Are your investment returns determined by your worldview? Are people hardwired to be pessimists?
Millions of years ago, if an optimistic caveman dismissed a rustle in a bush as the wind blowing, our ancestor may have ended up as a tiger’s lunch. As a result of this early conditioning, the part of our brain called the amygdala scans everything we see and hear for negative news…. Read more
What are the retirement risks you should watch out for when planning your future?
The following risks, which often get forgotten, can torpedo even the best-laid retirement plans:
Underestimating the true cost of retirement
Many people plan for rising healthcare expenses as they get older, but they don’t factor in the increasing costs of living longer…. Read more
Should financial news and media reports affect the way you make your investment decisions?
Recently, a client said: “I just read about _________ (fill in Israeli company name) in The Jerusalem Post, and I’d like to buy 1000 shares.” I hear comments like this fairly often. Since I help people who live in Israel with their U.S.-based IRA and brokerage accounts,… Read more
As a financial advisor, I’m often asked how to take best advantage of a strong dollar.
A lot depends on whether you are looking at the short or long term.
Short-term ideas to get more for your dollar
If you are looking at short-term ways to take advantage of a strong dollar,… Read more
Although most of my conversations with clients center on helping them with their U.S. brokerage and IRA accounts, I like it when the conversation turns to what’s on our current reading list.
I’m always thrilled when people tell me that they read one of my books and appreciate when they review it on Amazon…. Read more
Some investors’ fear of losing money compels them to completely avoid the stock market and other volatile investments. This phenomenon is often called “loss aversion.”
People suffering from loss aversion will sometimes wait until they see the market has gone up a lot, and then they invest. They forget about history and just believe that the economy will continue strengthening…. Read more
As a financial planner, my exposure to the field of behavioral finance isn’t just theoretical. When clients come to my Jerusalem office for a consultation, I’m constantly amazed at how frequently their thought processes and rationalization of decisions follows the scientific research of behavioral finance.
What influences financial decisions?
I recently discussed why people invest the way they do,… Read more
A retired client of mine sent me an email that started: “What a crazy world it’s become! Corona, riots, elections! Who knows what’s next?” I wrote back, “No one knows, but there’s a lot more going on in the world than just that.” I then explained the following three potential money messes and concluded,… Read more
“You always tell people to save,” a prospective client said. “When can I enjoy life and spend money?”
If you’ve been reading my articles and blogs and listening to my podcast (GoldsteinOnGelt.com) over the years, and if you haven’t been spending any money, let’s consider some options for using your cash. … Read more
The last time you drove in Tel Aviv, did you wish there was a more efficient transportation system that’s clean, fast, and comfortable?
As traffic and levels of air pollution rise in the world’s major cities, the need to find an effective system is becoming more pressing than ever. Tel Aviv is the site of an interesting transportation experiment – the SkyTran…. Read more
