MARKETS,Anybody even yet?

[FAA]

Recap: DJIA -598 yesterday, +595 today.

[dinghy]

If you have taxes witheld from a job, you can increase the withholding and have the refund paid out in Ibonds.

Clever idea, thanks. Sounds like it would work with other refund scenarios also. For example if you pay quarterly estimated tax, you could increase the amounts to ensure a sufficiently large refund.

The downside is you miss out on income you could have earned during the tax year, but that may not be much of a drawback.

[FAA]

Speaking at Saturday’s Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting, Buffett slammed Wall Street financial advisors for “catching the crumbs that fall off the table of capitalism.” In most cases, “monkeys” could provide better investment returns simply by throwing money at American companies.
"You can have monkeys throwing darts at the page, and, you know, take away the management fees and everything, I’ll bet on the monkeys [over the advisors],” he said. Buffett has long recommended that investors put their money in low-cost index funds, which hold every stock in an index, automatically diversified. The S&P 500, for example, includes big-name Apple, Coca-Cola and Amazon. “Consistently buy an S&P 500 low-cost index fund,” Buffett said in 2017. “Keep buying it through thick and thin, and especially through thin.”

[dinghy]

“Consistently buy an S&P 500 low-cost index fund,” Buffett said in 2017. “Keep buying it through thick and thin, and especially through thin.”

It's reasonable advice, but I don't get the rationale for buying only the S&P 500. Low-cost index funds are available now for small and mid caps, and also internationals.

[olds442jetaway]

I prefer not to catch a falling knife, but my crystal ball just laughs at me. This time around, I’m waiting for a 5 percent upside over time before jumping in. My biggest mistake as I saw all of this coming and told family so was not selling everything in December. They replied, my financial advisors are Harvard educated……..I replied haaaahasaa!!!! I am biting my tongue though and not saying I told you so. I didn’t follow my own advice either!!! Right now I am down about 2 years worth of my annual average VP losses. On paper only but still…. Grrrrrrrt

[FAA]

Yesterday was spectacular. Today is the disaster. I have excellent advisors also, a highly esteemed firm. Market doesn't care. I am down over a decade in annual average VP losses on paper. I have time on my side and will need it. This is an epic collapse. I was crazy enough to request a 70/30 stock allocation on my March 1 reentry, figuring that most if not all of the selloff was over. My main advisor ignored me and wrote 60/40 instructions. I wanted to call and complain, but decided to leave well enough alone. That saved me from even more losses nowadays.

[olds442jetaway]

At the very least I am going to max out the I bond for myself and the Mrs. 9.62 percent interest for next I think 6 months.

[FAA]

My firm cancelled a 34 share buy at $75.04 on March 30; now an anemic $67.46. At least I caught one break. Still stuck with earlier 38 shares bought at $78. It's a long list of losers.

[dinghy]

At the very least I am going to max out the I bond for myself and the Mrs. 9.62 percent interest for next I think 6 months.

Treasury Direct is not very user-friendly imo, but the big yield is probably worth the effort.

CNBC headline reports Dow drops for sixth straight week. Meanwhile by my math, bond prices have dropped nine of the last ten. Vanguard EDV (Extended Duration Treasury) traded below 99 today, which hadn't happened in more than 8 years. Last December it topped at 148.

Anyone with a balanced stock/bond porfolio is having a bad start to the year.

I'm buying Treasuries (via bond ETFs). You only have to go out about 3 years duration to get 3% yield. Inflation lately is higher than that, but cash in the bank is still near zero yield.

[JIMDUECE`SWILD]

Not this week.