CommonSense InvestSense
<a 
CommonSense InvestSense- 1+1=34: A Step-by-Step Guide to Wealth Management and Preservation Using the Active Management Value Ratio November 7, 2022In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Jason Zweig discussed the lack of transparency with regard to financial advisers.1 While I agree with his assessment, I believe that he may have actually underestimated the damage resulting from such lack of … Continue reading →investsense
- At What Cost?: Annuities, Cryptocurrency, and 401(k) Plans November 4, 2022For many people, their 401or 403(b) accounts are their primary retirement savings. So, it’s only natural that they want their 401(k) or 403(b) plan to offer investment options that are truly in their best interests and their beneficiaries’ best interest. … Continue reading →investsense
- “CommonSense InvestSense”- Simplifying Prudent Investing with the Active Management Value Ratio™ August 24, 2022Numerous studies have concluded that when it comes to investing, American are functionally financially illiterate. Despite these findings, ERISA, the primary legislation regulating American pension plans does not require that plan participants be provided with any sort of investment education. … Continue reading →investsense
- “At What Cost” – Annuities and Cryptocurrency vs. Wealth Preservation and Investor Protection August 21, 2022Annuity peddlers would have the public believe that all God’s children need an annuity. Plan sponsors are now confronted with the potential issues of including annuities and crypto currencies within a 401(k) plan. I believe that both assets are inappropriate … Continue reading →investsense
- “The Lie of the Pie” – Mutual Fund Marketing “Trickeration” August 21, 2022The financial services industry likes to use charts…a lot of charts. Attorneys do not like charts. Charts can be confusing and misleading, sometimes deliberately so. One judge told me that after I had argued the connection between charts and “weaseleze,” … Continue reading →investsense
- Upon Further Review-Rethinking the Investment Decision-Making Process April 26, 2022In college, my minor was psychology. My thesis was on heuristics, cognitive biases, and the decision-making process. I have always been fascinated by the way the mind works. Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman’s best seller, “Thinking Fast and Slow,” offers a … Continue reading →investsense
- The Active Management Value Ratio™ 3.0: Investment Returns and Wealth Preservation for Investors and Fiduciaries April 9, 2022Studies have consistently shown that people are more likely to understand and retain information that is conveyed visually rather than verbally or in print. I regularly receive requests for copies of the Powerpoint slides. So for those of you that … Continue reading →investsense
- 1Q 2022 AMVR “Cheat Sheets” April 3, 2022On the 5-year cheat sheet, only one fund, Dodge & Cox Stock (DODGX), posted positive incremental returns on both nominal and risk-adjusted returns. While DODGX passed the AMVR screen on nominal returns, the fund failed to pass the AMVR screen … Continue reading →investsense
- 4Q 2021 AMVR “Cheat Sheet” January 12, 2022At the end of each calendar quarter, InvestSense publishes the 5 and 10-year Active Management Value Ratio (AMVR) scores of the non-index funds in “Pensions & Investments” annual survey of the most used mutual funds in U.S. defined contribution plans. … Continue reading →investsense
- The Dangers of “Black Box” Financial Planning/Plans November 18, 2021Financial planning, when done properly, can be a valuable process to consumers. So say yes to the process of financial planning. However, when it comes to financial plans, avoid the inherent issues of “black box” financial planning and “canned” financial … Continue reading →investsense
- 1+1=34: A Step-by-Step Guide to Wealth Management and Preservation Using the Active Management Value Ratio November 7, 2022
Author Archives: investsense
3Q 2021 Top Ten 401(k) AMVR “Cheat Sheet”
Posted on October 3, 2021 by jwatkins When InvestSense prepares a forensic analysis for a 401(k)/403(b) pension plan, a trust, an attorney, or an institutional client, we always do an analysis over five and ten-year time periods to analyze the … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, Closet Index Funds, cost-effficiency, ERISA, Fiduciary, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, fiduciary liability, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, plansponsor
Leave a comment
Remembering David Swensen: “The Mutual Fund Merry-Go-Round”
The late David Swensen was the well-known Chief Investment Officer of Yale University. He was also an outspoken advocate for investor protection. While performing some research for a brief, I ran across this op-ed, “The Mutual Fund Merry-Go-Round,” that David … Continue reading
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, Consumer Protection, Investment Advice, Investor Protection, portfolio planning, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged investing, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, portfolio construction, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Recent AMVR Twitter and LinkedIn post
While the DOL (“fiduciary”) and the SEC (“best interest”) debate their applicable standards, I suggest that cost-efficiency should be a key factor in whatever they decide. Even former SEC chairman Jay Clayton discussed the importance of cost-efficiency re “best interest.” … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
“‘Why’ – Investor Protection Made Simple”
=One of the most rewarding aspects of writing this blog and my books is when someone contacts you and thanks you for the information and advice that you provide. I recently had someone write and tell me that they have … Continue reading
REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Wrap-Up
Over the past few days, I have written posts to discuss what I perceive to be the three true areas of comprehensive wealth management – accumulation, preservation/protection and distribution/transfer. While many financial professionals may claim to be wealth managers, a … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Distribution Planning, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, asset protection, financial planning, investing, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, Pension Planning, portfolio construction, retirement distribution planning, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth distribution, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Wealth Distributions and Transfers
Today, we address what I consider to be the third aspect of a genuine wealth management program – distributions and transfers of one’s assets. Distribution encompasses both transfers made while one is living, inter vivos transfers, and transfers made after … Continue reading
REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Preservation
“Make as much money as you can and keep what you get. That’s the way to become rich.” – Scottish adage When I tell people that I am a wealth preservation attorney, I often get the obligatory inquisitive look, followed … Continue reading
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Investment Advice, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Distribution Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation, Wealth Recovery
Tagged Consumer Protection, financial planning, investing, investment portfolios, investor protection, Pension Planning, retirement distribution planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Accumulation
As promised, over the next few days I will discuss what I believe are the three aspects of real wealth management – accumulation, protection/preservation and distribution. Most of the posts and white papers on wealth management deal with the accumulation … Continue reading
Posted in Absolute Returns, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Equity Indexed Annuities, Fixed Indexed Annuities, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, portfolio planning, Uncategorized, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, 403(b), Absolute Returns, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment scams, investments, investor protection, portfolio construction, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
REAL Wealth Management-2021
I originally ran this series back in 2013. The series has proven to be among the blog’s most popular posts. So we are going to update the original posts and re-run the entire series. Today we address the ongoing “wealth … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Portfolios, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Distribution Planning, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Distribution, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation, Wealth Recovery
Tagged 401k Investing, asset protection, financial planning, investing, investment portfolios, investments, Pension Planning, retirement distribution planning, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth distribution, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
CommonSense InvestSense 