The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns

The Gotrocks family, a wealthy family who owned 100% of every stock in the United States, experienced slower growth in their wealth when some of the family members were persuaded by Helpers to buy and sell shares of different companies. This resulted in capital gains taxes being paid, further diminishing the family's total wealth.

Warren Buffett's advice is that investors should avoid trying to beat the market, as this is a "loser's game". Jack R. Meyer and Burton G. Malkiel both agree that index-fund buyers are likely to obtain better results than the typical fund manager due to low expenses and minimal effort.

Successful investing is about owning businesses and reaping the rewards provided by the dividends and earnings growth of corporations. Investing in index funds is a sensible and cost-effective way to do this, as it helps to keep costs low and maximize returns.