I hope Dan Moisand's article here calls additional attention to the Wade Pfau article on calculating a client's "safe savings rate" for retirement. And I hope people pay attention to Roy Diliberto's advice on how to help clients identify their true goals, in order to allow you to give better, more customized advice.
Meanwhile, Somnath Basu--writing before the Downgrade Panic--suggests that the world economy may be heading for a double dip recession, and offers some signposts to watch out for.
[Read more »]
Entries from August 2011
Bipolar Investing
What's going on in the markets these days?
[Read more »]
The REAL Media Bias
Will we ever find a way to report on the real issues in America?
[Read more »]
Healthy Choices
Helping clients make good decisions about their health insurance and Medicare coverage can lead to substantial savings--and improved quality of life.
[Read more »]
MPT in a Parallel Universe
RIAs can learn something about portfolio management from corporate managers and consultants who manage complex "portfolios" of companies, divisions and product lines.
[Read more »]
Cruising Toward Resolution
What's the endgame for the European debt crisis?
[Read more »]
MEDIA REVIEWS - August 16-23, 2011
There is some irony in the Deena Katz column, which I think offers some great advice: take advantage of the slower periods of the year to take stock of your practice and make positive changes. (Imagine the impact of constant, consistent positive changes over time...) Little did she know that you would be working harder this summer to keep your clients from panicking than at any time since the 4th quarter of 2008.
The Quantuvis research is interesting, not so much that the top advisory firms have complicated compensation structures, but that in the end, they pay more per employee than the average firm--which strongly suggests that these firms are generating (and paying out) more profits. And I especially enjoyed the article by John Wasik that investigated the costs and features of different structured investment products and hedges, telling you what I think you probably suspected: that most of them are more expensive and complicated than they're worth. In terms of full disclosure, they seem to rival equity-indexed annuities. [Read more »]
The Quantuvis research is interesting, not so much that the top advisory firms have complicated compensation structures, but that in the end, they pay more per employee than the average firm--which strongly suggests that these firms are generating (and paying out) more profits. And I especially enjoyed the article by John Wasik that investigated the costs and features of different structured investment products and hedges, telling you what I think you probably suspected: that most of them are more expensive and complicated than they're worth. In terms of full disclosure, they seem to rival equity-indexed annuities. [Read more »]
MEDIA REVIEWS - August 8-15, 2011
Something nobody ever seems to notice about the Journal is that it is clearly not advertiser-supported; it relies almost completely on subscription fees to turn a profit. This month is an interesting case-in-point: eight sold advertising pages (the rest are in-house ads inserted by the FPA, which generate no revenue), and one of those pages, from IMCA, is probably a trade-off for an FPA ad in IMCA's publication.
There are two highlights in this issue. The first is Baylor profession Bill Reichenstein's rebuttal of an article that never should have gotten past the Journal's screening process in the first place, and ought now to be retracted. Reichenstein totally debunks the article, but of course that doesn't matter because in sales situations, aggressive insurance agents will direct the prospect's attention to the original article and not bother with the debunking part.
The other highlight is Wade Pfau's introduction of a sustainable savings rate during the accumulation phase of a client's financial life--rather than the usual focus on the sustainable withdrawal rate after the fact. It makes for very interesting reading.
[Read more »]
There are two highlights in this issue. The first is Baylor profession Bill Reichenstein's rebuttal of an article that never should have gotten past the Journal's screening process in the first place, and ought now to be retracted. Reichenstein totally debunks the article, but of course that doesn't matter because in sales situations, aggressive insurance agents will direct the prospect's attention to the original article and not bother with the debunking part.
The other highlight is Wade Pfau's introduction of a sustainable savings rate during the accumulation phase of a client's financial life--rather than the usual focus on the sustainable withdrawal rate after the fact. It makes for very interesting reading.
[Read more »]
Active Career Management
Here's how to help your clients get the most out of their career asset.
[Read more »]
A Q&A About Our Market Confusion
Down one day, up the next. What's really going on?
[Read more »]
America's Tarnished Credit Rating
Where do the markets, and America, go from here?
[Read more »]
MEDIA REVIEWS - August 1-7, 2011
I wish Bob Clark's column on the new Equity Management System by FP Transitions had contained more details on how it works, and less airy discussion of what advisors in the marketplace, generally, are or are not doing, but it gives us a heads-up, and maybe I'll get into more detail in a future newsletter. Meanwhile, a lot of advisors will recognize their firm as a "tweener" in Mark Tibergien's prescriptive column on how to move beyond this awkward stage, and the article by the FA Insight folks might spur you to create a formal marketing plan... whenever you can get around to it.
Have a great week; I just sent out two client articles on the debt ceiling debate and the ratings downgrade on U.S. Treasuries, giving a plain english description and some reasons not to panic. This will be an interesting week in the markets, and I suspect there will be others who DO panic. [Read more »]
Have a great week; I just sent out two client articles on the debt ceiling debate and the ratings downgrade on U.S. Treasuries, giving a plain english description and some reasons not to panic. This will be an interesting week in the markets, and I suspect there will be others who DO panic. [Read more »]
Should We Even HAVE a Debt Ceiling?
Why this may be the worst "own goal" in history.
[Read more »]
Page 1 of 1, totaling 14 entries
