Walmart Vs. Gold – How Will Investors be Rewarded?
Capital Market Recap Investors experienced positive returns in virtually every asset class during the first quarter of 2011. Small U.S. stocks led the way with returns exceeding 8%. Emerging international markets were in negative territory for most of the quarter but ended in the black. Large company stocks around the world managed to shrug off […]
Investing is for Optimists
“we are becoming healthier, cleaner, smarter, kinder, happier, and more peaceful”
Tales from the Tax Prep Front Lines
Tax preparation gives interesting insight about personal financial situations. Here are some examples. Last year an elderly lady brought her tax documents to the AARP Volunteer Tax Service for preparation. Her 1099s, etc. were not well organized, but appeared to be adequate. She, herself, was a little disorganized, and not entirely comfortable with what she […]
Investing for Retirement Income – Part 2
One of today’s biggest challenges facing investors in retirement or in semi-retirement is obtaining enough income and growth from their portfolio to match annual expenses. Is it possible to create a mix of steady income, upside potential and longevity protection by a blend of 80 percent bonds and 20 percent stocks? My definition of income […]
Combating Investor Overconfidence
In my discussions with clients and prospects, one of the recurring themes is how, as their investment advisor, I can best provide advice contrary to their bias, intuition, or reaction to current business/economic events. An example is the current investor bias toward equities since the stock market has performed so well recently and bonds are […]
Investing for Retirement Income – Part 1
A sense of security comes from seeing a regular monthly income from your investment portfolio. Especially when one is retired or is dependent on investment income to meet everyday expenses. In the investment community, bonds are considered second class citizens. Investors are told that holding bond funds is done primarily to reduce the overall portfolio […]
Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) in the New York Times
Ron Lieber, of the New York Times, profiles Dimensional Fund Advisors in a recent article. The funds offered by DFA are only available to investors through approved fee only investment advisors. We recommend DFA funds in many of our client’s portfolios. You can find the article here: Your Money: Finding Success, Passionate Followers in Tow […]
Free Tax Preparation: Tales of a Fee-Only Advisor
We’re only two weeks into the tax season and already the stories of woe surface. As usual, our politicians have added complexity to the tax code and we have a new set of filing requirements: new forms, tax rates, credits, challenges, etc. For the fourth year I am volunteering as a Tax Aide with AARP […]
The Results Are In – Active vs. Passive
Most investors track the direction of the financial market by checking where the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrial Average finishes on a daily basis in their local paper. Some days they were pleased with what they saw and others not, but as a whole 2010 left most investors optimistic about the direction of their […]
Top 4 Investment Resolutions for the New Year
At the start of each new year, many of us make resolutions to improve our lifestyles. It’s a natural time to take stock of the past year and look to make some beneficial changes for the future. Tops on most lists are shedding pounds, getting fit, quitting bad habits, or learning something new. In this […]