Ah, New Year’s resolutions … that time when we promise to turn our financial lives around, double our portfolios and retire early—or at least rebalance before the next market dip. Maybe this year, we aim lower. Like, “I’ll make the minimum Roth individual retirement account (IRA) contribution” or “I’ll start building an emergency fund in case my grandkid needs a loan from their favorite grandparent.”
It’s also the season for big goals like, “I’m going to invest more this year!” or “This is the year I figure out tax-efficient investing!” But let’s be honest: Most of us are still trying to find last year’s tax forms, let alone master tax-loss harvesting.
With that in mind, I want to ask two questions to spark discussion in our online AAII Community:
I’ll share my own answers in the community. My primary goal? Finally put my Roth IRA cash to work in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), index funds and individual stocks, not let it sit there collecting dust like last year’s holiday decorations.
If you’re curious about what new investing strategies or asset classes I’ll be dabbling in for 2025 and want to see what other AAII members are plotting (spoiler: it’s not stuffing cash under the mattress), log in to the Allocation Strategies Community today.
Join Our Community Today
https://community.aaii.com
Field Notes From the Chapters
If you’ve never defrosted a package of Birds Eye frozen corn, spinach or whatever on your kitchen counter, raise your hand.
No hands? I thought so.
College dropout Clarence Birdseye parleyed a stint as a fur trader into a blockbuster invention, adapting the flash-freezing techniques he learned from the Labrador Inuit people to resolve the cellular degradation that compromised slow-frozen food. He eventually sold the process to General Foods, scooping up some 300 patents along the way. Fresh, nutritious, affordable foods would henceforth be available to everyone year-round.
Clarence Birdseye did as much to change our world as Jonas Salk, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Alexander Graham Bell, Steve Jobs or the Wright brothers. Yet, few know his backstory. Epic innovations have been created by unsung heroes—sometimes by happenstance, sometimes by arduous teamwork.
Few know the backstory of ETFs. Launched in 1993, millions now profit from their low-cost diversification, easy trading and tax efficiency. AAII chapters that have covered ETFs in recent months include Atlanta, Cleveland, Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Orange County, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Silicon Valley.
Stock options extend back to prehistory, slithering into modernity in the 1920s with legendary speculator Jesse Livermore. Few may remember their 1973 launch on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), but millions now benefit from the leverage, risk reduction and income opportunities options provide. AAII’s Austin, Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego chapters have recently covered them.
Don’t get frozen out! Hop on board our fresh chapter offerings!
—Hollis Wagenstein-Hurturk, AAII Chapter liaison
Sign up for Chapters
www.aaii.com/ChapterEmail
See Upcoming Events
https://community.aaii.com/events/calendar
Discussion
FREE REPORT
No comments have been added yet. Add your thoughts to the discussion!
You need to log in as a registered AAII user before commenting.
Log InCreate an account