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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment