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Thanks to the recent tariffs, financial markets are very active. How are you handling this with regard to your own finances? Are you just letting it ride? Are you getting out?
i never trusted the stock market (although i do have investments in it). my main focus is universal whole life insurance. at least that’s less prone to political or world influence
That’s an interesting strategy. There aren’t a lot of time horizons where you would have done better with the interest rate on a universal life policy than you’d get with a balanced stock and bond portfolio, especially factoring in fees. If you run unto trouble and have to pay surrender fees to pull your cash early you can even end up losing money.
i understand what youre saying and i agree. however my goal isnt about “doing better” but about makign sure i just “do better” period. Whereas stocks/bonds are prone to influence and rollercoaster rides, i at least know with the life insurance its essentially a guaranteed outcome. and thats for money i dont plan on pulling out until the proper time. the other money i do have, i put in stocks, just hedging my bets if you will. doesnt hurt to play both sides
Have you looked at indexed universal life policies? I hadn’t heard about that until a client came in with one. Guaranteed minimum rate of return, and insured against loss. It had a lower annual return but they got it before the 2008 financial crisis and insurance covered losses, so they lost literally $0.00 and then when the market recovered they rode the recovery all the way up. It was great for them.
In no universe would anyone invest in whole life insurance – – – please tell me you are someone who sells whole life insurance – and do not actually do this as an attorney for ‘investing’.
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 10:00 am
I sold all my stocks a few weeks ago. I sadly failed to move my 401k funds and will just ride the wave… I’m just waiting for the right time to jump back in. Drops in markets are buying opportunities. sit tight and when you think we bottom out buy buy buy… question is when will we hit bottom?
Don’t buy now. Dollar cost averaging does non work when the market is on a downward trend. (It works in normal or volatile markets).
First, you don’t even know if some of these companies are going to survive whatever sweet hell is coming, why would you give them money?
Second, you may need cash for the impending recession. If you invest now and the market decreases, you will only have to sell at a loss.
Third, it can take up to 27-years for the economy to meet pre-recession conditions–do you have 28 years to wait before today’s dollar is worth more than a dollar?
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 10:16 am
I’m buying more while it’s on sale! Doubled my 401k contribution; I’ll hit my annual limit in July. US economy is resilient. This stock market dip is temporary and based 100% on fear. Warren Buffett is buying and so am I! This is going to end up accelerating my retirement by a couple of years!
Does anyone know of any arbitrators who would be willing to hire associate counsel to manage their ADR caseload, draft summary briefs, research case law, etc? I’m currently practicing as a new litigator and absolutely took a shine to ADR.
Perhaps someone who would be willing to closely mentor me and help a 4th-year find out what they’re best suited for? The issue of pay is wholly negotiable as I already have replaceable income. Just looking to get my foot in the door of the world of ADR.
Not an arbitrator but our firm is looking for an associate, especially someone to write, and has a fair number of cases in arbitration. Drop a way to contact you
Thanks for responding! You can text me at 702-493-2730.
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 11:36 am
If you’ve been consistently investing in a well-diversified stock portfolio, there is zero reason to stop doing what you’ve been doing. Dollar cost averaging works. Selling now would have disastrous consequences.
At retirement, your actual savings rate will be far more telling than your annualized rate of return. Over any considerable period of time, the market returns around 10%. Some do a little better, some do a little worse. That’s how it’s always been and that’s how it’s always going to be.
Here’s a little secret: for most lawyers, a recession ain’t all that bad. Our business doesn’t see the same dips during bad financial times as most other businesses.
Oh, and the Roth IRA and 401K options are the greatest gifts ever given by Congress to the American worker. If you’re young, they’re an even greater gift.
“Here’s a little secret: for most lawyers, a recession ain’t all that bad. Our business doesn’t see the same dips during bad financial times as most other businesses.”
Sort of. I started in the last recession (the real one, not that blip in 2020). In a recession, litigants are more reluctant. Those who do fight, fight hard over morsels. Which makes collections a challenge. Client screening and collections will become more important and less forgiving. We are not immune.
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 11:52 am
I am as diligent of dollar cost averager as you are likely to find, and I am hitting pause. This feels like catching a falling knife right now. I have followed the news to see if there are people in the Administration (Scott Bessent this means you) willing to take a stand and halt the madness. No one is telling the Emperor that his new clothes are leaving us all naked. They are fine causing way more pain and destruction to this economy. Sorry there is no bounce in the near term and a lot more financial blood will be shed .
This is the correct answer. I have 20+ years to retirement, so I’m gonna let my 401k and Roth ride. But my other assets are all cash right now. Nobody will be able to perfectly time the bottom, but I do believe there will be a time at which it will make sense to DCA back in. That time is not now because of what 11:52 AM notes as well as Trump’s genuine belief that trade deficits are bad. He will run this into the ground before he takes any action that causes him to lose face.
I understand how some could take that position. But you are watching everyday Americans get pummeled. People who did not ask for this or deserve it. If it was only hurting one side or the other, maybe the Schadenfreude would make sense. But this is hurting the very people a “left leaning” lawyer would presumably care about.
For those who are in retirement and who are literally withdrawing funds to supplement their retirement income, this literally is hurting them and reducing their timeline until their funds are gone.
What you don’t realize is that there is no real value until the security is sold. You have what you have when you have it.
Retires portfolio has grown, retracted and grown again, as it the nature of the stock market.
Sure. Cyclical bearish and bullish times occur. That is not what we are discussing here. This is intentional and entirely avoidable destruction of wealth. I am a Republican. If Obama or Biden had proposed 90% tax rates and it caused the markets to tank, yeah that would be governmental malpractice. This is the same thing.
Nonsense.
Perhaps the market crash is intentional (although I am not totally convinced, just acknowledging the possibility), but its also clearly necessary given the illusory strength of the market.
There is no such thing as money.
4:11 – there is value to a portfolio before you sell and use it. It is called leverage. Real money is made with leverage, even our current king knows that. He wants to lower interest rates, not to mention make more money as him and his crew are the only people who can time the market better than Congress with their insider info.
this is 12:18. yes its hurting the demographic i care about. but i am only one person. i can only donate to so many charities and vote for the people i believe will make a difference. but since i have to play with the cards the government is dealing us, i play my hand accordingly.
I don’t spend money at Bagelmania or Pinkbox, but I’ll eat them is someone else is buying. Damn, I miss the old Bagelmania.
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 4:08 pm
Hello Mr. Wilson,
Hello Dennis the Menace
Guest
Anonymous
April 7, 2025 4:47 pm
I know this impacts a very narrow subset of the bar but…. Those of us who occasionally do appeals from Justice Court or District Court were clamoring for a set of rules for how appeals would be handled by the District Court. We got them: Part IX of the EDCR. Sets forth appeal gets filed, opening brief within 7 days, answering brief within 7 days after the opening brief, court after the answering brief can set it for oral argument or rule on the appeal.
Problem is 2 of the District Court judges are entering orders on appeals 1 day after the appeal is filed and without any briefing. Warning to those of you who file muni/justice appeals to watch your filings because it may get denied before you have ever filed a brief.
The rules treat the appeals as being without transcripts and then the District Court deciding if it wants transcripts. But the fact that there are judges rubber stamping muni court or justice court orders one day after being docketed (before the parties even have the case number on appeal) is unacceptable.
i never trusted the stock market (although i do have investments in it). my main focus is universal whole life insurance. at least that’s less prone to political or world influence
That’s an interesting strategy. There aren’t a lot of time horizons where you would have done better with the interest rate on a universal life policy than you’d get with a balanced stock and bond portfolio, especially factoring in fees. If you run unto trouble and have to pay surrender fees to pull your cash early you can even end up losing money.
i understand what youre saying and i agree. however my goal isnt about “doing better” but about makign sure i just “do better” period. Whereas stocks/bonds are prone to influence and rollercoaster rides, i at least know with the life insurance its essentially a guaranteed outcome. and thats for money i dont plan on pulling out until the proper time. the other money i do have, i put in stocks, just hedging my bets if you will. doesnt hurt to play both sides
Have you looked at indexed universal life policies? I hadn’t heard about that until a client came in with one. Guaranteed minimum rate of return, and insured against loss. It had a lower annual return but they got it before the 2008 financial crisis and insurance covered losses, so they lost literally $0.00 and then when the market recovered they rode the recovery all the way up. It was great for them.
In no universe would anyone invest in whole life insurance – – – please tell me you are someone who sells whole life insurance – and do not actually do this as an attorney for ‘investing’.
I sold all my stocks a few weeks ago. I sadly failed to move my 401k funds and will just ride the wave… I’m just waiting for the right time to jump back in. Drops in markets are buying opportunities. sit tight and when you think we bottom out buy buy buy… question is when will we hit bottom?
Buy now, if you can.
I older than you, have more money than you, and have lost more than you. But it’s paper losses. I am holding.
Keep holding onto that Bear Stearns stock, grandpa. I’m sure it’s just a temporary dip.
OP here. I am offended by you calling me “grandpa”. The proper way to address me is “Ok boomer”.
Timing the market can be tough.
I have been scalping crypto all weekend. Up $3k this morning alone.
@ “I sadly failed” — it’s not too late. It’s a-gonna drop more . . . .
Don’t buy now. Dollar cost averaging does non work when the market is on a downward trend. (It works in normal or volatile markets).
First, you don’t even know if some of these companies are going to survive whatever sweet hell is coming, why would you give them money?
Second, you may need cash for the impending recession. If you invest now and the market decreases, you will only have to sell at a loss.
Third, it can take up to 27-years for the economy to meet pre-recession conditions–do you have 28 years to wait before today’s dollar is worth more than a dollar?
I’m buying more while it’s on sale! Doubled my 401k contribution; I’ll hit my annual limit in July. US economy is resilient. This stock market dip is temporary and based 100% on fear. Warren Buffett is buying and so am I! This is going to end up accelerating my retirement by a couple of years!
isn’t Buffett still on the sidelines with his dragon hoard of cash? idk why I would move back into the market before he does.
Sitting on 300B in cash
Does anyone know of any arbitrators who would be willing to hire associate counsel to manage their ADR caseload, draft summary briefs, research case law, etc? I’m currently practicing as a new litigator and absolutely took a shine to ADR.
Perhaps someone who would be willing to closely mentor me and help a 4th-year find out what they’re best suited for? The issue of pay is wholly negotiable as I already have replaceable income. Just looking to get my foot in the door of the world of ADR.
Not an arbitrator but our firm is looking for an associate, especially someone to write, and has a fair number of cases in arbitration. Drop a way to contact you
Thanks for responding! You can text me at 702-493-2730.
If you’ve been consistently investing in a well-diversified stock portfolio, there is zero reason to stop doing what you’ve been doing. Dollar cost averaging works. Selling now would have disastrous consequences.
At retirement, your actual savings rate will be far more telling than your annualized rate of return. Over any considerable period of time, the market returns around 10%. Some do a little better, some do a little worse. That’s how it’s always been and that’s how it’s always going to be.
Here’s a little secret: for most lawyers, a recession ain’t all that bad. Our business doesn’t see the same dips during bad financial times as most other businesses.
Oh, and the Roth IRA and 401K options are the greatest gifts ever given by Congress to the American worker. If you’re young, they’re an even greater gift.
“Here’s a little secret: for most lawyers, a recession ain’t all that bad. Our business doesn’t see the same dips during bad financial times as most other businesses.”
Sort of. I started in the last recession (the real one, not that blip in 2020). In a recession, litigants are more reluctant. Those who do fight, fight hard over morsels. Which makes collections a challenge. Client screening and collections will become more important and less forgiving. We are not immune.
I am as diligent of dollar cost averager as you are likely to find, and I am hitting pause. This feels like catching a falling knife right now. I have followed the news to see if there are people in the Administration (Scott Bessent this means you) willing to take a stand and halt the madness. No one is telling the Emperor that his new clothes are leaving us all naked. They are fine causing way more pain and destruction to this economy. Sorry there is no bounce in the near term and a lot more financial blood will be shed .
This is the correct answer. I have 20+ years to retirement, so I’m gonna let my 401k and Roth ride. But my other assets are all cash right now. Nobody will be able to perfectly time the bottom, but I do believe there will be a time at which it will make sense to DCA back in. That time is not now because of what 11:52 AM notes as well as Trump’s genuine belief that trade deficits are bad. He will run this into the ground before he takes any action that causes him to lose face.
Some of us are LOVING this madness. Both from a political and an investment standpoint.
exactly. as a left leaning lawyer sitting on plenty of cash, this is a double gift.
I understand how some could take that position. But you are watching everyday Americans get pummeled. People who did not ask for this or deserve it. If it was only hurting one side or the other, maybe the Schadenfreude would make sense. But this is hurting the very people a “left leaning” lawyer would presumably care about.
Its hurting NO ONE. Stop the lying.
For those who are in retirement and who are literally withdrawing funds to supplement their retirement income, this literally is hurting them and reducing their timeline until their funds are gone.
What you don’t realize is that there is no real value until the security is sold. You have what you have when you have it.
Retires portfolio has grown, retracted and grown again, as it the nature of the stock market.
Sure. Cyclical bearish and bullish times occur. That is not what we are discussing here. This is intentional and entirely avoidable destruction of wealth. I am a Republican. If Obama or Biden had proposed 90% tax rates and it caused the markets to tank, yeah that would be governmental malpractice. This is the same thing.
Nonsense.
Perhaps the market crash is intentional (although I am not totally convinced, just acknowledging the possibility), but its also clearly necessary given the illusory strength of the market.
There is no such thing as money.
–A True Anarcho-capitalist.
4:11 – there is value to a portfolio before you sell and use it. It is called leverage. Real money is made with leverage, even our current king knows that. He wants to lower interest rates, not to mention make more money as him and his crew are the only people who can time the market better than Congress with their insider info.
Right about now, those in or near retirement probably have the most about which to be concerned.
Anyone still in his or her working years with assets in retirement accounts is fine.
When others are aggressively selling, it’s a good thing to be aggressively buying. Don’t believe the hysteria.
this is 12:18. yes its hurting the demographic i care about. but i am only one person. i can only donate to so many charities and vote for the people i believe will make a difference. but since i have to play with the cards the government is dealing us, i play my hand accordingly.
so kindly piss off with the virtue signaling
It is not “virtue signaling” to say this is a bad thing for and is hurting people left, right and center.
I spend 90% of my money on women and blow. The rest I waste.
A life well lived?
Not too worried. I’ve got a date for both in about an hour.
12:25 is living life and making solid investments. True fulfillment.
Data breach announced at our favorite local extended stay motel/donut chain:
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-siegel-group-announces-data-breach-5557822/
Good time to make sure your clients have cyber insurance!
I don’t buy their doughnuts. https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/congressional-report-big-landlords-including-siegel-used-abusive-eviction-tactics
I don’t spend money at Bagelmania or Pinkbox, but I’ll eat them is someone else is buying. Damn, I miss the old Bagelmania.
Hello Mr. Wilson,
Hello Dennis the Menace
I know this impacts a very narrow subset of the bar but…. Those of us who occasionally do appeals from Justice Court or District Court were clamoring for a set of rules for how appeals would be handled by the District Court. We got them: Part IX of the EDCR. Sets forth appeal gets filed, opening brief within 7 days, answering brief within 7 days after the opening brief, court after the answering brief can set it for oral argument or rule on the appeal.
Problem is 2 of the District Court judges are entering orders on appeals 1 day after the appeal is filed and without any briefing. Warning to those of you who file muni/justice appeals to watch your filings because it may get denied before you have ever filed a brief.
How can you file the opening brief within 7 days when it takes sometimes 30 days for transcripts?
The rules treat the appeals as being without transcripts and then the District Court deciding if it wants transcripts. But the fact that there are judges rubber stamping muni court or justice court orders one day after being docketed (before the parties even have the case number on appeal) is unacceptable.
Which department is currently assigned to muni/justice appeals?