YOUR QUARTERLY VIDEO REVIEW
Hear our thoughts on the previous quarter & your financial life.
Hear from Bryan Gum, CFP® and Bob Crew, CFP® on what’s been an unpredictable first quarter of 2020. Please don’t hesitate to contact your Triune Financial Planner with questions.
Quarterly Update - Q1 2020 - Blog Post
this too shall pass
Thank you for tuning in.
Wow.
A lot can change in a few short weeks, huh? I don’t know about you, but it certainly feels like this is one of those inflection points in life – “pre-COVID 19” and “post-COVID 19”. We are all re-learning ways of connecting, communicating, working, and socializing. In regards to our daily lives, it seems nearly everything has changed, doesn’t it?
In one of our recent “all-hands-on-deck” meetings here at Triune – we do this every Monday morning at 8AM, 52 weeks each year – we each shared, in a word, how we have been feeling. Here are some of the responses:
Restless – not quite sure what to do with ourselves; “cooped-up”
Grateful – for our health, our jobs, our family & friends
Mourning – for the great losses we are witnessing every day. Loss of jobs, loss of human connection, loss of our former routines, loss of lives, etc.
Hopeful – for the ways our lives might change for the better, now that we’ve been given “The Great Pause” – to hopefully slow down and reflect.
Perhaps you can relate to some of these emotions? We empathize with how many of you are feeling, as we all navigate this tumultuous time.
As your Guide on the journey towards financial peace and contentment, we have had many important conversations with you these last several weeks. Conversations of strategy and encouragement. Additionally, we hope you’ve had a chance to read one of our email newsletters – a resource intended to serve you with context and fresh perspective, in the midst of a confusing and scary time. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, One of our key takeaways in the newsletters - we simply do not want to let a “short-term decision jeopardize a long-term strategy”. In short, one of our priorities in serving you; is to help you avoid “The Big Mistake”. That is, a mistake that would be devastating to the long-term Financial Plans that you’ve made.
An investment philosophy we subscribe to, and frequently spout - market downturns, and volatility itself are short-term in nature. As frightening as this pandemic is, there is wisdom to be found in studying historical times of economic downturn, and how markets recover. Since 1926, Bear Markets (of which there have been 11; we are now in the 12th), on average last 1.3 years, with a cumulative loss of 38%. Make no mistake, these are devastating losses, but in the SHORT-TERM. Bull Markets (or upward trending markets); However, have lasted on average, 6.5 years, with a cumulative average return of +333%. You cannot have one without the other.
Furthermore, this is why planning must always be the cornerstone of your financial life. When it comes to investing; your accounts need to be positioned according to your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. This approach takes time and thoughtful planning, and in the long-run empowers you to make wise and healthy decisions for your financial plan - Even when it seems like the world as we know it, is falling apart.
We hope this message gives you some peace of mind, when you might need it most. We do not place our hope and faith in the rise and fall of financial markets; but in the Timeless Biblical truths that guide us into becoming Good Stewards of the money we’ve been entrusted with.
We are here for you, always, and certainly in tumultuous times like these. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us, as we continue to serve as your “partners in conversation.” We thank you again for our relationship, and for the trust and confidence you’ve placed in us.
A final word - We have successfully transitioned all Triune personnel to a work-from-home environment over these past weeks. It’s “business as usual” – with all meetings conducted virtually or by phone. We are positioned for growth, and welcoming new clients at this time. Please feel welcome to introduce us to friends, family, colleagues or neighbors as you see fit.
Thanks for listening. Stay calm. Be hopeful. This too shall pass.
Disclosures: Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients. Member SIPC. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Diversification neither assures a profit nor guarantees against loss in a declining market. Investing involves risks including potential loss of principal and fluctuating value. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. This content is provided for informational purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation or endorsement of any particular security, products, or services. Triune Financial Partners, LLC is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Data Sources:
First Trust. (2019). History of U.S. Bear & Bull Markets Since 1926. Retrieved from https://www.ftportfolios.com/Common/ContentFileLoader.aspx?ContentGUID=4ecfa978-d0bb-4924-92c8-628ff9bfe12d