My Comments: This article was meant for me as a financial professional with fiduciary responsibilities. However, I think it’s important information for everyone. TDF stands for Target Date Funds. This is a Wall Street invention that attempts to create a special, presumably safe investment portfolio for you, Mr. and Mrs. American Investor. The investment allocation …
Continue reading Fiduciaries: Steer Clear of T. Rowe, Fidelity and Vanguard TDFs
My Comments: I’m proud of the fact that I’m held to a fiduciary standard. It’s in my best interest as a professional to be held to the same standards as attorneys, CPAs, physicians, and the like. My focus has to be on what is best for my clients, and that’s a good thing. Readers of …
My Comments: I’ve never been a gold bug. My mother collected silver but that had nothing to do with silver, or gold, as an investment. But it should be included in the category most of us call “alternative investments”, along with real estate, precious metals and other commodities. I make sure my clients include alternative …
Continue reading Where Does Gold Go From Here? Let’s Use 40 Years Of History As Our Guide
My Comments: Reader of this blog know that I try to include meaningful comments about investments and investment outcomes. Over the years, I’ve done well for some clients and done poorly for others. And while the past is history, there are always lessons to be learned. I have a personal mandate to try and do …
Continue reading Investors’ Next Disappointment Will Come From Risk Mismanagement
My Comments: There are just as many ways to lose money with bonds as there are with stocks. The risk is different; what happens to interest rates in the future vs corporate earnings and their relative size. That’s an oversimplification but you get the idea. The chart above shows interest rates from 1790 – 2012. …
My Comments: I’ve never been much of a gold bug. I recognize it’s value as a trading opportunity and the need for a large portfolio to include what are thought of as non-traditional investments. But since it tends to increase in value during times of high inflation and general woe and gloom, and being a …
My Comments: For many years, more than I care to remember, I searched for wisdom from among the many magazines and more recently, the many emails that cross my desk on a daily basis. How and what was going to happen and how could I help my clients benefit from the insights that surely came …
My Comments: Yesterday, I talked about amateurs and professionals when it comes to investing money. About how emotions get in the way at crucial times, often promoted by people who rarely have any reason to say what is in YOUR best interest, only what is in THEIR best interest. If they can persuade you to …
My Comments: So, is it 1929 all over again? Is the world as we know it coming to an end? We're doomed, I tell you, DOOMED!. Well, maybe not. As a financial planner and investment advisor, I try to have something posted about investments at least once a week. I’m not sure if I’m successful, …
My Comments: Tapering is the term used to describe efforts by the Federal Reserve to slow down the monthly purchase of bonds. They have made these purchases for many months to help prop up the economy and keep interest rates low. It’s an important question for you if you have money in the markets because …
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