Saturday 1 August 2009

Investment Owner's Contract

I, ________, hereby state that I am an investor who is seeking to accumulate wealth for many years into the future.

I know that there will be times when I will be tempted to invest in stocks or bonds because they have gone (or "are going") up in price, and other times when I will be tempted to sell my investments because they have gone (or "are going") down.

I hereby declare my refusal to let a herd of strangers make my financial decisions for me. I further make a solemn commitment never to invest because the stock market has gone up, and never to sell because it has gone down. Instead, I will invest $ xxxx.00 per month, every month, through an automatic investment plan or "dollar-cost averaging program," into the following mutual fund(s) or diversified portfolio(s):

____________,

____________,

____________.


I will also invest additional amounts whenever I can afford to spare the cash (and can affort to lose it in the short run).

I hereby declare that I will hold each of these investments continually through at least the following date (which must be a minimum of 10 years after the date of this contract): __, ____, 20__. The only exceptions allowed under the terms of this contract are a sudden, pressing need for cash, like a health-care emergency or the loss of my job, or a planned expenditure like a housing down payment or a tuition bill.

I am, by signing below, stating my intention not only to abide by the terms of this contract, but to re-read this document whenever I am tempted to sell any of my investments.

This contract is valid only when signed by at least one witness, and must be kept in a safe place that is easily accessible for future reference.


Signed:


Date:


Witnesses:

1. The Sheep

2. The Cow



XXXXXXXXX

Isn't the above an interesting contract?


Ref: Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

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