Sequence of Returns: A Substantial Risk to Retirees


There are certain constants in life that we all assume as part of our day to day lives.  Among them are death and taxes.  We also presume that it will always be the case that 7 – 6 = 1.  While this is true in math class, it is not always the case in financial…

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The Greatest Risk to Investment Success: Emotional Reactions


In the midst of the recent market volatility related to the global shutdown due to corona virus, investors often become understandably emotional.  Unfortunately, emotional responses are never wise when it comes to making financial decisions.  This is especially true as it pertains to your investment portfolio.  However, we think it’s important to address some of…

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Market Corrections: How Much Impact Do They Have?


As investors work their way through the latest round of market volatility, this time driven by the recent fear of the “Corona Virus”, a number of fears often arise from investors.  Questions such as: Is it different this time? Do I have time to recover now that I’m retired? How long does it take to…

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The SECURE ACT: How it May Impact You


On December 20th President Trump signed into law the SECURE ACT, a bill which received a significant amount of bipartisan support in the United States Congress.  The new legislation makes some significant changes that impact retirement plans for all Americans.   Like all legislation, there will be pros and cons, and ultimately it will have some…

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Asset Equalization Among Spouses: Why It’s Important


One of the more challenging things to plan for is the risk of losing the capacity to care for yourself in your latter years.   It is an unpleasant thought to all of us, yet something that is very important to consider.    According to a 2018 article in the Wall Street Journal, a couple that reaches…

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Required Minimum Distributions: Minimizing the Tax Impact


A required minimum distribution (RMD) refers to the amount of annual withdrawal an investor must take from their qualified retirement accounts (IRA’s, 401k’s, 403b’s etc.) once they have attained 70 ½ years of age.  The IRS maintains a mortality table for investors to use in order to calculate what amount they must withdraw each year. …

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Exchange Traded Funds: Not Always a Passive Approach


The use of exchange traded funds (ETF’s) has become widespread in recent years.   The early incarnation of the ETF was essentially an Index fund which could be traded on an exchange intraday, as opposed to a traditional index fund which was bought and sold directly via the issuing mutual fund company.  In recent years, a…

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A Strong Case: Equal Weighting vs The Dividend Aristocrats


The case for passive investing is a compelling one.  Year after year we hear stock pickers say the same thing, which is “now is the time for active management”.  Yet year after year the data becomes more compelling that stock picking is not a reasonable way to expect to outperform the broad markets.  Standard &…

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Real Estate Investment Trusts: Public vs Private


Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are an asset category with a long history of solid investment returns that do not always demonstrate a direct correlation to the rest of the investment universe.   They have served as an excellent diversifier when combined with other traditional investments. REIT’s are companies that own or finance properties that produce…

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A Look Back At The Financial Crisis: Where Are We Now?


Those of us that lived through the financial crisis of 2008 as active investors remember it quite well.  Many who never invested at all may still remember it rather vividly.  What often gets overlooked is how quickly financial markets recovered in terms of asset prices.   In the aftermath of the financial crisis, the US…

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