[CoachKandSportsguy]

Investing boils down to:

There are many ways to invest money, each has its advantages/disadvantages
The primary point is risk, which is about how easy it is to lose money
Risk is unique to each individual, and to each investment approach it changes over time and is difficult to quantity
Investing is counter intuitive:
selling high involves taxes unless in an IRA, and the relinquishment of the hope of more gains after gains (greed)
buying low involves waiting for sales prices, when everyone else is losing their money and minds
buying low requires overcoming hard wired human fear of more losses

The future is always uncertain, sometimes more uncertain than at other times.
There is always, always event risk, because humans are unpredictable and emotional.
The event may be one of company, industry, systemic banking, technological, political, geopolitical or natural
but these can seldom be predicted or prepared for in time, and will happen to everyone at some point in time given a long enough time.
And these event risks can happen to you as well, they are not limited to the market.

So you pay your entrance fee and take your chances, and if it doesn't work out, cut your losses quickly, if there is a fire, you want to panic early and be out first to avoid being trampled.

Simple concepts, most difficult game to play and maybe win ever invented.

[phylt]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

That's all well and fine, but my tendency is to listen to my senior VP of wealth management at Merrill Lynch and not the "talking heads" on TV and the internet

Best advice I've seen on TOTV in a long time, despite all the "Experts" here....

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by HappyTraveler

Of course, they audio record what is happening in your home. And, no, not just what questions have been asked of it. They're on all the time. Those crazy Alexa and Siri, etc. machines were likely developed for that purpose.

Even worse, most (or all) Smart TVs have cameras and are video recording the room they are in. They probably audio record too - not sure on that. My understanding is that you can disable the camera but, it has to be done at initial set-up when you buy it. If anyone knows more about that, please post details.

Most people have a hard time listening even during a conversation. The “kitchen language” which takes place in most homes must be absolutely boring to an outsider.

[MorTech]

The sole purpose of the USA tariff threat is to raise the USA tariff from a nominal 3% to 10% and force every other country to lower their tariffs to 20% maximum without penalties. They also want to stop currency manipulation but that will be difficult. From the tariff revenue (10% sales tax on USA citizens when purchasing foreign stuff) and reduced fraud/waste/government spending, they will be able to have a 15% flat income tax with a large standard deduction and get rid of tax "write-offs" that encourage political corruption.

This offshoring was forced deliberately starting 40 years (before NAFTA) to make the rest of the world wealthier and more peaceful...It worked great. Now is the time to stop the forced offshoring which is what is going on now with the tariff threats.

[rsmurano]

I listen to the vp at Merrill for my advice! Good luck with that. So I’m guessing he has you sitting pretty with no moves while your portfolio is down 20+%, and it’s still going down. But while you are losing wealth, the vp is still making his money, right?

Unless your vp told you to sell when your holdings were high, then he is no better than a kid on the street making a statement. Does your vp have the same credentials as Buffet? If he does, you would have a lot of cash on hand to make new stock purchases in the near future. I even know this, I sold everything last December and waiting to get back in.

If the vp told you to stay the course, in a couple of years you will be back to what you had at the start of 2025 unless you have to sell shares to live on during this downturn, then it will take longer to recover.

Market risk? IMO, you are at risk if you don’t know what you are doing financially and depend on a broker and assume you will make money in the long run. I have helped so many friends that were paying somebody to handle their investments that were not making them money, or very little money.

I sell high all the time, I can’t remember ever having a loss, maybe back in 2000, but until recently I never sold a share in a downturn until the end of 2021 and last December. Take the emotions out of selling, put a trailing stop loss on your stocks. I would happily pay a couple % in taxes if I’m making hundreds of thousands in gains, better than getting a $3000 write off every year on your taxes for losing money when selling.

Another risk is being too cautious in your investments that you never make money or very little after inflation. For example, I will never buy bonds, never have, you can’t make any money on them unless they are high risk. Annuities will never make you money in the long run and with their high fees, you’ve already lost money. There are hundreds of index funds that have very low risk, high returns, with decent dividends all with around .02-.05% fees. There were many stocks in 2023 and in 2024 that had multiple 100’s % gains and history will repeat itself in the coming months.

[Aviator1211]

Originally Posted by Whatnext

No worms or parasites feasted on the US.
US corporations gave away its technology and manufacturing to other countries in pursuit of cheaper costs, high returns, and great dividends for stock holders, and the country feasted on all the cheap goods.
US lost the workforce to manufacture those goods, and even if companies bring home their industries, it will take billions of $$$ and years to start up and produce.
All the now perceived problems were self induced by Corporate America.
At least many technology items are now tariff free, as the price hit was going to cost votes, and sales.
Someone seems to be blinking quite rapidly!

If you have a 401k or a pension, you are the evil corporation. Regulating foreign trade is a government responsibility. As usual, the mess we are currently trying to fix is a result of 50 years of terrible government trade and fiscal policy. The liberal accedemics who kept telling us trade deficits were a good thing are equally at fault. The question is, does America have the stomach to complete the reforms necessary to correct these 50 years of terrible government policy? With half the population in denial or brainwashed by propoganda, I doubt it.

[rsmurano]

Corporations are not evil! People aren’t evil if they have 401ks or pensions. If it wasn’t for corporations, we would not have the technology we have today. We all would be using pen and paper, mailing Kodak pics to relatives, and have horses and buggies.
People with pensions and especially 401ks, these people have the brains to invest and the brains to choose jobs that provide benefits, instead of someone that has to accept any job at a low wage with no benefits because they didn’t learn anything in school.

As for tariffs, it’s about time somebody did something about it. Just like countries not paying their fair share in nato. We are tired of supporting every other country but ours.

[opinionist]

Tariffs have worked to bring trillions of dollars in investment for reindustrialization.
The rapid shifts in tariff levels represent deals being made.
Anyone looking for a safe haven should buy physical gold/silver.
Everything else has counterparty risk.

[Rsb23]

Originally Posted by Aviator1211

If you have a 401k or a pension, you are the evil corporation. Regulating foreign trade is a government responsibility. As usual, the mess we are currently trying to fix is a result of 50 years of terrible government trade and fiscal policy. The liberal accedemics who kept telling us trade deficits were a good thing are equally at fault. The question is, does America have the stomach to complete the reforms necessary to correct these 50 years of terrible government policy? With half the population in denial or brainwashed by propoganda, I doubt it.

The American consumer put us in our current position by picking the cheapest price item over American made items. Levi Jean is a prime example… in the 80s the price of Levi’s was about 40 a pair, while imports were about 10. Consumer picked the cheapest price..
The US can’t compete with countries that pay their workers at 2 or 3 dollars an hour…. Americans will not work for these wages. These businesses are not coming back OR if they do the American consumer will have to pay much, much higher prices that more Americans can’t afford….
This it a World economic and to think we can just change things that is plan Stupid…. It will not happen… without pain for us and our families for many, many years….

We need to accept the World economy as it is…. The U S was and still is the strongest nation why rock the boat now…

[phylt]

Originally Posted by Aviator1211

If you have a 401k or a pension, you are the evil corporation. Regulating foreign trade is a government responsibility. As usual, the mess we are currently trying to fix is a result of 50 years of terrible government trade and fiscal policy. The liberal accedemics who kept telling us trade deficits were a good thing are equally at fault. The question is, does America have the stomach to complete the reforms necessary to correct these 50 years of terrible government policy? With half the population in denial or brainwashed by propoganda, I doubt it.

++++ Just love those folks striking out at the serious work being done to rid out federal waste, fraud, abuse of OUR TAX DOLLARS. Yes - brainwashed, and paid to protest by the folks who despise our country. And the idiotic striking out at a major company and its customers.
Same with the serious work being done to FINALLY correct the USA trade policies worldwide.

This takes GUTS and strength and willingness to take short term heat. 95% of the countries are standing in line to make DEALS, all for the betterment of the USA and a good deal for both. China will be standing alone soon, odd man out. Just where we want them. I have tremendous faith that leveling the Trade playing field and hitting China economically.

As you said, the 'denial or brainwashed' folks will not/cannot see the facts. EVERYTHING being done, for the betterment of the USA and 95% world, is constantly berated.

[Joe C.]

You can disable the camera on the smart TV anytime you want by a small bit of electrician's tape.

[Ptmcbriz]

American consumers have enjoyed the cheap prices of manufactured consumer goods for decades. They aren’t going to buy a $45 doll when they are use to buying the same doll from China for $19. There is no incentive for corporate America to move their plants back to the US. Americans won’t buy the $45 doll if they return, because we can’t compete in cheap raw materials and labor. Never will. US companies based in China, Thailand and elsewhere will continue to sell their $19 dolls through out the world where there are no tariffs. The US consumer will do without or pay the higher tariff price…or wait for a different President to be elected once consumers want prices to go down again and tariffs eliminated.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Rsb23

The American consumer put us in our current position by picking the cheapest price item over American made items. Levi Jean is a prime example… in the 80s the price of Levi’s was about 40 a pair, while imports were about 10. Consumer picked the cheapest price..
The US can’t compete with countries that pay their workers at 2 or 3 dollars an hour…. Americans will not work for these wages. These businesses are not coming back OR if they do the American consumer will have to pay much, much higher prices that more Americans can’t afford….
This it a World economic and to think we can just change things that is plan Stupid…. It will not happen… without pain for us and our families for many, many years….

We need to accept the World economy as it is…. The U S was and still is the strongest nation why rock the boat now…

With a slight of hand, businesses figured out how to put a large portion of the debit side of their ledgers on the backs of US citizens and then convinced us we were getting a great deal with cheaper foreign products. Few noticed how the jobless affected our budgets at home with the jobs shipped overseas. As we pay out of our pockets for all the programs that support the loss of employment, subsidized housing/rent, Medicaid, food stamps, health insurance and all the social programs for the jobless not to mention the lack of dignity and loss of self esteem for those affected. We also lost the very important ability to care for ourselves in the event of world disagreements or worse. Yeah, we sure came out ahead, ahem.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Yes, large cracks are starting to appear in this stupid, ill-thought-out policy.
Computers and smartphones are just the beginning.

remember when in school you were a good student, and then a subject came up which you didn't quite understand as quickly as others? homework was good, but tests didn't always get the same results? You felt confident and then the results didn't happen as expected?

Starting to happen alot these days . .

In this case in poker it's called a bluff, a large bet, and the opponent doesn't get intimidated, and you start to second guess the situation. . and then realize you miscalculated, and you have to fold. .

Folding happened with Russia, the outcome didn't match the expected test results
Folding in tariffs would appear more slowly. . and with lots more spin. .

ITs called folding after a bluff. . . because a view of the world isn't a winning view of how the world works for your position. . .

[SoCalGal]

Originally Posted by Pballer

Reciprocal tariffs have just been removed from computers, smartphones and other electronic devices such as flat panel TVs. I guess big business lobbying and pay to play has been highly successful.

When you post a claim like this, including a link to a story about this would be helpful.