“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” ― Upton Sinclair Earlier this month writing in Fortune Magazine, Josh Brown, the CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, called opposition to a pending Department of Labor (DOL) rule “The Most Horrendous Lie on Wall Street.” It turns out, this lie is already... Read More
Making a decision when faced with numerous different options can be daunting. But when it comes to your investment accounts and your financial well-being in retirement, making the right decision is quite important. In a 2000 study, researchers from Stanford and Columbia Universities assessed people's ability to choose in the face of many options. In the experiment, customers shopping at... Read More
Note: This article is an attempt to quantify the investment impact of natural disasters. It is not meant to minimize the terrible emotional and financial toll they take on of those directly affected, or downplay the devastating loss of life which occurred, and will happen again in future disasters. Last summer the New Yorker published an article titled “.” Since... Read More
Emerging market stocks have struggled quite a bit recently. Down 15% last year and significantly underperforming U.S. stocks since mid-year 2012, some investors are wondering: Is it time to abandon Emerging market stocks? The quick answer is no. And here’s why. Allocating to emerging markets means investing in stocks of companies based in developing countries around the world. Over its... Read More
Integrate, v. ˈin-tə-ˌgrāt To form, coordinate, or blend into a functioning or unified whole A frequent complaint we hear from Intel employees surrounds the investment restrictions in their retirement accounts. While the investment options in the accounts are increasing, you are still limited to a preset menu in each account. Those wishing to expand their allocation beyond this list of funds cannot... Read More
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” ~ Napolean Hill Anytime is the right time to set financial goals. The beginning of the year may be a popular time to set them—with nearly half of all Americans reporting that they “usually make” a New Year’s resolution—but, January isn’t the only time of the year to do it. It’s never too... Read More
Everyone enjoys a good story. Whether reading a book, watching a movie, or talking with friends, stories are a great way to share, learn, and connect. But when it comes to investing, the stories we believe—the stories told in the financial media and by Wall Street—often lead us astray. The entire purpose of a good story is to trigger an... Read More
“Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough.” Josh Billings Occasionally clients or prospects will ask: “What changes have you recently made? What action have you taken on my behalf?” The implication is: what are you doing to add value? Sometimes it’s not doing that adds value. Often, a good... Read More
The Foolish Fish In a huge pond lived many fish. They were arrogant and never listened to anyone. In this pond, there also lived a kind-hearted crocodile. He advised the fish, “It does not pay to be arrogant and overconfident. It could be your downfall.” But the fish never listened to him. “There is that crocodile, advising us again,” they... Read More
In 2014 Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and described as one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, wrote a book titled “The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers.” Many people talk about the benefits, rewards and good things that come with starting a business. Few talk about the risks,... Read More
