Does Your Financial Advisor Measure Up?
When someone claims to be a financial advisor, what does that mean? Regulatory licenses are a must-have for a fiduciary investment advisor. But what other advanced qualifications do they have? Do they have extensive education and training in investments and comprehensive financial planning?
How to Fix a Problem Annuity
A deferred annuity, unlike an immediate income annuity, is not a buy and hold investment. Most important, it’s not an investment you should buy and ignore.
What is a “Fee-Only” Financial Advisor and Why is it Important?
According to the CFP Board, a “fee-only” financial advisor must not receive sales-related commissions.
A life insurance agent, who accepts commissions, from an insurance agency or insurance company, for example, is not a “fee-only” only advisor. Likewise, a Series 7 Registered Representative paid a sales commission by a Broker-Dealer for selling investments.
Here’s why we believe the “Fee-Only” method of compensation to be the most transparent and objective model of advisor compensation.
Your Financial Planning To-Do-List for 2020 and Beyond
It’s a concise, useful, and all-around fantastic checklist with relevant links. Here’s Successful Portfolios’ twelve-step Financial Planning To-Do-List for 2020 and beyond. It’s a must-read for anyone serious about personal finance.
Seeking Alpha: Practical Application of Modern Portfolio Theory through Technical Analysis – Interactive Brokers
In his influential book, A Random Walk Down Wall Street, Burton Malkiel makes his case for efficient market theory and passive investing all while excoriating technical analysis through straw man argument. About Beta he writes, “Beta really looks suspiciously like a tool of technical analysis in academic drag – a bastard cousin of the technician’s charts”. We believe beta looks like technical analysis because it is technical analysis as is, by extension, alpha. To whit, alpha and beta estimates can be derived solely from historical price action of securities and indices. Moreover, alpha and beta are indicators that can be effectively analyzed by charts. Most important, it is apparent to us that alpha in particular has useful predictive properties for securities selection and portfolio construction.
Rotational Trading using the %b Oscillator
Academic finance is replete with studies supporting or denying the existence of serial correlation in securities prices1. In effect, such studies test the weak form efficient market hypothesis (EMH). Simply put, can investors use technical analysis to beat the market?
Interactive Brokers + Independent Advisor = Smart Investing
Watch this striking, scenic video! Remember, at Successful Portfolios, our credentialed, pros always have your back. As of July 2019, we managed over $92,000,000 in client assets at Interactive Brokers. Our viewpoint as an independent advisor ensures a fiduciary focus on your financial best interest.
Schwab Dominates Wall Street in Customer Accounts and Assets
In 2018 on average, Schwab gathered $624 million of new customer assets per day—more than its three biggest Wall Street rivals combined according to @wsj. Half of Schwab’s customer assets are managed by independent advisory firms that use Schwab as custodian.
Key Financial Data for 2019 Including Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 – Free Download
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduces tax rates on individuals and increases the standard deduction among other changes. Successful Portfolios is pleased to present our popular fact sheet, Key Financial Data for 2019. This handy and concise tax reference covers many items affecting your finances, including:
Simple illustration shows how volatility and sequence of return affect your retirement nest egg.
Simple illustration shows how volatility and sequence of return affect your retirement nest egg.
