These three spots were the result of questions received in 2009 when the markets were in terrible shape, sentiment was very poor and folks were panic selling:

Is “Buy and Hold” broken? We think so, but it’s really a question of risk more than anything. We believe the riskiest thing you can possibly do with your hard-earned savings is put them in an investment, any investment, and then forget about it, assuming the market will take care of you over time. Of course, looking at the long-term history of the markets, they do go up over time, but who’s time horizon started before 1900 and goes to eternity? Should you still own the stock of the companies that led the economy in decades past? Does your mutual fund manager ask you whether or not you’d like to realize, or avoid and taxable gains this year? The answer to both questions is, “no!”

Will your advisor go to cash, or pull back on risk if you feel uneasy about the markets or the economy, or do they talk you into “riding it out?” My guess is they won’t, and here’s why. A lot of them, or their companies, even if they charge you an annual management fee, also get paid by the funds or products they sell you. If you sit in cash, they don’t make as much money so, even when the markets are lousy, you’ll be encouraged to stay fully invested…no matter what you want.

If you’re not going to keep track of your investments yourself, why not, for the cost of about 2% per year or less, have a professional do it for you? That’s what we’ve done at Crow Financial for individuals and families for over 30 years. We don’t just buy and sell stuff. We manage investments to meet your, individual, specific needs. We work with accounts of all sizes and we don’t have minimums. We don’t get commissions for selling anything and we don’t push any insurance or annuity products. Why not call? Set up an appointment and go over your investment accounts with us. There’s no obligation and no charge for the conversation.