Sarah Fontaine

Sarah Fontaine is a behavioral economistwho bridges the gap between academic theory and practical investing wisdom. She now translates complex economic research into actionable insights for individual investors. Her work focuses on how psychological biases and historical patterns shape market behavior, making her a trusted voice for understanding the "why" behind financial decisions.

Articles by Sarah Fontaine

• Margin of Safety: What It Is, How to Size It, and Who It Protects — A margin of safety is the gap between your estimate of value and the price you pay. How the formula works, how wide it should be, and why a market-wide discount is not your cushion.
• Active Funds vs Index Funds: How to Read the SPIVA Scorecard — The SPIVA scorecard is the usual evidence in any active funds vs index funds argument. What it counts, why one year says little, and why fees are only half the explanation.
• Costco Stock Forecast: How to Read an Analyst Price Target Properly — A Costco stock forecast arrives as a single consensus number. Here is what sits inside it, which inputs move it, and what the aggregated version leaves out.
• Rebalance Your Portfolio: When & How Often — Most investors rebalance their portfolios too often and at exactly the wrong moments, missing the disciplined approach that actually improves long-term returns.
• Why Smart Investors Make Dumb Decisions: Behavioral Finance — Nobel Prize winners lose money in the stock market because intelligence doesn't immunize you against behavioral finance - it often makes the mistakes more expensive.
• How Economic Cycles Shape Your Investment Strategy — Understanding economic cycles transforms how you approach investment decisions, helping you position your portfolio for different market conditions.