CommonSense InvestSense
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CommonSense 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
- REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Wrap-Up June 11, 2021Over 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 →investsense
- REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Wealth Distributions and Transfers June 10, 2021Today, 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 →investsense
- REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Preservation June 9, 2021“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 →investsense
- REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Accumulation June 8, 2021As 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 →investsense
- REAL Wealth Management-2021 June 6, 2021I 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 →investsense
- Variable Annuities: Reading Between the Marketing Lines April 21, 2021Variable 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 →investsense
- Remembering David Swensen: “The Mutual Fund Merry-Go-Round” September 14, 2021
Category Archives: Asset Protection
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 – 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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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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The “Secret” Morningstar
I 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
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Asset Protection, Closet Index Funds, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged Active Management Value Ratio, asset protection, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment losses, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, wealth management, wealth preservation
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Setting the Record Straight on Asset Allocation
One 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
Posted in Absolute Returns, Asset Protection, Consumer Protection, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, Absolute Returns, abusive practices, Consumer Protection, consumer right, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investment scams, portfolio construction, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
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1+1=33%, or the Myth of the 1% Annual Investment Fee
This 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
Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Asset Protection, Closet Index Funds, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Uncategorized, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, asset protection, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Fiduciary, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment losses, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
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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
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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
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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
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Investor Self-Protection Guide 2019
As a securities/ERISA attorney, Certified Financial Planner® professional and an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor®, I am interested in providing the public with quality financial advice and helping to address the ongoing problem of financial abuse and fraud. One of the … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Closet Index Funds, Common Sense, Consumer Protection, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, black box investment fraud, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, investment advice, investment advisors, investment scams, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, IRAs, portfolio construction, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
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