Frequently Asked Questions - Growth Guardian Investor

Getting Started

  • When you say "long-term" - how long do you mean? I ask people this question all the time and get answers all over the place - ranging from one year to thirty-five years. That's quite a spread, right?

    Well, if you mean more than 25 years, then buy-and-hold has historically been a profitable strategy over market history. But if you mean anything less than 25 years, the probability of earning positive returns has historically started dropping - and it drops faster as your timeline decreases.

    Now, what does that mean for you? Well, if you're in your 50s or 60s, a brutal bear market can slash 50% off your retirement savings. That's not speculation - that's simple market history. Some bear markets grind sideways for years, and your savings might never fully recover before you need them.

    So the question becomes: do we just cross our fingers and hope the timing works out? Or do we get more systematic about it?

    There are ways to consider staying invested when market conditions may tilt in your favor and stepping aside when warning signs flash red. No white-knuckling required. No losing sleep over whether to exit at the worst possible moment.

  • That's not an easy one to pin down - average investors tend to make several big mistakes. But if I had to pick the most costly one, it's probably this: holding on too long during market downturns, bailing, and then waiting too long to get back in.

    Here's what happens. The market starts slipping, and we tell ourselves, "It'll bounce back quickly - it always does." So we hang on, hoping. And hoping. Meanwhile, the account value decline keeps grinding deeper than we ever expected. When you can’t take it any longer, you get out – and lock in a big loss. Then the market bottoms at some point and starts recovering but the psychological pain of the loss persists and prevents most people from re-entering for a long time – all while the market is going up.

    Now, what does that mean for your retirement account? Let me put this in perspective. If your portfolio drops 20%, you need a 25% gain to get back to even. Drop 50%? Now you need a 100% gain to recover. The math gets brutal fast.

    That's why hope makes a lousy investment strategy. A rules-based approach may help set clear exit and entry points before emotions take over - potentially limit the damage, protect your capital, and let the system take care of its business. No guesswork about when to exit or enter. The rules decide for you.

  • That's really not the first question - or even the second one. Before we talk about getting out, let's back up and ask: What are you trying to accomplish with your investments? And what's your time horizon for holding them?

    Here's why those questions matter. Thoughtful answers might tell you that stocks don't make sense for your situation at all. My recommendation? Get clear on your objectives first, develop a plan – and maybe talk with a financial advisor.

    Now, to answer what you're probably really asking - yes, the market may provide signals about directional moves. Sometimes well before a major change hits, sometimes shortly after it starts.

    Here's what most people don't realize: the market's anything but random over the intermediate and long-term. It tends to move in one of three directions for months or years at a time - up, down, or sideways. Think of it like market weather patterns.

    So what does that mean for you? Well, these trends may be trackable. You might consider using data-driven triggers to potentially ride the moves up but step aside when conditions turn ugly. It's not magic, and it's not entirely precise - but it could potentially help protect your account during down markets while potentially allowing it to grow during the good times.

    No crystal ball required. Just systematic rules that take the guesswork out of timing.

  • Unlike most careers, intelligence and success in other fields don't translate easily into market success. And there's a good reason why.

    Think about it - doctors, lawyers, engineers build their success on training, experience, and proven methods. They're used to being right because they've trained extensively and mastered their craft over years or decades.

    But here's what happens with investing. These same successful people figure they can open an account with a few mouse clicks and rely on their smarts to manage thousands - or hundreds of thousands - of their hard-earned dollars.

    What's the problem with this approach? Without equivalent training in how markets and investing actually work, intuition becomes the default guide. And intuition in the markets? It quickly morphs into hope when things go well, fear when they don't, greed when opportunities appear, and doubt when losses mount.

    Know this: the markets punish emotional decisions harshly. Dr. Van Tharp used to joke that "intuition" really means "into-wishing" for most people who use the term when referring to a strategy. That makes sense when you think about it.

    So what's the alternative? A systematic approach with clear objectives and proven rules to guide your actions. Let the system make the tough decisions so emotions don't get in the way.

  • A drawdown measures the decline from a peak in your account value to its lowest point. So if your $100,000 portfolio drops to $70,000, that's a 30% drawdown.

    Now, here's where the math gets tricky. To climb back to $100,000, your portfolio needs to generate a 43% gain - not just 30%. Let me explain why.

    You're starting from a smaller base now. That $70,000 needs to grow by $30,000 to get back to even. But $30,000 represents 43% of your new $70,000 balance, not 30%.

    If you've been investing for any length of time, you know that kind of recovery doesn't happen quickly or easily. Bear markets can grind sideways for years before generating those kinds of gains.

    That's why keeping drawdowns small makes such a difference. A 10% drawdown only needs an 11% gain to recover. A 20% drawdown needs 25%. But that 50% drawdown? You need to double your money just to get back to even.

    The takeaway: limiting damage during the tough times makes recovery much faster and easier. It's like the difference between fixing a small leak versus rebuilding after a flood.

  • Actually, I believe most people should hire a financial advisor - or at the very least consult with a fee/advice only advisor. A licensed professional can help you clarify your investing objectives, craft a strategy to reach those goals, and if you are not up for managing your investments, they can do it for you.

    But here's what I've found talking with people over the years. Many are happy with their advisors and they stick with them for a long time. Other folks have stepped away from advisors for various reasons: poor results, getting turned off by aggressive sales pitches, or simply wanting more control over their own money. This is a minority of the population but they are willing to manage their investments.

    Now, what does managing your investments require? Well, you need the self-discipline to follow some sort of plan when markets get exciting and when they get ugly. You need to be comfortable making decisions based on rules rather than gut feelings. And you need to focus on protecting against big losses - not just chasing returns. (BTW, a systematic approach helps with each of those.)

    Here's the thing - if you can handle those requirements, managing your own investments offers some real advantages. Lower costs, more control, and the ability to act quickly when market conditions change.

    The key question becomes: are you prepared to do the work and stick to a plan when emotions want to take over? If the answer's yes, then going it alone can work quite well. If not, a good advisor would be worth every penny you pay them.

    If you’d like to maintain control of your money but get feedback on your current plan or get help creating a comprehensive financial plan, you can search for a fee only advisor in this directory: https://adviceonlynetwork.com/

Risk & Drawdowns

  • Simple but not obvious - it's the big losses that kill the magical effects of compounding.

    Here's what I mean. You can have great returns for years, but one brutal drawdown can wipe out decades of gains. Protecting against those large losses matters more than chasing maximum returns.

    Steady compounding over time wins the race. Think tortoise, not hare.

  • Absolutely! But unmanaged risk can be dangerous to your wealth.

    You can't eliminate risk if you invest, but you can control how much you expose your portfolio to. A systematic approach with a proven track record may let you take calculated risks instead of blind ones.

    Think of it like driving. You can't eliminate the risk of accidents, but you wear a seatbelt and follow traffic rules. Crashes can still happen but you decrease the chances of those and minimize their effects. Same principle applies to your money.

  • Well, if you follow a systematic approach, it may adapt to those sideways grind periods. Think of it like waiting for the right wave - you don't paddle harder to catch a little "ankle breaker," you wait to see swells getting higher.

    The system works the same way. Instead of forcing trades that don't make sense, it may help you stay patient or defensive until market conditions improve.

    Now, what happens without that guidance? Some investors get frustrated watching their accounts go nowhere and attempt something innovative - or downright rash. They start chasing hot sectors, timing individual stocks, or doubling down on risky bets.

    Better to flow with the sideways market according to your rules than try to force something to happen.

  • That's not the first question. The first question is - what are you trying to accomplish? If you need cash flow and want to limit losses during bear markets, dividend stocks might be a viable strategy. There's more than one path up the mountain!

    Now, on the dividend stock path, you're likely to see stock price losses in a bear market even if they're not as big as the broader market takes. So you need to think about how many dividend stocks to own, what percentage of your portfolio to allocate, buying criteria, selling criteria, monitoring company news, estimated cash flows - the list goes on.

    Consider this: high yields can hide weak fundamentals, dividends can get cut when times get tough, and concentrated sectors like utilities still take big hits in bear markets.

    Relate holding dividend stocks like being a landlord. The rent checks are nice, but you're still responsible for maintenance, tenant screening, and dealing with vacancies. Same principle with dividend stocks - the income's appealing, but there's work involved.

    Another option? Consider an ETF that holds dividend-paying stocks. You'll give up some returns, but you hand over the management headaches to professionals.

    The takeaway: investing well on your own will likely require more than the few mouse clicks it takes to open an account and buy something. Before you pick any strategy, ask yourself: How much time do I have? Do I have the right knowledge? What am I trying to achieve? What's the best path to get there? And honestly - can I create a solid plan and stick to it when markets get ugly?

  • Let me offer a better version of that question: how might you build a system that captures most of the gains while limiting the damage during inevitable downturns? That's exactly what systematic investing can address.

    The approach acknowledges we'll miss some gains - especially the final spike before major tops. But we might also avoid much of the carnage when markets crater. Over time, that math may work strongly in your favor.

  • If the market crashes while you're fully invested, that's what we might call a "challenging" position. Put it this way - under stress, adrenaline flows. That evolutionary spurt of the fight-or-flight hormone shuts down clear thinking - by design.

    Think about it like this: if you're face to face with a hungry lion, you don't want to weigh your options carefully - you need to fight or flee immediately to survive! In that situation, your brain's wired for action, not analysis.

    So what's the solution? Do your thinking now, plan ahead while you're calm. Set up clear rules and even rehearse following them. Define exactly how you'll recognize a market crash and what you'll do when one hits.

    The key question becomes: why wait for panic to make your decisions? Figure out your plan now - before fear and survival instincts take over. When that adrenaline kicks in, you'll have a roadmap instead of having to think on the fly.

    Think emergency preparedness. Here in North Carolina, we don't figure out what to do when the winds reach hurricane force - we prepare at the start of hurricane season so we can act quickly when we know a hurricane is on its way.

  • Think of it like being caught in a leaky boat with the shore still miles away. You can bail water faster, row harder, or patch the holes - but you may not be able to do all three at the same time with the same amount of effort. A considered and viable strategy will help you get you to shore safely.

    You have a few options to consider. First, figure out how to boost your income in the near term and funnel that extra money into your retirement account.

    Second, explore whether you can work longer and delay full retirement.

    And third - consider increasing the returns from your retirement savings while protecting them from market drops. This is why I developed the SmartSignal Investment System. I'm in the same boat – I’m a little behind on my retirement savings and I need good returns for the next decade but can't afford a big hit either in that timeframe.

    And I’m a little concerned about the potential for a big hit to the stock market. Why? After studying market history, I see multiple warning signs that suggest a potentially significant market drop – and possibly an extended one (years) between 2025 and 2035. We've seen this movie several times long before 2025 - valuations stretched thin, debt levels climbing, growth slowing, and the threat of lingering inflation.

    So the question becomes: how might you potentially invest for growth while limiting damage when the inevitable downturn hits? The SmartSignal System may let you step aside during the worst of it and participate when markets climb higher.*

    Going back to that leaky boat - you want to patch the holes while you're still rowing toward shore, not wait until you're taking on too much water to recover.

Confidence & Knowledge

  • Tips are opinions - nothing more. Sometimes they're good opinions that prove profitable. Sometimes an opinion's solid but the stock tanks for reasons nobody saw coming. Then you have poor opinions that get what they deserve, and occasionally they get lucky despite being poor.

    Look at it this way: opinions are nearly impossible to evaluate beforehand. How do you know if the person giving the tip actually knows what they're talking about and if the conditions are actually true? You don't - until after the fact.

    Data-driven strategies tested across decades of market history produce a completely different approach. Instead of guessing what might happen, you can follow rules based on what has actually worked over time.*

    A systematic approach may increase your chances for long-term success because it removes the human guesswork. No TV pundits with flashy sound effects, no hunches from industry watchers who may or may not have skin in the game.

    Just rules that have shown promise when it mattered. A system doesn't care about opinions - it responds to what the market's actually doing.

  • Show me someone who hasn't lost money investing, and I'll show you a saver. And even savers lose money through the unseen bite of inflation eating away at their purchasing power.

    Consider this: if you invest, you will lose money sometimes. It’s part of the game and you might even collect some battle scars along the way. What separates successful investors from the rest isn't avoiding losses - it's having a smart strategy that prevents repeating the same costly mistakes.

    Think of it like learning to ride a bike. You're going to fall a few times, but each tumble teaches you something about balance and timing. The key is getting back up with better technique.

    With a disciplined approach, you may still lose money occasionally, but you could make significantly more over the long run. A rules-based systematic approach may offer some of the better odds for coming out ahead.

    The market doesn't care about your previous losses - it only rewards smart moves going forward.

  • No. Well, some systems have some complicated math running in the background – but you just see the clear, simple output: what to buy, what to sell, and when to step aside.

    Think of it like a GPS app. Highly complex calculations are happening constantly in the GPS’s computer but all you hear is "turn left in 500 feet."

    Same principle with the SmartSignal System - sophisticated analysis boiled down to a few, straightforward actions.

  • Go for them! Swing for the moon if you like. You have different objectives, which means you'll need a different strategy. That's perfectly valid - and it's not the kind of investing I support through Growth Guardian for mid/late career investors.

    Now, what does "higher returns" actually cost you? Often higher risk (bigger losses), more complexity, and usually more time watching markets. You may be trading some sleep hours and peace of mind for the possibility of bigger gains – and that might fit your situation.

    Some SmartSignal followers have mentioned using the signals for buying futures contracts or making options trades to potentially amplify their returns. I don't provide any advice on using those instruments - they can blow up quickly if you're not careful. But I understand the appeal when they see directional signals.

    The question becomes: are you chasing returns or building wealth? Sometimes those are related. Often, they're not.

  • The system has historically adapted to whatever the market throws at it and positions investments in whatever sectors are actually leading.* Flexibility for changing economic conditions is built right in.*

    You know how a sailboat doesn't fight the wind? Instead, the sailor adjusts the sails to use whatever wind is blowing. Same principle here with inflation, deflation, stagflation or anything in between.

  • I use the SmartSignal System to manage a chunk of my own retirement money. My results have closely matched the official results of the system.* In addition, the head of the research consulting company, Applied Finance Research, has used this approach for more than ten years and has also produced nearly the same returns in the accounts he manages with the system as the official results.* In large part, this has to do with the simplicity, the few positions to manage, and the infrequent trades.

    Slight variations exist due to the precise time and price of entries and exits in the real-time markets vs the consistent precision of the software execution. Depending on your personal schedule, you might execute the signals by placing orders in the morning session or afternoon session. Sometimes, you might be traveling and unable to make a position change for another day or two.

    Over time, a few minutes, hours, or even days of random timing differences have affected very little the performance of real-world investing versus the official results.* On a daily basis, the market tends to be up about 50% of the time and down about 50% of the time. The system, however, has historically taken advantage of the upward bias in the market over weeks, months, and years.*

  • Markets evolve, but trends and momentum are likely to remain. If the market were to become trendless or lack any momentum, then by design, the system shifts into cash and maintains the equity level when it moved to cash.

    In addition, we're continually reviewing, researching, and testing evolving ideas to ensure the signals remain relevant - and profitable over time.*

  • Fair question. I value accuracy more than hype. Great sounding information, perhaps even 'perfect' sounding information … can feel suspicious. I'm not aiming to sound perfect. I aim to show you actual numbers, real rules, and a process that works in the long run – based on long term performance.*

    No strategy, no system wins every month, and mine doesn't either. That said, the SmartSignal System has produced equivalent returns to the broad market while minimizing the size of drawdowns (often by about half) of the broad market for more nearly 20 years.* Of course past performance does not predict future performance.

    What matters is transparency, consistency, and protection against the kind of losses that derail retirements. If you have a question about information that you don't understand or don’t see, please feel free to contact me and make a request. I'm happy to help.

    Note: I have a good chunk of my retirement money following the same system because it works, is super simple to manage, and I don't have to worry about what to do when the next bear market comes around.

Practical Application

  • No. The system is designed for monthly attention, not daily monitoring.

  • Technically, there's no minimum amount to apply the system to an investment account. Practically speaking, however, having at least $35,000 in an IRA or 401(k) would mean the SmartSignal service subscription would "cost" in effect, 1% per year. Having less than $35,000 probably wouldn't make much sense from a net investment returns standpoint. Even while that amount is far too low for many advisors, a 1% fee is the same or similar to the management fee for many advisors. If you have $200,000, then the subscription translates into a 0.18% fee (one-fifth of one percent). With a $1 million account, the subscription cost drops to less than 4 basis points.

  • It only invests in highly liquid ETFs with large market capitalizations. What does that mean?

    An ETF is an Exchange Traded Fund – an investment vehicle that tracks some index or pursues some investing objective. In some ways, ETFs are similar to mutual funds – except they typically have lower fees and they can be bought or sold like any stock.

    The system uses ETFs based on major indexes – think S&P 500, large cap foreign equities, bonds, etc.

    Highly liquid means many shares of the ETFs trade each day - on the order of tens of millions of shares. This means they're very easy to buy and easy to sell when the markets are open. This also means the difference between the buy price and sell price (the spread) is very low - usually one penny.

    Large capitalization means these ETFs have many billions of dollars invested in them. This tends to help them be priced more stably than smaller ETFs. They capture market moves without additional volatility.

  • Individual stocks can implode overnight and can be much more volatile than index based ETFs. ETFs spread individual company risk across many companies and keep the focus on big trends instead of company-specific drama.

  • You're free to do whatever you like. If you want to hold some stocks and follow the system, you might want to keep the stocks separate if you can. You could consider using the SmartSignal Investment System as your core and treat individual stocks as side investments or vice versa.

  • The system tracks global ETFs too and invests in them when the conditions are right. Sometimes growth comes from outside the U.S. - possibly due to economic factors, possibly due to foreign exchange factors, possibly both. The system doesn't wonder about or analyze why the differences exist; it just seeks to capture the performance where it finds it.

  • No. Shorting is more of a trading strategy rather than an investing strategy. It can be risky and complex for people unfamiliar with short trading. In addition, many retirement accounts prohibit shorting. Instead, the system moves to another asset class including cash in market declines and stays there until conditions improve.

  • At the moment, it’s not possible to completely automate the execution of the Smart Signal Syste. We're looking into the possibility of providing an automated version of this system, but that's still a year or so away. If you want to follow the system in the meantime, you simply need 5 minutes a month to place between two and four orders. Many months, the system remains in its investment position so there’s nothing to do.

  • You'd probably be best served by hiring an advisor or investing in a managed account. If you want control without the overwhelm, however, the SmartSignal System might fit you.

  • Rarely and only in extreme market conditions. The monthly cycle is deliberate. In our research, we've found that decreasing the management period from one month to two weeks or one week actually decreased the returns.* Mid-month noise hurts results of a system like this, however, when the market declines rapidly, there are certain triggers that may cause it to exit stock-based positions partially.

Trust & Philosophy

  • No, not in the traditional sense. The system doesn't try to predict big market tops and get out, nor does it try to predict major market bottoms and try to get in. It follows signals that identify shifting odds for the market moving up or moving down just for the next month.

    As a result, the system has historically tended to closely match market upturns while typically experiencing smaller drawdowns than market downturns.*

  • Yes, people have done it over time - though doing so is relatively rare and very challenging. Perhaps, however, that's not the most useful question to ask. More useful - what do you need?

    Beating the market would be nice - but do you need to do that to reach your objectives? If so, you might find yourself in a tough spot. Maybe instead, you don't need to "beat" the market but keep up with it while experiencing fewer devastating losses. That might be the real win.

  • Yes, but I also believe in the forward pass and losing weight by consuming fewer calories. By itself, asking if I believe in diversification is only a partial question. Let's expand on this for a moment.

    I think about diversification differently. Very often, diversification gets treated like a goal in itself - "own 80 stocks and you're safer than owning one stock." That's partly true - you do diversify away single company risk owning a bunch of companies. In reality, however, 80 stocks still leave you concentrated in one asset class - equities. When the market drops, a portfolio of even hundreds of stocks usually falls right along with it.

    Smarter diversification means spreading risk across different types of assets, not just adding to a ticker list. Better diversification means holding stocks, bonds, commodities - all at the same time. The idea here is that a drop in stocks will hurt less because the other areas are not likely to drop and may even move up when stocks drop.

    The SmartSignal Investment System takes a different approach: instead of owning everything all the time, it shifts money to the asset class that's performing best - and away from the ones that are breaking down. It also diversifies strategies by having more than one set of rules working and helping to increase the probabilities for a gain each month.* Further, diversification does play a lesser role in the system as it holds ETFs. The primary goal is protection and steady growth, not filling a portfolio with more names (and more management).

  • It's very important. Rules and the subsequent results are only as potentially beneficial as your willingness to follow them. Discipline may make the difference between below-average and more favorable results. Be disciplined for any process or system; follow the rules consistently to generate the probable results.

  • That can happen - especially after the market has dropped a lot and the system is getting back in. But remember: emotions are why following a system can be so helpful. The rules have generated a long track record of results. You can acknowledge your fear or doubt - and still follow the rules. I do that myself on occasion. In the case of the SmartSignal System, the rules have generated much better results than following headlines or my gut.*

  • That varies by investor. For some, it's the clarity the system provides - no guessing, predicting, or chasing required. For other investors, a system eases the pressure of emotions to get in or get out - often at inopportune times. For others, it's the time-saving aspect of a systematic approach that benefits them.

  • Yes - if it helps to know that the worst drawdown for the SmartSignal System was 18% in the last 17 years while the market experienced a 55% drop.* For some, having that kind of plan beats lying awake wondering if you are still going to be able to retire as planned.

  • Clear monthly signals, explanations of why the signals matter, monthly system analysis, and ongoing education to help you understand the systematic approach. You also benefit from our continuing research improving the system. In 2025, we made one major change that will increase the returns if inflation continues to affect the economy.

  • First, let's be honest – I'm not sharing it as much as exchanging value with my customers – a fee for signals.

    Second, there are a host of reasons I don’t keep this approach to myself –

    • I know many investors have suffered the same frustrations I did earlier with buy and hold.

    • I know that some people do not work with a financial advisor for one or several reasons.

    • I know that many people need good returns from their savings to plan on some financial security as they get older.

    • I know that people with average abilities can generate above-average returns by following a systematic approach with their investments.

    "Sharing" the SmartSignal System helps others avoid painful mistakes in the markets while it also keeps me accountable. Also, this business engages me with a group of people I have always enjoyed interacting with - investors.

  • Download the fact sheet here or consider subscribing to the free weekly newsletter. You'll see market updates, best investment practices, investor education, and system insights - then decide if the full SmartSignal service fits you.

SmartSignal System Questions

  • That may happen on occasion due to business travel, illness, or a vacation. Missing a signal one month won't destroy your results. You can make any change a day later, a few days later, or even a week later if needed. Many months, there's no change in investment positions from the previous month so it's not even an issue.

    On the other hand, if you are skipping or delaying signals often, you may lose the system's edge.* Consistency matters. The system has historically worked best when followed every month.*

    As a result, the system has historically tended to closely match market upturns while typically experiencing smaller drawdowns than market downturns.*

  • Yes. Sometimes the safest position is being out of the markets. Cash is pretty boring but avoiding major losses while waiting for a better trend is powerful from a financial perspective as well as a psychological perspective.

    The SmartSignal System sat in cash for many months while the market declined during the 2007-2009 financial crisis.* Can you imagine the peace of mind knowing your portfolio is holding its value instead of declining painfully with the market by more than 50%? If a similar situation occurs again, friends might ask how you're able to stay so calm with a market storm raging.

  • Yes, of course. Some subscribers use SmartSignal for their IRA or 401(k) retirement accounts while an advisor manages the rest. You control how much to allocate.

  • First, I'm not a licensed financial advisor so by regulation, I am not allowed to give you personalized advice about how you should invest your money. If you were to speak with a licensed financial advisor, he/she still could not suggest how you could invest your money with such a generalized question and lack of additional information. So, regulations aside, you can't get personalized investment advice without consideration of more details about your personal situation.

    What I can provide here briefly are some general principles or investing best practices that might help you think about what to do. If you are younger, you may want to focus more on growing your investments versus protecting them. Because the SmartSignal System attempts to balance those two objectives, it tends to be better suited for the intentions of mid-career to late career investors maybe some investors early in their retirement. That said, you may have some special circumstances that may make such general guidance irrelevant.

    You can either do some studying on your own to decide what might be best or you can invest in a paid consultation with a financial advisor. You can speak with a "regular" financial advisor or find a fee-only/ advice-only advisor for guidance if you prefer to maintain control of your investments.

  • 5 minutes or so once each month. The signals explain what the system owns and any changes it's making. Many months, there's no change. Because the system only invests in one or two investment positions at any one time, there's never any complicated monitoring or buying/selling calculations.

    Calculating 50% of the account is as complex as the system ever gets. Busy professionals don't need more complexity or a bigger time commitment than that.

  • It's not very complicated. If you can log in to your brokerage account and place buy orders and sell orders for ETFs, then you can follow the system. Instructions are simple and clear enough that I believe a 7th grader could follow them.

  • Anyone with a retirement account that allows ETF trades can follow this system. Many 401(k) accounts provide a more limited investment selection and some can still follow the system. Contact me for additional details. I can't provide advice but might be able to offer you options to consider.

  • You're free (and also responsible) to do whatever you like.

    Many subscribers follow the signals exactly every month. That's what I do.

    Others read the signals and then follow their own plan. I know of one subscriber who uses the signals to enter/exit monthly futures contract positions. I know of another who uses the signals to place option trades. Someone could use the signals to invest in the leveraged ETFs instead of the unleveraged ETFs that the system uses.

    Those techniques tend to be more advanced and are executed by more experienced traders/investors. If you have little investing experience or you only have a 401(k), you might be best served (and limited to) ETF investments.

  • Then before anything else, you need to answer one major question - Are you a good fit for becoming a do-it-yourself investor? Let me give you the key questions to consider honestly:

    1. Can you stick to a plan when markets get ugly and your emotions want to take over? This might be the most important one - following rules when you're watching your account drop takes real discipline.

    2. Do you know what you're trying to achieve with your investments? Retirement income, wealth building, something else? Without clear goals, any strategy becomes a shot in the dark.

    3. Can you handle the responsibility of making your own decisions? When things go wrong - and they will sometimes - you have to be accountable to yourself rather than being able to point a finger at anyone else.

    4. Are you willing to learn enough to understand what you're doing? You don't need a finance degree, but grasping the basics of your approach will help greatly.

    Now, if those questions don't scare you off, even as a novice, you might be able to use the SmartSignal System. The signals are straightforward and I provide all instructions in plain English - no fancy jargon or complex calculations, just clear guidance on what to do one time a month.

  • If I charged like a Wall Street guy, I probably would take you out for steak. Instead, the SmartSignal System's potential returns on a six figure account* and lower costs could pay for several nice steak dinners – instead of paying for my marketing.

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