My Uncle gave me my first share of stock for my birthday in May of 1995. That one share of Chevron set me on a path to learning to invest most effectively — by doing it myself. All the books, blog posts, videos, courses, and talking heads are no substitute for brunt work and bruises….
Have you heard advertisements about creating lifetime income for a secure retirement? I’m always skeptical about annuities because they are so confusing, even for those of us who pay attention. It turns out that the term “lifetime income” is a marketing phrase intended to demystify annuities by highlighting their primary benefit. Unfortunately, a PR campaign…
A fundamental strategy for any U.S.-based DIY retirement planner is to accumulate as much retirement money as possible in a Roth IRA. Roth IRA contributions and conversions grow tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free and not subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs). I didn’t have a Roth IRA for the first 15 years of my investing…
This summer, my family of five will be visiting England and Scotland. International travel became my top priority after my high school Latin class went to Italy in 1993. That trip inspired: A 60-day European backpacking trip in 1998, which led to Four months in China and South-East Asia in 2001, Five months in South America…
At an early age, I was attracted to the allure of living off of interest — having enough income-producing cash and invested assets to retire on dividends and interest without spending any of the principal. This is appealing because it would provide the ultimate sense of financial security. When investors can generate enough income to…
The market is in volatile shape right now, and there’s little we can do about it. New information comes to light every hour, but the fog persists. With so much being unknowable, the market will fluctuate until policies and corporate earnings become clear and the trauma subsides. Companies, consumers, and the market need time to…
This week’s blog post points to my latest YouTube video where I share an update on my two taxable dividend income portfolios. The combined portfolio pays me about $13,633 per year in dividend income or about $1,136 per month. The video shows my Fidelity and M1 Finance portfolios and a combined future dividend income view…
The Pittsburgh Steelers won four Superbowls in the 1970s — a legendary run. My Uncle was a diehard Steelers fan in the 1970s and 1980s. He had season tickets, fabricated an Iron City Beer “kegerator” in his basement, and bet on the outcomes of the games. Sports betting is commonplace today. But back in the…
A friend of mine was trying to figure out why his financial advisor was underperforming the market so badly. Over the past 5 years (November 15th, 2019, to November 15th, 2024), his portfolio was up just 4.8% annually vs. 13.8% for the S&P 500. He’s not the kind of person who checks his portfolio every…
I’ve discovered an excellent product to help make data-driven decisions with our money. The software is called Lunch Money — an independent, female founder-led budgeting tool that makes the budgeting process simple, fast, and automated. Many of you will ignore this post, thinking you’re too wealthy or sophisticated to budget anymore — or you don’t think…
So much has changed in the world of personal finance and investing over the past 30 years. ETFs and index funds have replaced individual stock portfolios and managed mutual funds. Investing moved online, then to mobile. Online brokers eliminated commissions and now encourage fractional share purchases for as little as $0.01. Tax laws and planning…
Thanks to everyone who responded to the recent book giveaway. Your encouragement and kind words were uplifting. The responses gave me lots of topics to focus on in 2025. I received 104 responses. Congrats to the winners. Also, a few weeks back, I asked for your help in getting me over the 1,000 subscriber mark…
Jordan Grumet (aka DocG) is a long-time thought leader in the financial independence and retire early (FIRE) community. His podcast, The Earn & Invest Podcast, is nearing its 600th episode. He’s interviewed just about every blogger, author, and intellectual authority in the personal finance and retirement space (check out my interview, #580). An article I…
Curious readers can download the Dividend Kings spreadsheet for free. Dividend Kings are 50+ stocks that have paid and increased their dividends for 50+ consecutive years. Sure Dividend is an investing website and paid newsletter service focusing on dividend stocks and income investing. When the Sure Dividend blog started in 2014, it built a significant audience…
Today’s article is a recap of the year’s most popular articles and videos. Many, you may have missed it. Look for new articles, videos, book giveaways, and podcast appearances in 2025. Happy Holidays! Craig How I’m Simplifying my Portfolio for Retirement Early in the year, TD Bank interviewed me about how I’m simplifying my portfolio…
The Roth conversion is a popular year-end tax maneuver for DIY retirement planners. It works just as well at the start of the year, but more people are interested in December. The move involves transferring retirement assets from a traditional IRA, 401(k), or other pre-tax account into a Roth IRA. Conversions incur a tax consequence…
A more in-depth talking head version of this article is available on YouTube (view below). I chased early retirement for almost two decades. My early retirement goal made me a disciplined saver and investor, but I wholeheartedly believe early retirement is the wrong goal. This is humbling to write. In this article, I’ll provide three…
Though opinions vary on individual stocks vs. index funds, my own investments reflect a blend of both, from dividend and growth stocks to index funds, ETFs, and managed mutual funds. My uncle gave me one share of Chevron for my 20th birthday in 1995, and I built an individual stock portfolio from there. A retirement…
Buying compact discs (CDs) used to be a thing. That’s how we bought music back in the 1980s and 1990s. Most of you remember. I spent a few thousand dollars on CDs throughout high school, college, and my early working years. One summer, I worked in a record store to earn money because my internship at a…
On December 1st, 1986, my Mom took me to open my first bank account at the local Dollar Bank branch. I was 11 years old and a little skeptical of giving the bank teller my $21.60. I walked out with a small green booklet that looked like a passport. My parents thought it was the…
The FIRE movement made the rounds in national news for a few years and still gets a head nod here and there. The early retirement (RE) part of FIRE always received more criticism because it’s the goal when someone doesn’t like their career choice and wants to escape. In hindsight, this was me. Both financially…