Category Archives: Investor Protection

InvestSense 101: Assets Under Management…or Mismanagement? – Separating Fact From Fiction

Posted on January 21, 2024 by investsense

James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® The other day I noticed yet another publication announcing their list of top investment advisors.  I always enjoy reviewing such lists, not so much for who is on the list, but rather … Continue reading →

Posted in annuities, Asset Protection, Consumer Protection, investing, investments, Investor Protection, Uncategorized, Variable Annuities, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

1+1=34: A Step-by-Step Guide to Wealth Management and Preservation Using the Active Management Value Ratio

Posted on November 6, 2022 by investsense

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Jason Zweig discussed the lack of transparency with regard to financial advisers.1 While I agree with his assessment, I believe that he may have actually underestimated the damage resulting from such lack of … Continue reading →

Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Best Interests, Consumer Protection, cost efficient investing, cost-effficiency, ERISA, Fiduciary, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, Fiduciary Standard, investing, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, investments, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

At What Cost?: Annuities, Cryptocurrency, and 401(k) Plans

Posted on November 4, 2022 by investsense

For many people, their 401(k) or 403(b) accounts are their primary retirement savings. So, it’s only natural that they want their 401(k) or 403(b) plan to offer investment options that are truly in their best interests and their beneficiaries’ best … Continue reading →

Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Consumer Protection, cost efficient investing, cost-effficiency, Equity Indexed Annuities, ERISA, Estate Planning, Fiduciary, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, Fixed Indexed Annuities, investing, Investment Advice, Investment Fraud, investments, Investor Protection, pension plans, plan sponsor, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, retirement readiness, Uncategorized, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“CommonSense InvestSense”- Simplifying Prudent Investing with the Active Management Value Ratio™

Posted on August 23, 2022 by investsense

Numerous studies have concluded that when it comes to investing, American are functionally financially illiterate. Despite these findings, ERISA, the primary legislation regulating American pension plans does not require that plan participants be provided with any sort of investment education. … Continue reading →

Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Consumer Protection, cost efficient investing, cost-effficiency, financial planning, investing, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, investments, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Distribution, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Lie of the Pie” – Mutual Fund Marketing “Trickeration”

Posted on August 21, 2022 by investsense

The financial services industry likes to use charts…a lot of charts. Attorneys do not like charts. Charts can be confusing and misleading, sometimes deliberately so. One judge told me that after I had argued the connection between charts and “weaseleze,” … Continue reading →

Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Rights, cost efficient investing, cost-effficiency, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investment Portfolios, investments, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Upon Further Review-Rethinking the Investment Decision-Making Process

Posted on April 26, 2022 by investsense

In 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 →

Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, cost efficient investing, cost-effficiency, financial planning, investing, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, investments, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering David Swensen: “The Mutual Fund Merry-Go-Round”

Posted on September 14, 2021 by investsense

The 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 →

Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, Consumer Protection, Investment Advice, Investor Protection, portfolio planning, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

REAL Wealth Management 2021 – Wrap-Up

Posted on June 11, 2021 by investsense

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 – Accumulation

Posted on June 8, 2021 by investsense

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

DIY Investor and Fiduciary Protection Strategies: 4Q 2020 401(k) Top 10 AMVR Analysis

Posted on January 4, 2021 by investsense

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 | Leave a comment