Simple Money

99.8% of Shares Stink: Do Shares Beat Cash?

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Do shares outperform cash investments? It seems like a silly question. Of course shares outperform, right? Hendrik Bessembinder, a researcher and finance professor at Arizona State University, looked at the data to answer this question. It turns out that 58% of the nearly 26,000 stocks traded on US markets in the 91 years from 1926 … Read more

How I Invest My Money

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“Never ask anyone for their opinion, forecast, or recommendation. Just ask them what they have in their portfolio.” – Nassim Taleb Sure, I tell my clients to invest in a Low-Cost, Automated, Diversified, and Simple manner, but do I apply the same principles to my own investing portfolio? Yes, I do. This is important to … Read more

AI-Native Financial Planning in NZ

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A good financial advisor in New Zealand can leverage AI (artificial intelligence) to provide more clarity and cut through complex financial issues quickly. The things AI hasn’t changed are the reasons why my clients hire me in the first place: judgement, behavioral coaching, and listening carefully to understand what my clients need, want, and how … Read more

NZ Financial Advisor Code of Conduct

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Here at Simple Money, I believe the Financial Advisor Code of Conduct is only the foundation of how I treat my clients. As a US Air Force officer, I believed in the core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. I continue to live these core values in how … Read more

New Wealth Checklist New Zealand

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Whether you’ve sold your company, inherited a large sum of money or properties, or won the lottery, coming into wealth in New Zealand can come with a lot of emotional, mental, and financial baggage. Earning or winning a windfall can feel stressful (“I can’t mess this up!”), joyous (“We did it!”), or every emotion in … Read more

Home Country Bias in New Zealand

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Aotearoa New Zealand is a beautiful country, no doubt about it. Friendly people, clean water, clean air, beautiful mountains, lakes, and vistas. I’m proud and happy to call this my adopted home. However, New Zealand has a small share market. As a percentage of the global share market, the NZX is about 0.1%. A rounding … Read more

Dale Carnegie’s Timeless Money Advice

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I was reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, a great companion to his more widely read How to Win Friends and Influence People. Here are a few quotes from the book that resonated with me. It’s amazing how, originally published in 1948, so much of what he wrote still rings true … Read more