Straightforward guides for independent investors.
Learn how to backtest a portfolio the right way: which numbers actually matter, how to run one in minutes, and the mistakes that quietly ruin the result.
Learn the exact CAGR formula, see a real worked example, and understand why arithmetic average return is not the number you should be using to compare investments.
A clear, jargon-free guide to what a portfolio actually is, why diversification matters, and how to put together a sensible first one.
When to buy ETFs, when to buy stocks, and why most investors should default to ETFs for the bulk of their portfolio.
Diversification, properly understood. Why owning twenty US tech stocks is not diversified, and what actually is.
Why simple total return is misleading, what CAGR actually measures, and how to use it to compare investments fairly.
A balanced look at the case for and against a small crypto allocation, with the historical numbers most people skip.
Why max drawdown matters more than volatility for actual humans, and how to use it to choose between portfolios.
The classic stock/bond split survived 2022 with bruises. We look at why it broke, what to do about it, and whether it is still the right default.
The math says lump sum wins ~two-thirds of the time. The psychology says DCA wins for the rest of us. Here is when each makes sense.
A practical decision framework for choosing between ETFs and individual stocks, with a worked $10,000 comparison and the five dimensions that actually matter.
A practical guide to picking an index ETF: the 5 things that actually matter, a head-to-head of VOO, SPY and VTI, and a simple decision framework.