What Does it Mean to Call China a Currency Manipulator?

Monday (August 5th, 2019) was a chaotic day for both the world economy and markets. We want to break down what’s happened, and how that will likely impact your investments.
Should You Add Real Estate to Your Portfolio?

We talk a lot about stocks and bonds, but we spend less time on hard assets like commodities or real estate. Investing in real estate is very similar to investing in stocks, so it requires many of the same principles as any other asset class, just with a little twist.
Ignore the Financial Media

The financial media is omnipresent. Whether it’s hearing about what the Dow did today on your drive home, or a talking head pontificating about how the market’s are obviously about to tank, we are constantly immersed in a miasma of prognostication. Everyone has a take on what the markets will do next, and what you […]
Can TIPS Help You?

Inflation is one of the most pernicious risks facing retirees. While there are a lot of ways to manage inflation risk, TIPS, or Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, are one of the few investment options that directly hedge against inflation risk. They aren’t perfect, and there are certainly some things to consider when you use them […]
Should You Try Timing to Avoid Bad Markets?

WHAT IS OCCAM’S RAZOR? Occam’s Razor is a principle attributed to William Occam, a 14th century philosopher. He stressed that explanations must not be multiplied beyond what is necessary. Thus, Occam’s Razor is a term used to “shave off” or dismiss superfluous explanations for a given event. This concept is largely ignored within the investment […]
How Does the Market in 2018 Stack Up Historically

There’s been a lot of ‘sturm und drang’ around what the markets have been doing lately. The financial media has been talking about how this is the sign of the inevitable end of the world. Of course, we’ve had a few things lately that were also supposed to be signs the world crashing down on our ears. But, well, the world is […]
Is There Such a Thing as “Too Diversified?”

A client brought up the concept of being too diversified recently, and it gave me pause. My initial reaction was that there is no such thing . Diversification is a good thing. It allows you to minimize risks inherent in individual investments (company gets sued, senior executive leaves, “next big thing” flops, etc.) and take […]
The Impact of Unexpected Inflation

Inflation and the four L’s of retirement: longevity, legacy, lifestyle, and liquidity.
The Art of Disciplined Investing

Often the least sexy advice is the right advice. It’s not exciting, but it will accomplish your goals. This goes for investing, too. Think of your portfolio as a farm. You’ll have good years and bad years, but if you focus on the important parts and don’t let yourself get distracted, you’ll reap the rewards […]
What Makes the Markets Move?

Financial markets are constantly on the move, and those moves can have serious implications for what your retirement will look like. Still, most people don’t really have any clue as to why the markets move the way they do.