On Borrowed Time at these All-time Market Highs

My greatest hope is that the younger generations have been taught and thereby have learned what made this great country of ours great. I fear their general ease and prosperity and the attack on the fundamental moral values and founding constitutional principals they have had to endure in the classrooms might become a real challenge for them and our country in the future. May we all do everything we can to teach our children and grandchildren the basics of right and wrong, and the enduring  principals of goodness and morality, and be examples of the same in our daily living and in the way we participate and vote to keep our freedoms and the greatness of this country intact. I am still very grateful for all we enjoy and am hopeful for our future, and realize that we cannot change the world directly, but we can enjoy the wonders and our loved ones around us and do whatever is in our power to make a positive difference in our own lives and the sphere of influence we each enjoy.

I have truly enjoyed the high level of success in the financial markets and accounts we have all experienced lately. If only this trend were permanent life would be very easy and prosperity would be easy. Sometimes we get to enjoy these above-average results without stress and market worries, and sometimes we have to work very hard to protect capital and returns from financial and market challenges in order to protect and achieve positive returns. Because we never know for sure when the markets will shift and to what degree of severity, we have continued to implement our tried and proven methodology of broad asset allocation, true diversification, best of class managers, and re-balancing as we move along. Even volatility and temporary declines can be useful and productive overall with these tools and strategies being in place. I have felt for a time lately that we are on borrowed time at these all-time market highs, and am glad we have installed “safe zones” and non-correlated alternatives in our holdings. Patience and perspective will again be needed in the future as markets shift and times become turbulent as they do at different stages of the market cycles. The important thing is to work to achieve a steady and calm mind of contentment and work in harmony to meet whatever challenges come with hope, resolve and consistent efforts to improve our financial picture at every juncture.

This is a personal blog and is for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or financial planning advice as individual situations will vary. For specific advice about your situation, please consult with a lawyer or financial professional.