The Alchemist: Tell Me What to Do

Posted in Money Matters on November 18, 2003

The following is this week’s installment of The Alchemist, a column by Mensan Al Thomas, author of If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t Buy It. Click ‘Read More’ below for this week’s article, “Tell Me What to Do.”

The Alchemist: Tell Me What to Do

by Al Thomas


Because almost everyone has been baffled by Wall Street baloney they have accepted the conventional wisdom that every investor needs a stock broker or financial planner if they are going to invest in the stock market.


That would be true if brokers and planners were trained to not only pick stocks, but also protect the investors’ money. Neither is true. That seems like a pretty horrific statement. I know because I used to own a brokerage firm and have hired 300 brokers. Only 1% or 2% of them knew what they were doing and consequently lost money for their clients. That probably applies to so-called financial planners because they all went to the same non-school.


Yes, I said they received no training which is true in almost 99% of the individuals. What little ‘advice’ they received was based on false and untrue premises. The Buy and Hold philosophy is the biggest lie of Wall Street. No broker is taught an exit strategy – how and when to sell. Protection of customers’ money should be number one on their list; however, brokerage companies do not want you to sell . They would rather have you go broke. (Of course, they don’t say that.) The investor is quoted the Ibbotson study. Unfortunately, the quote only shares one half of the study and the part about why Buy and Hold does not work is never given.


Wall Street has told you that you are too dumb to pick your own investments and that you need a broker to help you decipher the intricate maze that leads to financial freedom. Too bad most brokers haven’t learned or the 7 trillion dollars in losses that occurred from 2000 would not have happened.


Not only have liars and thieves been uncovered in Enron and World Com, but now we find that the fund managers of great bastions of ‘safe’ investing in mutual funds have also been stealing from their shareholders. Yes, late trading is theft and has been misnamed market timing. This also leads me to realize that the SEC has not been doing their job of protecting the small investor.


With all this corruption you, the investors, are more confused than ever. What do I do now? Where should I put my money? You need “expert” advice and I must say to you that you will not get it from a broker. Advice from a broker is a eulogy for your money. No, now is the time for you to take charge of your own investment portfolio. Could you have done any worse in the past 3 years than letting a “professional” handle your money. There are many places you can seek advice, but none of them are on Wall Street. The library and the Internet are both great sources of information. Find someone who does not fit the Wall Street pattern. Several someones. And start your financial education.


Go look in the mirror and say, “Tell me what to do”.


Copyright Albert W. Thomas. All rights reserved. Author of “If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t Buy It!” www.mutualfundmagic.com. Comments to al@mutualfundmagic.com.