CommonSense InvestSense
<a 
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
Category Archives: Investment Fraud
Outing “closet index” funds
Canada is finally investigating the issue of recommendations and sales of “closet index” funds. The same problem exists in the U.S., but don’t hold your breath expecting U.S. regulators to address the problem. A closet index fund is also referred to … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Fiduciary, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, Pension Planning, Pensions, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Those “Great” Stable Value Funds Exposed
So many 401(k) plans and plan participants have fallen in love with these products without truly understanding how they work, especially how they can benefit the companies offering them at the plan participant’s expense. This Morningstar article by Scott Simon … Continue reading
Posted in Common Sense, ERISA, Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, Fiduciary, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, Pension Planning, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
‘Nuff Said
While I enjoy writing and providing educational information to investors, sometimes you have to defer to others more eloquent than yourself. I openly admit to being a fan of Charles Ellis. As I have mentioned in this blog, I believe … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Common Sense, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, asset protection, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, wealth management
Leave a comment
Wealth Preservation – Avoiding Common Financial “Games”
When people ask me what kind of law I practice, I tell them that I am a wealth preservation attorney. To me, wealth preservation consists of three separate areas of wealth management – accumulation, protection and preservation. Wealth preservation involves … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement Distribution Planning, Retirement Planning, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, asset protection, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment losses, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, portfolio construction, retirement distribution planning, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, variable annuities, variable annuity abuse, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Conflicts of Interest and Full Disclosure
Your account is a brokerage account and not an advisory account. Our interests may not always be the same as yours. Please ask us questions to make sure you understand your rights and our obligations to you, including the extent … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k Investing, abusive practices, Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, asset protection, black box investment fraud, financial interests, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investor protection, portfolio construction, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
The Often Overlooked Importance of Dividends
I just finished reading an interesting article from Dreyfus regarding the historical impact of dividends on the stock market’s total return. The paper states that since 1926, dividends have accounted for approximately 50 percent of the stock market’s total return. … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k Investing, Advice, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment losses, investment portfolios, investments, portfolio construction, retirement planning, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Does Your Financial Advisor Owe You Money?
Happy New Year! As I mentioned in my last post, I write for four blogs, including two in connection with my association with the Paladin Registry, a pro-investor organization that provides advice to help investors protect themselves against investment scams … Continue reading
Posted in Asset Protection, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, asset protection, black box investment fraud, Fiduciary, financial interests, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, Pension Planning, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Does Your 401k Owe You Money?
In addition to this blog, I also write for the Paladin Registry. I just posted a new article on excessive fees within 401k plans. The article is available at http://iwd.paladinregistry.com/products/401k-plan-owe-money/
Posted in Asset Protection, ERISA, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k Investing, abusive practices, asset protection, black box investment fraud, financial interests, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, portfolio construction, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Faux Wealth Management: The Need for Integrated Estate Planning
A fellow estate planning colleague of mine called the other day and asked me to review a client’s investment portfolio for legal issues. I had previously reviewed my colleague’s portfolio and had pointed out some issues that were not consistent … Continue reading
Posted in Estate Planning, Integrated Estate Planning, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Wealth Management
Tagged Active Management Value Ratio, Advice, asset protection, estate planning, financial interests, financial planning, integrated estate planning, investing, investment advice, investment advisors, investment portfolios, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, portfolio construction, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
Put Up or Shut Up!
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to delay action on a proposed universal fiduciary standard that would require anyone providing investment advice to always put a customer’s best interests first. While investment advisers are currently required to put a … Continue reading
Posted in Fiduciary, Investment Advice, Investment Fraud, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, Retirement Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation
Tagged abusive practices, asset protection, black box investment fraud, Fiduciary, financial planning, investing, investment advice, investment portfolios, investment scams, investments, investor protection, InvestSense, retirement plan participants, retirement planning, stockbrokers, wealth management, wealth preservation
Leave a comment
CommonSense InvestSense 