If there is one word that can sum up our current economy, it would be ‘shaky.’ At least, that is how millions of people across the country would describe it. The current economy has left some people uncertain about which moves to take next in the investment world, and which ones to avoid. The good news is that there are some tips that can successfully help them navigate the current investment field.
“We have been having a tough economic time for a while now, and we don’t know how long it will last,” explains Samantha Fraelich, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM Professional, and Vice-President of Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., a company that specializes in offering wealth management strategies. “Yet it is still important to make investing a high priority, so that you can enjoy strong long-term benefits.”
Here are 5 things we think every investor should know in this economy:
1. Don’t wait. For many people, it may seem that these current economic times make it better to hold off on making investments. But that may not be the case. It may be better to keep investing and looking toward the long-term future.
2. Diversify. For the most part, you want to diversify your investments.1 This can help to protect you more if there are economic troubles You don’t want every strategy in your portfolio to be moving in the same direction at the same time. You only know that you’re truly diversified if portions of your portfolio are behaving differently from each other over similar periods of time.
3. Consider re-balancing. Now may be an ideal time to look at re-balancing2 your portfolio. This is especially helpful if many of your investments were made a while ago and may not account for the current market trends.
4. Turn off the TV. If you had believed all of the negative news in the media over the past 4 years about Europe, our national, debt and political strife, hopefully you didn’t react. If you had, you would probably be hiding cash in your house instead of investing and you would have missed out on a lot of the recovery. There is no direct relationship between the economy and how the stock market moves in today’s environment.
5. Professionals can help. Even though the economy may be shaky, it is important to keep investing and to do so wisely. This can be easier if you work with a professional financial planner who can offer guidance to you in this economy and help you be more successful with your investment endeavors.
“There are things that every person needs to know, in order to be successful in their investments,” added Fraelich. “But the most important thing to know is that, even in this current economy, you can still be successful. Done correctly, it will be worth it in the long run.”
Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., has provided financial management strategies and investment services since 1981. They assist a wide range of private and corporate clients with everything from estate planning and investment to divorce planning. The company also offers professional women’s financial planning services, led by Samantha Fraelich, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM Professional.
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through NFP Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.
1Diversification does not protect against loss of principal.
2Rebalancing assets can have tax consequences. If you sell assets in a taxable account you may have to pay tax on any gain resulting from the sale. Please consult your tax advisor.
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