Insights

The end of the year is a great time to make sure your Wealth Plan is in order, and Estate Planning is a key part of your wealth protection strategy. Jeff Mangieri of DeAndrade Mangieri, LLC attorneys at law, is a wonderful resource for our practice and our clients. Jeff specializes in general business representation and transactional services in addition to estate planning and probate services.  Jeff provides a range of estate and trust planning services to individuals at various
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Fall is in full swing; the leaves are changing, the air is crisp and football fans everywhere are glued to their TVs. Every year about this time, I reflect on what I have to be thankful for. My great clients, family and friends top the list. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work together towards achieving your most important long-term goals. You may be thankful that you have adopted a long-term investing perspective when you see the chart
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The problem with good advice is that it tends to be boring, especially when it comes to your portfolio. This is a good thing. For investors, excitement can be your worst enemy. Excitement generates headlines; it causes people to be greedy or fearful; it drives volatility and speculation — all resulting in too many people compromising their financial futures. If you’ve been invested over the past 15+ years, you’ve certainly lived through more than your share of excitement. In the
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    On August 15, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Russell 3000 all closed at record highs, welcome news for the average stock investor who has patiently invested for the long-term. But many ask, “Does the fact that a stock market index breaks through to an all-time high closing level suggest that the market is at a precarious level?” It can be tempting to compare a stock market at its all-time high to standing on
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  “Over the long run, the market has provided substantial returns regardless of who controlled” Next month, Americans will head to the polls to elect the next president of the United States. While the outcome is unknown, one thing is for certain: There will be a steady stream of opinions from pundits and prognosticators about how the election will impact the stock market. As we explain below, investors would be well‑served to avoid the temptation to make significant changes to a long‑term investment plan based upon these sorts of predictions. Short-term Trading and
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“The investor’s chief problem — and even his worst enemy — is likely to be himself.” — Benjamin Graham The Intelligent Investor, 1949 The U.S. stock market (measured by the S&P 500) was down more than 5% two days following the historic Brexit vote. Investors sold out of stocks as it seemed the market was on course for a global market correction. Yet, only five trading days later the market was near its pre-Brexit level. I believe the panic was
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  As we approach Election Day on November 8, there will be endless debate, prognostication and media hype. But even before a single vote has been cast, the potential results are already being priced into stocks around the world. While elections do have real consequences and can certainly impact individual companies, in aggregate they tend to be less important than many of the other factors that drive stock prices. How much influence will the next president have on the price
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  It all begins with markets. But what are capital markets? What functions do they serve in our economy and society? By definition, markets allow investors to provide capital in exchange for the potential creation of wealth. In society, markets play a critical role. Here’s how: Investors provide capital and bear risks. In exchange, they receive compensation for taking on risks. This is how wealth is created. Successful investors know that in the real world, not all risks are worth
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    Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a gambler, you probably can answer this question correctly: Are you likely to lose more money placing one $100 bet or 50 $2 bets? If you answered the $100 bet you are right, but what does this have to do with investing? Imagine that we flip a coin. If it comes up heads, I’ll pay you $2; if it comes up tails, you’ll pay me $1. We can play this
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When news breaks and markets move, content-starved media often invite talking heads to muse on the repercussions. Knowing the difference between this speculative opinion and actual facts can help investors stay disciplined during purported “crises.” At the end of June this year, UK citizens voted in a referendum for the nation to withdraw from the European Union. The result, which defied the expectations of many, led to market volatility as participants weighed possible consequences. Journalists responded by using the results
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