It's nearly impossible to find the bears...
Every month, Bank of America releases its Merrill Lynch Fund Managers Survey, which asks around 200 professional fund managers about their thoughts, concerns, and, most important, what they're doing with their money.
According to last month's survey, 55% of managers think we're in a late-stage bull market, while 25% think we're in an early-stage bull market. Bank of America also pointed out that a record high 91% of managers see a stronger economy ahead.
For months, we've written about how a stronger economy will continue to support the market's run higher. And as more and more businesses open up, people are going back to work, attending sporting events, and just generally spending money.
As I mentioned last week, if we do we see an economic boom this year, investors should keep pushing this market higher.
It's tough to call a top in any market – especially a speculative market. And when we hit that top, we could see a quick downturn, with little warning.
That's the challenge that faces investors every day...
You want to earn the biggest gains possible from the market... And to do that, you have to be invested as stocks rise.
At the same time, you don't want to see your wealth drop by 20%, 30%, or even 50% on the whims of the market. It's hard to grow your wealth without investing in the stock market... But it's even harder to hold on to what you have if you're blindsided by a crash.
Next week, my colleague Steve Sjuggerud will make a major announcement about how to navigate the inevitable Melt Down in stocks and what you should do with your money. He'll also include the name and ticker symbol of two opportunities that could grow your money as much as 1,000% in the coming months.
This event is free to our readers. All you have to do is sign up here.
As an added bonus, if you register now, you'll get an exclusive special report where Steve will share 10 doomed Melt Down stocks that could be in your portfolio.
According to Steve, even a few oversized positions in some of America's favorite stocks could cause huge losses in a matter of days when the Melt Down arrives.
And even if you aren't holding these stocks individually, it's possible that you have sizeable exposure through any funds you own. You don't want to miss this information.
To confirm your spot (and instantly receive your free copy of Steve's new report), click here.
Now let's dive into this week's Q&A. As always, keep sending your questions and comments to [email protected]. We read every e-mail.
Q: Hey Doc. Do you have any suggestions or a website that one could go to for exercises to do from a chair? I'm in a wheelchair and besides the routine flexion, extension, bicep, tricep exercises, what else can be done to make this more interesting? I do have a bad back as well and yes arthritic, but I always try to move. Thanks. – K.T.
A: We chatted with our in-house occupational therapy expert, and she shared two good resources for more exercises for folks in wheelchairs. Check them out here and here. Some may or may not be appropriate based on your particular abilities. So we recommend you explore the exercises and think about any adaptations you might want to make to better suit your needs and abilities.
Also, YouTube is a great resource these days... Search for wheelchair exercises and you'll find a variety of new and different ones to try.
Q: A question for Doc...
I've been intrigued by the role that silver and gold have played in medicine until about the beginning of the 19th century. From Egypt in the ancient near east to early American settlers making their way West, silver and gold have been used to (supposedly) improve health.
Today, colloidal silver and gold supplements are available, but I'm interested in hearing Doc's input on what the benefits and risks are to these supplements, especially now when I hear that there's more interest in them. – D.V.W.
A: There are – and I can't say this strongly enough – no proven benefits of ingesting colloidal silver and gold supplements. In fact, we know that colloidal silver is dangerous.
Consuming too much colloidal silver will not only turn your skin blue, but it can also damage your liver, kidneys, and intestinal tract, and cause seizures. There's a reason it's regularly ranked on Consumer Reports' list of dangerous supplements and ingredients.
We combed through studies from some of our favorite peer-reviewed research sources and found no studies proving any of the benefits manufacturers of these supplements claim. And they claim a lot... from curing the common cold to healing insect bites to improving your memory. Some companies even recently claimed colloidal silver cures the coronavirus.
We are often critical of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), but this is one thing the agency got right decades ago when it first warned consumers against supplements like colloidal silver that have no proven benefits and serious potential risks.
If you search around for gold and silver supplements online, you'll find plenty of sites touting their amazing benefits – and then sharing helpful resources where you can buy them... often directly from the same site.
We've told folks before that when they see these types of too-good-to-be-true claims, follow the money. We look for peer-reviewed science, especially for a largely unregulated industry like supplements. If the only people showing you the "science" behind the benefits of a supplement are the same people trying to sell it to you, beware. You're likely getting scammed.
Until we've seen proven research that shows gold and silver colloidal benefits are not only beneficial, but – more importantly – safe, we'll continue warning readers against using them.
There are plenty of well-known, well-researched, safe ways to boost your immune system. We've written about many of them here. The basics are to sleep, move, and eat a healthy, whole-foods-based diet. Throw in some regular mediation and you've got a boosted immune system. No pills necessary.
Q: How do I know if I should fund a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA? Thanks for the info as always, Doc! – T.O.
A: A traditional IRA mostly benefits people who expect to be in a lower tax bracket when they retire than when they are working.
A Roth IRA best works for people in the opposite situation. If you expect that your taxes will be higher as a retiree than as a working person, a Roth is perfect for you.
We often recommend opening both a traditional and a Roth IRA if you are unsure what your tax situation will be in your retirement. That way, you get the benefits of both methods.
Alternatively, a more advanced strategy is to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth. You won't need to pay income taxes on subsequent withdrawals, but you will need to pay a lump-sum tax when you do the conversion. This can get tricky, so we recommend talking with your financial planner about your options.
What We're Reading...
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Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
April 23, 2021