👋 Hi Friends,

Most people worry about investing for one simple reason:

They’re looking at the wrong picture.

They see red numbers on a screen.
They hear scary headlines.
They feel like “this time is different.”

But once you see the chart in this newsletter, the fear drops way down.

Years ago, a couple came in right after a big market drop.

They were shaken.
They’d had “the talk” many times of over the past few weeks.
“Maybe we should go to cash… just until things feel safer.”
"We will buy back in then"

Instead of arguing, I showed them a simple chart of the stock market history. But this chart presented the data in a much different way.

Once people see it, they never look at market downturns in the same way. Here is what that chart showed:

Up markets (bull) tend to last pretty long (1,018 days).
And the market goes up a lot during this period (+95% on average)
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Down markets (bear) typically do not last that long (282 days).
And do not got down anywhere near as much (-30% on average)
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​Want to see the chart?​
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Here is the normal stock market chart we are all use to seeing:

And here is this same information presented differently. (source for both: Vanguard)​
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The blue parts above the x-axis are the bull markets.
The gold parts below the x-axis are the bear markets
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​Bear markets sure look less scary presented this way, don't they?

You can’t control the market.
But you can control the information you pay attention to.

Are you reacting to scary headlines designed to get people to watch?

Or are you viewing calm, rational fact based data designed to get you to make good decisions.

Would you like to work with a financial adviser that helps you make better decisions?

A lot of you have kindly asked if I could be your financial adviser.
I’m honored by that. But I have to say no. (I’m suppose to be retired after all).

But I still want to help.
That's why today I am announcing ...

Adviser Intro by Azul™

It’s a FREE service by me for readers who want a warm introduction to a financial adviser

I won’t be your adviser, but I can open the right door.

👉 If you’d like to be considered for Adviser Intro by Azul, join the early interest list here. I’ll share details with that group first when I launch it. Fair warning, this opportunity might be open for many months/years. Or, maybe just a few weeks. I do not know yet. Remember, I am trying to enjoy my retirement too 😎.
​
​If you are interested, I urge you to sign up for the early interest list now. Sign up here.
​(please read the important disclosure below)

As promised, retire more confidently in under 5 minutes,

😎 Azul
​

PS - Prefer to create your own financial plan? This is the retirement planning software I recommend. It is powerful, easy to use and affordable. And it is much better than creating your own plan in Excel or Google Sheets. Get your FREE 2-week trial here (affiliate link)

🎁 Free gift(s) from Azul 🎁
If you recently signed up for my free retirement calculator, you can find it here. It is super simple. Just five questions.
Or, if you'd like to use a spreadsheet I created and used in a recent video, you can find them all here.
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🚨 Adviser Intro by Azul: IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE 🚨

• Azul is not an employee of these firms.
• Azul has a financial incentive to endorse them as he has an on-going contract for cash compensation to do so.
• It is crucial to do your own due diligence on these firms.
• Azul's opinions and past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

🚨 Azul's emails ARE NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE (Important Disclaimer) 🚨 ​
This information is provided as an informational resource only and should not be viewed as investment advice or a recommendation. This newsletter should not be used as a substitute for financial, tax, health, or other professional advice. Always consult your own legal, tax, physician, and/or investment advisor before making any investment/tax/estate/financial planning/health or other considerations or decisions. This information is being presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and may NOT be suitable for all investors. This information is NOT intended to, and should NOT, form a primary basis for any investment decision that you may make. Past investment results are not a reliable predictor of future performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
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​⚠️ Chapter Disclaimer ⚠️​
Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Chapter's average potential savings are based on realized premium, co-pay, and out of pocket savings estimates self-reported by consumers that worked with Chapter Advisory LLC to enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and/or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. The average is limited to consumers that chose to self-report. Savings information is subject to periodic updates and corrections. There is no guarantee of savings and any savings may vary by policy type, state, or other factors. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.