Charts are a staple of finance and investing. You can tell a lot of different stories with a chart. One of the longtime favourite charts of (some) financial advisers has been the “if you missed the best days chart”.

Generational wealth involves passing down assets like cash, property, businesses, and other valuables to the next generation. Done right, it ensures financial security and opens doors for your children, grandchildren and successors. But it’s not without its pitfalls. Generational wealth can perpetuate inequalities, sap motivation, and spark family conflicts.

A few years back, entrepreneurial guru Tim Ferriss, had the author and documentary maker Sebastian Junger on his podcast. Junger, who has taken plenty of risks in his career, including spending substantial amounts of time embedded with US soldiers in Afghanistan, was asked by Ferris what advice a 70-year-old Junger would offer to his current self. This is what he said.

Over recent years, the stock markets in both Australia and the United States have rebounded to reach unprecedented heights. This journey has been marked by significant volatility, beginning with a drastic downturn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw global markets plunge by approximately 40%.

It’s one of the most vexing finance questions there is. While it seems like a straightforward one, it’s really a question that only invites further questions. Not about the money, but about the person or persons who are retiring. There will never be a one-size-fits-all pot of money. Primarily because of how many different variables come into play.

The eternal investment question – “do I invest my money all at once or do I invest smaller amounts at predetermined intervals?” Otherwise known as lump sum investing vs. dollar cost averaging, or in other cases: wading vs. plunging.
What’s the best option? Before that, what’s behind the question in the first place? Fear and uncertainty. Fear of making a financial mistake because of uncertainty about the future. Both losing money and making a mistake can make us feel a little silly, but we need to acknowledge uncertainty is merely life we haven’t yet lived and there are no right or wrong decisions about things we couldn’t see.

Once you understand that buying shares is the same as becoming a part-owner of a company, it’s somewhat easier to understand how prices can move up and down each day. Enjoy the following video where we explore the share market in its entirety and give you a full overview of what you need to know to start your share market adventure today.