Tag Archives: stockbrokers

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

Investor, Protect Thyself: The InvestSense Investor Self-Defense Strategy

During his term as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).(1993-2001), Arthur Levitt focused more on investor protection than perhaps any other recent SEC Chairman. His advice from a1999 speech, “Financial Self-Defense: Tips From and SEC Insider,” is still … Continue reading

Posted in Absolute Returns, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, ERISA, Estate Planning, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Integrated Estate Planning, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Fraud, Investor Protection, IRA, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement, Retirement Distribution Planning, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Uncategorized, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Distribution, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are Your 401(k) Plan’s Mutual Funds Legally Prudent?

“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

Posted in Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Closet Index Funds, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, ERISA, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, Investor Protection, pension plans, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Retirement Planning, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Variable Annuities: Estate Planning Saboteurs

As 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

Posted in Estate Planning, Fiduciary, Integrated Estate Planning, Investment Advice, Investor Protection, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Retirement Distribution Planning, Variable Annuities, Variable Annuity Abuse, 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

InvestSense’s Comments on SEC “Best Interest” Proposal

The 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

Posted in Best Interest Proposal, Best Interests, Consumer Protection, Consumer Rights, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Investment Advice, Investor Protection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 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

The Evidence Based Investor

Two excellent posts for investors to consider from my British colleague, Robin Powell, of “The Evidence Based Investor” web site.

Posted in Investment Advice, Investment Advisors, Investment Portfolios, IRA, Portfolio Construction, portfolio planning, Portfolio Planning, Retirement, Retirement Plan Participants, Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Management, Wealth Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment