When we feel sick, we seek modern medicine’s most sophisticated drugs. When we feel financially ill, we want sophisticated hedging techniques. But a balanced diet solves most physical ills and a balanced portfolio does the same for long-term financial well-being. Here’s an article that reminds intelligently of exactly what that means in light of the recent days of investing trauma. Read More…
Bill Gross stands atop a mountain in the investment industry that makes him the most heavily quoted and least-questioned source of information about the bonds, interest rates and even the economy in general. There are good reasons his words are viewed as gospel. The 67-year-old founded Pacific Investment Management Company of Newport Beach, Calif. in 1971, and he now oversees nearly $1 trillion of assets including management of about $250 billion in the Total Return Fund. His performance has been consistently good because he knows what he’s doing. But such heavy reliance on a single source of information seems questionable for financial advisors. RIABiz has been looking around for someone with the knowledge of bonds and of Bill Gross himself to serve as a reality check on the river of opinions that flows from him. Read More…
As the first wave of Baby Boomers turns 65 this year, retirement income is a growing issue for advisors and their clients. The question often comes down to this: What’s the better income producer, a bond ladder or an annuity, and how much will it cost? Read More…
A virtual business model built on best-of-breed technology proves to be the ideal solution for a small subadvisory firm with big dreams. Read More…
Seasonality is a familiar concept when it comes to retail sales. December is always the biggest month, with sales about 20 percent higher than the average month. Its seasonal factor is therefore 1.20; to get the seasonally adjusted figure, divide the raw numbers by 1.20. Read more…