This was the year 2000 -- at the height of the Internet craze. I had two years of cash contributions ($2K max was allowed at the time) piled up in my Roth IRA. So, in March 2000, I bought $4K worth of Amazon shares (at about $70 per share) in my account. I can’t be sure why I … [Read more...] about My lucky break with Roth IRA
My Investing Journey
Chronicles my investing actions - past and present
My quest for commercial real-estate
My portfolio has some real-estate (RE) assets but not much. The only commercial real-estate that I have come to own (indirectly) is via public REITs (publicly traded real-estate investment trusts). I have been looking into adding a dose of commercial real-estate in my portfolio. … [Read more...] about My quest for commercial real-estate
Why I am buying Blackstone
You can see from my 4Q portfolio update that I have been buying shares of Blackstone (BX). I first bought some shares in the third quarter last year – bought again in the fourth quarter – and my last purchase was in January. Blackstone is a somewhat unusual public company. It is … [Read more...] about Why I am buying Blackstone
Get more out of your cash
Most of my capital is invested in stocks. You can see my portfolio here. I keep some cash as rainy-day fund and also for my dry-powder strategy. In today’s low-rate environment, cash does not return much. Short-duration CDs yield 1% to 1.5%. One-year treasury bonds return … [Read more...] about Get more out of your cash
I use cash as dry powder
Long-term investors face inevitable bear markets. Stocks may go down 20%, 30%, or occasionally even 40% - 50% before recovering. Bear markets last from six months to two years but it takes longer for stocks to recover to their previous peak prices. As an investor, I have gone … [Read more...] about I use cash as dry powder
My year-end tax moves
I do some tax planning every year – usually in December. It is a yearly ritual that I am accustomed to. Fortunately, my taxes have not been very complicated since, most of my working years, I didn’t have any business income. So, no large business expense deductions, asset … [Read more...] about My year-end tax moves
Why I stay invested in stocks?
Last week, I heard two of my friends talk about an impending market crash. One of them told me he has been doing well in the stock market since he invested in the beginning of this year. But he does not think that the market will stay at these lofty levels for too long. The other … [Read more...] about Why I stay invested in stocks?
My 401(K) story – from 1992 to 2012
I worked for one Fortune 100 company for a bit more than 20 years. I had an active 401(K) retirement account while I was working for it. I saved and invested a portion of my earnings every year—taking advantage of company matching dollars and tax-deferred savings. What follows is … [Read more...] about My 401(K) story – from 1992 to 2012
When stocks turn into perpetual bonds
When you buy corporate bonds, you are told how much interest you will get and for how long. Your expected returns are spelled out by the company issuing the bonds. If you hold these bonds until they mature, you will get your initial investment back. There are risks, of course. … [Read more...] about When stocks turn into perpetual bonds