Welcome to the first of an undefined number of posts focusing on sustainable investing, specifically ESG investing. Over the course of the series I’ll be taking you through the fundamentals of sustainable and ESG investing, how it can be implemented by individuals, the impact ESG investing might have on expected returns and it’s shortcomings, reviewing existing studies on ESG investing,…
Earlier this week, an old Wall Street Journal article made its way across my Twitter feed; the title immediately caught my eye: Most Millennials Don’t See Becoming Millionaires, Study Finds. I’ve shared the article below, but if you don’t have a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, you won’t be able to read it because it’s hidden behind a paywall. Side…
Millennials starting on their financial planning have some tough decisions to make. Do they start saving for retirement, or pay down student loan debt? Do they save $1,000 for an initial emergency fund, or get aggressive and shoot for 3-6 months of expenses? Do they contribute enough for the employer 401k match, or go above and beyond? What about a…
Academic research suggests the foundation for a long term investment strategy is a globally diversified portfolio; statistics show the average investor is holding a domestically diversified portfolio. If the evidence from academic research is so strong, what is the disconnect between the evidence and investor behavior? Most investors suffer from a bias towards investing domestically; in the industry, we call this…
“DIVERSIFICATION MEANS ALWAYS HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY” -Brian Portnoy This is one of my favorite investment quotes, and while I’m not sure who said it first, I am going to give Brian Portnoy credit since I read it in an article he wrote back in early 2015 (link below). As I prepare for upcoming meetings with clients, I can’t…
Recently, Barry Ritholtz wrote an article for The Washington Post that asked a simple question, “Do you need a financial advisor?” I am an avid reader of Barry’s blog (The Big Picture), along with his writings for The Washington Post, Bloomberg and other publications. I’m also a huge fan of what he and his colleagues are doing in the field…
Today we start with a disclaimer: This post is intended to educate readers about an alternative option to traditional health insurance, and it is not a recommendation. CONSULT YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, OR OTHER FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL, TO DETERMINE IF THESE ALTERNATIVES ARE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU. It’s November, which means it’s open enrollment for health insurance coverage in 2017. And…
11/9/2016 @ 12:03 AM It appears Donald Trump is on his way to the White House. It may not be official by the time you read this in the morning; due to how close the race is, I anticipate requests for recounts, which will delay the conclusion to the 2016 Presidential election. But, while we may be waiting for the…
Listen up Indiana Educators: before long, there will be talk in the teachers’ lounge about changes coming to the Indiana Public Retirement System, which TRF became a part of a few years ago. Although well intentioned, the information you get in the teachers’ lounge isn’t always accurate. So here is a breakdown of the upcoming changes:
“While I think that lifestyle inflation is an issue for many people when trying to save, there are plenty of areas where it makes sense to shell out some cash.” – Ben Carlson I often tell clients financial planning is about finding balance–a balance between preparing for long term goals, while enjoying and experiencing life today. The struggle…