The Financial "News" Cycle

As if we don't have enough to worry about in our day to day lives, along comes the 24/7 financial "news" cycle to fan the flames and magnify any fears we have about our retirement money and our investments. They are relentless with their clickbait and flat out false narratives. So what are we to do? First let's understand the function of the financial "news" cycle.

What is the function of the financial "news" cycle?

The function of the financial "news" cycle has two agendas. They are:

To foster the illusion the "stock market" is tied directly to the economy minute by minute every day
To maintain the illusion that the economy is always and forever on the brink of armageddon

They establish and foster a culture. They have no interest in reporting the truth because if they reported the truth we wouldn't tune in daily. We would grasp the truth and move on with our lives. However, that doesn't sell or make them money. Scaring the bejeezus out of you does.

The truth shall set you free

The financial "news" cycle would be out of business or change their business plan quickly if we would all come to terms with the fact that they can not permit the truth. It's boring, not sexy and it's really hard to sell.

Therefore, they jump from crisis to crisis, from negative events happening today then to whatever negative events they can manufacture for tomorrow. And every crisis they create, whether real or imagined, is the one that will take down "the stock market" and destroy your retirement plan. Please remember, it's not a market of stocks- it's a market of companies.

The role of your financial advisor

A good financial advisor, meaning one that puts their clients interests ahead of their own, was sent into the world to be the antidote to the financial "news" culture of fear. At 80/20 Financial Services, we exist to provide our clients with regular doses of faith.

When the financial "news" comes at you with the onslaught of fear about the future, we're here to tell you that our mantra is not fear of the future, but faith in it.

You need a plan

If you're interested in "beating the market" or finding the next "hot stock" we can't help you.

If you're interested in creating a goal-focused, long-term plan to ensure the money you have saved lasts the duration of a 20-30 year retirement and beyond we can help you.

We create and manage retirement income and investment plans for electric cooperative retirees to ensure the money you have saved lasts the duration of a 20-30 year retirement and beyond.

We work to ensure the money you need in the early years of retirement is safe and not subject to temporary market fluctuations, while at the same time putting the money you'll need in the later years of retirement in a position to receive the permanent market returns necessary to provide an income that increases and outpaces inflation.

For more articles about retirement planning and investing click here.

Brian Coleman/Electric Cooperative Retirement Specialist

80/20 Financial Services is an Independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) registered in the state of Missouri (CRD# 300772). We help electric cooperative employees in Missouri and throughout the United States plan their retirement. Being independent allows us to work exclusively for YOU.

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash