#Help me ratio this mf even more

[tiredstudentabi]

babies first Twitter drama : D

I’m so glad I never fully left tumblr, I can post stuff like this LMAO

[bioblsm]

WHAT DOES THEIR CAMERA ROLL LOOK LIKE?

❀ ꒰warnings꒱. boothill backstory spoilers, not proofread ಥ_ಥ

𖧷 characters. jing yuan, blade, dr ratio, ruan mei, aventurine, sunday, boothill

☆彡 notes. aventurine 🤝 boothill — being some of the most gay ass mfs i’ve seen in a hyv game (apart from bronya and seele) seriously their flamboyance still gives me whiplash…anyways this has been on my mind for months now but i’ve never gotten around to writing it!!! >_<

JING YUAN 𐚁 景元

[◉"] 2,304 photos, 83 videos

⌖ if you scroll really fast down or up his gallery, all you’ll actually manage to see is splotches of pink, blonde and silver

⌖ everything ranges from cute candid shots of yanqing (he takes multiple if yanqing’s fallen asleep while on duty), to sneaky pictures of fu xuan as she’s working where he’s in the foreground doing peace signs — the final picture of course being her looking at the camera lense directly to glare up at him

⌖ reaching weekends when he’s slightly a little more free or allows himself a small break to stroll around town, his camera roll is either filled with pictures of food he’s eaten or swords that yanqing may or not definitely ask about that he’s now more inclined to buy as he’s seen them in person (he’s a boy dad who loves spoiling his child, alright?)

⌖ the large majority of his photos unfortunately are work related, only really the recent ones being deleted from his gallery to clear up some space

⌖ however, while his photos are preoccupied with either his two kids or random scrolls with messy and rushed handwriting, each video is of you; jing yuan thinks a picture would belittle your beauty too much.

⌖ he needs something a little more real, a little more active and animated to help him quell the chirping loneliness that creeps up on his heart whenever you’re away from him for a prolonged period of time; if he’s feeling particularly mischievous he might sneak a quick but blurry picture of himself to send to you ♡

BLADE 𐚁 刃

[◉"] 9 photos, 2 videos

⌖shit is BARREN. literally a complete EMPTY VOID. if you snatched his phone somehow you’d assume he just got it despite him not having changed it ever since he received one

⌖ perhaps on the occasion you’ll find a cameo picture from one of the stellaron hunters as his phone is left unoccupied and someone decided to blast his entire gallery with their face (silverwolf specifically just hacks into his phone to keep putting random screenshots he’s never taken in his gallery to make him believe he’s taken them)

⌖ maybe sometimes he’ll screenshot different ways to die or health clinic locations he can avoid when he’s fortunately bleeding out but otherwise? nothing.

⌖ if you’re a massive yapper and love sending him pictures, he won’t go out of his way to download them for later usage (whatever that may be…) but he also won’t go out of his way to delete it if it’s accidentally automatically downloaded on his phone — maybe elios intended for it to be there?

⌖ it’s quite nice having a reminder of his significant other where he doesn’t have to actively listen to their voice… that’s a little exaggerative; but he loves just mapping out the features in your face, it helps him sleep just the slightest bit better with no ailment if he’s able to trace your features like a constellation on his blank, dark wall

DR RATIO 𐚁 真理医生

[◉"] 1000 photos, 100 videos

⌖ call it a form of ocd, but he NEEDS to have a decent ratio (i didn’t even mean for this to be a pun i’m so sorry) of his photos to videos; he doesn’t care if it’s 10:1, 2:1 1:5, he needs something that’s at least somewhat pleasing to the eyes

⌖ ratio immediately deleted anything he doesn’t need or thinks he won’t find use in for at the very least the month (this includes every single cameo shot aventurine or you have taken of yourselves on his phone without his permission, which by the way, he didn’t hesitate to scold you two for)

⌖ maybe if he’s feeling particularly loving (when is he ever?) he’ll allow ONE picture to stay.

⌖ his camera roll is purely filled with test results, written exams, student emails he needs to read over, things concerning the guild or the ipc and secret purchases of ducks he’s made (he’s not ashamed, he just doesn’t want you to know he’s buying ducks that are bigger in size every time so he can fill your shared bathroom)

⌖ realistically, maintaining such a perfect ratio of photos:videos is rather impossible unless you’ve got impeccable timing with things you save and delete so, in order to bypass this, ratio made a photo library to help serve as a base number of sorts

⌖ that photo library is of course a secret and locked haven filled with pictures and videos of you, none of which you can even recall taking. all of them hold at least some sort of significance to the both of you, but the ones that dr ratio loves the most is the ones that are just natural

⌖ the ones that show you being yourself, whether it’s where you’re cuddled up near a blanket reading something with a leg hiked up over the sheets or where you’re sleeping with your mouth wide open because you’re sick and unable to breathe through your nose properly; he loves it all

RUAN MEI 𐚁 阮•梅

[◉"] 505 photos, 28 videos

⌖ she tries to keep it as neat as possible; that means no sneaky pics taken of her by you, accidental blurry shots she’s taken (god forbid, those ones are immediately scrapped and done anew especially if related to an experiment of hers) thought that doesn’t mean she clears it in the regular

⌖ ruan mei actively saves any photo you send her, sometimes she’ll even screenshot the chat itself if she finds herself clutching at her heart as she swoons over a few lines of flirting that apparently you couldn’t hold yourself back from due to how much you missed her

⌖ she’s not someone really sentimental so despite having photos of her little cake-cat hybrids, she rarely ever rechecks them unless the trailblazer sent another report on their status to match

⌖ honestly her memory is impeccable to the point she doesn’t even need screenshot reminders of things like dates and experiments saved (would it even be called machine reductionist to call her a walking computer model at this point?) therefore, anything she saves that’s work or science related probably has more intricacies that she can account for

⌖ her gallery is a little boring otherwise. for someone of her morally grey standards you’d expect at least something worth mentioning, maybe even something dumb like a secret recipe she uses to make the sweetest (anti-truth serum…) pastries but no— nothing.

yet the reason for that is very blatant; not even her beloved has the privilege to witness her mendacity.

AVENTURINE 𐚁 砂金

[◉"] 8,793 photos, 777 videos

⌖ it’s a complete and utter mess to say the very least; dr ratio refuses to so much as glance at it whenever he’s near and topaz just gets an ick:

“how do you even manage to find anything?”

“luck.”

⌖ his photos range from absurd, to sweet to egotistical. things that remind him of you such as random rocks he finds, alcoholic beverages that have the same colour scheme of an outfit you wore the night before, an animal he saw that he swears if reincarnation was real would so be you

⌖ he has a specific library for just solely screenshots based off your chats, most of them including a significant amount of “i love yous” and goodbyes that promised a little something more when you met up next; everything that aventurine utterly cherished and craved

⌖ …and then the rest was either him showing the background of him photobombing others, pictures he took to send to you (or one of the ipc members to piss them off, sometimes even the trailblazer for a cheeky laugh) and on the even more popular occasion, all his extraordinary wins whether it be in poker, pool or uno

⌖ compared to his photos, his videos are slightly more interesting. a near 50/50 split that ranged between him telling dumbass jokes to piss off his coworkers, recordings of the back of dr ratio’s and or topaz’s head just for the future laughs (he likes the reminder that he does actually have friends and they aren’t just deliberate hallucinations born of loneliness).

⌖ but of course, all his “favourited” videos involve you somehow. sometimes it’s just a slip of your name while he’s sneakily recording a meeting, him telling you he misses you or vice versa, other times it’s just when he feels like he has a home. you snuggled up on his chest, hands intertwined together as your breathing nearly synchronises with him…moments where he feels as though he could forget the trademark imprinted onto his neck.

SUNDAY 𐚁 星期日

[◉"] 777 photos, 111 videos

⌖ now as much as i want to say “oh it’s all you! he has a special folder for you <3” i unfortunately can’t.

⌖ it’s almost most definitely videos of robin’s concerts, solo shows, videos he stolen off of audience members with good seats when he wasn’t available to personally hide in the crowd…a lot of the photos are also the same way; robin’s promotional pictures, screenshots from her recent advertisements and negative hate comments or news stories that he’s going to personally deal with later

⌖ that doesn’t mean he values or priorities you over his sister, absolutely not. you two are the only people in his life who he would unironically take down the skies and survive utter torment for if it meant your voices were the last things he heard as bellowing winds sliced past his eardrums to tune the world out in order to hear his own final breath

⌖ he tries his best not to be sentimental or nostalgic, as he’s been told as he grew up into the bright and maybe just slightly tragic and guilt-infested man he is today, those things in his eyes are an innate weakness of humanity. clinging onto something thats not tangible anymore.

⌖ but he can’t help but hold on to every video you send him. every picture of you smiling, laughing, every text of you saying i love yous, quoting love songs to him or showing him pictures where you jokingly said “that’s us” (did he tilt his head a few times when you kept sending animals to him with that particular correspondent message? perhaps, but it never made him blind to the intentions).

BOOTHILL 𐚁 波提欧

[◉"] 12,113 photos, 191 videos

⌖ he truly doesn’t gaf (give a fork) about how messy it is, all the things that are genuinely important are already locked and loaded into his noggin’, there’s no point in being frugal with the space he’s been given on a little cellular device

⌖ you wouldn’t believe it, but he rarely uses it unless it’s for emergencies. there’s plenty of trouble that comes around when you’re a galaxy ranger, which means having a constant tracking device on you like a phone that you update daily is a stupidly bad idea; which is precisely why his photo gallery is a mess

⌖ he quite literally can’t go in and clear it out otherwise it risks giving out sensitive information.

⌖ not applicable to you, that is. in boothill’s eyes, you’re an “emergency”. if you’ve texted him, it’s obvious you want his attention, which potentially means you could be in danger and he has to rush to the rescue like the flamboyant cowboy he is (no he absolutely knows you don’t need help, but there’s always that nagging “what if” factor, you know?)

⌖ he inwardly blesses whoever invented screenshotting because it would be an understatement to say that little as half of his gallery is littered with you. he’s just a bit of a boomer when it comes to technology like this, despite being a whole walking charging port himself ehem, so a lot of the pictures he has saved of you that you sent over whenever he cutely pleaded;

“missing ya, send me a lil’ somethin’ wont you?”

unfortunately are uncropped and framed with the outline of whatever messaging app you’re on.

⌖ if he lets you scroll up far back enough, maybe you’ll get to see just a glimpse of how similar his adoptive daughter’s smile was to his

© BIOBLSM ✮ do not copy steal or repost

[akutasoda]

Not the biggest Dr.ratio fan but Damm me if he isn't fun to write about...

I BET this mf way of showing love and care is by not only teaching you, but also by actually being patient with it DGBDVDNS

It was not new information the fact that Veritas Ratio did not tolerate idiocy. He couldn't even bear to look at someone he deemed as a moron.

But you were a... strange case. Not the dumbest person Veritas had ever met, but also not someone who would have caught his attention. At best, you could be considered "average," and at worst, "teetering to stupidity."

But even with your lack of outstanding intellectual skills, Veritas' attention was still piqued by you. Call him a hypocrite or a fraud, mention his double standards when it came to you, and he wouldn't care.

It started with something small. Veritas occasionally approached you and begrudgingly helped you comprehend some of the statistics in your reports. And he never failed to point out how much of a hard time you were having with something that was so simple for him.

"Are you struggling with this subject?" "Really?" The familiar condescending tone in his voice made you only lower your head slightly in shame.

He found it annoyingly amusing to see how you acted around him. It was almost charming in a way, how much of an airhead you were sometimes. But he couldn't deny how frustrating it was to see how his words entered and immediately left your head.

Gradually, you could notice more changes in his behavior towards you. Going from him just giving you advice from time to time on how to do your work, to him outright teaching you.

"Wrong answer again." His voice echoed. His gaze felt like two daggers ready to jump you at any moment. How many attempts have already been made? Three? Four? You couldn't remember. "Are you even paying attention to what I am saying?" The answer was no.

"I've had students with ADHD who paid more attention than you." He wanted to say, but a small voice in the back of his head didn't allow him to do so. He couldn't bring himself to say such mean things to you.

With a long and heavy sigh, Veritas pressed the bridge of his nose before leaning closer to you. "I'll go over the subject again, pay attention this time because I won't repeat myself anymore." Even he knew it was a lie, that for you, he would go over his explanation as many times as possible. Not only to make sure you understood it, but also so he had an excuse to spend more time by your side.

Trying to think how this guy would confess his feelings ヽ(o´3`o)ﾉ

and i totally agree! he wouldn't have any other idea on how to express his feelings but he wabts to show he cares.

i can just imagine how he'd want to be so condescending. so mean and rude to you like he normally would be to anyone else, but the little voice inside of him screams at him not too. he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he actually insulted you - his students would know ratio at his worse.

reminds me of that one voice line where he talks about how the' most annoying thing about idiocy is that you can't explain it to an idiot'. however it wouldn't be annoying if he had to explain anything to you but he's so in denial and so confused on how to properly express his feelings that he instead offers his undivided time and dedication. he may be intelligent but he's not that emotionally intelligent when it comes to feelings, love particularly.

[ultimate-blorbo-collector]

Okay, so I haven't finished the new quest yet, and I wanted to put my thoughts here so I can say I was right/wrong whatever. I've just finished where you talk with the whole Astral Express crew, and I haven't talked to them individually. I have also done like no side quests btw. I did the event with the TVs and the Meme, but that's been about it.

Spoilers for 2.0 penacony but not really for 2.1 bc I'm not that far yet.

Here's who I trust/distrust and why (also a percentage about how strong I feel about it):

Trust:

Astral Express crew - 100% - We have no reason to question them unless we think it's Sparkle in disguise. Imo Sparkle isn't that slick since I knew something was off with the Sampo in the quest (though I hear Sampo's changed recently. Idk. All ik is I heard them say Sampo instead of "Sampo Koski! :3" and I was low-key sad about it) and Sunday caught on real quick (I feel like he would have even if Robin was alive).

Black Swan - 70% - Idk man. This one's just based off pure vibes. I think she wants to help overall.

Stellaron Hunters/Elio - 50% - Unpopular opinion but hear me out. I think Kafka genuinely thinks what she's doing is right. After the Sam/Acherone conversation, I think he is also doing what he thinks is right. Would I be super surprised if we end up getting stabbed in the back? No, but I trust Sam, Kafka, and Acheron.

Acheron - 50% - I've had a real strong feeling since the beginning that she's been framed for this. Aventurine REALLY wants us to think she did it. As you can see, Aventurine is down the list, so... Also, the Sam/Acheron conversation really convinced me on it. I think she's doing what she thinks is right.

Dr. Ratio - 30% - Okay, I know that putting Ratio and Aventurine at opposite sides of this doesn't make sense but hear me out. If he was telling the truth to Screwllum, I think Ratio follows some Utilitarian ethics (as in, "It doesn't matter if I do this bad thing if the result is a net positive"), so while I think he genuinely does care about Aventurine, I think he’d throw him under the bus and do what he thinks is the net good if it came down to it. At the same time, it could be the reverse for us. The only thing is we have no clue what this mf is up to or what he's thinking. We've seen him, like, twice. I might also be biased since, like Aventurine, he's my little uwu baby who can do no wrong.

Sunday/The Family - 30% - I think March(? I don't remember who said it lol) is right about the family being low-key sketchy. The fact that they've been hiding deaths and the Meme is... eh... but overall I think they're somewhat trustworthy. It could be a 'keeping things quiet while we investigate' type of thing. We still don't know what's going in with the watchmaker and the invites though.

Misha/Clocky - 20% - Maybe this is just because of the watchmaker theories, but I feel like there's something more going on with Misha and/or Clocky. The fact that no one else can see him except us?? They've also been real quiet lately. Maybe they're just goofy side characters, or maybe not. I don't think they're bad, but I don't think they've told us everything.

Distrust:

Aventurine - 70% - I love Aventurine, and in my fanfics that I haven't posted, he's such an uwu baby who can do no wrong. BUT. I feel like the man will do anything to survive. Like Himeko and Welt said, he's very manipulative and wants us to think a certain way. I also feel like the "My schemes are out in the open" is a lie. Like, you can say your scheme is out in the open, but they might not really be in the open. I really feel like that's a logical fallacy but idk the names of the fallacies. Something also doesn't feel right working with imperialists. Sorry, Aventurine.

[emmetverse]

□ ok SO stuffs kinda tense right now or at least they are with me and cleric keeps trying to offer to help heal up rex but threes (not rex, three) keep saying "im not letting u anywhere near him i dont trust u" and rex doesn't care enough either way so it's kind of just cleric being like "i can help" and threes going "no, screw you, L, ratio"

but threes also been on guard dog duty with stabby mcstabface and so he's been not sleeping like at all and he doesn't even come for lunch until em goes to take some stuff out

so rex is complaining about it itching (bc it's kinda healed up now and the stitches are out but you know how those kinds iof things are) and cleric is like "haha i can spead it along if you like" at the SAME TIME threes walks in

so it's dead freakin silent and threes is glaring and cleric is kinda like "wuh woh" and threes EXPLODES at him like "excuse me what are you doing you're not gonna go anywhere near him i dont trust you you're a murderer" etc

me rex and spark are sitting there going <_<

and threes sats something like "im not letting you near any of them not after what you did to his brother" and spark is like whaaaaaaat and rex is like wait who's brother and threes starts bugging the heck out and we're all sitting there like huh what hrm?

turns out threes kinda half remembers what happened at the beach? like rex doesn't at all but three's robot part does but his normal human brain doesn't and so trying to like put them together makes him freak a bit and then he grabbed my plate and left??? i mean i could just get more (thanks again btw i didnt think id ever say that again in my life) but it was still kind of a rude move

so now it's just us four sitting there and it's real quiet and rex goes "um what was that about? was he talking about my emmet?" and spark and cleric are just SILENT. i felt like that meme. u know the one that's like "when you know vs when you don't know"

and then em comes back in. and you know if anyone is gonna be the most oblivious mf in the world it's gonna be that guy. and he's like "hey guys he was pretty chill actually haha he said thank you and everything!" and it's so awkward it was kinda funny

how was thanksgiving?

□ short answerr: the food was awesome whoever sent it im buying you an xbox for christmas. em insisted on planting like half the potatoes but there were sooooo many that theres still ledtovers. dont think ive ever had a turkey so good

long answer: hooolllyyyyyy craaaaapppppp gimme like 20 mins to type it

[my-reality-my-rules]

on scripting: mind blocks (pt. 1)

[i lost the original draft and the 3rd revision for this post i swear to the lord’s hairy balls im actually going to riot]

anyways

here’s some of the things i do whenever i hit a wall during scripting; i can’t guarantee they’ll work for everyone out there but i do hope someone can make use of these methods

turn on a spotify playlist on discord

personally, i work better if there’s some kind of background noise—no matter if it’s for scripting, schoolwork, or household chores

having something to listen to helps me not just pass time but also let my imagination run free; and listening to a shifting playlist in particular gets me in the mood

i do it when i sleep, when i eat, when i wash dishes, and when i script; as long as it’s there to remind me of my DR, I’m able to engage my mind more fully into what i want

and yes i play music on discord bc ya girl’s a broke ass mf so i can’t get spotify premium, and discord doesn’t play the ads so there’s that

write excerpts of events you’ve scripted

scripting is a lot like writing, and on that thought—write anything you want! from deaths to parties, cults and temples dedicated to you—it’s your story. your reality. reading an excerpt on what happens in there cements that fact

it doesn’t have to be limited to blurbs or whatever as well; you can create poems, essays, and even journal entries for your DR

my friend gave me a planner for christmas and i made use of that by noting down mundane things that happen in my DR, and it helps especially if you really want to record every single thing that happens [if you are going to follow that line action, i suggest you use a time ratio of 1 DR day = 30 CR mins, for better memory retention]

act out scenes you thought of

this one here is easily the most awkward of them all, considering it sounds like acting out wattpad scenes, but it can be very effective if you thought about it

it’s immersive, and can give you a better grasp on how you or others would act/think in your DR; it gives you a hold on personalities and relationships 

draw/sketch

conceptualising is a great way for manifesting, and what better way than to draw?

or, if you’re not too inclined to sketching out places or character designs into much detail (like me), you can always turn to already existing character makers!

I’ll make a pt. 2 to this post, probably like a list of the apps and websites i use for scripting, and some examples of what i did with them

[update: pt. 2, pt. 3]

[jayflrt]

HELP i just copy and paste bc i type way faster on my computer and i normally rmb to delete what i respond to but. not that time ig.

i got accepted into 3/4 i applied to, it's just. choosing. that is v hard for me bc 2 of them are really good schools.

TURN DOWN HARVARD????? the one i got denied from was ivy league equivalent i cant even imagine getting in omg

im so out of shape too dw LMAOOO i used to do like... 8 mile hikes and shit easily but now??? gl getting me to do 1.5 miles 😭😭😭i used to take the bus, yeah, it would be 2 hrs in the morning and 2-3 in the evening. sucked!! do not recommend!! my mom drives me now, and when i go to college im just gonna take the shuttle or walk everywhere

NAUUURRR i hope u get qiqi soon!! i have her c1 on na and c0 on asia, she just. rlly loves me. speaking of my asia acc my luck is absolutely mf INSANE there why do i have c3 lisa and like c2 kaeya... starter chars are so rare HELLAUR???

my yanfei is c6 and i need to fix her artis and crown her, but she hits a good 50k when she crits. my highest on NA is 61k melt from ganyu,, but thats bc none of my dps chars are nukers, yk? like xiao and ganyu r both multihit

my eula hit 135k w a lvl 6 ult on asia but her artifacts are awful, i need to farm for her more. it's so annoying to farm for two accs tho LMAOOOOO

i was helping brooke unlock and run the new domain a couple of times ( we were... very slow) and eula hit at most 45k bc her ratio and talents r so awful LMAOOO albedo carried yes king

i got into 127 first, i think it's just that dream is closer to my age? so their humor matches mine more. and mark/jaehyun were my first biases and i still have soft spots for them so ig i can be considered loyal? like i stan half the group in almost every group i like,, but it doesn't change once i find the Ones.

i kind of hate the beach bc it's... boring? LMAOOOO like when u go frequently it's like 😴😴😴ok seen it im done. we normally go once or twice a year for a week </3 that is so long to do nothing but sit on SAND i hate sand

i want to write on my sideblog bc im trying to regrow a following that's more active and reads longer fics, since my current one is so reaction-centric and i know most of them r from 2 years ago and have deleted tumblr </3

it's working so far, i think? like i get asks sometimes or people at least wanting to be on the taglist which is more than i can say for main 😭😭😭

omg yeah dw abt it, i was just curious <3 i do know im a lil nervous making new mutuals now and i've only been on the very fringes of the plagiarism dramas and everything

HAHAH NONO UR GOOD when i just have my laptop, i copy paste it into notes and then reply and then type and then paste my response into the ask again LOLL it's so complex for what 🤧 

deciding on my college was also rlly difficult for me :'') i took like a good month to weigh in all my acceptances and eventually went to the one i felt the most comfortable at and thought would be the best for me <33 omg yeah my high school was pretty competitive so quite a few people got into ivy leagues, but everyone was surprised that that one boy turned down harvard bc he's always had high ambitions and is a genius 😳 but i think it all came down to finances and he's happier at the college he ended up choosing tbh so i'm glad for him 🥰 plus ivy leagues are corrupt and scary and i don't think i want to go to a university where the student climate is so cutthroat LMFAO 

god yeah my thighs are dying rn <//3 i hiked 16 miles with my friends once and tbh that was the worst HAHAH i was fine for the 7(??) ish miles there but walking back was sooo painful + 2 of those miles was on sand so it was a struggle. i don't think i could walk properly for 3 days after that HAHAH and i cut my ankle mid-hike so 🤕 2-3 hours ??? god i would fall asleep or something i could never 😭 

my luck kinda sucks on both accs 💀 i don't think i've ever hit pity early and i have like c3 mona and c2 jean LMFAO but omg yeah starter cons are sooo good 😭 my friend manx mained kaeya for a while and kept getting lisa cons instead of kaeya HAHAH and i always get amber cons even tho i never use her 😳 cat got a kaeya con the other day and i freaked out LMAOAO where's my kaeya constellation 😩 

i want c6 yanfei soooo bad i have her at c4 rn but her build is kinda good so im itching to get two more constellations 🙏 i feel like i barely use my NA acc anymore HAHAH i just spend so much time on my asia one and don't have time to work on both 🤧 but maybe i'll start working on my NA acc again so that i can build diluc !! 💖 i still need to play the new archon quest i've been doing a bunch of world quests but im proud bc i usually never get those done and push it off to the end <//3 

ooh yeah i get that !! i adore 127 and wayv and watch content for them but dream is like the group i always go back to to watch content 💗 lately i've been ditching them to watch svt content tho sorry dream <//3 

yeah where i am people go to the beach like every week so it gets tiring after a while. i hate sand in my shoes and how cold the ocean is and how scary the waves are so !! im out. my roommates actually invited me out to the beach with them today and i was like nooooo so i hid out to write/do homework :'] but yeah same i hate sand when it gets wet and sticks to you but i like it when you don't get wet and just can like ,, lay on the warm sand :') 

ooh yeah that makes sense :o i just make sideblogs bc i'm so nitpicky with the organization HAHAH when i made this blog i didn't tell anyone i was hyuckworld/tyonfs for a month or two because i wanted to build my own rep 🌸 

omg yeah im traumatized from my wattpad days because i would stumble upon clout chasers who only wanted to be my friend to either get me to read their fics or become friends with my friends 😣 i was so wary about reading rec’d fics for a while HAHAH but now i’ve just started finding my own fics to read and it’s fun discovering more <33 i have a list for ao3 too 🥰 

i try to handle all plagiarism issues privately bc i hate bringing discourse onto my blog but the ask someone sent me sort of made it impossible for me to not post it publicly 😞 plus it was clear that person was just blatantly copy pasting a bunch of writers fics sooo <//3 i rlly hope this all ends soon gosh 

[awesomecolorfulcollectorwombat]

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

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Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

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Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/saving-your-retirement-from-a-stock-market-crash/

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

[lazilysillyprince]

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/saving-your-retirement-from-a-stock-market-crash/

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

[hostingnewsfeed]

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/saving-your-retirement-from-a-stock-market-crash/

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

[sunshineweb]

Saving Your Retirement from a Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard, and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm…sure,” I said, “almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me.”

But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home.

He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio.

The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008 when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement.

“It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * * I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe, five years, if you want so) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here, but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs vs bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality well-diversified mutual funds, or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but more important capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * * Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement.

That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work, or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily, is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.

)

* * * If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings — which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your saving’ deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this. You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

The post Saving Your Retirement from a Stock Market Crash appeared first on Safal Niveshak.

Saving Your Retirement from a Stock Market Crash published first on https://mbploans.tumblr.com/

[personalfn-blog]

Do You ‘Trade’ In Mutual Funds? You’re Making A Grave Mistake!

This post on "" appeared first on "PersonalFN"

Jignesh is a third generation entrepreneur. He runs a two-storey retail jewellery shop on the busiest street in the town. He’s expanded his business impressively after taking it over from his father, but this wasn’t a struggle. His elder brother has helped him immensely in expanding the business.

Therefore, Jignesh always had spare time to do other activities.

So he became a stock market trader.

Share trading was a thrilling experience for him. It earned him some money. Then he decided to take this ‘thrill’to the next level and started dealing in Futures and Options (F&O).

While it rewarded him at times, on many occasions, he lost money. The recent experience has been the worst. He lost around Rs 10 lakh in a month’s time during the market meltdown that happened post budget.

(Image source: unsplash.com)

His elder brother reprimanded him for losing family’s hard-earned money. To keep him busy, his brother recently opened another jewellery shop in the same city.  Jignesh has suddenly become extremely busy. Now, he hardly gets time to track markets.

As a result, he quit share trading and F&O dealings and started investing in mutual funds instead.

But he still wears the trader’s hat.

He invests in equity-oriented mutual fund schemes including sector and thematic schemes based on his assessment of potential market movement.

In last four months, he has churned his mutual fund portfolio thrice.

[Read: How Mutual Fund Portfolio Churning Impacts Your Returns]

About a week ago, he encountered an interesting event.

One of his regular customers, who happened to be a professor of finance at a reputed business school, came to his shop the other day.

Jignesh thought of asking him a few of his doubts, knowing his reputation.  The professor was happy to answer all his queries.

‘Sir, which equity mutual fund schemes will give me market-beating returns in a short run’, Jignesh inquired.

‘First of all, you shouldn’t invest in equity mutual fund schemes for the short-term’, the professor responded.

This reply made Jignesh a little uncomfortable so he asked, ‘What’s the ideal timeframe for investing in mutual funds?’

‘At least five years’, professor denoted by signs.

This answer crippled Jignesh’s enthusiasm. ‘Five years? It’s too long a commitment’.

In reply, the professor only nodded his head.

On the one hand, Jignesh thought the professor’s focus was on too much theory.

But on the other hand, he quickly realised that due to his trading psyche, he always lost money in markets. And by staying invested for longer, the professor grew his wealth through mutual funds.

[Read: How Even 1% Difference Can Make A Huge Difference To Your Investments]  

If you are new to mutual fund investing, you can learn from Jignesh’s mistake.

When investing in equity mutual fund schemes, be prepared to hold your investments at least for five years.

Taking their conversation forward, Jignesh exclaimed, ‘But the market keeps moving up and down, and if I hold my investments for five years, how would I benefit?’

This wasn’t an unfamiliar question for the professor.

Always remember these three factors Jignesh, the professor advised.

Never invest before knowing your financial goals and risk appetite.

Based on this, chalk out a personalised asset allocation. Asset allocation plan is nothing but the proportion in which you invest in various asset classes – equity, debt, gold, and real estate.

And to benefit from market volatility, you should opt for a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP).

Investing in SIP helps you benefit from the rupee-cost averaging. When you invest a predetermined amount at a pre-specified date, you not only inculcate the habit of saving but also end up getting more units when markets are down. When the Net Asset Value (NAV) of a mutual fund scheme rises, the total value of units goes up, thereby making you more money.

[Read: All You Need To Know About SIPs]

Jignesh lamented, ‘I think I have been doing everything wrong until now. So what do you suggest as a remedy?’

The finance professor suggested a 5-step action plan, as follows:

Review your existing portfolio and try to see if any scheme is well aligned with your long-term investment objective and the risk appetite.

Evaluate all available mutual fund schemes and shortlist the ones that have a proven performance record across timeframe and market phases.

Prefer mutual fund schemes offered by process-driven fund houses employing experienced fund management team.

Opt for direct plans and invest through SIP route.

Don’t forget to review your investment portfolio once a year.

[Read:

Mutual Fund Direct Plans - Everything You Need To Know]

This impromptu session with the professor was a wake-up call for Jignesh.

He couldn’t ask for more help and guidance and thanked the professor, offering him a special discount coupon he had launched for his esteemed customers.

Next day onwards, he started reading about mutual funds and searched the internet for some quick mutual fund selection advice.

But soon he realised selecting a mutual fund based on the parameters the professor had explained was easier said than done.

Watch this video:

At that point, he decided to seek expert help in scheme selection and that’s when he read about PersonalFN’s unbiased mutual fund research services.

Today, PersonalFN’s flagship research service, FundSelect, which Jignesh has subscribed to, provides him with a comprehensive view to Buy, Hold and Sell mutual fund schemes. It outlines the rationale behind the recommendations in detail.

Want to know more about PersonalFN’s Fund Select Report? Yes? Click here.

PersonalFN, an independent unbiased mutual fund research house, has developed its own mutual fund research methodology. PersonalFN follows an S.M.A.R.T. score matrix:

S – Systems and Processes

M– Market Cycle Performance

A - Asset Management Style

R - Risk-Reward Ratios

T - Performance Track Record

PersonalFN’s stringent scoring model ensures the scheme is tested holistically. The mutual fund schemes that pass our rigorous test and achieve the maximum composite score on all parameters (based on pre-specified weights) make on to PersonalFN’s recommendation list.

How has been track record?

PersonalFN's FundSelect has 15+ years of impeccable track record.

(Source: ACE MF, PersonalFN Research)

Performance as on March 28, 2018

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

FundSelect has been based on one simple motto: “Be steady. Be alert. Be winning.”

Every month, our FundSelect service will provide you with an insightful and practical guidance on equity funds and debt schemes——the ones to buy, hold, or sell——to assist you in creating the ultimate portfolio that has the potential to beat the market.  Subscribe to FundSelect today!

Happy Investing!

Author: PersonalFN Content & Research Team

This post on " Do You ‘Trade’ In Mutual Funds? You’re Making A Grave Mistake! " appeared first on "PersonalFN"

[letsimportanttreecollection-blog]

Which insurance covers hymenactomy? ?

"Which insurance covers hymenactomy? ?

i really didnt want doofus's to attempt to answer, besides its not elective its a necessary procedure if you have an imperforate hymen or thickened hymen that prevents you from getting the necessary exam (pap smear). or to even use tampons, so if someone out there can help me answer this question i greatly appreciate it ,this is a very serious manner and i thank you for your time. my mom was diagnosed with cancer and i cant even get checked for it.

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://financeandcreditsolution.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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I recently had an accident that caused my car to be written off. There have been no problems and I'm now waiting for a cheque from my insurers. My question is this. When the cheque comes and I buy a new car what happens with regard to insurance, will I have to take out a new policy, can I keep the existing policy and add my new car to it, will my monthly payments go up, or none of the above? I'm sure this is very simple for an expert but it confuses the hell out of me.""

Unemployed 18 to 25 year olds forced to have health insurance under Obamas plan?

if you where laid off, then your ok. But if you quit your last job you will be required by law to keep health insurance or be fined $2700/yr. And by the way thats $225/mo. for the ...show more""

My insurance is 4500-will it go down??UK?

I am from the UK and I am 19 years old. I passed my practical driving test on Monday. I am checking my car insurance and its coming to 4500!!!that's a lot,do you know if it will come down later on and by how much?and another thing is that by next year December I heard women's insurance will go up,to be as equal as men's insurance,so if I don't get a car by then will it go higher thn this??please help!!""

How does turning 25 affect your car insurance premium?

I turn 25 at the end of the year and am planning on buying a brand new car this summer and am wondering how it will be affected. Thanks!

Speeding ticket in a rental car raises my insurance?

Hey forum, I got a 34mph-over speeding ticket in some tiny texas town in my rental. I didn't give the cop my insurance b/c the car was insured through my credit card. How will this affect my Texas Farmers insurance rate? Thanks heaps""

I have insurance for a car I had for 6 days. The insurance co. says it's a total loss. They gave me a value?

Audatex is not kelly blue book they look at craigslist & not the dealer. Craigslist sometimes has cars where a mechanic might not catch it but is damaged. The price I paid is higher due to getting sick & credit went down so I had to go to a local dealer with higher interest. They want the insurance check plus $1700.00 & interest. So I will pay for this thing for over 1 1/2 years. I had it 6 days when some crazy driver almost hit me I turned & hit a wall. The insurance company says I loose my good driver discount. Since I will have to wait to pay off this car I can cancel my insurance once the dealer gets the check. Is there any California law that would say if this happens I would be able to pay off the car. It's worth more as a loss then to try to fix it. Please help. Thank You.

""Based on my age, how much do think insurance will cost for a range rover sport?

i'm turning 17 in a few months and thinking of getting one for my birthday? a rough estimation would be nice

Do your insurance rates go up as soon as you get a driver's license?

I'm about to turn 16. I want to get my driver's license, but my parent's are wondering if the insurance rate's are going to go up right away as soon as I get my driver's license or do I have to tell my insurance company? Can someone give me a little more information about this? Thank you.""

How much does blue cross health insurance cost?

I need it for a individual, 20 year old, with good health. This is for a project.""

I am looking for a company that will help me sign up for dentical and healthy family insurance as a provider?

Can anyone help me sign up for dentical. I would like to provide service to dentical and healthy family patients in my area. I am a dentist in northern california. I am looking for a reputed company that will help me with this process. I really want to help the children in my community.

How much will my premiums go up with Geico (teen driver)?

I am 17 years old. I got into my first accident the other night, just two days shy of having my license for a whole year! Anyways, I rear-ended an SUV with my integra (small car + big car =BAD). The airbags didn't deploy- I was going really slow and didn't get hurt, thank god. However, my car is most likely completely totaled because my car slid under the SUV, causing the hood to crunch up drastically, my radiator is destroyed, and power steering is gone. Sadly, I realize that these accidents are always considered at fault with the person doing the rear-ending, and although it was an accident, I do take full responsibility for it and I'm not being a little butt trying to pin it off on everyone else. Right now, I spend about 150 a month on car insurance for my car. I was wondering what you folks think my premiums might raise by? I've heard quite a few horror stories about Geico and will probably just be better off switching companies after because I guess they like to drop people or raise the premiums so high that they leave so they can keep their initial rates low. Wow run-on sentence; Sorry. Anyways, please help me out. Give me tips, advice, and maybe some other companies worth looking at?""

Cheapest MPV Insurance UK ?

Hi, I am 29 and just about to pass my driving test (hopefully), I have a family and need a 7 seater... I have been looking at Vauxhall Zafira's but the insurance is going to cost me approx 1050..... surely there must be a cheaper option ??? Any suggestions ? Thanks Lee""

Help with insurance for 17 year old first fresh driver?

my quote was 4,200 :( that's too much it more then a car LOL but like i heard something about this policy between two drivers can anyone explain how it works and if i crash on this policy will the other drivers no claim bonus be effected?""

Help understanding auto insurance settlement and if I need to seek legal help?

My 17 year old son was driving his 2003 Ford Explorer, when he was hit by another vehicle. My son was approaching a stop light and traveling between 3-5 mph....The vehicle that struck him was a company work vehicle. The work truck was pulling out of a parking lot when he hit my son. His estimated speed was also 3-5 mph. There were no injuries at all, and there was no medical treatment sought. This all happened on April 10th 2011. It was found that driver of the work truck was at fault for inattention. Honestly, this guy was super nice and walked my son through the process of calling police etc til I could get there....Now dealing with the Companies insurance carrier has been a headache!!!! here is the basic timeline....Explorer still drivable....Had to wait 10 days for police report....contacted Company that owned work truck, and they forwarded me to their insurance co....Was advised to seek several estimates, and fax them over....Faxed over estimates to adjuster. All estimates exceeded 5k....Stated she would have to contact an adjuster from local area to work this. Local adjuster came out. Estimated damages to be 3300.00. Insurance Company sent me check for 3300.00 and advised me when vehicle repaired, auto shop would need to work with adjuster on any additional repairs and costs. Explorer was in shop 30 days before finally being totaled. Local adjuster was horrible to work with, did not communicate with body shop, etc. I finally contacted the insurance company, and told them I refused to deal wither contracted adjuster etc. Now that the vehicle has been totaled, they don't want to pay what I think is fair. The insurance company wants to settle for $6928 plus $367 for taxes. Clean retail for the Explorer is $8100. This is for my area. I have been car shopping for 2 days straight. can't find anything comparable with the money they gave me etc. I have taken off work to deal with this etc, been going on for 2 months plus, and Iam worn out with it all...All I want is for my kid to be back in a safe reliable vehicle. The insurance company did provide a rental car. I had to drive it, my son had to take my car, my other son had bought our car from us, but can't get it yet, because the other needs it for work school etc....I am so frustrated with the ins ompany""

How much do you pay for your car insurance?

Toronto, ON""

Are Saabs reliable and cheap to insure?

Hi, I'm a 16 year old male and I've been wanting a Saab since they are cheap (2004 model) and very nice looking. Do they break down a lot like jaguars and range rovers or are they very good and have no problems? How much a month is it to insure one also?""

Which insurance covers hymenactomy? ?

i really didnt want doofus's to attempt to answer, besides its not elective its a necessary procedure if you have an imperforate hymen or thickened hymen that prevents you from getting the necessary exam (pap smear). or to even use tampons, so if someone out there can help me answer this question i greatly appreciate it ,this is a very serious manner and i thank you for your time. my mom was diagnosed with cancer and i cant even get checked for it.

Insurance and child support?

So my daughters father put our daughter on his insurance .. Which when she was born I put her on Medicaid now her insurance is all messed up because the fact that he did that. child support sent him a court oder for them to actually get everything fixed. Which he saying he doesn't know why child support sending him that..? has anyone gone threw this. Im confused.

Does anybody have or had insurance thru esurance?

they are by far the cheapest i found for full coverage for me. i know cheaper isnt always better but i just need insurance because my car is financed. esurance isnt a very big name and i dont know anyone who actually has insurance thru them. anybody know how they are compaired to other companies?

Is there a big defference between the quote and final price of car insurance?

If I get a quote fro geico $300 a month, how much will I be paying for my actual monthly bill? Will there be a difference at all?""

Car Insurance lower or higher if you lease it instead of financing it?

Hello, I would like to know if car insurance is lower or higher if you lease it instead of financing it?""

Car insurance is too much.. must bring down $$ any ideas?

So my boyfriend's insurance went up a lot due to 2 accidents in the same year to the amount he is unable to afford to drive. We are considered Common law now... He needs to be able to drive due to his job he has to get to different locations! We thought about joining our insurance and downing to one vehicle to try and save money to see if that made a difference but the bottom line is we need to down his insurance so he can still get to site... Any ideas?

What is the best manual transmission car to purchase for a 16 year old regarding low insurance cost?

When it comes to auto insurance (state of California) which car would be best to purchase used or new for a 16 year old which would be a manual transmission. We all know insurance for a minor is outragous and we would like to train our young adult on a stick first so they know how to drive both stick and automatic in their adult life. What car do you think new or used would be the best on auto insurance? Please be specific on the make and model of the car? Thank in advance for your answers

Failed driving test...will insurance go up?

I took my driving test today and I was just wondering if my dad's insurance rates will go up(I am 16).

Where i can i find affordable eye insurance? is it worth paying monthly in comparison to the $$ at checkout?

Where i can i find affordable eye insurance? is it worth paying monthly in comparison to the $$ at checkout?

Do insurance agents get group health insurance?

I am thinking about becoming an insurance agent for one of the large insurers. I was wondering if insurance companies generally offer group insurance for their agents or if they consider them independents and don't offer the coverage. What other benefits do most large insurance companies offer?

Is a subaru wrx a good car for an 18 year old?

I'm 18 and I'm thinking about buying a wrx. It has 150000 miles with maintenance history and was run on high octane gas... seems to be mechanically taken care of. It needs a new paint job but I don't mind the project. Is it hard to drive this car on 5spd for people who have minimum manual experience? (i can drive a manual but I haven't had much practice) I plan on taking care of it and running it easy. How much does insurance increase if there's a lein in the car? Is it difficult to transfer leins? Car has 6600 left on lein and its a 2003.

In regards to life insurance policies?

When a person is the primary beneficiary & the deceased left debt, does the money for the unpaid debt come out first or is the beneficiary responsible for paying the debt?""

""I have medical insurance, but my deductible is $4000?""

Is there any way at 29 weeks pregnant I can figure out how to get more help paying for this? I live in Southern California. Anything will help right now, I am just getting worried because $4000 plus all of the other stuff to get ready is a little overwhelming. Is there a way to apply for something that will help me with these expenses?""

Am i paying to much for car insurance?

I am 23 have a 1990 buick car. I have have nothing on it besides a stop sign which should be off my record now, it was 4 years ago when i was 19. I am paying $386 for 6 month period. I go though shelter insurance. They said it won't go down until i am 25 or married. thanks""

How much is renters insurance?

I've lived in several apartments, but none that required renter's insurance. I'm planning on living alone in a 1 bedroom apartment in the Tucker/Stone Mountain Georgia area and several apartments I've looked at say they require it. How much can I expect to pay (approximately) for renters insurance? What factors determine rates for renters insurance? Is renters insurance always monthly, or can you pay yearly or every 6 months? 10 points to the best answer! P.S. I've tried looking around online, but all the sites want an exact address where I'll be living and my social security number just for a quote. Just looking for the ballpark.""

What car can i hav 4 dead cheap insurance and whats the best insurance comp.... (im 18)?

I passed my test 6 months ago and still aint gotta car! i hav been looking at a honda civic 1.6 but im not sure what i can get insured on.. i know i can get insured on a 1.0L corsa but i want sumat a bit better (sumfin like a ferrari lol)?

Car insurance ?????/?

Well.I have permanent general car insurance they used to charge me 60 dollers it when up to 80 a month. Idk I found a cheaper insurance what should I tell permanent general

Can my mom add my car to her insurance?

I'm 19 yrs old and i just bought a car, my car note is $300 a month and because i just got my licence the cheapest insurence i can find is atleast $250 a month (i cant afford that)... i have a used 2006 lexus is 250... i cant afford $250-$350 a month and was wondering if my mom could add my car to her insurance even though the car is registered in my name""

How to get cheaper car insurance?

I haven't yet passed my test, or even got a car, but was just researching to see if i could afford it. and the cheapest I could find was 3,000 a year which is impossible for me seeing as I'm at college. I was just wondering does anyone know of cheap places? or ways to cut it down by a bit? I have no one else in my house who drives, or even owns a car. thank you""

How much is insurance?

What can i expect to pay for liability insurance I I live in California, ride a '78 Kawasaki KZ650 SR, I'm 18, and I just got my license? I need just the minimum amount of coverage. I don't need exact prices, just a general idea of cost.""

Best insurance company for a jewelry store?

I need and insurance company to insure my jewelry store. So far I found jewelers mutual but they're expensive.

Whats the cheapest place to get insurance?

I got a 01 kia optima im 23 years old, male, and paying about 100 dollars a month for full coverage. Company: American Family. Any better deals""

How much health insurance in Alberta and Car insurance?

Hello, I'm planning on moving to Canmore, AB after I'm done school and I'm just wondering how much Health insurance is monthly and how much car insurance is monthly? I would be very greatful if someone could help me out here :) and if you know anymore details about this kind of thing that would be great also! Thank you! xo""

Is car insurance policy number confidential?

brother is applying for his own car insurance to A. A asks if anyone else has drivers license, and requesting policy number from other family members and their respective insurance providers.. Is that necessary?""

Where can i find a cheap auto insurance in los angeles for a 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX?

I own a 2004 Subaru Impreza Wrx (sedan). Vehicle has a clean title, not salvage, and payed off. I'm looking for the basic (state law requirement) type of auto insurance. I am also 19 years old with a clean record - no tickets, no accidents, etc. *I called a few insurances and so far Inifnity Auto Insurance $182 while Titan Auto Insurance $111.00*""

Is it true that I will have to buy health insurance or pay a fine?

I thought the whole purpose of the Affordable Care Act was to make healthcare available to everyone. Now I am being told that I have to buy it.

Which insurance covers hymenactomy? ?

i really didnt want doofus's to attempt to answer, besides its not elective its a necessary procedure if you have an imperforate hymen or thickened hymen that prevents you from getting the necessary exam (pap smear). or to even use tampons, so if someone out there can help me answer this question i greatly appreciate it ,this is a very serious manner and i thank you for your time. my mom was diagnosed with cancer and i cant even get checked for it.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/have-your-health-insurance-costs-gone-up-russell-elliott/"

[awesomecolorfulcollectorwombat]

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/saving-your-retirement-from-a-stock-market-crash/

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.

[smartwebhostingblog]

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

New Post has been published on http://affordablewebhostingsearch.com/saving-your-retirement-from-a-stock-market-crash/

Saving Your Retirement From A Stock Market Crash

Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor. The advice given below is not a financial advice, even though my excitement might make it look like such. In fact, what follows below are just my thoughts, those of an ordinary person who works hard and tries to save and invest as sensibly as he can.

I received a call from a 59-year-old gentleman, a distant relative, yesterday. We have not met in the past two decades, so the sudden call was surprising. But it was not after the first minute of our talk when he asked, “I’ve heard from your aunt that you work in the stock market. I wanted to discuss my investments. Can you please help?”

“Hmmm… sure,” I said, almost sensing that he wanted to discuss his stock portfolio with me. But he started talking about his upcoming retirement – planned for 2019 – and about a plot of land sitting in his hometown waiting to build his retirement home next year.

He said he had been saving and investing as much money as he could for his retirement and for building this home. He had almost 90% of his money invested in stocks and equity funds, a lot of those bad decisions – and mis-selling by his advisor and broker – as I realized on knowing his portfolio. The stock market’s recent volatility – and especially in the banking and finance space, where my uncle is invested heavily – has made him lose around 30% of his portfolio value in a span of just a few weeks.

Now, this discussion is not about banking and finance stocks, how good/bad they are, and how quick/long they would take to recover. This discussion is about lessons from how my uncle’s retirement seems to have gotten compromised at least for another few years, thanks to the decline in his stock portfolio less than a year from his retirement, and how you may avoid a similar fate when you stare your own retirement on the face.

My uncle told me how the recent dip in his portfolio brought back some painful memories, like from 2008, when he had seen his retirement portfolio lose around 50% value. At the time, while he was more than a decade away from retiring, the decline in portfolio value was still a significant portion of his total family savings.

He now worries it will be harder to recover another big loss so close to retirement. “It’s impossible to try and time the market,” he told me. “To sit there and watch your investments fall apart is hard, but if you take it out and it goes up, that’s not good either. It’s hard!”

* * *

I am not a financial advisor, but when people ask me how much money they should invest in stocks versus other avenues like bonds and fixed deposits, etc., my response is consistent – “It depends on when you need the money.”

My general rule of thumb is that any money that you need in less than three years (maybe five years, if you so want) must be protected as far as the core capital is concerned. You are not seeking growth here but safety. And thus, this kind of money may be kept in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash. Don’t invest this money in the stock market, because if the tide turns for the worse during this period (like it had done for my uncle), your financial life and retirement may get compromised.

Any money you need between the third and fifth year from now may be invested in stocks/MFs versus bonds/FDs in a ratio of 50:50 (again, choose your own ratio based on your comfort levels).

This leaves us with money that is needed beyond the next five years. This may be invested fully in equities. History has proven that equity returns improve with an increase in holding periods. So, the probability is on your side when you invest your long-term money (needed beyond five years) in equities.

You may also divide this long-term money into two separate buckets. The first bucket could be the money you need between the fifth and tenth years of your retirement, say between 65 and 70 years of age (assuming you will retire at 60). This money could be invested in high-quality, well-diversified mutual funds or high-quality, stable businesses that provide not just the possibility of some growth but, more importantly, capital preservation.

As for the second bucket of your long-term money, which you will require beyond ten years from retirement, you can be more aggressive and invest that part in high-quality mid- and small-cap stocks and/or funds. Here, the risks you take will be higher than the first bucket, but the probability of growth is higher too. Just that you must ensure that you don’t buy businesses that may lose you capital permanently here too. This is a non-negotiable, even when you extend your investment horizon.

The idea of such allocation across buckets is that the more time you have before you need the money, the more aggressive your investment strategy. You may probably live another fifteen to twenty years or more after you retire, leaving you more than enough time to ride out not one, but multiple stock market crashes. So why not take advantage of the potential time on hand?

However, that’s not a mandatory thing. As Warren Buffett has said, “It’s insane to risk what you have for something you don’t need.”

* * *

Let’s move ahead from the allocation part to a bit about cash flows.

Having enough cash on hand to avoid withdrawing funds during severe market declines can be reassuring to people in or close to retirement. That means if you are three years away from retirement, a good rule of thumb will be to keep one year of expenses out of the market and then increase that for every year closer to retirement you get.

So, by the time you retire, you will have three years of expenses as cash in hand. Combining this with the allocation part mentioned above, keep this cash safe in liquid funds, fixed deposits, and some part cash.

I am assuming here that we don’t have a period of negative equity returns that extends beyond three years. So, with three years’ cash in hand and the market crashing around the time you retire, you don’t need to touch that money and can live off the cash. And replenish the three-year buffer every year.

(All that I have mentioned above assumes that active income stops coming in after you retire, which is true in most cases. But then, starting a part-time work or a second career that does not take a toll on your time and can be managed easily is a great idea. Just ensure that you don’t become a full-time investor.)

* * *

If you’ve still got more than a decade to go before you retire, you can follow the above-mentioned rules too. Both in terms of allocation and cash flows. Just that you can be more aggressive in terms of allocation to (high-quality) equities, as doing so would likely increase the long-term growth potential of your savings – which could increase your chances of achieving a secure retirement even more.

Also, save more, especially if you’ve been delaying it and effectively relying on market gains to compensate for your savings deficit in recent years. Markets have no obligations to carry your bidding.

When you save more, you create for yourself a buffer to deal with big declines in the stock market and your portfolio value and raise the chances of success back to where it was before the market setback.

The bottom line is this: You can’t predict when a bull market will stumble or know for certain how severe the ensuing bear market will be. No one can. But giving your retirement planning a stress test before the market slumps and thinking rationally about how to react will put you in a much better position to weather any crisis than making decisions on the fly while you’re under duress.

Hope this makes some sense.