Brent Burns, principal of Asset Dedication LLC, says that BondDesk has made good strides but has the potential to make the bond markets even more efficient.
“ They’ve helped the consumer to not absolutely get killed.” Consumers can buy 10 bonds for not so much higher a spread than what institutions pay for 10,000 bonds, he says. Read More…
To win the battle for income that lasts a lifetime, a growing number of financial advisers and retirees have decided to divide and conquer. Their approach: Split portfolios into separate “buckets” designed to generate income for specific segments of retirement. Read More…
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…