Hot Takes with a Long-Term Point-of-View

We dig deep into comprehensive financial planning and investment management topics, current events, and market performance.

Blog

Explore more than a decade’s worth of time-tested tips and thoughtful commentary on the financial world, current events, and even our firm. 

Investment Review

The major market indices of US stocks, international developed equities, emerging markets, global real estate, and both US and global bonds had strong positive returns for the fourth quarter of 2023.

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529 College Savings Plans

College tuition has historically increased a whopping 6% annually, which makes investing early for college so important. 529 plans are an excellent, tax-free way to

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3 Truths for Volatile Times

Summer 2022 Investors can always expect uncertainty. While volatile periods like the one we’re experiencing now can be intense, investors who learn to embrace uncertainty

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The War in Ukraine

We believe that the most effective way to mitigate the risk of unexpected events is through broad diversification and a flexible, systematic, and active investment process. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an important reminder that geopolitical risk is part of investing in global markets.

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The Allure (and Danger) of Cryptocurrency

Interest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin has only continued to grow in recent years. All this attention has many investors wondering what, if any, place cryptocurrencies have in a diversified portfolio, or are they merely speculative investments?

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Climate Change and Your Portfolio

A few clients have asked about how climate change may affect their portfolio, and what we as advisors can do to mitigate risks. Will today’s macro global trends change how the market behaves in the future?

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Tax Loss Harvesting

Harvesting tax losses is a brilliant wealth-creating technique. Selling your loss positions is a sure way to offset gains realized during the year and stockpile

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Market Panic and Your Portfolio

U.S. stocks fell sharply on March 9, bringing us closer to bear market territory. While we don’t yet have a grasp on the human toll of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic—or the measures to halt or mitigate its spread—the markets are reeling.

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The New Roaring ‘20s

Being bombarded with data and headlines presented as impactful to your financial well-being can evoke strong emotional responses from even the most experienced investors.

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Timing Is Everything, Except in the Market

It’s not unusual for the stock market to be a topic of conversation at holiday get-togethers and other social gatherings. The lure of getting in at the right time or avoiding the next downturn can tempt even disciplined, long-term investors.

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Do Emerging Markets Still Make Sense for Your Portfolio?

A recent Wall Street Journal article makes a case against investing in high-risk/high-yield markets. The author argues that the difference in returns between equities in emerging and developed nations is so small that the diversification benefits of investing in emerging markets are diminished.

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Happiness Is Just a Matter of Time

Investors wanting to increase their wealth and well-being should consider the model created by Mo Gawdat, a serial entrepreneur and former Chief Business Officer at Google X, who tried to engineer a path to joy in his book, Solve for Happy, by expressing happiness as an equation.

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Sound Advice Beats a Cacophony of Chatter

A video illustrates what goes on in the financial world. Voices come at us from all directions and from varying points of view, each one claiming to know when the market will peak, so you can achieve the (unattainable) market ideal of always buying low and selling high.

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A Diversified Portfolio is Like a Roadworthy Car

In the world of investments, a bumpy and unpredictable ride can await those with concentrated and undiversified portfolios and investors who constantly tinker with their asset allocation. Of course, everyone feels in control when recent market performance has been positive….

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A Look Back at 2016

Every year brings its share of surprises. But how many of us could have imagined that 2016 would see Bob Dylan receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Donald Trump elected president, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average close out the year a whisker away from 20,000?

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Dollar-Cost Averaging

Dollar-cost averaging (DCA)—investing the same fixed amount of money in a particular fund (or portfolio) at regular intervals—is a technique that helps you avoid the

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Presidential Elections and the Stock Market

Americans will elect the next president of the United States on November 8. While the outcome is unknown, one thing is certain: There will be a steady stream of opinions from pundits and prognosticators about how the election will impact the stock market

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Brexit and Your Portfolio

While there has been much speculation leading up to and since the Brexit vote, many of the longer-term implications of the referendum remain unclear, as the process for negotiating what a U.K. exit may look like is just beginning.

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When Investing, Prepare to Be Surprised

It’s a difficult time to be an investor. In 2015, global equity markets were up and down on a regular basis, with the S&P 500 up just 1.4%, its worst performance since 2008. Every investor should expect surprises, since we will experience a crisis at some point in the future. A globally diversified approach in bonds and equities works in all environments.

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The Stock Market Had a “Correction”—Now What?

Financial professionals generally describe any decline of 10% or more from a previous peak as a “correction,” although it is unclear what investors should do with this information. Should they seek to protect themselves from further declines by selling, or should they consider it an opportunity to purchase stocks at more favorable prices?

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Our Investment Philosophy

Guided by a strong belief in markets, we help our clients pursue higher expected returns through advanced portfolio design and careful implementation. An enduring philosophy, strong client commitment, and a robust connection with the academic community underpin our approach.

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The Greek Debt Crisis & the Chinese Stock Market Sell-Off

Events in Greece and China have been the overwhelming focus of investors worldwide in recent weeks. You may be wondering how the Greek crisis and suspension of trading in China will affect your portfolio and long-term investment objectives. Below is some background and insight about each country.

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A 2015 Forecast Without Predictions

If in January of last year you invested your portfolio based on predictions from the “experts,” you’d probably be sorry today. The Wall Street Journal conducted a survey of 48 business economists in January 2014.

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Is There Life at PIMCO After Bill Gross?

In late September 2014, superstar bond manager Bill Gross left PIMCO, the firm he founded in 1971. We have reviewed the repercussions of Gross’s departure and have decided to continue holding PIMCO Total Return fund as we complete further research on the fund and the available alternatives.

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The 5 Classic Tunes of Investing

Fads come and go, but investing is like music: true classics stand the test of time and remain relevant long after they were initially composed. The classic concepts below are all members of the “Investing Hall of Fame.”

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How to Hire a Financial Planner

Increase your chances of success by taking time to do your research before choosing a financial planner, and be sure to interview at least two candidates before you commit. Understand the fee structure, since any fees are a headwind to your portfolio returns

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The Backstory on Bonds

Interest rates worldwide are at historic lows. With rates so low, should bond investors worry about rising rates? The truth might surprise you. Central banks in developed economies have injected extraordinary stimulus into the system since

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Surprise! No Selloff in 2013

The unusually strong performance of US stocks in 2013 was a welcome surprise for investors who are following a simple buy-and-hold strategy and a source of exasperation for many active portfolio managers and investment professionals.

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Tarren Schaar is now a CFP® Professional

We are very proud to announce that Tarren Schaar became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional in February. Earning the CFP® certification means Tarren has joined a select group of competent and ethical personal financial planning advisors.

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Emerging Market Stocks

Many investors fell for emerging market stocks after they delivered sizeable returns. More recently, the associated risk of this asset class has reasserted itself and the infatuation has faded. What’s the best approach for investors? A major theme in media

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The Pizzazz of Investing in Gold

Each January, a group of prominent investment professionals gather in New York as members of the Barron’s Roundtable to trade quips, stock ideas, and the outlook for markets and economic trends worldwide. Barron’s—a weekly financial newspaper with

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The Top 10 Investing Excuses

We humans have an astounding facility for self-deception when it comes to our money. We tend to rationalize our fears to our detriment. Below are 10 arguments many of us use to justify behavior that runs counter to our long-term best interest.

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Diversification

What percentage of your assets is held in stock of your company? Would you buy that much of the stock today? Are you willing to

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Growth and Deleveraging

Judging by the headlines in the financial press, retail investors spent much of the past year anxiously awaiting one calamity after another that failed to occur. The plunge off the so-called fiscal cliff was averted. The euro zone did not fall apart. China’s economy and stock market did not crash.

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