Frequently Asked Questions

Do you work with clients in other states?

Yes. One Day In July works with clients that reside across the United States and Puerto Rico. See our growth chart here.

Are my investments guaranteed?

No. Investments are not guaranteed. All investments may lose money, including possible loss of principal. That being said, our financial advisors will work to build real diversification into your portfolio. For example, in a severe financial crisis, United States Treasury bonds historically do better than most other asset classes. When fear takes over, investors around the world have sought the shelter of the U.S. Treasury. However, even treasury bonds can lose money.

Is there a minimum amount I need to get started with you?

Yes, at the moment you need $60,000 of investable assets to begin as a standard investor with One Day In July. Our clients range from just over our minimum to above $10,000,000. We are interested in helping people across the savings spectrum.

Can you help me invest my retirement plan at work?

Yes. Many work retirement plans are loaded with high-fee, underperforming mutual funds. It can be difficult to even find the index funds! Our financial advisors can manage your personal work retirement plan as one of the accounts under our purview if you are a client. Or, we can transition your entire business to a good, low-cost indexing plan. See more details here.

I have an older parent that needs financial help. But I want to be involved. Can you accommodate us?

Yes, definitely. There are certain legal documents that your parent will need to sign so that you can be a part of the decision making. Generally this is an excellent idea, and we are enthusiastic about it. The financial industry has a history of targeting the elderly for high fees, a practice we hope to end.

Are you a full-fledged financial planner?

All One Day In July advisors work with clients to focus on their financial investing picture - how to save and invest enough for you to retire well and meet your life goals. We are always happy to answer questions that might come up that are in our realm of expertise. Clients who request financial planning advice receive planning attention focused on their specific financial and savings goals within the context of their individual or family circumstances. From time to time, we refer complex financial planning cases to a third-party financial planner. One Day In July does not offer trust planning, estate planning, complex insurance analysis, or accounting services. We can refer clients to other professionals who provide these services.

Do I have to use your exact recommended investment strategy?

The investment plan we use will be tailored to you, so that investments are suitable for you. Beyond the index strategies that we generally recommend, clients sometimes ask for carve-outs. For example, there may be a position in an individual stock that they are holding for nostalgic reasons. Or they may enjoy owning a part of a public company. While we don't recommend this as a strategy going forward, we recognize the need for flexibility in your plan.

Do you work with accountants and estate lawyers?

We don't generally work directly with them - you would be the person who interfaces with them. In some circumstances we will need to. We can refer you to excellent accountants and estate lawyers, particularly if you reside in Vermont and New England.

When did you start testing your index strategy?

In 1999 our founder, Dan Cunningham, started testing index investing using his own assets. They have improved steadily over the years. Investing with an indexing strategy through two extreme financial crises (dot-com crash and real estate crash) taught him a lot about how they behave in outlier situations.

What do you worry about most in finance?

We worry that people are going to outlive their savings. This problem is about to explode, and it has a painful ending. While the financial industry gets wealthy from fees, normal people will suffer. We believe we can alleviate this for people given enough savings and time.

"Gradually, and then suddenly."
~Ernest Hemingway, on how he went broke.

What is an ideal long-term result in your eyes?

We would love for a client to be able to retire spending only dividends and interest and not tap their capital base. In this sense the capital base works like a business for them, producing cash quarterly. This is not always achievable but so attractive that it's worth a discussion.

Are bonds always safe?

Aha, now you're getting into specifics. The answer is no, but for the reasons, you'll have to become a client!