Jonathan Clements Explains Why Dying is Hard Work

4 snips

Jan 17, 2025

Jonathan Clements, a veteran personal finance columnist and founder of HumbleDollar, shares profound insights after his stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis. He discusses the emotional impact of money on life satisfaction and the importance of mindfulness. Clements delves into strategies for navigating financial legacy, urging open conversations about estate planning. He reflects on investor psychology during market downturns and emphasizes living meaningfully, finding beauty in everyday moments despite adversity.

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ANECDOTE

Journalism in the Family

Jonathan Clements's father graduated from Cambridge in 1956 and chose journalism over a higher-paying corporate job.
This early exposure influenced Clements's own career path in financial journalism.

INSIGHT

Star Managers and Indexing

Profiling star mutual fund managers often led to highlighting stocks they wanted to sell.
This practice, based on past performance, contributed to the eventual rise of index funds.

ADVICE

Index Fund Advantage

Embrace index funds to outperform most investors.
Matching market returns minus fees offers a snowballing advantage over time.

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