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What Are the Core Asset Classes for Total Return Portfolios?
One of the most important questions for investors and advisors is identifying a set of asset classes that will be considered for inclusion in a portfolio. Some people will decide that all they need or...
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Explaining the Value Premium
Guest post by Contributing Editor, Robert P. Seawright, Chief Investment and Information Officer for Madison Avenue Securities. Value has persistently outperformed over the long-term. Why is that? In...
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Low Beta Market Sectors
With U.S. equity markets near their record highs and a bull market run that is starting its sixth year, the potential for a correction is a growing concern. In addition, U.S. equity prices look fairly...
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How Am I Doing? An 8-Point Financial Checklist
A question that nags at many people is whether they are on track financially. Even an average financial life can seem remarkably complex. How does anyone know whether he or she is doing the right...
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Am I Saving Enough to Reach My Goals?
This is the second installment in our series on how individual investors can assess their financial health. The starting point for any discussion of a household’s financial health is to evaluate...
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Robo Advisor Performance: Beware Hypothetical Returns
Robo advisors have been getting a great deal of press and the rate at which they are attracting new clients and growing assets under management is impressive. One topic that I have seen nothing...
View ArticleWhat to Consider When Creating a Diversified Investment Portfolio
Building an investment portfolio is a very personal process. Before jumping into a variety of different asset classes and market sectors, you need to first determine your overall goals and your...
View ArticleThe Power of Long-Term Investing: How Long Time Horizons and Low Costs Can...
U.S. stock markets can be a frenzy of activity. There is no shortage of people on TV with a lot to say about where the market is headed and why. However, very few of them have the ability to predict...
View ArticleHow Bond Market Investors Cope in a Low-Rate Environment
It’s understandable that bond market investors might be frustrated at this point in time. Most already have lower total return expectations than stock market investors, which they accept in exchange...
View ArticleHow to Determine Whether a Traditional or Roth IRA Works for You
When it comes to investing, one size does not fit all. This is especially the case when it comes to deciding whether to go with a traditional or Roth IRA. Depending on your situation, either one could...
View ArticleWill the Current European Economy Affect Your Investment Portfolio?
Collectively, the European Union (EU) has the largest economy in the world as measured by gross domestic product (GDP). Last year the total value of all goods and services produced within the 28-member...
View ArticleWhat Is a P/E Ratio and Why Does It Matter?
You’ve probably heard financial analysts advise that a stock is overbought or oversold, or that it has a high or low valuation. But what exactly does that mean? The concept underlying those...
View ArticleAre Mutual Fund Fees Jeopardizing Your Retirement Dreams? Know Your Expense...
Investing for retirement is no game. Every dollar counts, because over time, every dollar you save—or fail to save—creates a ripple effect that can significantly impact your quality of life in...
View ArticleHow ETFs Can Benefit a Diversified Investment Portfolio
Over the past decade, the exchange-traded fund (ETF) has made its way into an increasing number of investors’ portfolios, and it’s not hard to see why. An ETF is a basket of securities that trades on...
View ArticleThe Volatility of Volatility: What You Need to Know About the VIX
Volatility is often perceived by investors as a negative. No one likes to think about the likelihood that their stock prices will move in the wrong direction. And a high level of volatility can act as...
View ArticleIncome Investors Are Feeling the Squeeze
Investors have been finding it increasingly difficult to generate income in their investment portfolios. This is a problem that impacts many people who rely on portfolio income to live on or to...
View ArticleETF Expense Ratios: Their Impact on Long-Term Performance
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are commonly recognized as a low-cost way to achieve a diversified portfolio. That makes sense: because ETFs are passively managed, they don’t incur the research and...
View ArticleLong-Term Investing: Avoiding the Urge to Trade
It’s easy to talk about ignoring short-term market events and to recommend focusing your attention on the market’s long history of positive returns. It’s another thing entirely to sit through the daily...
View ArticleGrowth vs. Value: A Tale of Two Investment Strategies
Building an investment portfolio for the long term means finding a strategy that will work in both the best of times and the worst of times. And with so many investment styles to choose from, it pays...
View ArticleAre Equal-Weight ETFs Here to Stay?
Given the growing number and popularity of ETFs—and given their reputation as a low-cost tool for diversification—it’s important to understand how these investments track the indexes they represent....
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