CommonSense InvestSense
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CommonSense 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
- 3Q 2021 Top Ten 401(k) AMVR “Cheat Sheet” October 3, 2021Posted 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 →investsense
- Remembering David Swensen: “The Mutual Fund Merry-Go-Round” September 14, 2021The 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 →investsense
- Recent AMVR Twitter and LinkedIn post July 28, 2021While 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 →investsense
- New InvestSense video: “The Active Management Value Ratio 4.0: What Investors and Investment Fiduciaries REALLY Need to Know About Wealth Accumulation and Preservation” July 21, 2021 investsense
- “‘Why’ – Investor Protection Made Simple” July 1, 2021=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 →investsense
- Upon Further Review-Rethinking the Investment Decision-Making Process April 26, 2022
Author Archives: investsense
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
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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
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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
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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
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Variable Annuities: Reading Between the Marketing Lines
Variable Annuities:Reading Between the Marketing Lines James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP®, AWMA®CEO/Managing MemberInvestSense, LLC “Variable annuities are one of the most overhyped, most oversold, and least understood investment products.” A popular investment industry saying is that “annuities are sold, not … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Cost-Efficiency and Common Sense: Simple Factors in Improving the Accumulation and Preservation of Wealth
Section 7 of the Uniform Prudent Investors Act (UPIA) states that “[w]asting beneficiaries’ money is imprudent.” While the UPIA is directed at trustees and the management of trust assets, common sense tells you that the warning is equally applicable to … Continue reading
DIY Investor and Fiduciary Protection Strategies: 4Q 2020 401(k) Top 10 AMVR Analysis
For the first new blog post since our blog and domain name were recovered, I figured it was only appropriate to re-christen the blog with our popular quarterly “cheat sheet” of the top non-index mutual funds in U.S. 401(k) plans. … Continue reading
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, cost-effficiency, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, Retirement Plan Participants, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
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“Humble Arithmetic,” Prudence, and Successful Investing – 2019
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. – Aldous Huxley In 2005, the late John Bogle, of Vanguard fame, spoke at the 60th anniversary conference of the Financial Analysts Journal. Mr. Bogle’s presentation, entitled “The Relentless Rules … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Portfolios, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement Distribution Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged Active Management Value Ratio, financial planning, investing, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, portfolio construction, retirement distribution planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
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Full Disclosure: The Art of Reading and Interpreting Mutual Fund Ads
One of the most frequent questions I receive is how to effectively read and interpret mutual fund advertisements. I receive this question not only from individual investors, but from professional investment fiduciaries, such as pension plan sponsors, and securities/ERISA attorneys. … Continue reading
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Asset Protection, Best Interest Proposal, Best Interests, Consumer Protection, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, 403(b), abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, asset protection, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, ERISA, Fiduciary, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment losses, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, IRAs, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
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CommonSense InvestSense 