We all invest for different reasons but one thing we have in common is that we don't want to lose money. As an investor you want to buy low and sell high. And you want to protect your nest egg from large market losses that may devastate your plans. But can you actually do this or are you going to be at the whim of the market's movements? I think, yes, if you have the right plan. For all the ... Read More
Modern Portfolio Theory
Can Index Investing Be Too Good
Can index investing be too good for investors? If everyone just follows the market, will we all fall of the cliff together? I don't think so. But I'm biased here. For those who are clients, you know that index investing is at the core of my investment strategy. Research has shown that the the biggest returns on investment come from where you allocate and not necessarily on the specific ... Read More
Can Robo Advisors Replace Financial Planners
A lot has been written about the trend toward automated online investment platforms that rely on mathematical models and algorithms. Can robo advisors replace financial planners? I don't think so. In the long-run, they can work together. I believe that these platforms have a place in any investor's portfolio. In fact, I believe that the underlying premise of them - low cost index investing, ... Read More
How Many Choices Does A Retirement Investor Need
KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid. That advice can apply to most things in life. It may be true for investing as well. As financial advisors we have access to tons of academic research, white papers and other sources of navel gazing. But the reality is that most investors prefer to KISS. And maybe they're onto something. Yes, we try to demonstrate our added value through complex algorithms ... Read More
Watership Down, Thanksgiving Turkey, Retirement, Risk and Modern Finance
What could possibly link the children's story of Watership Down, Thanksgiving turkey and retirement investing risks? Well, my mind works in strange ways (just ask my wife and I'm sure my 15-month old Spencer agrees as well). Buy and Hold - A Broken Promise? After all the troubles in the stock market and in financial markets in general over the past couple of years, I was recently rereading an ... Read More
