Hello [Contact.InformalOrFirstOrCompany],
AAII Austin/San Antonio Chapter – March 2026 Newsletter
This month, we will join the Los Angeles Chapter to present Christine Benz and Mary Ann Bartels, who will discuss retirement planning and global market opportunities.
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM CT
In This Issue
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Upcoming Local Chapter Presentations and Past Presentation Recordings
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Other Chapters' Upcoming Presentations
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Events, Videos, Articles, Websites, and Books Shared by Members
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Volunteer Opportunities
AAII Austin/San Antonio March Presentation
This month we will join the Los Angeles Chapter
SATURDAY 3/21/2026, 11AM CT
Topic: How to Retire: Key Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement
Speaker: Christine Benz, Morningstar's director of personal finance and retirement planning.
Topic: "A Global Perspective on Markets"
Speaker: Katie Stockton, CMT – Fairlead Strategies
Register link: https://aaiila.org/march-2026-first-time-guest-registration
TOPIC ONE:
How to Retire: Key Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement
Presented By:
Christine Benz, Morningstar's director of personal finance and retirement planning.
SUMMARY:
Christine Benz will discuss key lessons from her bestselling book, How to Retire. She'll cover safe withdrawal rates, in-retirement portfolio construction, and different approaches to generating retirement income, among other topics. She'll also consider non financial aspects of successful retirements, including maintaining relationships and purpose later in life and evaluating in-retirement living arrangements.
ATTEND THIS TALK AND LEARN:
1. How to develop a spending plan for retirement that factors in your specific situation and preferences
2. How to construct a portfolio that will stand up to inflation, longevity, and sequence risk.
3. How to make your retirement a success in other ways, including finding the right living arrangement/locale and maintaining purpose, relationships, and physical health later in life.
BIO:
Christine Benz is director of personal finance for Morningstar and senior columnist for Morningstar.com. She is the author of "How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement" (Harriman House, 2024). She is also the author of "30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by Step Guide to Managing Your Finances" (John Wiley and Sons, January 2010). Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz served as Morningstar's director of mutual fund analysis. She has also served as editor of Morningstar Mutual Funds, Morningstar FundInvestor and Morningstar Practical Finance.
TOPIC TWO:
"A Global Perspective on Markets"
Presented By:
Mary Ann Bartels, Chief Investment Strategist, Sanctuary Wealth
SUMMARY:
Sanctuary Wealth Chief Investment Strategist, Mary Ann Bartels presents, "A Global Perspective on Markets,", exploring why investors should Be Fearless amid volatility. She breaks down what market volatility really means, how shifting geopolitical dynamics are impacting global opportunities, and why uncertainty can create powerful long-term entry points. With more than four decades of sought-after Wall Street experience, Mary Ann discusses how patience is key in today's global secular bull market.
ATTEND THIS TALK AND LEARN:
1. What does volatility mean for markets?
2. What is the impact of the geopolitical landscape?
3. What is the Crypto Winter and what is its significance?
BIO:
Mary Ann Bartels is Sanctuary Wealth's Chief Investment Strategist responsible for providing market perspective and investment guidance to the firm's more than 120 Partner Firms and the Sanctuary Asset Management Investment Council. In this role, Mary Ann provides Sanctuary's Partner Firms with investment strategy and market analysis through her regular commentary, presentations, media appearances and speaking engagements. She also identifies themes and determines market asset allocation working closely with the firm's Capital Markets, Alternative Investments and Sanctuary Asset Management Investment Solutions teams.
Mary Ann has appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg and FOX Business and has been often quoted in various publications including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and Barron's. Mary Ann earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in Business and Economics from Fordham University. She is also a graduate of the London Real DeFi Academy Accelerator program. She serves on several advisory boards including her alma mater Fordham University and We4C. Mary Ann was invited into Marquis Who's Who in 1998 as a Global Portfolio Manager and in 2019 as an Investment Strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She is a member of the London Real DeFi Academy Investment Club.
Past Presentation Recordings
Members have been asking for the recording and slides from the January presentation featuring Sam Stovall, "Equity Outlook for 2026." I am attaching the slides with this news letter. They can also be found in the New York Chapter library. The New York Chapter has not yet made the recording available.
Recordings and slides from all past Austin/San Antonio chapter presentations are available in the Chapter Archive:
https://www.aaiiaustinsanantonio.com/archives
Other Chapters' Upcoming Online Presentations
Note: Some chapters may charge a fee.
Maximize Your Social Security Benefits (Legally)
When: Tuesday, March 10 at 5:00 PM CT
Community: Portland (PDX) Chapter
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MpQmpPtPSTy4c-6AUweNHg
Charles Rotblut: The Key OBBBA Tax Changes for 2026–2028 and Beyond
When: March 11, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM CT
Community: AAII Houston, New York & Cleveland Chapter Meeting
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2617712699115/WN_t4JJ15GARj6Liak9t6YIdQ
Investing in Uncertain Times with Kristina Kuprina
When: March 11, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PT
Community: AAII Puget Sound Chapter
Register: https://aaiips.eventbrite.com
8 Risks in the Retirement Red Zone
Speaker: Richard Hill, President – Compass Financial Group
When: March 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Where: Fairmont United Methodist Church, 2501 Clark Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607
Community: AAII Research Triangle Chapter
Register: https://aaii-research-triangle.square.site/ ($10)
For a complete list of events, please visit:
https://community.aaii.com/events/calendar
Investment Information Shared by Members
Events, Videos, Articles, Websites, and Books
New Postings – Videos
Previously Shared
February 2026
Inflation is a Choice: Kevin Warsh on Fixing the Federal Reserve – Hoover Institution
https://youtu.be/qVFEcg-RIAk
Global Liquidity Dump – The Wolf of All Streets
https://www.youtube.com/live/NuwkpCNO1Wk?si=azKT0hecJ3U7oD8_
The Problem with Equal Weight Index Funds – Ben Felix
https://youtu.be/xu7kMpLbJJs
January 2026
The AI Data Center Short – Jim Chanos
https://youtu.be/R1HrPsfUkbk
The Floor Is Gone – Edward Dowd and Jeremy Szafron
https://youtu.be/xvvQaL0GkIA
China's Trap – Michael Pettis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSNdzfydRU
Portfolio Backtester Tool
https://testfol.io/?s=cEKJ0GVhxOP
December 2025
Why 2% Succeed and 98% Don't – Howard Marks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40pRnq-b0r0
Interest Expense Is Untenable – Jeffrey Gundlach, Bloomberg Global Forum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlwK4fHRPMc
A Profitability Retrospective and Private Fund Performance – Mandouh Medhat, Rational Reminder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxNPUrCKOyk
The Fed Can't Stop What's Coming – George Gammon and Jeremy Szafron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=begOa8cVOac
November 2025
A Skeptic's Guide to Cryptocurrency and Stablecoins – Steve Eisman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NH_AZwsmCE
Preparing for the Next Banking Crisis? $10 Million FDIC Proposal & How to Increase Your FDIC Limit – Diamond NestEgg
https://youtu.be/g_JYh_NEDIA
Covered Calls: A Devil's Bargain – Ben Felix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygVObRx9X68
Have something valuable to share?
Please email any articles, videos, or resources that could benefit our fellow chapter members.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our chapter thrives thanks to our dedicated volunteers. We are currently seeking:
If you are interested in getting involved or would like more information, please contact:
📧 Bill Hawes – bhawes70@gmail.com
📧 Robert Luedtke – rluedtke@gmail.com
Please be sure to whitelist Mail@ConnectedCommunity.orgmail@connectedcommunity.org" href="mailto:Mail@ConnectedCommunity.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" tabindex="-1"> in your email system so you don't miss any chapter emails.
AAII Disclaimer: The opinions of speakers are their own and not necessarily those of AAII. It is not the policy of AAII or its local chapters, officers or directors to promote any specific investments or techniques of analysis. Presentations are provided solely for informational purposes and should not be construed as solicitations.
There are no representations or warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or suitability of meeting information. Investment information presented may not be appropriate for all investors and should be independently verified.
2026-0114 AAII.pdf
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WU ZHENG
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