4% rule - My Own Advisor

Why Saving Too Much for Retirement Can Be a Mistake

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Mark | 63 Comments

Why Saving Too Much for Retirement Can Be a Mistake As one reader recently put it to me: “some people work too long and save too much”. Certainly, saving too much can for retirement can be a mistake. For most of…

Should you speculate with your retirement portfolio?

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Mark | 32 Comments

Should you speculate with your retirement portfolio? Should you speculate with your retirement portfolio? “…if you really can’t refrain from buying individual stocks, then set aside 10 percent of your investment portfolio for stock picking while keeping the remaining 90…

What is a Financial Plan and what should it cover?

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Mark | 20 Comments

What is a Financial Plan and what should it cover? A Financial Plan: your documented plan to meet short-term needs, with confidence you can achieve your long-term objectives, while managing risk. That’s a bit to unpack but that’s my quick…

Weekend Reading – Biggest stocks and ETFs, OAS, 4% or 5% rules, stay invested and more #moneystuff

Posted on October 24, 2020 by Mark | 12 Comments

Weekend Reading – Biggest stocks and ETFs, OAS, 4% or 5% rules, stay invested and more #moneystuff Hi All, Welcome to my latest Weekend Reading edition where I share some of my favourite articles from the week that was across…

Weekend Reading – The Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) debate, buying QQQ ETF, new dividend milestones and more!

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Mark | 12 Comments

Weekend Reading – The Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) debate, buying QQQ ETF, new dividend milestones and more! Hey Everyone, Welcome to my latest Weekend Reading edition where I share some of my favourite articles from the week that was across…

Weekend Reading – Debt, tech boom, 4% rule, how to build a dividend portfolio and more!

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Mark | 40 Comments

Weekend Reading – Debt, tech boom, 4% rule, how to build a dividend portfolio and more! Hi All, Welcome to my latest Weekend Reading edition where I share some of my favourite articles from the week that was across the…

Determining Your Financial Independence Number

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Mark | 24 Comments

Determining Your Financial Independence Number Passionate readers of this site have long understood I’ve never been fully convinced about the “retire early” element in the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement. That said, I am on the path towards financial…

Weekend Reading – Personal IPS, reader questions, DIY financial planning and more #moneystuff

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Mark | 5 Comments

Hi Folks! Welcome to my latest Weekend Reading edition where I share some of my favourite articles from the week that was across the personal finance and investing blogosphere. Great day to be outside! I will be out there very,…

Weekend Reading – Reader questions, early retirement, 2.4% rules, all weather portfolios

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Mark | 12 Comments

Weekend Reading – Reader questions, early retirement, 2.4% rules, all weather portfolios and more #moneystuff Hey Everyone, Welcome to my latest Weekend Reading edition about answering some reader questions, early retirement, 2.4% rules and some all-weather portfolios. I hope you…

The proven path to early retirement ignoring the 4% rule

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Mark | 47 Comments

The proven path to early retirement ignoring the 4% rule Personal finance has “personal” in it for a reason. What I means is: the only proven path to retirement, for you, is the one you create and manage. I firmly…