Archives: Chapter Meetings

John Chavez will present on the wealth management planning process that investors should follow to make thoughtful financial decisions. The core presentation will cover the tools we use to analyze and develop customized plans, which will lead to detailed conversations about how and why you should consider integrating planning goals, short-term and long-term tax consequences, insurance needs, and estate planning consequences in the financial decisions. The meeting framework is designed to include the key elements of developing and executing a …

Wealth Management Tools & How/Why You Should Use Them Read More »

Nearly 20 years ago, Chuck Jaffe wrote the first-ever book about hiring and working with all types of financial advisers, called “The Right Way to Hire Financial Help.” In those days, no one could foresee that many of the functions of financial counselors would be replaced by software, interactive online platforms and algorithms, but today “robo-advice” is the hot topic and individual investors need to decide on the need – if any – for maintaining a human touch, the importance …

The Right Way to Hire Financial Help Read More »

In June 2017, Paul Merriman had the honor of meeting one-on-one with John Bogle in an insightful discussion about how and why Vanguard builds portfolios the way it does. Bogle’s insights transformed Paul’s way of thinking about investing. In his presentation he will share the highlights of that meeting. He will detail two different approaches for designing an ultimate buy & hold portfolio, review investment decisions for a $12 million portfolio, and show how investors can meet their investment needs …

12 Investment Decisions Guaranteed to Change Your Financial Future Read More »

For investors trying to get cash flow from portfolios in today’s low-yield environment, the bucket approach may be a godsend. Structure the portfolio by spending horizons, set aside a cash component for near-term spending needs, and then spend through a long and happy retirement. Implementation can be a bit messy. However, the bucket approach will not guarantee that you won’t run out of money. There are no ironclad rules about how to manage and extract cash from a bucket portfolio …

Bucket Approach to Retirement Allocation: The Devil Is in the Details Read More »

As investors have become enamored with the Internet of Things such as FANG stocks, the Cloud Kings, 5G, millennial transformation, Bondland has been impacted too. Learn about the bond investment changes one needs to make. Learn how bond selectivity, with both corporates and municipals, needs to be viewed differently—much differently than we were taught. ABOUT THE PRESENTER Marilyn Cohen is one of the country’s top bond managers. She began her financial career as a securities analyst at William O’Neil & …

The Internet of Things Is Bond-Market Game-Changer Read More »

In many ways, there has never been a better time to be an individual investor. The depth of information and data, falling costs and commissions, the growing breadth of investment strategies, and the ability to easily communicate with investors around the world are unprecedented in history. You could argue that individual investors today have a better opportunity set than institutional investors, compared to a decade ago. What hasn’t changed is human nature. We humans are in many ways not well …

There Has Never Been a Better Time to be an Individual Investor, But… Read More »

Black Rock forecasts smart beta investing oriented toward size, value, quality, momentum, and low volatility to reach $1 trillion by 2020 and $2.4 trillion by 2025. Gary will show that this growth may not be justified and will also discuss the hidden risks associated with factors. On the basis of a vast amount of validated data, Gary will review how relative strength momentum can enhance investment returns, while trend-following absolute momentum can decrease portfolio risk exposure. Gary will also highlight …

Snake Oil and Factor-Based Investing Read More »

For decades, the financial services industry has sold risky investments, claiming that greater risk was the only path to greater gains. But high-risk strategies are vulnerable to huge losses that can devastate your portfolio. Today, there’s a better approach. Brian Livingston’s new book “Muscular Portfolios” reveals the latest scientific evidence behind what experts call the Index Investing Revolution. In addition, MuscularPortfolios.com is the first website to give away Wall Street’s secret buy-and-sell orders of low-cost index funds. The site is …

How to Make Your Portfolio Muscular Read More »