Educating Cobra Buyers?

[Tommy]

Some time ago, a friend and business acquaintance volunteered some financial advice. He had the best of intentions and did not benefit personally from my actions. His advice seemed sound and I followed it. When the market abruptly shifted, that advice cost me about $100K. I didn't hold it against him because the decision was mine, not his. But I would have been better off if I had remained ignorant of his advice. .... My point is that even well informed and well intended advisors sometimes get it wrong. It's up to the person making the final decision to live with it. So if someone asks my advice or opinion, I'll oblige. But I'm hesitant to suggest that people should do what I say just because I'm more knowledgeable than they. .... So my comments usually reference what I would do in similar circumstances, not what they should do.