This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3P61dFn When stock prices (valuations) feel stretched, it can be a bit scary. Elevated market prices can lead to high peaks, which precede deep valleys (drawdowns). So, when euphoria starts to become contagious, it’s important to steep ourselves in the lessons of history. I will unpack all of this and more as we introduce today’s topic with a comical Girls Scout cookie fiasco that took place last week. You won’t want to miss it. Links mentioned in this e...
Mar 01, 2024•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49EildP Today, I will discuss how both chefs and investors are influenced by their experiences, and I will share my personal recipe for designing an investment portfolio and financial plan. I hope you will enjoy the personal side of the article, as well as the wisdom and humor I sprinkle in along the way. Enjoy! Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Feb 23, 2024•25 min
This week's blogpost - Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com
Feb 16, 2024•23 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3uqi2DW Please join us today as James Andrews explains how something even as minute as rainy days can be so incredibly disruptive and frustrating. James dives into the intangibles of financial planning and leads us back to what matters most. An article and a podcast you won’t want to miss. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Feb 09, 2024•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/42rcKV3 Often, we are our own worst enemies. To grow/mature as an investor, it is helpful to watch game film to slow down, reflect, and understand how things played out last year. Please join me as I unpack why the markets in 2023 were a lot like fishing. I will also conclude with some guidance on why (1) constantly refining your process and (2) controlling your emotions are such a key to long-term wealth accumulation. Links mentioned in this episode: ht...
Feb 02, 2024•24 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/429YLTH What is Risk? Seems like quite a philosophical question, no? Yet, one we must wrestle with when it comes to investing. A misunderstanding of risk can be costly. Blaine Carver uses this analogy, and I think it’s perfect: We need to adjust our financial binoculars. We need to focus less on the blurred foreground and more on the horizon. The short-term gyrations in the market are anything but clear. But focusing on the horizon (10, 20, 30 years from...
Jan 26, 2024•23 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3RXvTZY The temptation to overcomplicate wealth management in the name of sophistication is strong. Financial advisors are especially prone to fall into this category as we seek to add value to our clients. I encourage our readers to focus on the north star, not to be pulled away by the clever gimmicks that pop up every year, and to exercise discipline in our process. I encourage our readers to build wealth that withstands the test of time so that many g...
Jan 12, 2024•35 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3tDVijt Last week, we discussed the short life spans of New Year’s Resolutions. Blaine Carver offered some simple and profound wisdom around setting goals first by defining WHO you aspire to be prior to defining WHAT specifically you plan to do. This is a great segue for our dialogue today on what are the key attributes and/or traits of a successful investor? This question gets me to an article for you on WHO you should aspire to be as an investor. I hop...
Jan 05, 2024•33 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3H0IPt9 Today Blaine Carver shares his Thoughts On Money. We know that gyms and juice bars will be as busy as ever in January; why? New Year’s Resolutions! Yet, come February those trends tend to normalize as resolutions are ditched and old habits return. Some of us have become disenchanted with these resolutions because we know historically these commitments fade and fail. I’d encourage you to dive into Blaine’s article today, as he will share more on h...
Dec 28, 2023•27 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3RBuYOT Yoda tells the young Jedi, Luke Skywalker, “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” I can’t think of a better piece of wisdom for investors, both young and old. When you start to be drawn in by the seductive results of unsustainable returns, you have set a course to the dark side, a path to financial ruin. Join me today for my Thoughts On Money as I further unpack this concept and how a lifetime of ordinary retu...
Dec 22, 2023•32 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/47WPz7e Today we welcome back James Andrews to share his Thoughts On Money. I won’t spoil it, but the opening story alone is worth a read. James goes on to talk about decision making and the importance of thinking beyond just the initial benefits or consequences. Whether it is a rippling pond or a tipped over domino, we get this idea that one decision can set off a chain reaction of other intended or unintended outcomes. Links mentioned in this episode: ...
Dec 15, 2023•33 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3sZxIgP Today we will discuss the importance of understanding the why behind the what. Too many financial decisions are made in a manner where the action gets more attention than the intent. Understanding the why is one of the keys to financial success. To unpack this truth I will share some funny stories, including one from my childhood – you won’t want to miss it. Please do join me today for my Thoughts on Money. Links mentioned in this episode: http:/...
Dec 08, 2023•25 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49XwxPv Imagine trying to build a 1,000 piece puzzle without the box cover – nearly impossible, right? Today, Blaine Carver unpacks this analogy of coverless puzzles and aimless financial plans. Words of wisdom that are pertinent for investors both young and old. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Dec 01, 2023•28 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/47gGZj8 Growing up, it’s normal to dream about your future. As we grow up, our career aspirations shift, morph, and evolve. Perhaps in 3rd grade, you dreamed of being an astronaut. By 5th grade, you settled on being a pro baseball player, and by college, you find yourself two years into an art history major when your dad nudges you to pivot to something more practical. In these years of maturation, it is totally normal and probably healthy to leave your ...
Nov 17, 2023•27 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3MAS2vx Today, we welcome back guest author James Andrews. Also, please remember to join us for the podcast where we riff on the article and offer some extra insights on the topic. I especially enjoyed James’ section today on what he calls unforced errors and the unnecessary detriment these missteps can cause to investors. I am sure you will enjoy this and much more, so please join us today for James Andrews’ Thoughts On Money. Links mentioned in this ep...
Nov 10, 2023•34 min
This week's blogpost - Have you ever attended a walk for breast cancer? Or perhaps a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research? A discussion with almost any attendee will lead to a conversation about how this disease or cause hits close to home for them. Whether it’s their own battle or that of a loved one, you can connect the dots from their passion to their support. Our experiences can drive our beliefs and behaviors. Last week my wife got in a car accident. I’ll be upfront, it was a fender bender, ...
Nov 03, 2023•24 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/498rCeb We all have flaws. All of us. The problem is that not all of us are aware of our flaws. We are hyper aware of the flaws of those around us, but often blind to our own blemishes. As the Ancient Greek maxim states, “Know thyself.” This is of course not news to you – I am well aware of that. I know that you know that we all have our own flaws. Here’s what I’d like to discuss today though, are we (1) aware of our personal blemishes? and (2) do we hav...
Oct 27, 2023•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/49dCWWz Last week we had an incredible guest author, Blaine Carver. To continue the trend, we are now welcoming in James Andrews as this week's guest author on Thoughts On Money. James starts us off with a story of sleep training that all parents can relate to and then dives into a teaching on mental models. James takes us on a journey around financial decision-making and helps equip our readers to improve their own decision-making skills. I hope you wil...
Oct 20, 2023•38 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3ZWJHYy I am excited and honored to introduce a guest writer today on Thoughts On Money. My good friend and colleague, Blain Carver, has prepared a wonderful entry for us today. We will talk road trips, finances, emotions, and the intersection of all of the above. Please join us for the written and the accompanying podcast – you won’t want to miss it. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Oct 13, 2023•33 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3RGuE2U Before I gave financial advice, I pedaled bikes. Today, we will discuss the intersection of BMX racing and investing. Specifically, we will unpack how to measure results and some of the common pitfalls result-driven investors and athletes face. I am sure you will enjoy a stroll down my memory lane and the opportunity to grow as investors. So, without further ado, I present Results Driven. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.co...
Oct 06, 2023•25 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3ZyGe1P Have you ever been scammed? Since the birth of the internet, we the American people, have become quite familiar with scams. We now know to delete any proposal for a financial exchange coming from a Nigerian prince. We dodge these scamming attempts daily. Yet, these scams are still in high production. Why? Unfortunately, because they still work; people are still being duped daily. These scams try to lure you in with a request for a small commitmen...
Sep 26, 2023•32 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/467qQf8 I am guessing that most of us reading this article have moved at least once or twice in our lifetime. For me, I’ve moved four times over the last ten years. I’ve become familiar with this feeling I get, that tinge of anxiety as I’m preparing for or staring down the barrel of a move. The organizing, the packing, the lifting, the loading, the unloading, the unpacking, etc. It’s a big undertaking. I will say this, though, I’ve definitely matured as ...
Sep 20, 2023•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/44yuUnl Do you ever notice those habitual lane-changers in traffic? There is a lot of activity going on, but they make little progress. There doesn’t seem to be a correlation between how many times you switch lanes and a reduction in your drive time. Often you will observe “lane change regret.” The driver sees opportunity, so they get over, only to then realize that their former lane is now taking off. Investors today are trying to change lanes in traffi...
Sep 06, 2023•28 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3OHt2Ti Legacy. Leaving a legacy. Your legacy. What a loaded finance word, right? We know it has depth and meaning, but we don’t always really know what it looks like practically. Join me as I walk through a real life story of legacy and share some practical steps for how you can leave a legacy. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Aug 25, 2023•35 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3QDVM25 Suppose I wrote two different articles – one on how to improve investment returns and another on how to reduce your tax bill. Which article would you be most likely to read? Regardless of your answer, I think you will enjoy today’s discussion on Thoughts On Money. We will dive into ideas for improving investment returns by looking for opportunities to reduce your tax bill. Please join me as I bring some life to the topic of taxes and provide you ...
Aug 18, 2023•28 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/47jPdrg Thank you for your faithful readership of Thoughts On Money. You and I, we are in this together. As iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com
Aug 11, 2023•28 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/44LNvxf We understand this idea of flourishing as individuals, but even furthermore in a corporate sense. Flourishing as a church community or flourishing alongside your colleagues in business, or flourishing as a family. This is an even deeper aspiration that we would prosper in and with our community. Yet, flourishing isn’t how all of us would describe our life and current status. So, what’s missing? If flourishing is the goal, what is the path to get ...
Aug 04, 2023•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3Q8lStI I was filling in for David Bahnsen this week on DC Today, and I was reminded how much I enjoy the Ask David section. This is where readers send in questions, and David addresses one question a day on this published public platform. I remember an old teacher always used to encourage our class, “Ask, please ask all the questions you have. If you have a question on your mind, surely that same question is on the mind of a few others.” It was our civi...
Jul 20, 2023•26 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3DdMjXk Today’s discussion was a lecture I was giving myself. Is there a place of vulnerability in my financial plan that needs to be addressed? Maybe your plan has some vulnerabilities and gaps, too. I encourage you to get a second pair of eyes on your plan and make sure everything is buttoned up and tidy. Why? Because everything can change in a moment. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com...
Jul 14, 2023•15 min
This week's blogpost - https://bahnsen.co/3JLysv2 The Choice is Yours I recently watched the movie Race, the story of Olympian Jesse Owens. One particular scene stood out to me. Coach Larry Snyder is advising Owens on life/relationship decisions, and he warns, “The choices you’re making right now won’t even feel like choices until it’s too late.” I couldn’t shake that statement. The truth of it haunted me a bit. Whether we realize it or not, the micro-decisions we make today will have an impact ...
Jul 07, 2023•27 min
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