First Quarter 2019 Quarterly Market Review
QUARTERLY MARKET REVIEW
Market Summary
Lifestyle Creep is a Slippery Slope
Thursday, 28 March 2019 Rich LeBranti
Suddenly you’re paying for a house that is too big, or a lease on a pickup truck you don’t use or just a membership to that fancy gym that you haven’t had the time to take advantage of yet. If your regular expenses are being paid for by credit cards or you can’t seem to save money at the end of each month, you might look toward “lifestyle creep” as the culprit. While it is easy to understand what lifestyle creep is and how it happens, it is still dangerously common among young professionals and those midway through their careers.
Practicing Stoicism in Wealth Management
Tuesday, 05 March 2019 Rich LeBranti
No doubt you’re familiar with the word stoic. Perhaps you yourself have been described as such at some point.
But are you familiar with the philosophy of stoicism? The Stoics got their start around 300 B.C.E. More than mere philosophy, Stoicism is a way of life. In fact, the tenets of stoicism have been utilized since the early 21st century with the creation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.[i] The main objectives of stoicism are clear judgment, inner calm and freedom from suffering as the ultimate goal.[ii] Since being blessed with 2 daughters, I have realized the importance of inner calm and clear judgment will come in very handy as the teenage years start and “boys” enter the picture. Those who practice stoicism live by four major principles: delaying gratification, controlling emotion, always thinking big picture, and only taking effective action. Looking at those tenets it probably isn’t hard to understand why stoicism and wealth management go so well together.
A Solution to the Password Problem
Tuesday, 05 March 2019
Whether you’re looking to make a New Year’s resolution or you’re simply trying to implement some information security best practices, you would be well served to start using a password manager. Why?
Passwords: The weak link
According to a survey by Digital Guardian, “password overload” is a real problem. Worse, despite known risks, at least half of us admit to reusing passwords.
How many online accounts do you have? Probably more than you think. You’ve likely got at least one social media profile. Then, there’s your e-mail (which might include both personal and work accounts), your various banking accounts, streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, and your Amazon account (who doesn’t have one of those?!). That’s not to mention all those apps on your smartphone.
Newsletter | Winter 2019
Your Life. Your Community. Your Plan.
It’s been a wild couple of months in the market. People are always guessing that “our phone must be ringing off the hook.” Well, not really. A large part of our job is devoted to behavior management. We try our best to
“educate rather than prognosticate.” Credit to you for listening, accepting our advice, and remaining calm and disciplined in these uncertain times. The reason not to invest has and will always exist. Until you accept that, it’s not worth being an investor.
Society thrives on bad news and the media gravitates towards it. 200 million websites, 9000 magazines, and 2500 TV channels are all telling you to stay on the sideline or ‘cash out.’ The most fearful articles are always the ones that generate the most attention. The more we read and study the markets, the more “buy and hold” continues to make sense. Relying on your ‘well-thought-out’ financial and investment plan is the best advice we can give.
We look forward to spending some time with you this Tax Season. Don’t forget to “wait to file” if you have taxable investment accounts. And remember, “lack of investor discipline can ruin the best portfolio ever built” (Warren Buffet).
I own a ton of company stock
Wednesday, 30 January 2019 Dennis Doble
We get asked about company stock a lot. What’s the appropriate amount, for instance? I will tell you that anything above 20% raises our level of concern.
We all have heard about that janitor or secretary that has worked at a public company for 35 years, amassed a ton of company stock, and then retires a multi-millionaire. But for every story like that, I think there are two that go in the other direction. Enron, Lycos, Lehman Brothers, Polaroid…are just a few that I can think of. And I heard a lot of “janitor” stories from GE personnel back when Jack Welch was running the show, but have you looked at GE’s stock lately?
Family Business Transition Guide
Monday, 14 January 2019 Dennis Doble
Preparing for succession or transition in your family business requires prudence, contemplation and organization.
As you prepare for the family business succession/transition process, it’s important to address the underlying issues at play before you calculate your business’s value or the amount of life insurance the business might buy. Your vision for your business, the objectives you hope to achieve from the transition, and whom you choose as a successor—a family member or someone else—are ultimately what will drive the plan and its execution.
4th Quarter 2018 and Annual Market Review
QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL MARKET REVIEWS
Overview:
Market Summary
World Stock Market Performance
World Asset Classes
US Stocks
International Developed Stocks
Emerging Markets Stocks
Select Country Performance
Select Currency Performance vs. US Dollar
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Commodities
Fixed Income
Impact of Diversification
Quarterly Topic: WHY SHOULD YOU DIVERSIFy?
The Transition Decision: Thinking Big for 2019
Friday, 28 December 2018 Dennis Doble
Champagne pops, songs are sung, and resolutions get made. And this year, you want to make a big transition.
For me, it always starts with how I feel and my ability to chase around my children with increased energy. And so, I begin my annual diet/workout regimen, in hopes of winning the bet with my friends. There is some sort of re-birth that January 1 brings to all our hopes and dreams. You’ve been on a path for a while, perhaps it's a career or a relationship and now, as you’re reaching mid-life/mid-career, you are starting to question if it’s the right one for you. Before you make any rash decisions let’s take a moment to explore what you want to change, why you want to change, and then the all-important how of making a major life course correction. In this article, we will go over some techniques and thought exercises that everyone who wants a life change could benefit from.
Does a Declining Number of Stocks Affect the Size Premium
