Fumbled Returns

It's all about two of my three favorite things in life: Sports and Stocks

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2020 – Time to Reflect, Renew and Rebalance

2020 – Time to Reflect, Renew and Rebalance

First of all, Happy New Year and I hope everyone had a safe and happy Holiday Season so far.

This is the time of year most people reflect upon the year past, renew goals and resolutions for the coming year, and, if you invest, look to rebalance your portfolios.

Looking back:

When it comes to reflecting on last years goals and resolutions, it is important to realize that not everything goes as…

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We Will See What Happens

We Will See What Happens

Trump Theater Now Showing Trade Wars

It’s interesting to meet people with different investment styles and goals.  At one of my many different work locations, there is a person who is strictly a day trader.  He does 90% of his trading during the first and last hour of the trading day.   And most of his trades are with options.  He rarely holds anything overnight.

This past Friday, we were both…

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The 3% Challenge

My wife and I are both very active in the care of our parents. And as one who is active in personal finances and investments, I find it very interesting how each differ in style and approach.

One likes to play it safe with a little room for growth. In other words, mostly CD’s, T-bills, Bonds (80%), and a few stocks or funds (20%). I’ll call this one the CD-Parent.

The other, has a diversified…

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Oh Snap

It’s funny how the meaning of some words and phrases can change over time.  Snap is certainly one of them.

Being as old as I am, part of my brain thinks about photography – as in snapping a picture – with an old fashioned camera.  You know, the ones that you had to manually set the exposure, manually set the shutter speed, manually focus the lens, snap the picture, and then manually advance the…

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Tax Changes for the Small Business Owner

Tax Changes for the Small Business Owner

This tax season will be like none other in recent history for owners of pass through small businesses.   By far the most important change will be the 20% tax deduction for self-employed filers.

What is the 20% tax deduction?

The new law allows a brand-new tax deduction on all qualified business income for owners of pass-through entities.  This includes partnerships, S corporations, limited…

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So, You Want To Start A Small Business - Here's How

So, You Want To Start A Small Business – Here’s How

Many people, at some point or another, dream of running their own business.    Some dream of getting rich.  Others just want to be their own boss.  And then there are those who have an idea and want to do something better.  (hint, this is the best reason – having an idea that one is passionate about really helps guarantee the dedication necessary for the business to succeed).  Then there are…

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KISS In The New Year

KISS In The New Year

No Not THAT KISS, But Rock On Anyway!

YANYRP: (Yet Another New Years Resolution Post)

This is the time of year when anybody can find hundreds of articles and posts featuring predictions and resolutions doomed to fail.

This post and resolution isn’t one of them.

The best way to avoid failure and actually achieve your goals (other than having none at all) is to Keep It Simple, Specific and if…

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Come On In, The Water Is Fine! According to IBD, today, Wednesday November 7, 2018, marks the confirmation of a new uptrend.  Do you believe them?

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Investing Action Plan

Each week IBD publishes a weekly investing action plan.  This weekly plan often centers around stocks which are reporting, but also includes notable news events and stocks with chart patterns in or approaching key setups.

I’ve always wondered how good their track record is.  And like the one time I back tested their day trader plan, highly depends on market conditions.  So as an experiment, I am…

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Can I Get A Discount?

Can I Get A Discount?

I am now officially at the minimum age that “entitles” me to ask this question.  I could argue that I have “earned” the right to ask this question but I actually have a problem with both points of view.  You see, many establishments offer senior citizen discounts for those who are 55 and over.  The problem is, I am not old and, I am not retired.  OK, maybe after doing a full day of yard work and…

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Will He or Won't He and The New Status Quo

Will He or Won’t He and The New Status Quo

Friday is the deadline for the next round of tariffs to go into place and escalate a trade war.  Of course this is all a result of Trumps plan to renegotiate “horrible, terribly unfair” trade policies and “make America great again”.

Nobody really wants trade wars.  They will ruin global and local economies, disrupt supply chains, raise inflation, potentially cost business and consumers more…

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It's Fathers Day And My Family Says I Can Do What I Want

It’s Fathers Day And My Family Says I Can Do What I Want

So I am writing a post for my blog.   🙂

Father’s Day is about dads, but it is also about family.

I could very easily call this post:   “History Repeats Itself!   Or why I invest in the stock market- revisited.”

In that previous post, I talked about the problems of owning a car or rather multiple cars and subsequently having to buy a new used one.  So today, Father’s Day, I am helping my second…

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My Boy Jack

My Boy Jack is a 3 year old race horse who finished 5th in the Kentucky Derby.

Mendelssohn is a 3 year old race horse from Europe.  He finished last.

It is not the results that interest me the most, it is the back stories which happened the day of the race and peoples reactions to these stories before the race even started.

The main story was the weather.  Not only did it rain and was raining for…

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Should You Sell Your House Every 15 Years?

Should You Sell Your House Every 15 Years?

This my third post regarding our experience helping my in-laws sell their house.  In previous posts, I talked about how my experience with the greatest generation seems to support the notion that they never throw anything away and that they keep everything forever.

Including homes.

Keeping a house for more than 15 years has its advantages.

In the case of my in-laws, they spent the last twenty…

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#TrendingNow

So this is a bit of a divergence for me posting.  I am constantly awestruck by news I find on my newsfeeds, TV and Investment Newspapers.   Usually not in a good way.  Most of the time I do not find trending topics in the news to be “post worthy” but this week I found three which caught my attention.

#Bailout #Millennials #StudentDebt

Survey Says: Nearly 25% (24% to be exact) of all working…

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Congratulations! I Found A Buyer!

Congratulations! I Found A Buyer!

This my second post regarding our experience helping my in-laws sell their house.

Selling a house from 300 miles away has its challenges.  Not the least of which is finding a good real estate agent.  My wife and I have bought and sold a few houses in our days, so we have met good and bad agents; and we have learned a few of their tricks.

In our search to find a real estate agent for selling my…

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Adjectives Are Irrelevant

My wife and I recently helped her parents close on their house which they have owned for the past 50 years.  I should clarify here that my wife did most of the work dealing with lawyers, real estate agents, scheduling and gathering of papers and information.  I helped by providing backup and support as needed and playing chauffeur.  In the end, the entire process of listing, selling and closing…

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