Blog

By Colleen Weber

May 2010

 

It seems just as the market is recovering from the worst market drop since the "big one", a number of events occur that could threaten the recovery.  This can make any investor nervous, especially if you were just beginning to get the nerve up to get back into equity investments.  I'd like to reassure you that as these things happen, the market may initially react but then settles down and recovers - often into positive territory.  This has happened in the past - many, many times.  I've included a few charts here to help you keep historical perspective of this type of event and the market reaction.   As always, the key to surviving these events is a disciplined investment strategy that weathers all conditions.  Let me know if you need help to develop a strategy and manage your portfolio to achieve your goals - and help you sleep better at night.  Bottom line:  we've been through this events like this before and continued to save, invest, and move towards our goals.

 

 

 

Kiplinger Investor Emotions Underperform    Oct. 2009

In 2009, I am experiencing a record percentage of new clients that were previously  "do-it-yourselfers" coming in for help with investment management.  They cite the following reasons to now have a financial professional help them:  fear of "messing up" the distribution phase of a retirement portfolio, difficulty managing the emotions and discipline required during these last few years of extreme market volatility, and increasing complexity of tax and investment strategies.  This article talks about the myriad of emotions that can severely disrupt your portfolio management as you "go it alone".  At Colleen Weber CPA, LLC,  I employ a disciplined investment strategy that is planned in advance and managed in a variety of market conditions.  The strategy is time-tested, low-cost, and tied to clients goals.  In times of volatility, it's hard to manage emotions while also managing your life savings.  I can bring that disciplined strategy to your portfolio, which can give you peace of mind during turbulent times.

Bloomberg: Investors Leave Brokers for RIA        Nov. 2009

Here's a recent example of an investor moving away from a transaction-based broker and towards an independent Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Read what he has to say about the objectivity, relationship, and nature of advice investors can receive when their adviser is working for them, not selling them "once-then-done".  One other note:  remember fee-based is NOT the same as fee-only.  Fee-based was "adopted" by the major brokerages firms to confuse financial consumers.  Fee-based typically includes a combination of fees and commissions and is usually associated with a broker that sells in-house investments on commission and charges a fee for financial planning.  Colleen Weber CPA, LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), fee-only and independent - not associated with a broker or mutual fund.

Types of Planners  Nov. 2009

It's confusing and overwhelming to shop for a financial adviser.  Since anyone can call themselves a financial planner or adviser - and spell it adviser or advisor - many types of financial people do use the term.  As always, I think it's important to know HOW your financial advisor is paid and fully understand the conflicts of interest inherent in their compensation method.  As a fee-only advisor, I'm paid only and directly by my clients.  Not by a mutual fund I recommend, not by a brokerage firm that I work for, not by a bank when I sell an annuity -- only by my clients.  This fee arrangement puts me on the same side of the table as my clients.  New clients tell me how refreshingly different this is from previous advisors they've worked with.  They can trust and rely on objective advice in their best interests.