25 Aug 2013

Posted at 18:24h in Blogs by
When we shop for a bottle of wine on our own we invariably look to price and shelf location for guidance. Similarly when judging mutual funds for our 401K's on our own, our only guides are return and how they are presented by the fund providers. Return serves as a shortcut grading system of how the fund has fared over the market's recent past.

16 Aug 2013

Posted at 13:30h in The Friday Brief by
About this time each summer it's fun to take a break from the humdrum of economics and investment practices to slow down and remember a simpler time. Travel with me to a place that no longer exists and perhaps never will again, except in the memories of a blessed few. The wonderful thing about growing up at Cape Lookout was

09 Aug 2013

Posted at 14:03h in The Friday Brief by
You've no doubt heard the quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it." You understand that time can be your greatest ally or your greatest enemy depending on how much or how little you have to save. Finally, you've heard that younger people can be more aggressive than older ones when investing in stocks because they have more time to recover from setbacks incurred during significant market downturns. Today we'll share some fascinating aspects of compounding that will surprise and perhaps frighten you.