One of the core concepts of Modern Portfolio Theory is the idea that investment returns are normally distributed. In other words, returns can be modeled using a bell-shaped curve. [Read more...]

In a conversation with a friend of mine, he recalled how he only recently learned what a bond was and how it could act as an investment. He’s a 30-year-old American male with a master’s degree in Marine biology, and he didn’t really understand…[Read more...]

I’ve been thinking a lot about fear and the impact it has on our industry–specifically, the communication strategies we use as financial advisors; the nature of our advice and the ability to do our job; and investors and the public in general. [Read more...]

A month or so ago, I sat down to review my firm’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS) and found myself asking, “What is this?” When did these statements get so useless? [Read more...]

I was involved in a great conversation with a New York Times reporter that started out being about WHEN someone needs a financial advisor (using the term generically) and then moved to HOW to pay them?

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Ask most financial advisors WHAT their clients pay them for, and the answer is almost always: ADVICE. We get paid to deliver the collective wisdom that we have gained by helping people make hundreds of smart decisions about money over and over again. [Read more...]