What Does It Mean to Be an Investor? – Part One
Category: Investing
For a minute, I want to think broadly about the question, “What does it mean to be an investor?”
Knowing What Not To Do | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
Stocks are down. Bonds are down. Inflation is up. There is a war in Europe. When nothing feels certain, what should investors do? One of the things we can do is pay attention to something else.
Chart of the Month – May 2022
Category: Investing
Since the beginning of 2020, checkable deposits have quadrupled, giving consumers the ability to continue spending and withstand increased prices. What does this mean for inflation and prices in the future?
Investors Must Be Present to Win
Category: Investing
For weeks, the major indices had been declining but in mid-March, we saw a very abrupt reversal. I’m often reminded of the familiar saying “Investors must be present to win.” In other words, the price (or cost) of admission to the investment experience is market volatility.
What to Do & What Not to Do in Response to Russia-Ukraine War
Category: Investing
Pictures and video coming from Ukraine are difficult to watch. As humans, we may be angered and ask, “How can I help?” In investing, typically the best thing to do in the moments when we are most tempted to do “something,” is simply to sit still.
I Bonds Pay Almost 10%, What’s the Catch?
Category: Investing
Investors are always on the lookout, it seems, for new and profitable ways to help make their dollars work for them. One that has come up quite often on our clients’ radars recently is Series I Bonds (or just I Bonds).
How Can Investors Benefit from Higher Rates? | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
With inflation and interest rates rising, are there any silver linings for investors? One DIY US government bond investment you may not have heard about will soon be yielding over 9%. This week, Kent Kramer takes a look at I Bonds, what is happening in markets and the global economy, and what investors may want to know.
Q1 Wrap Up: Ukraine, Inflation, Interest Rates | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
The first quarter of 2022 is in the books and once again, surprising events dominated the news. Russia invading Ukraine and the continued climb in inflation were the focus of attention and for good reason. In this week's Financial Perspectives, we'll take a look at what is happening in markets and the global economy and what investors may want to know.
Chart of the Month – Apr 2022
Category: Investing
Housing affordability is trending in the wrong direction. Take a look at our chart of the month showing housing affordability over the last 50 years.
June 21, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
As investors we are bombarded with continuous news on the stock market and bonds. We think it can be helpful to take a step back and ask the question: are the indexes on the financial media a proper point of reference for you?
Four Dimensional Mutual Funds Will Be Converted to Exchange Traded Funds on June 11th
Category: Investing
Four Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) mutual funds that are held in after-tax accounts managed by Foster Group at Schwab and TD Ameritrade will be converted by DFA to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on Friday, June 11th.
June 7, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
It’s summertime and we have two summer’s worth of movies to look forward to after 2020’s reduced calendar. AMC, a company that runs movie theaters has seen their stock value go way up in the past few weeks. Is this about great movies or something else?
This week Kent Kramer talks about two different valuation theories: Firm Foundation Theory and Castle-in-the-air Theory.
Decoding Crypto(currency) Webinar, June 3, 2021
Category: Investing
Are you curious about all the buzz around Cryptocurrency? What is it and should you consider investing in it? Tune in to our on-demand webinar where Kent Kramer, Jason Brown, and Ryne Oller dive into decoding cryptocurrency.
How to Avoid Tyrannically Urgent Yet Unimportant Investment Ideas
Category: Investing
As we’ll see, each of these are real risks, because if they are unmanaged or unanticipated, they may cause investors to focus on the wrong things at the wrong times and lead to actions that may sabotage goals and portfolios.
May 24, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
This week Kent Kramer talks with Daniel Wallick from Vanguard for part two of our interview. This second part focuses on constructing a portfolio, different types of primary goals, and comparing your success to others’.
How the “Little Guy” Really Wins in the Market
Category: Investing
Don’t believe the lie that you don’t belong or that the keys belong to someone who won’t give them to you.
May 10, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
Daniel Wallick joins us from Vanguard for a two-part interview on our bi-monthly Financial Perspectives. This first part centers on interest rates, inflation, and the bond market. Are you wondering about what part bonds play in your portfolio and what do interest rates and potential inflation have to do with that?
April 26, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
Markets have been reaching some all-time highs recently. US stock markets, foreign stock markets, even newer assets like bitcoin, SPACs, and NFTs have been soaring much of the past six months. At these relatively high values more than a few skeptics are predicting a fall. Some say correction – a temporary minor adjustment; some say crash – major problem ahead. Is there a reason to be acrophobic – fearful about markets at record heights?
Taking the Long View in a Short-Term World
Category: Investing
One of the primary roles we play as financial advisors is to help our clients remember to take the long-view.
April 12, 2021 Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
One of my favorite comedians has always been Steve Martin. One of his funnier routines was “let’s get small.” Lately small company stocks have been outperforming their large company counterparts and it’s hard not to notice. What is a small company and why the outperformance recently?
What a Difference a Year Makes
Category: Investing
On March 23, 2020, the S&P 500 tumbled another 3%, culminating a near 34% drop over that same month. The Dow Jones hovered around 19,000. Gains from the past few years were gone.