Monthly Archives: January 2012

Would You Pass The Chalkboard Test?

Could you explain your investment strategy if you were handed a piece of chalk and directed to a chalkboard? How did you choose the investments within your portfolio? Common responses include, “I invested in what a friend or co-worker recommended,” or “I invested in what performed well last year.” For most, the honest response is [...]
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The Bucket Approach

According to various studies, the first of which was published in Financial Analysts Journal in May, 1991, stock selection accounts for only 4.6 percent of investment returns, while market timing is responsible for only 1.8 percent. Meanwhile, the proportion of assets allocated to stocks, bonds and cash was found to account for 91.5 percent of [...]
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Are You Better Than The Average Investor?

The latest study conducted by DALBAR shows that from 1991 through 2010, the average equity fund investor realized an average annual total return of 3.8%, while the S&P 500 Index provided an average annual total return of 9.1%. Similarly, over the same time period the average fixed-income investor obtained an annual rate of return of [...]
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Tax Rates – 2012 and Beyond

The following chart illustrates the Federal tax rates that will be applied to various income levels in 2012: Additionally, the following standard deduction levels and personal exemption will apply to all 2012 tax filings: Finally, the following chart details the changes in tax law that are scheduled to occur in 2013. Notice the increase in [...]
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How Much Can You Save in Retirement Accounts in 2012?

The following chart illustrates how much can be saved in various retirement accounts in 2012: However, your ability to make deductible IRA contributions and to qualify to make Roth IRA contributions fades out after you exceed certain income levels:
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Why Many Portfolios Seem To Have Under-Performed in 2011

Investors will soon receive their year-end statements for 2011 and will be analyzing their returns for what has been a very volatile year. When comparing their portfolio’s returns to popular large-cap indexes, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, many investors may see that their portfolio produced a [...]
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