In Part 1, I explained at a high level the mechanics of how Cordant generates a paycheck for clients from their portfolios in retirement. In this “Part 2,” I want to follow up with examples of how we evaluate other available strategies and why we use the “total return” approach described in Part 1. We are continually researching and evaluating... Read More
Interest Rates and Stock Markets “Interest rates are bound to rise.” We’ve all heard this for the last 10 years. And while it may be true, it might not matter for long-term investors. In fact, contrary to popular belief, history tells us that the relationship between interest rates and stock market returns isn’t as powerful as we’ve been led to... Read More
Last month I wrote a blog post entitled “The best plan you can stick with.” The purpose was to highlight the fact that, an investment strategy that makes all the sense in the world on paper may not be a good strategy if you can’t stick to it when faced with the emotion that comes with the experience of real... Read More
At Cordant we have the opportunity to work with many current or former Intel employees. With this opportunity comes the responsibility of ensuring that their financial plans, planning strategies and retirement assets are up to speed with the ever-changing employee and retirement benefits programs. This year, being no different, Intel has communicated changes that impact both current employees and qualified... Read More
The market downturn this past month reminded me of this podcast that I recently listened to while driving home and the question that followed. During the podcast, Cliff Asness, a well-known hedge fund manager and founder of AQR Capital Management, discussed investment strategies that are based on the historical data and in theory, are very appealing. He joked however, that... Read More
In Portland, the seasons have changed. Local breweries boasting seasonal beers are now offering dark porters in place of pumpkin ales. Ugly Halloween costumes have been replaced by ugly sweaters. And while the season typically associated with Harvest is behind us, there is another type of harvesting season that should be in full swing - Tax Loss Harvesting (TLH). What... Read More
Golf is a stupid game. Yet I love it. The late Robin Williams sums it up here in this expletive ridden comedy sketch. My scorecard typically consists of the occasional birdie, a handful of pars, mostly bogeys and a hole or two that never make the scorecard. Needless to say, I'm pretty average. Never one to lose sight of my day... Read More
A couple weeks ago, I vacationed with my wife and two kids in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was truly a great vacation, and one where upon returning I felt like I had been gone much longer than a week. But one experience in particular stuck with me as it so poignantly differentiated preparation for an experience from the actual... Read More
“The drama's done. Why then here does any one step forth? — Because one did survive the wreck.” –The narrator, Ishmael, in Herman Mellville’s Moby Dick. If you weren’t concerned about cyber security at the beginning of 2017, my guess is that changed in the time before the New Year. Tracking events like the Equifax hack, understanding their effect, and... Read More
A 4-step Guide to Making the Most of Your Investment OptionsThis eBook provides an easy-to-follow process that will help you make sense of the Intel investment options. After reading it, you'll:Understand the importance of setting an allocation that is right for youBe able to discern between the actively managed and index funds offeredKnow how to reduce the investment costs that... Read More
