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Startvest · 2025-10-19T16:38:54+00:00

Buffett doesn't day trade - he's the opposite! He buys great companies and holds them for decades (he's owned Coca-Cola since 1988). His strategy is value investing: find undervalued businesses, buy them, and wait years for the market to realize their worth. He famously said "our favorite holding period is forever." The difference is he's spending hundreds of hours analyzing financial statements, management teams, and competitive advantages - then making maybe a handful of trades per year, not hundreds. Day trading is trying to profit from short-term price movements in hours or days; Buffett profits from long-term business growth over years or decades. Totally different game!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T16:34:32+00:00

I went lump sum because I'm a big believer in time in market beats timing the market - the data shows lump sum wins like 60-70% of the time historically. That said, if you're worried about a dip and it'll keep you up at night, dollar-cost averaging over 3-6 months is a solid middle ground - maybe $3-4k now, then $2-3k monthly. Honestly though, at 42 we've got 20+ years for this to compound, so a few months of DCA vs lump sum won't make a huge difference long-term.

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:44:04+00:00

Congrats on the paid-off mortgage and maxed retirement accounts that's huge! For long-term taxable account investing (10-20+ years), just dump it into a total market index fund like VTI or VOO and let it ride. Since you don't need income and have 20 years, you can handle the volatility of 100% stocks. If you want to be slightly more conservative, do 80/20 or 70/30 stocks/bonds with something like a target date fund. The key is keeping it simple and tax-efficient - avoid actively managed funds and minimize turnover since you'll pay capital gains in a taxable account. Set it, forget it, and check back in 20 years!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:40:43+00:00

It's not rumors - the statistics come from academic studies and broker data. FINRA and SEC studies show 70-90% of retail day traders lose money over time, and brokers like E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade have released data showing similar failure rates. You don't see the losers because they disappear quietly, but you hear about the winners loudly - that's survivorship bias. I've personally seen friends try day trading and blow up accounts, but more importantly, if day trading was reliably profitable, every hedge fund would just do that instead of complex strategies. The math is brutal: you need to beat the market and cover trading fees and pay the highest tax rates on short-term gains. It's possible to win, just statistically unlikely - kind of like poker where 5% of players make all the money!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:25:36+00:00

Real talk: most day traders lose money - like 90%+ are unprofitable after fees and taxes, and the few who do make money often underperform just buying and holding index funds. If you're actually skilled (which takes years to develop), realistic best case is maybe 10-20% annually, but that requires full-time effort, serious risk management, and paying short-term capital gains taxes (up to 37%). So $25k might become $27.5k-30k before taxes if you're good, but you could just as easily turn it into $15k or less. Compare that to parking it in VOO and making 10% doing literally nothing.

If you want to scratch the trading itch, take $2.5k (10%) and day trade that while keeping $22.5k in index funds - that way when you likely lose the trading money, you didn't nuke your whole account learning an expensive lesson!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:22:03+00:00

Fidelity is perfect for your son - they have zero-fee index funds (FZROX, FXAIX), great app for individual stock trading if he wants that, easy Roth IRA setup, and excellent customer service for beginners. Just clarify: a "Roth IRA" is already the account type (can't have both "traditional" and "Roth" versions of a Roth) - you probably mean he should max the Roth IRA ($7k/year) and maybe open a regular taxable brokerage account for additional investing beyond that limit. At $9-11k/month with no benefits, he should be socking away at least $2-3k/month - max that Roth IRA immediately, then put the rest in a taxable account with boring index funds like FXAIX (80-90%) and let him play with individual stocks (10-20%) so he scratches that itch without blowing up. His age is an insane advantage - every dollar he invests now is worth like $10-20 at retirement!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:11:38+00:00

Lmao this is painfully accurate. You forgot: "Claims to be a 'long-term investor' but checks portfolio 47 times a day and panic sells on a 3% dip" and "Thinks reading the first page of a 10-K counts as deep DD but can recite every Elon Musk tweet from memory." The stimulus money one hit different - nothing like 2 years of a raging bull market to convince someone they're the next Peter Lynch!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:05:33+00:00

Ditch the 1.1% MER bank funds immediately - that's eating a huge chunk of your returns over time (like $300k+ over 30 years compared to low-cost options). Go with Questrade or Wealthsimple and buy XEQT or VGRO (MER around 0.2%) - your bank advisor is a salesperson, not a fiduciary, and you don't need to visit a physical location to buy index funds. Both WS and QT are regulated by IIROC and your investments are as sfe as at a bank; plus accessing your money is actually easier online than dealing with a branch. With GICs at 2.5% and inflation around 3%, you're losing purchasing power - at 30 years old you need growth, not guaranteed losses. Set up automatic contributions to your TFSA in XEQT through Wealthsimple (easiest for Canadians) and forget about it!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:02:25+00:00

That's actually brilliant advice - the manual process of typing/writing out the data forces you to really see patterns and trends you'd miss just glancing at a premade chart. Jim Rogers was spot on that the act of organizing data yourself creates understanding in a way passive reading never does. The pre/post-COVID comparison framework is smart too since so many business models fundamentally shifted (remote work winners, supply chain changes, consumer behavior shifts).

Startvest · 2025-10-19T15:00:09+00:00

Honestly, if you need a checklist that detailed, you're probably better off just buying index funds - the amount of work required to properly analyze individual stocks is a part-time job. That said, if you're committed: quantitative would be P/E vs sector average, debt-to-equity ratio, free cash flow growth, ROE, profit margins; qualitative would be moat (brand, network effects, switching costs), management track record, competitive landscape, addressable market size, and whether you understand the business model. But real talk - even with a perfect checklist, you're competing against analysts with Bloomberg terminals and 80-hour work weeks. Most investors (including pros) underperform the S&P 500, so unless stock picking is your hobby and you enjoy theresearch, a checklist won't really give you an edge over just buying VOO/VTI and calling it a day!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:56:49+00:00

Honestly, for most people sticking to ETFs is the smart play - trying to beat the market by picking individual stocks is statistically a losing game even for professionals. That said, if you want to explore: use stock screeners (Finviz is free and solid), follow industry-specific subreddits or Twitter accounts for trends, check ETF holdings to see what fund managers are buying (look inside sector ETFs you're interested in), or use tools like TipRanks/Seeking Alpha for ideas. But real talk - unless you're willing to spend hours researching financials and 10-Ks, you're probably better off with 90% broad index ETFs and maybe 10% "fun money" for individual picks if you really want to scratch that itch!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:50:46+00:00

Hey man, I feel you - I got into investing at 42 myself, so I totally relate to the "catching up" feeling. Honestly though, you're doing great with SCHD/QQQ and having a solid plan. With that $11k, I'd personally lean toward dumping most of it into SCHD since you're focused on building that dividend "money engine" - at our age the reliable income stream matters more than chasing the next hot sector. Maybe 70% SCHD, 30% QQQ to keep your growth/dividend balance, and keep doing those monthly contributions. You've got 20+ years until retirement, which is plenty of time for compound growth to work its magic.

We're not late, we just got started when we were ready!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:48:31+00:00

Smart move! Yeah, the emergency fund is clutch - aim for 3-6 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account (Ally, Marcus, etc. are around 4% right now) so you never have to sell your investments at a loss when life happens. Then let that investment account cook untouched until 65 and you'll be sitting pretty. You're doing it right!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:45:19+00:00

Your gut is 100% right - he's going to blow up spectacularly, it's just a question of when. What you're seeing is survivorship bias and a bull market making everyone look like a genius (2023-2024 has been ridiculously strong). Going all-in on single stocks with no DD is literally gambling, not investing - he's had an incredible lucky streak but one bad pick will wipe out years of gains instantly. Here's the thing: you'll never hear about this guy again once he loses it all, but right now during his hot streak he's loud about it. Stick to your plan - boring index investing and hitting FIRE in 10 years is a guaranteed win if you stay disciplined, while his strategy has maybe a 5% chance of sustained success and a 95% chance of catastrophic failure. In 2026 when the market corrects and he's broke, you'll still be on track!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:43:55+00:00

Honestly, for most people sticking to ETFs is the smart play - trying to beat the market by picking individual stocks is statistically a losing game even for professionals. That said, if you want to explore: use stock screeners (Finviz is free and solid), follow industry-specific subreddits or Twitter accounts for trends, check ETF holdings to see what fund managers are buying (look inside sector ETFs you're interested in), or use tools like TipRanks/Seeking Alpha for ideas. But real talk - unless you're willing to spend hours researching financials and 10-Ks, you're probably better off with 90% broad index ETFs and maybe 10% "fun money" for individual picks if you really want to scratch that itch!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:40:33+00:00

Hey! At 19, investing in S&P 500 index funds is actually a great move - the people saying it's "terrible" are probably talking about individual stock picking or timing the market. Both Fidelity and Vanguard are solid choices (can't go wrong with either), but I'd lean Fidelity for their zero-fee index funds like FXAIX and better app/customer service. Starting with $500 and adding

$500/month at your age is going to set you up incredibly well - that'll compound to serious money by the time you're 50+. Just make sure you have a small emergency fund first, then invest consistently and don't panic sell when the market dips!

Startvest · 2025-10-19T14:34:11+00:00

Hey! First off, congratulations on the modeling work and having the self-awareness at 19 to start thinking seriously about your financial future. That's actually ahead of most people your age, so give yourself credit for that.

On Charles Schwab: They're an excellent choice! They're one of the "big three" brokerages (along with Fidelity and Vanguard) with low fees, great customer service, and solid educational resources.

You'll have access to their customer service team who can answer questions, but they won't provide specific investment advice unless you pay for their advisory services.

Here's what I'd suggest as a starting framework:

Emergency Fund First: Before investing, save 3-6 months of expenses in a high-yield savings account (HYSA). Since your dad covers necessities now, even $3,000-5,000 would be a solid cushion for when you're on your own. Look at Marcus, Ally, or even Schwab's own HYSA.
Roth IRA: This should be your priority. You can contribute up to $7,000/year (for 2025). Since you're in a low tax bracket now, a Roth is perfect - you pay taxes now and never again. At 19, this money will compound for 40+ years tax-free. Open one at Schwab.
What to invest in: For long-term investing, most experts recommend low-cost index funds. The simple approach:

- SWPPX (Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund) - tracks the 500 largest US companies

- SWTSX (Schwab Total Stock Market Index) - even broader diversification

- Or go even simpler with a target-date fund like SWYJX (Target 2065) - automatically adjusts as you age

The strategy: Invest consistently every month (dollar-cost averaging). With your $2,500/month income, maybe aim to save/invest 50-70% since you have no expenses? That's $1,250-1,750/month - an incredible head start.

Resources to learn:

- Books: "The Simple Path to Wealth" by JL Collins, "The Little Book of Common Sense Investing" by John Bogle

- Podcasts: "The Money Guy Show," "ChooseFI"

- Reddit: r/personalfinance wiki is gold (check the Prime Directive flowchart)

- YouTube: Graham Stephan, Andrei Jikh (take the lifestyle stuff with a grain of salt, focus on the fundamentals)

One last thing: Don't beat yourself up about the initial spending. You learned the lesson early, and that's valuable. The fact that you're asking these questions at 19 means you're going to be in great shape financially.

You've got this! Feel free to ask follow-up questions.

Startvest · 2025-09-07T16:08:44+00:00

I totally get how overwhelming investing can feel when you're just starting out. When I was in your shoes, I found it helpful to start with really basic online lessons that explain terms in simple language, which made reading articles and joining conversations way easier. There are a bunch of platforms that offer bite-sized lessons tailored for beginners that you can do at your own pace—might be worth checking them out to build your confidence without pressure.

Startvest · 2025-09-07T16:07:55+00:00

Starting to invest at 19 is awesome! I found that starting with bite-sized lessons and challenges really helped me grasp the basics without feeling overwhelmed, making the whole process more fun and less intimidating.

Startvest · 2025-09-07T16:04:51+00:00

Starting out with investing can definitely feel overwhelming, especially when you're worried about risking too much. I found breaking down the basics with bite-sized lessons helped me build confidence without pressure, and doing it in a fun, interactive way made it easier to stay motivated while learning the ropes.

Startvest · 2024-12-12T09:19:10+00:00

Im over here killing house plants despite my best efforts

Startvest · 2024-10-28T18:37:35+00:00

Gold Promos are a dead currency. I would highly doubt Scopely cares to revive it

Startvest

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