By: Zachary Bouck, CFP®
As 2023 begins, I start to hear clients ask, “What is the best place to invest money in 2023?” Should we buy real estate? What about Bitcoin? Dividend-paying stocks?
My first thought is always a direct answer. “Real Estate has some tough times ahead – only buy if you can get a very good deal. Bitcoin is financial technology, but its terminal value is truly unknown. Anywhere from $1000 to $100,000 seems possible, but I lean toward the $1000 number. Dividend-paying stocks are good options in every market although there are some more spicy opportunities out there at the moment.”
But before those answers escape my mouth, I ask a more important question. “What is the purpose of this money?” If the purpose is simply to grow arbitrarily larger, that’s one investment strategy. If it’s needed for college, retirement, or the next generation, that’s a different answer.
One key point – more risk DOES NOT always equal more return. I just saw this article today about this wealthy man who lost money in the 3 biggest scams of the 21st century. He was already wealthy – did he need to take the risk of FTX? Probably not.
I also was reminded why I don’t visit the NY POST website. The clickbait is just too good. Before long I’m down a rabbit hole of human interest and scandalous stories.
Where to invest in 2023? Depends on what the money is for. Whether the money is needed for long-term growth or a specific reason, there is no reason to gamble it on speculative investments. Which opportunities you should take depends on the opportunity going forward, not the risk looking backward.
Disclosures: The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Stock investing includes risks, including fluctuating prices and loss of principal. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk. The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful
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