1. Expecting Too Much
Having reasonable return expectations helps investors keep a long-term view without reacting emotionally.
2. No Investment Goals
Often investors focus on short-term returns or the latest investment craze instead of their long-term investment goals.
3. Not Diversifying
Diversifying prevents a single stock from drastically impacting the value of your portfolio.
4. Focusing on the Short Term
It’s easy to focus on the short term, but this can make investors second-guess their original strategy and make careless decisions.
5. Buying High and Selling Low
Investor behavior during market swings often hinders overall performance.
6. Trading Too Much
One study shows that the most active traders underperformed the U.S. stock market by 6.5% on average annually. Source: The Journal of Finance
7. Paying Too Much in Fees
Fees can meaningfully impact your overall investment performance, especially over the long run.
8. Focusing Too Much on Taxes
While tax-loss harvesting can boost returns, making a decision solely based on its tax consequences may not always be merited.
9. Not Reviewing Investments Regularly
Review your portfolio quarterly or annually to make sure you’re staying on track or if your portfolio is in need of rebalancing.
10. Misunderstanding Risk
Too much risk can take you out of your comfort zone, but too little risk may result in lower returns that do not reach your financial goals. Recognize the right balance for your personal situation.
11. Not Knowing Your Performance
Often, investors don’t actually know the performance of their investments. Review your returns to track if you are meeting your investment goals factoring in fees and inflation.
12. Reacting to the Media
Negative news in the short-term can trigger fear, but remember to focus on the long run.
13. Forgetting About Inflation
Historically, inflation has averaged 4% annually.
Value of $100 at 4% Annual Inflation
After 1 Year: $96
After 20 Years: $44
14. Trying to Time the Market
Market timing is extremely hard. Staying in the market can generate much higher returns versus trying to time
the market perfectly.
15. Not Doing Due Diligence
Check the credentials of your advisor through sites like BrokerCheck, which shows their employment history and complaints.
16. Working With the Wrong Advisor
Taking the time to find the right advisor is worth it. Vet your advisor carefully to ensure your goals are aligned.
17. Investing With Emotions
Although it can be challenging, remember to stay rational during market fluctuations.
18. Chasing Yield
High-yielding investments often carry the highest risk. Carefully assess your risk profile before investing in these types of assets.
19. Neglecting to Start
Consider two people investing $200 monthly assuming a 7% annual rate of return until the age of 65. If one person started at age 25, their end portfolio would be $520K, if the other started at 35 it would total about $245K.
20. Not Controlling What You Can
While no one can predict the market, investors can control small contributions over time, which can have powerful outcomes.
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