financial plan Archives

15 Nov

Needle in the Haystack

By Craig Smith, CFP®, CFA®, CKA®
In Blog

Needle in the Haystack Pop quiz! Question 1: Do stocks outperform one-month US Treasury Bills? Question 2: Are individual stocks likely to outperform one-month US Treasury Bills? You might say, Craig, those two questions are asking the same thing! And

16 Oct

Gambling Responsibly

Gambling Responsibly! That is an interesting term. You might want to understand I’ve never put a penny in a slot machine. I’ve gone to Monte Carlo to some of the most famous casinos in the world that I had to

16 Sep

Elegant Simplicity

By Craig Smith, CFP®, CFA®, CKA®
In Blog

Simplistic, Complex or Elegant Simplicity The world is a highly complex place. The interconnected, multifaceted world that we inhabit is both dumbfounding and inspiring at the same time. If you have a moment to read Leonard E. Read’s short essay

16 Aug

Politicians, hate, and not being nice!

Politicians, hate, and not being nice! Wouldn’t you think the longer we live, the more civilized we would be? But it seems that we were really civil when I was young and are full of hate today. Whether it’s Democrats

15 Jul

A Lesson of History

By Craig Smith, CFP®, CFA®, CKA®
In Blog

A Lesson of History – Don’t Fall Victim to A Classic Blunder! As the year marches on, I’m up to Book Number 24. It happens to be Will Durant’s The Reformation: The Story of Civilization Part VI. The book, originally

15 Jun

Obituary

Obituary This last week, I’ve sat through several funerals or celebrations of life. It is interesting what people get up and say about their parents, friends, or acquaintances. I was thinking, sitting through yesterday’s event, what will they say about

16 May

24,901

By Craig Smith, CFP®, CFA®, CKA®
In Blog

24,901 I think I’m just hardwired for activities that can be accomplished by being intentional, and plodding, over long periods of time. 26.2 miles – 2008 Portland Marathon. 968 miles – 2007 Oregon/Washington Pacific Crest Trail. 211 miles – 2014

16 Apr

The Plane

The “Plane” Do you remember the first time you were on a plane? Maybe you never have been, but that would be rare. When I grew up, there weren’t many people who had been on a plane. Today, it is

16 Mar

The Cost of Capital and The Price of Time

By Craig Smith, CFP®, CFA®, CKA®
In Blog

The Cost of Capital and the Price of Time We’ve all heard the phrase “time is money”. But what exactly is the “price of time”? How do we calculate or quantify how much time is worth? When we invest, what

16 Feb

Confidence

Confidence! Confidence is often our best friend in competition, sports, or being a businessman. When can confidence be a problem? When we’re investing! If our confidence in investing is centered on markets, this is troublesome. We will surely lose if