I hope you and your families are both healthy and safe. While your personal finances matter, at times like these, they may take a back seat to your concerns about your loved ones. Coronavirus and market volatility are dominating the news. If you add money to the market regularly, remember that you’re buying more shares of a stock, mutual fund, or ETF today than you were a few short weeks ago. Over the long haul, it should benefit your returns. Wednesday marked the eighth consecutive day the market changed by more than 4% day-over-day. Remember to maintain perspective and focus on your long-term objectives. Stay safe and healthy. That’s what matters most. My recent blog shared some personal thoughts to help you get through this current period of market upheaval. Enjoy this week’s articles. I hope they provide some perspective on the market’s gyrations. Remember that when volatility increases, watching financial news can be bad for your mental health and well-being.
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Here are the links to this week’s articles as well as a brief description of each:
1. What Happens After the Stock Market Falls. Nearly everyone has heard the phrase: “Buy low, sell high.” The S&P 500 has fallen almost 30% from its highs. We have an opportunity to buy low. Falling prices make stocks more dangerous in the short term. They also become more attractive over the long haul. Stocks tend to deliver stronger returns when they fall further from their highs. Once the decline reaches 20%, long-term returns begin to improve with each painful leg lower. Staying in the game is important. Following a sharp decline, returns for the next year are uncertain, but as the time horizon expands, stocks become more attractive.
2. The Latest Ways Identity Thieves Are Targeting You – and What to Do If You Are a Victim. Unfortunately, we are all potential targets for cybercriminals. As many as one in 10 people are fraud victims annually. One in five of those individuals has been victimized more than once. The article shares some of the more common, and clever, techniques identity thieves have started using more frequently. It also includes seven steps to avoid being hacked. For example:
· Monitor your credit regularly (To monitor my credit score, I use free services provided by Credit Karma and the banks who issued my major credit cards.)
· Freeze your credit.
The article provides some helpful suggestions for those who have been hacked, too.
3. Coronavirus Scams to Watch out For. When a crisis comes, you’ll likely find fraudsters looking to benefit from it. Cybercriminals often take advantage of trending news topics. In the case of coronavirus, they may mimic communications from expert sources. Beware of fake-map scams and phishing email attacks. You may also want to read this article detailing other scams.
4. Sports Are Usually a Great Escape. Not This Time. In times of crisis, sports often serve as a means of escape. They can distract us from our everyday problems. This time truly is different. The news of an NBA player’s COVID-19 diagnosis started a chain reaction. The sports world has gone dark. The NFL is open for business on the free-agent market, but there are no games. No March Madness. We don’t know when the baseball season will start. Champions may not be crowned in the NBA and the NHL. Without a doubt, our health and well-being are more important. We need to do what we can to slow the spread of coronavirus.
5. Here’s How Sleep Removes Poisons From Your Brain, Protecting You From Alzheimer’s as Nothing Else Can. When you’re worried about the health and safety of your loved ones, it can be hard to sleep. But sleep is important. It helps our brains function. Experiments have linked lack of sleep to Alzheimer’s. Make sure to prioritize sleep. In the end, you’ll be glad you did.
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For firm disclosures, see here: https://apprisewealth.com/disclosures/
Phil Weiss founded Apprise Wealth Management. He started his financial services career in 1987 working as a tax professional for Deloitte & Touche. For the past 25+ years, he has worked extensively in the areas of financial planning and investment management. Phil is both a CFA charterholder and a CPA.
Located just north of Baltimore, Apprise works with clients face-to-face locally and can also work virtually regardless of location.
