01.21.25 Ask An Advisor With Wes Moss - Why Successful Investors Buy Stocks (Mostly) and Stock Market FOMO
Jan 21, 2025
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Wes Moss, a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor and member of Team Clark, dives deep into the world of investing and retirement planning. He discusses the necessity of stocks for building a retirement nest egg, highlighting that a median happy retiree needs around $700,000. Wes also tackles the issue of FOMO—fear of missing out—and emphasizes why ignoring impulsive investment decisions is crucial. Listeners also get to hear about effective retirement strategies, including diversification and the balance between stocks and stable assets.
Stocks are essential for building wealth and achieving retirement goals, with historical returns averaging close to 10% per annum.
Maintaining 'dry powder' in stable assets allows investors to weather market volatility without panic, fostering strategic long-term decision-making.
Deep dives
The Importance of Stocks in Investing
Stocks are emphasized as a crucial component for successful investing and achieving financial freedom in retirement. They are presented as a primary tool for outpacing inflation and growing purchasing power over time, especially through broader investments like the S&P 500. Historical data shows that, despite significant market corrections over the past 25 years, including the COVID-19 crash and prior economic downturns, the average returns for stocks remain compelling, close to 10% per annum over long periods. This highlights the necessity of investing in stocks, alongside a diversified portfolio, as a strategy to build wealth for future retirement needs.
Strategic Use of Dry Powder
The concept of 'dry powder' is introduced as a means for investors to manage the volatility of the stock market. Maintaining three years’ worth of expenses in stable assets, such as bonds or treasuries, allows for financial stability during market fluctuations. By doing so, investors can affix a portion of their portfolios to secure funds while their more volatile investments recover. This approach fosters better investing practices, enabling individuals to be more patient and strategic, as they are less likely to panic during stock market downturns.
Navigating FOMO in Investment Decisions
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is addressed as a detrimental mindset that can lead to poor investment choices. Investors may feel pressured to chase high-performing stocks or trends based on popular opinion, but this often results in underperformance over time. Sticking to a well-researched investment strategy, rather than reacting to fads or market noise, proves to be a more successful approach. Historical data supports this, showing that maintaining a consistent investment style yields better long-term results than shifting strategies based on recent high performers.
Tax Efficiency in Retirement Withdrawals
Tax management in retirement is highlighted as a critical consideration when planning withdrawals from various accounts. A recommended strategy involves withdrawing from brokerage accounts first, as they typically incur lower tax rates on capital gains. Following this, utilizing funds from IRAs can be beneficial, as it reduces future required minimum distributions. Lastly, Roth IRAs should be preserved for longer-term growth due to their tax-free distribution advantage, demonstrating how structured withdrawal strategies can significantly affect overall tax burdens during retirement.
According to research, the median happy retiree needs $700,000 to get to retirement. But how do you get there? That’s where stocks come in. In this episode of Ask an Advisor, fee-only fiduciary financial advisor Wes Moss explains why stocks (mostly) are so important to your portfolio and the “dry powder” you need to stay confident in the market. Later in the show, Wes talks about FOMO (fear of missing out) Freddy and why you should ignore him at all costs when looking at your investments.
Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the January 21, 2025, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions at clark.com/ask.
We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes, in which Christa and Wes discuss investing and retirement savings in depth. Let us know what you think in the comments!