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<\/p>\nThe Best of My Own Advisor 2025<\/p>\n
Hey Investors,\u00a0<\/p>\n
To start putting a wrap on 2025, I thought I would highlight some of my favourite posts and links to various articles: the Best of My Own Advisor 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enjoy the reading and let me know if you have a favourite below as well!<\/p>\n
Before I share those best of posts and links from 2025, I want to share a sincere thank you to all of you, who follow along, subscribe to my newsletter, who make this site enjoyable to run some 16 years later\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
This site continues to generate well over 1 million pageviews every year and 2025 was no exception.<\/p>\n
I like your banter.<\/p>\n
I appreciate when you respectfully disagree with me.\u00a0I learn from that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I thank you for your compliments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I appreciate your words of inspiration and motivation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I enjoy learning new things from you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While I\u00a0may get to a few blogposts between now and early 2026, the most important message to share at this time of year is this: a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This time of year always makes me think of this \u2013 how true:<\/p>\n
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The Best of My Own Advisor 2025<\/p>\n
January:<\/p>\n
I shared a few portfolio updates to start the year this past January<\/a> \u2013 including how I ditched some U.S. stocks in favour of other assets including Canadian stocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n I continue to have a heavy bias to stocks vs. bonds so I wondered if you really need bonds in retirement?<\/a><\/p>\n Weekend Reading \u2013 Do you need bonds in retirement?<\/a><\/p>\n February:<\/p>\n I reviewed some financial predictions this month<\/a> and reminded myself that they tend to get it wrong \u2013 often. Exhibit A:<\/p>\n March:<\/p>\n To put it mildly, I\u2019m not a fan of the current U.S. administration and related antics so I wondered if I should change my investing approach.<\/a><\/p>\n How to invest and shop during Trump idiocracy<\/a><\/p>\n April:<\/p>\n This month I shared some free calculators and tools<\/a> to calculate your own retirement number.<\/p>\n I continue to support all DIY investors, with automatic discounts, if they need any help here.<\/a><\/p>\n Retirement Numbers and Rules<\/a><\/p>\n May:<\/p>\n I updated our Financial Independence Budget this month<\/a> and forecasted some spending needs for 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n Financial Independence Budget<\/a><\/p>\n June:<\/p>\n Do you have to choose between income investing and total return in your portfolio?<\/a> Why not do a mix of both?<\/p>\n Investing for Income vs. Total Return, why choose?<\/a><\/p>\n July:<\/p>\n Thanks to many reader questions over the last year or so, I decided to post How We Invest.<\/a><\/p>\n How We Invest<\/a><\/p>\n August:<\/p>\n I posted this free case study about a couple who had $1 million invested in their RRSPs<\/a> \u2013 and what they could spend. A great start to retirement for them\u2026<\/p>\n How to spend $1 million from your RRSP<\/a><\/p>\n September:<\/p>\n In the fall I wondered what might be the right amount of cash to keep in our portfolio?<\/a> Would 5% be too little? Would 10% be about right? Maybe 15%+ would be better?<\/p>\n How much cash should you keep?<\/a><\/p>\n There was also this suggestion to start retirement spending with a 2% retirement withdrawal rate.<\/a> My goodness, just seems far too low to me\u2026<\/p>\n October:<\/p>\n My wife retired from work in October 2025. I announced my intention to retire from work at the end of March 2026. In my preparations for retirement, I questionned the advice from Vanguard on moving towards a 30\/70 portfolio mix.<\/a> I won\u2019t be doing that. You?<\/p>\n Weekend Reading \u2013 My Wife\u2019s Retirement and 30\/70 Portfolios<\/a><\/p>\n November:<\/p>\n Despite the markets roaring in 2025 year to date, I wondered if it made any sense to continue buying stocks even when markets are at all-time-highs. Turns out, it\u2019s still a great idea \u2013 read on.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Weekend Reading \u2013 How to invest when the stock market is overvalued<\/a><\/p>\n December:<\/p>\n This month I posted my interview with DIY stock investor and author Henry Mah. He continues to believe income investing can work very well at any age to deliver cashflow for life.<\/a><\/p>\n Income Growth Investing and Cashflow for Life<\/a><\/p>\n Beyond The Best of My Own Advisor 2025<\/p>\n 2026 could be an interesting year for many reasons \u2013 including how I\/we navigate retirement and move from savers to spenders. Over 20 years ago, early retirement was just a dream. Well, time flies when you\u2019re having fun. Retirement reality is going to set in very soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n Did we save enough?<\/p>\n Will dividends and distributions cover most of our spending needs?<\/p>\n Will I\/we ever work again?<\/p>\n I look forward to sharing what happens during another year of running this site \u2013 the journey that started with a dream earning cashflow from our portfolio to retire early in 2009 continues next year\u2026<\/p>\n With thanks\/attribution \u2013 The Behavior Gap.<\/p>\n I hope you get to realize some investing dreams in 2026 too.<\/p>\n A very Happy Holidays to you and your family.<\/p>\n Mark<\/p>\n Mark<\/a> My name is Mark Seed – the founder, editor and owner of My Own Advisor. As my own DIY financial advisor, I’ve reached financial independence. Now, I share my lessons learned for free on this site. Join the newsletter read by thousands every week.<\/p>\n![\"Robert](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Robert-Kiyosaki-Jan.-2025png.png\")
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