Is It Really Possible to Realize Higher Returns With LESS Risk Exposure?

 

The answer is YES, but it’s important that you understand the context so that you can make highly informed decisions.

At Greene, we specialize in savings and investments off Wall Street.

That may surprise you, or maybe not if you, your friends, and/or parents got crushed like so many others when the stock market crashed in 2008 – 2009. The economic crash crushed me. I lost everything.

My great financial advisors at the time didn’t teach me the whole picture about money or investments. They taught (sold) me one thing and were doing the exact opposite. It was a hardship I don’t want anyone to have to endure.

But it was also a blessing, because it thrust me from my life as an engineer into the financial industry where I have helped myself, my family, my friends, and many clients grow a lot more money by learning from all my past mistakes.

And please don’t misunderstand me, I love Wall Street when used in certain ways, but not for the typical “buy and hold”, “in it for the long term” reasons that the majority of financial advisors (aka salespeople for Wall Street) preach day after day.

The stock market can create an incredible amount of wealth for brokerages, traders, market makers, and some retail investors (you and me); however, we can lose an incredible amount of money as well.

I have been in the financial industry for over eight years and from what I have seen, I believe it can be very hard to win as a retail investor.

Why? Fees, rules, and stocks/funds (securities) which aren’t so secure.

Fee-based financial advice, commissions, and more fees

Banks/brokerages know how to make a lot of money… for themselves! Fee-based percentages on your account of 1%, 1.5%, 2% … and commission charges on every fund/stock purchased and sold can have a huge impact on the performance of your investments.

Let’s ignore the commissions and just look at the fee-based percentage part. If you made 10%, and they took 1.5%, that’s a net return of 8.5%. Not bad. What if you grossed 6%, they take 1.5% and you’re left with 4.5%? Still okay with a 4.5% return with all that risk?

What if the stock market investments are flat or lose money? Are you ok with paying $7,500 on your $500,000 at risk that made no growth that year?

Stop and think about that.

Now let’s look at it through the eyes of the financial advisors that promote “buy and hold.” If you are an advisor making 1.5% on $100 million that you manage for your clients—your income is $1,500,000 per year. That’s a nice income! Wouldn’t you teach your clients “buy and hold”, “you’re in it for the long term” and “what’s most important is not how your portfolio performs, but our relationship”?

Even if you lost half of your clients’ $100 million when the market crashed in 2008 – 2009, you probably could figure out a way to survive on a $750,000-income that year.

“Buy and hold” is great for the financial advisor, NOT for the investor. YOUR money is tied up for what feels like forever, and the advisors are enjoying that income today! Great business model… for them.

To be clear… I’m not opposed to advisors making a great income, just not at the expense of you, the investor.

If your financial advisor is consistently making you a strong return that doesn’t lose and beats the benchmark of the stock market (S&P 500 Index) after all their fees, he or she is worth it!

Unfortunately, most people I talk with don’t see that much of a difference from what they put in and how much it grew (or didn’t grow) from their advisor’s “crystal ball” stock/fund purchases.

The market has been on a tear since the S&P 500 Index bottomed out at 666 (eerie) in March 2009. Why so little growth in their investment accounts? Because of all the fees, it’s so hard to win as a retail investor.

Rules

The financial industry constantly tells us how valuable a Roth IRA, IRA, and/or 401(k) can be for retirement.

And they can be a useful strategy based upon your current effective federal and state tax rates. But they aren’t the panacea for your life today and in the future. Why? Because of all the rules.

More rules = less freedom!

IRAs and 401(k)s can provide some nice tax breaks today or tomorrow, but you basically can’t touch your money until your 59½ years old. Then you are forced (strongly influenced) to take money due to a required minimum distribution (RMD) at 70½ years old.

If you break the rules there can be HUUUGE tax penalties.

Would you rather have more control? Less rules? Are you in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s? Think of a great vacation you would like to take.

Hawaii? Costa Rica? Thailand? Singapore? Europe? …

Do you want to go now or wait till your 59½?

At Greene, we can show you how to go on that vacation now AND how you can also have a WAAAY wealthier tomorrow!

 

Stocks/funds (securities) which aren’t so secure

The stock market likes to go up and it eventually likes to go down (freefall). Fear always outweighs greed.

Historically, Wall Street goes up most years, but when it crashes (aka corrects) how much pain can your stomach endure? How sound can a financial strategy be if you lose 50% of your wealth in one year?

Here’s what one of the best investors ever had to say…

“Rule #1: Never lose money. Rule #2: Never forget rule #1.” -Warren Buffet

The stock market can go up a lot, but it can lose a lot too. Financial advisors will hand you a 50-page prospectus showing an enticing average annual total return for 1yr, 5yrs, 10yrs, … but guarantees nothing.

You could lose a lot. You could lose everything. I did.

Remember when GM went bankrupt and GM shareholders watched millions of dollars turn into “wallpaper”?

Remember Bear Stearns going from $159 per share to NIL within a year?

The financial industry is incredibly successful at making a lot of money with YOUR money. As an investor, there is a different way to play the game. Instead of doing what they teach, why not do what they do?

Exactly! MOST OF THEM DON’T DO THEMSELVES WHAT THEY TELL YOU TO DO!

This website has discussed a fair amount about how the financial industry has been very successful at making money with your money with “the spread”, fees, and commissions. Now let’s talk about loan contracts.

Banks love mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. A mortgage is a nice contract between you and the bank promising to pay, for example, 4.25% interest on a $350,000 loan over the next 30 years. That’s a nice cash flow stream of $1,715 per month to the bank. And if you don’t pay, they take the house (you don’t really own it, do you?).

Auto loans are another great loan contract. You buy a nice truck for $50,000 and agree to pay 5% interest over the next six years. That’s about $802 a month to the bank. Do I need to talk about credit cards? Suffice it to say, loan contracts can be very profitable.

At Greene, we teach you how to make money like the banks

We specialize in safer investments that grow independent of the stock market and can create a check every month in your mailbox (cash flow). You can enjoy the money today and can have a waaay wealthier tomorrow.

And if you already have a Roth IRA, IRA, or 401(k) that you need to rollover, we can help you. Those savings retirement accounts don’t have to be stuck in the stock market. That’s an illusion perpetuated by the financial industry.

Although there is always risk in any investment, our #1 goal is for you to never lose money, using safer investment strategies off Wall Street.

If you’re ready to learn more, schedule a no-obligation call below…or, just pick up the phone and call us at 775-624-8839.