My wife wants me to sell everything because the markets down. What do I tell her?

While its great for a couple (or family) to work together on investments, having one person who is totally not interested isn't a bad thing either.

 

Here's your VAS & VGS, if she's worried now, how would she handle something like the Feb-March period last year?

 

….. this is what I like to hear….
Happy wife, happy life

 

You mean a newer model

 

He he. My gut feeling from reading a number of these posts is the OP could now be thinking "You aren't helping!"

 

My partner won't invest even though he has seen my properties do well and the share market gains. I dont know if I can do anything about it. And we've been together since around 2001....

 

True to a large extent but in this case the OP advises the problem is she is.

 

You've got the ultimate passive investor - he lets you do as you like & reaps the benefits.

Take an eachway bet - sell down 50% & ask her what she wants to do with it AFTER you allow for tax.

 

As long as they don't take a sudden interest with harsh criticism when things don't work out and remain silent when growth is amazing. Can't have have it both ways. Well you can but it'll only grow resentment in a relationship. My friend's wife is like that to a tee. Absolutely no interest or help when he works so hard and does well with investing. She doesn't say a word and just enjoys the benefits. At the first hint of trouble, she's the first to blast him.

Some people are so out of touch with what's fair in a relationship it does my head in.

 

Your friend's partner could be any one of my kids partners unfortunately, despite our kids having witnessed both their parents joint efforts working to increase the family wealth. I would be handing d's wife some books & research material that he has no doubt studied with effort & industry & telling her that after she has spent time studying them they could then have a sensible discussion about investing & their joint goals. Ah easy to say but hard to do when U gotta live with someone like that. Keep investing & keep your powder dry

 

Yeah I agree mate, not an easy situation when 1 partner is dead against it for whatever reason. I think there needs to be compromise somewhere. Otherwise unfortunately the uncompromising partner will be adding to the divorce statistics. Imho 1 of the reasons divorce rates are so high is because many humans refuse to compromise in a relationship .

 

I think the first step is to find out what your partner expects financially in retirement and before. Then comes the questions about how you are going to achieve those goals.

If your long term goals are not aligned then things are going to become problematic.

 

One year is not a long time in any investment ,and even Worse ,for one part of the team who thinks they know the answer..
While the other part of the Team has never suffered any real problem yet..

Is this what you both wanted when you started one year ago,were you both on the same page back then as the reality is few work harder than those who have no choice ..

 

She should stop looking at share prices and look at dividends instead.

How do you get her to do that? Every quarter as dividends hit the account like clockwork, buy her some flowers or take her out for dinner. Make it a joyous routine that brightens your relationship.

 

I am surprised no one is asking what is the age of the OP ie at which stage of the retirement journey they are as it affects their stock/cash allocation? or am i missing something?

 

Here ya go.

So grateful to have found this

 

That explains...OP is in his 50s...and getting close to retirement...

What i mean is it explains why the wifey can be understandbly nervous..if my wife is in her 20s ..i say Heck! lets get moving...over 30 ? 40 years? the market will take care of herself..

.but in her 50s...she will probably be more assured if the hubby takes it upon himself to "educate" her about share/bond/cash/ property allocation..n'cest pas?

 

That's mean... like something I'd post. But nah getting a newer model is no good. Get a maid, cooking is easy.

The biggest reason is money. Either too much or not enough.

 

@spoon New partner? That will distract her