What exactly is the “sequence of returns”? The phrase describes the yearly variation in an investment portfolio’s rate of return. But what kind of impact do these deviations from the average return have on a portfolio’s final value? Let’s take a closer look at a few different investment scenarios. The...
Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investing, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may...
When you read about money matters, you may see the phrase, “getting your financial house in order.” What exactly does that mean? To some, when your financial “house is in order,” it means it is built on a solid foundation. It means that you have the “pillars” in place that...
Have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing, and your family ends up on a first-name basis with the nurse at urgent care. Then, as you’re driving to work, you see smoke coming from under your hood. Bad things happen...
The city of Detroit emerged from bankruptcy in 2014. Still, its previous inability to pay investors left some questioning their long-held assumption about the relative safety of municipal bonds. Without question, in the wake of Detroit’s troubles, gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever....
Ancient Chinese merchants were said to have developed a unique way to manage their risk. They would divide their shipments among several different vessels. That way, if one ship were to sink or be attacked by pirates, the rest stood a good chance of getting through. Thus, the majority...
Financial wellness is the ability to have a healthy financial life and feel good about your financial situation. Financial wellness doesn’t have just one meaning because it can mean something different to each person. Financial wellness is a broad term that encompasses these key areas: Taking control of your...
Learning from our mistakes is a good thing. After all, if we learn from our mistakes, we are likely not to repeat them. Sometimes psychological or emotional factors contribute to making a mistake or knowing how to avoid it. Here are the top mistakes investors make and how to...
Portfolio cash accounts are typically kept for reinvesting opportunities or other events such as Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Investors and their advisors often want to move cash to securities for performance in an environment where interest rates are low or effectively at 0%. There are reasons that cash accounts...
With a new president and administration, now is a great time to meet with your financial professional to discuss how our new president, Joe Biden, may affect your finances, taxes, and retirement. Given the balance of the U.S. federal deficit and the federal and state spending during COVID-19, increasing taxes is essential...