Learn From My Fail: Bill Ackman and Valeant Pharmaceutical
If you haven’t heard of Bill Ackman before then good for you! You’re out living your life and are not too plugged into CNBC. Bill Ackman is a hedge fund manager, he is a really smart guy and made a lot of money for his investors…until recently. His big bet on pharmaceutical company Valeant has […]
The Right Fit
I’m not one to pay buckets of money for custom tailored clothing. Just like many of you, I go to a store, pick out my general size and buy the nearest fitting clothes available. I would enjoy having my shoulders, waist, neck etc. measured to the quarter inch, then have my clothes fit perfectly, but […]
Don’t Be Fooled
If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Don’t be fooled by get rich quick schemes. Don’t be fooled by over optimistic return on investment pitches. Don’t make an uneducated commitment to a little known product or fund that promises too much too fast. Don’t be pushed around by salesmen who […]
Spring Cleaning
Now that Spring has officially arrived many households will go through their annual spring cleaning phase. The same should be done with your finances. Whether that’s checking your quarterly statements and discussing strategy with your advisor, or simply finding a higher yielding savings account to take advantage of this year, any little bit helps. You […]
The Marathon
Financial freedom isn’t a matter of sprinting to the finish line at the end of the race. It’s more of a long, methodical strategy consisting of good habits, discipline, and determination. It takes years and years of consistent saving, investing, and oftentimes sacrifice. Just as you can’t expect to go from your couch to completing […]
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
Just because you can afford to buy designer clothing doesn’t mean you should Just because you can take more risk doesn’t mean you should Just because you can take less risk doesn’t mean you should Just because you can spend more doesn’t mean you should
Don’t Put All Your (Easter) Eggs in One Basket
With Easter being Sunday, it’s a good time to reiterate the age old saying of “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This applies to many things in life, but it is especially paramount in the world of finance and the creation of a comfortable retirement strategy. Diversification should be the foundation of your financial goals. […]
Why Own Bonds?
You have heard of the importance of owning a diversified portfolio. For those who do not manage money professionally, the mantra to diversify by investment class is pounded into their heads by the consumer finance media and is rarely questioned. The reason bonds are included in a balanced portfolio is usually to reduce the overall […]
Madness
March Madness is upon us and we have already seen many underdogs coming out of nowhere to upset the perennial powerhouse college basketball programs. If you filled out a bracket, like many of our clients in our annual Oak Street Advisor’s Bracket Challenge, then I’m sure you’ve been somewhat frustrated with this year’s tournament, as it […]
Now or Later
If you think risk is the chance your investment dollar will go down today, then I challenge you to ask the question “When should I take on risk?” If you choose to put your money in a CD or savings account, you avoid the risk of any fluctuation of the principle. You do have the risk of interest rates. Will […]
