CommonSense InvestSense
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CommonSense InvestSense- The “Secret” Morningstar January 13, 2019I love Morningstar. It is my primary research source. I enjoy the posts of their columnists. But unlike most investors who use Morningstar, I basically ignore their legendary “star” system. Morningstar itself has told investors that their star system is … Continue reading →investsense
- Are Your 401(k) Plan’s Mutual Funds Legally Prudent? October 10, 2018“You get what you don’t pay for.” – John Bogle Full Disclosure and Total Transparency: I am an attorney. More specifically, I am a wealth preservation attorney and a plaintiff’s securities/ERISA attorney. I primarily offer forensic litigation and consulting services … Continue reading →investsense
- Variable Annuities: Estate Planning Saboteurs August 23, 2018As a wealth preservation attorney, my practice involves various areas of the law including investment portfolio analysis, asset protection, risk management and estate planning. Three primary wealth saboteurs are investment portfolio mismanagement, tax erosion, and personal liability exposure. I recently … Continue reading →investsense
- Setting the Record Straight on Asset Allocation July 21, 2018One of the “dirty little secrets” of the investment industry is to deliberately misrepresent the findings of a study on the importance of asset allocation. The study, commonly referred to as the BHB study after the three gentleman who conducted … Continue reading →investsense
- InvestSense’s Comments on SEC “Best Interest” Proposal July 20, 2018The Securities and Exchange Commission is currently seeking public comments on its “Best Interest” (BI) proposal. The proposal would reportedly provide a standard of conduct for anyone providing financial services to the public. The standard would supposedly protect investors from … Continue reading →investsense
- 1+1=33%, or the Myth of the 1% Annual Investment Fee July 11, 2018This post is going to be short and sweet, as I keep getting calls and emails from people who wonder why their portfolios are not performing as well as they think they should. In most cases, their portfolios are the … Continue reading →investsense
- The Active Management Value Ratio™ 3.0: Investment Returns and Wealth Preservation for Investors and Fiduciaries January 17, 2018Studies 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
- Transparency Is the Best Disinfectant: Four Key Questions Every Investor and 401(k) Plan Participant Should Ask September 25, 2017Sunlight is the best disinfectant. – Justice Louis Brandeis The ongoing attempts by the Department of Labor (DOL) and Congress to delay or completely reverse the DOL’s fiduciary rule sends a clear message to pension plan sponsors and plan participants … Continue reading →investsense
- Wealth Preservation and Retirement Accounts July 14, 2017When I tell people that I am a wealth preservation attorney, they often respond by saying that they do not have enough money to need such services. Then I ask them whether they have a 401(k) account, an IRA or … Continue reading →investsense
- The New DOL Fiduciary Rule – Effective June 9, 2017 June 7, 2017On June 9, 2017, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new fiduciary rule (Rule), or at least parts of same, go into effect for retirement plans covered by the Employees’ Retirement Income Security Act, commonly known as ERISA. The Rule was … Continue reading →investsense
- The “Secret” Morningstar January 13, 2019
Author Archives: investsense
Transparency Is the Best Disinfectant: Four Key Questions Every Investor and 401(k) Plan Participant Should Ask
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. – Justice Louis Brandeis The ongoing attempts by the Department of Labor (DOL) and Congress to delay or completely reverse the DOL’s fiduciary rule sends a clear message to pension plan sponsors and plan participants … Continue reading
Posted in Best Interests, Closet Index Funds, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, DOL fiduciary rule, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, ERISA, financial interests, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, retirement plan participants, wealth management, wealth preservation
Wealth Preservation and Retirement Accounts
When I tell people that I am a wealth preservation attorney, they often respond by saying that they do not have enough money to need such services. Then I ask them whether they have a 401(k) account, an IRA or … Continue reading
Posted in Best Interests, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Estate Planning, Integrated Estate Planning, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, Active Management Value Ratio, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, financial interests, financial planning, integrated estate planning, investing, investment losses, investment portfolios, investments, IRAs, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
The New DOL Fiduciary Rule – Effective June 9, 2017
On June 9, 2017, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new fiduciary rule (Rule), or at least parts of same, go into effect for retirement plans covered by the Employees’ Retirement Income Security Act, commonly known as ERISA. The Rule was … Continue reading
Posted in Best Interests, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, DOL fiduciary rule, Equity Indexed Annuities, ERISA, Fixed Indexed Annuities, Investment Advice, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Variable Annuities, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, Consumer Protection, consumer right, ERISA, Fiduciary, financial interests, investor protection, InvestSense, Pension Planning, portfolio construction, retirement distribution planning, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
The Investor Revolution: A “Best Interests” Checklist for Investors and Fiduciaries
The DOL recently announced that it will not seek to delay the effective date of the department’s new fiduciary law. Beginning June 9, 2017, anyone providing advice to pension plans and plan participants will be deemed to be a fiduciary, … Continue reading
Posted in Best Interests, Closet Index Funds, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, DOL fiduciary rule, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, 403(b), Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, Best Interests, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, DOL fiduciary rule, ERISA, Fiduciary, investing, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, IRAs, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Controlling the Controllable: Factoring Investment Costs Into the Prudence/Suitability Equation
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. – Aldous Huxley In an earlier post, I discussed the benefits of controlling the controllable aspects of investing. Investors cannot control the performance of the markets. Investment fiduciaries are not … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Closet Index Funds, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, Closet Index Funds, Fiduciary, investing, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, IRAs, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
Investor Alert: Variable Annuities and Fixed Indexed Annuities
The Department of Labor announced the other day that it was delaying the effectiveness of certain part of their new fiduciary rule for 60 days. This delay was essentially requested by the Trump administration in order to evaluate the fairness … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, Equity Indexed Annuities, Estate Planning, Fiduciary, Fixed Indexed Annuities, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Advice, black box investment fraud, Consumer Protection, Equity Indexed Annuities, estate planning, Fiduciary, financial planning, Fixed Indexed Annuities, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investment scams, investor protection, IRAs, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
3 Key (But Often Overlooked) Mutual Fund Return Statistics
Anyone who knows me knows that the minute I see a “Top” or “Best” list with regards to financial advisers or investments, I immediately want to do a detailed forensic analysis to substantiate or disprove such claims. As a plaintiff’s … Continue reading
Posted in Absolute Returns, Asset Protection, Closet Index Funds, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, Absolute Returns, Advice, asset protection, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Fiduciary, financial interests, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, IRAs, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement distribution planning, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
