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Articles by Christopher Baccella
Warren Buffett’s Wisdom and the Case for Stop-Loss Discipline
ColumnistsEquities These nine gems and this multifunction tool could prepare your clients to handle whatever the market throws their way. By Christopher Baccella | June 11, 2026 Linkedin X Facebook Email VK Warren Buffett Editor’s note: Christopher Baccella is a longtime columnist with Rethinking65. Read more of his articles here. Christopher Baccella In recent columns, I’ve talked about FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out.
Counseling Nervous Investors: A Follow-up
Editor’s note: Christopher Baccella is a longtime columnist with Rethinking65. Read more of his articles here. What a year it’s been! When I wrote my last column in mid-March, the major market indices had started to show signs of weakness. At the time, the Nasdaq had officially sunk into correction territory (typically defined as a selloff of more than 10% but less than 20% from a recent peak), while the S&P 500 had not met that threshold.
Market Pullback: Counseling Nervous Investors
Editor’s note: Christopher Baccella is a longtime columnist with Rethinking65. Read more of his articles here. What a difference a month can make! Stocks began 2025 on solid footing, with the S&P 500 rising 2.3% through the end of January following strong gains in 2023 (24%) and 2024 (23%). But although February started off strong, it ended with the S&P 500 down 0.3%. As of this writing, Julius Ceasar’s warning to “beware the Ides of March” holds true. There is a lot of red on our screens.
For Lump-sum RMDs, Consider This Funding Method
Editor’s note: Christopher Baccella is a longtime columnist with Rethinking65. Read more of his articles here. In my last article, I discussed three types of bond portfolios — bullets, barbells and ladders — as well as the importance of maintaining liquidity in money markets and/or mutual funds. As we near year-end, I’ve begun to review my clients’ IRAs for required minimum distributions (RMDs).
Bullets, Barbells and Ladders Can Help Clients Reach Goals
Editor’s note: Christopher Baccella is a long-time columnist with Rethinking65. To read more of his articles, click here. Bonds often make up a significant portion of the assets in client accounts, particularly for those in or near retirement, and there are three basic strategies for managing them. This article is for advisors who want to get more active in managing their clients’ bond portfolios by using individual bonds.
Higher Bond Yields Offers Client Touchpoint
What a difference a few months makes! When I wrote my last article for Rethinking 65 in late December, yields had fallen significantly, and investors were under the impression that the Federal Reserve would soon begin a series of interest rate cuts. Instead, yields have climbed, changing the financial calculus for investors. Today’s rates, combined with a strong performance from the stock market, present an opportunity to review your clients’ asset allocation and risk tolerance.
Bond Allocations Get Trickier in Volatile Market
Over the last six months, we’ve seen significant volatility in the bond market. Six months ago, the Federal Reserve had just finished raising interest rates to 5.25% and we suggested that the Fed was closer to the end of its cycle than the beginning. We continued to suggest considering callable Government Sponsored Agencies (“GSAs”), as they were offering significant spreads relative to comparable Treasuries, as well as many bullets (non-callable bonds).
These Bonds May Have Best Risk/Reward Tradeoffs
A few months ago, in my most recent article for Rethinking65, I discussed the relative value available in callable government sponsored enterprise (GSE) debt. At that time, debt from some of these private entities created by Congress provided yields that equaled or exceeded those on many investment-grade bonds.
GSE Bonds More Attractive as Fed Targets Higher Rates
ColumnistsFeaturedFixed IncomeMoney The dislocation in the fixed-income markets has our columnist rethinking his bond strategies while remaining conservative. (By Christopher Baccella) On February 1, during its first meeting of 2023, the Federal Open Market Committee raised its target range for the federal funds rate another 0.25%, to 4.5% to 4.75%. At the beginning of 2022, this benchmark hovered around zero percent. The latest announcement had something for everyone.
Tax-Loss Harvesting: It’s Not Too Early
The markets and interest-rate environment are ripe for this strategy and there’s no need to wait until-year end. We all know that clients have been handed some very large losses recently by the market. But as advisors, we can’t run and hide. We must continue to provide counsel — even during tough times. We also know from history that both the stock market and the U.S. economy should eventually recover and set new highs. Additionally, we know that bottoming is a process and will take time.
Don’t Go Out Too Far on the Yield Curve
Intermediate-term bonds offer some good opportunities but don’t be a “yield hog,” says our columnist. Three months ago, I wrote in “Why Clients Need High Quality Individual Bonds” that we were finding some value in the three- to six-year maturity range. At that time, three-year yields were touching 2.5%, with five-year yields near 3%. Since that time, rates have risen modestly, as the Federal Reserve became more hawkish in its attempt to contain inflation.
Why Clients Need High-Quality Individual Bonds
Photo by unsplash/@adityachinchure Christopher Baccella Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine has flooded the financial markets with a lot of confusion and questions, including whether or not the Fed will stay on its projected course of tighter monetary policy by raising interest rates. Concerns about economic growth could encourage the Fed to ease up on anticipated rate hikes. On the other hand, pressure on oil and commodity prices could heat up inflation and necessitate the Fed to act swiftly.
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