Quote:
Originally Posted by l2ridehd
I agree that you may not be getting the best advice. However don't despair, it is really not that hard. First a couple of things you and every other investor need to accept and believe.
1. Markets are very efficient and all price variables are already in place in all stocks.
2. You as an individual cannot possibly beat the market. In is not possible and any one who claims differently is making false promises. There is always a hot stock picker or a lucky mutual fund manager and they may do well for a few years, but every time the market will beat them. Even one of the very best, Peter Lynch, will admit he could not continue to beat the market.
3. Once you accept those facts, the only way to invest becomes very simple. Determine your level of risk and then pick the asset allocation (stocks vs bonds) that matches your position in life and risk tolerance.
4. Select a well know highly respected fund company. Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, etc.
5. Buy the lowest expense ratio index funds you can find that match that asset allocation. Use total stock market, total bond market, total international, and total emerging market funds.
6. VERY KEY. Re-balance when ever your asset allocation falls 5% out of balance.
This way you own the entire stock and bond market. By re-balancing you are always buying low and selling high. You will beat 90% of all stock pickers and mutual fund managers every year. You will beat 100% of them over 10 years. This is a very simple, easy to manage, low risk approach to investing.
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Excellent Answer! Plus read
Above the Maddening Crowd by Paul Winkler. He shows studies to backup up what l2ridehd says and gives you more information on why Asset Allocation works so well - If you use this methodology, things get very simple and you can have confidence that you are doing the right thing.