are my thoughts. Take them for what they are worth. They are most certainly not recommendations, just … [Read more...]

Growth Asset Allocation Model Portfolio

Growth Asset Allocation Model Portfolio

For young investors in their 20s, 30s, and even 40s, with decades until retirement, steady jobs, and plenty of savings, an aggressive growth asset allocation model portfolio may be the best choice.  The caveat: If the investor cannot handle volatility, watching their assets drop 50% on paper one year or skyrocket the next, they should go for a balanced asset allocation model portfolio instead because they will be emotionally happier, even if it means they won't be as rich as they could have … [Read more...]