With summer now under way, gardening hobbyists are busily weeding, watering and tending to their plants in hope of a bountiful crop.
Tending The Rows of Your Investment Garden
Putting Performance Into Perspective
..[while this article was written for investment professionals, we’re confident individual investors will also find this article very informative for managing their investments]…
The year 2019 was a great run for the S&P 500 Index. Its 12-month total return of 31.49% was more 3x higher than its 50-year average annualized return of 10.60%. All good, right?
Reach Your Retirement Goals By Following 10 Basic Axioms
What’s the key to making good investment choices? It isn’t necessary to understand the inner workings of the securities markets or the mathematical economies underlying investment theory. Instead, 10 axioms of effective investing provide the critical cornerstone for guiding investment philosophy and making decisions. This will ensure that you meet the universal goal of creating financial wealth for retirement.
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Dollar Cost Averaging
As evident with the recent volatility in the stock market, investing inherently involves some risk – that’s just the way life works. Our job as investors is to figure out ways in which to minimize this risk. One common method that investors use to minimize risk is dollar cost averaging (DCA). Dollar Cost Averaging offers a strategy for investors to gradually increase their stock market exposure for potential long-term upside results, while taking into account the whipsaw nature of current market conditions.
Concentrated Investment Positions
With the recent runup of stock market levels over the past several years, many investors might find one or more of their investment holdings have appreciated considerably in value, now representing a disproportionate percentage by market value. With this in mind, it is important for investors to pay attention to these concentrated investment position(s), an important investment concept that often is over-looked for proper portfolio management.
Benchmarking: The Art of the Science
Craig L. Israelsen, Published in the AAII Journal in November 2019 (Updated in January 2020 with full-year 2019 performance)
As found in the Merriam Webster dictionary the term “benchmark” has the following definitions:
- a mark on a permanent object indicating elevation and serving a reference in topographic surveys and tidal observations.
- a point of reference from which measurements may be made.
Defining Your Investment Objectives
With the start of 2020, now is an ideal time for investors to review their forward-looking investment objectives, understanding these objectives are affected by short- and long-term needs and changing requirements.
This fact sheet provided by the CFA Institute will help you work with your financial adviser to determine how to best meet your financial goals. If you are an independent investor, we think you too will find this fact sheet worthwhile for helping you to better manage your investment portfolio(s). Continue reading Defining Your Investment Objectives
Save and Invest…
Saving is a key principle. People who make a habit of saving regularly, even saving small amounts, are well on their way to success. It’s important to open a bank or credit union account so it will be simple and easy for you to save regularly. Then, use your savings to plan for life events and to be ready for unplanned or emergency needs.
2019 Year-End Tax Planning Tips for Investors
As the close of 2019 quickly approaches, investor’s should start thinking ahead, reviewing and taking advantage of tax saving strategies. Here are three important tips that will help investor’s manage tax consequences, while helping to better manage their investment portfolio(s).
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The Inherent Value of Global Diversification
Highlights:
> Investors have a natural bias to invest domestically.
> Exposure to international stocks can improve portfolio performance over the long term.
> How best to invest internationally is a subject of considerable debate.
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