We are midway through this investor education series. Let us take a look back at investment topics covered to date. Core concepts, including risk, investment return, compounding, and portfolio diversification.
Keys to creating a strong investment foundation, including: Investor Profiles, Target Asset Allocations, Asset Classes, Mutual and Exchange Traded Funds, and Passive versus Active Management.
Plus, advice on finding a competent financial advisor should you want one to assist in your investing efforts.
Finally, a look at what we will review moving forward.
In looking back, we covered many of the core investment concepts. Understanding these will make you a better investor. Then we began the actual investment process. Building a strong foundation to create an effective and efficient investment portfolio.
Investment Risk
Understanding risk is crucial to investing. Risk, as a general concept. Your risk tolerance as an investor. The different types on investment risk. And how to measure risk when assessing potential investment option. In this section, we cover:
What about mean versus median returns? Geometric versus Dollar-Weighted? How do investors create risk-adjusted return calculations to compare unlike investments?
Compound Returns
The power of compounding can greatly impact portfolio growth over time. In this section, we cover:
What are compound returns? Why are they crucial to investing success?
Does “income on income” really create the bulk of wealth accumulation?
How does the relationship between time, investment risk, expected return, and funding work?
Portfolio Diversification
Diversification is an investor’s primary tool to minimize investment risk. In this section, we cover:
Why is diversification the key tool for investors to manage portfolio risk?
Does a “wide variety of investments” really create a diversified portfolio?
What are asset correlations and correlation coefficients? How do they play a role in proper diversification?
Investor Profile
Your unique Investor Profile should lay the groundwork for your entire investment plan. Yet it is an area that many investors ignore or under-emphasize. In this section, we cover:
Another important topic for investors, is whether they should actively invest. Or simply purchase index funds and passively participate in the markets. In this section, we cover:
Investing actively often means relying to some extent on investment professionals for support. What types of investment professionals do investors use? Either directly or indirectly.
Working with a competent financial advisor may also be an underlooked key to successful wealth accumulation. Not because they will find you the best investments. More so, as a partner to help create your Investor Profile and Target Asset Allocation. Then to assist in building an effective and efficient investment portfolio. In this section, we cover:
Okay, that is a look back on what we have covered to date. A fair bit of information. But you can see how we are working to create building blocks for a strong investment foundation.
And the Path Moving Forward
Moving forward, we will focus on constructing and maintaining your investment portfolio. One that will meet your financial objectives over the long run.
Portfolio Construction
We discussed asset allocations and potential investments. Now you need to start investing. In this section, we will cover:
How to construct an investment portfolio? How do all the parts fits together to develop an effective and efficient portfolio that meets your needs?
Another investing topic is on how to fund your investments over time. That tends to be the “Lump-Sum investing versus Dollar-Cost-Averaging” debate. There are pros and cons to both approaches.
Portfolio Maintenance
Once the portfolio is established, how should it be maintained over time? In this section, we will cover:
Should investors actively trade in their accounts?
Or might it be preferable to maintain a “Buy and Hold” strategy?
The “Active versus Buy and Hold” is somewhat like the “Active versus Passive” debate. But with a few key differences.
Portfolio Reviews and Rebalancing
Finally, investment portfolios should be reviewed and periodically rebalanced to the target allocation. In this section, we will cover:
How to monitor the portfolio over time?
What review tactics might be utilized?
What are the keys to investment portfolio reviews?
What portfolio benchmarks to incorporate for reviews?
What should be the timing of reviews?
When should you rebalance an investment portfolio? And how?
Should you also review and update your Investor Profile and Target Asset Allocation? If so, how?
Perhaps less volume in the second half, but still lots of investing issues to cover. I hope that you enjoyed the first half. And that you learn some useful tips in the coming months.
Do you prefer to listen and watch your wealth management commentary?
If so, I am setting up many of my investment education blog posts as vidcasts on YouTube. Hopefully, in short enough time spans so that an episode may be easily consumed in one sitting.
Over time, I plan on using this channel for interviews with professionals in investing or other relevant industries. Where we discuss and debate wealth management topics of interest.
Investing basics, but also more complex wealth management issues. Specialized investment areas such as pensions, private equity, and wind farms. Topical issues such as FinTech, cryptocurrencies, and ESG.
Please check out the channel. I hope it adds some value in improving your wealth accumulation knowledge.
Since we began this journey in 2017, we have covered the key investing concepts: risk and return; asset correlations and diversification; compound returns; core asset classes.
Understanding these concepts is the most important part of long-term investing success, yet the area most neglected.
Over the next quarter or two, we will begin looking at issues relating to building your investment portfolio. The lump sum versus dollar cost averaging debate. As well, trading strategies. Should you be an active trader? Or should you just buy, throw the certificates in a lock box, and hold forever? Or somewhere in between? We will also revisit alternative ways to acquire new investments, such as Dividend Reinvestment Plans.
Should be an interesting upcoming quarter or more.
I started this “Wealth Management Commentary” in January of 2017.
The goal was to create building blocks of knowledge. To better understand the key concepts behind investing. The more you learn about wealth management, the wiser decisions you will make, and the more long-term success you will achieve.
I want to quickly review what we have covered to date. As that sets the foundation for what we will build on in 2019. I will link to a few posts, but best to go through the “Categories” section on the lower right hand side of the page.
In early 2017, we looked at finding a Financial Advisor. Obviously, I am a tad biased, but I do think working with a competent professional can add value to your wealth accumulation. We reviewed how to assess a potential advisor’s qualifications, experience, and service offering. As well, the difference between Commission and Fee-Only advisors.
With risk and return covered, we turned our attention to the core asset classes. Cash, fixed income, and equities.
I think, for a variety of reasons discussed within, that the majority of most investors’ portfolios should consist of open end mutual or exchange traded funds. So we spent a good amount of time on each investment.
Plus or minus, that is what we have covered over the last two years. A lot of posts, yes. But I think we built nicely on the core investment concepts.
If you understand investment risk, return, diversification, compounding, and the active versus passive debate, you will become a better investor. Not to mention, knowing these concepts will greatly aid in what is to come.
In 2019, and possibly beyond, we will look at ways to properly build and assess investment portfolios. Incorporating the above key concepts into definitive actions. Topics such as, creating investment policy statements. Developing a suitable and unique target asset allocation. Selecting investments that fit your target allocation to create well diversified, efficient, and effective investment portfolios. Then, once the portfolio is in place, how to review and rebalance over time.
We have set the table with key investment concepts and definitions. Moving forward we will try to bring it all together.
Welcome to the “Wealth Management Commentary” page.
I shall leave this post “sticky”, so please scroll down for newer content.
I intend to write on a variety of investment and wealth topics. That cover specific issues in some depth and hopefully in layman’s language. I shall start with core concepts to set the building blocks. Then progress to more advanced topics.
The goal is to assist you develop a better understanding of wealth management and make you a better overall investor.
I recommend you begin with the oldest posts, then work your way chronologically back through the articles.
Why the Commentary?
My objective in writing is two-fold.
One, create building blocks of knowledge, so that you better understand wealth management and investing. The more you learn about wealth management, the wiser decisions you will make, and the more long-term success you will achieve.
Two, provide this information in clear language that does not require an investment degree to understand. And I hope in a manner that offers interesting reads.
I do not think investing is an overly difficult subject. However, the wealth management industry does a great job complicating the subjects within. My goal is to try and clarify the issues for investors who spend their days consumed with their own careers, families, and social life. Not having to become investment professionals themselves.
No sales pitches nor self-promotion from me in these posts. I do cover these topics with my clients, as I believe knowledgeable clients makes my work easier. But I am not using these posts to garner new business. Just a way to give back and improve financial education. So no pesky email follow-ups, nor subscriptions or secret handshakes required.
Structure and Format
Topics covered will be general in nature. Investors are unique. Your personal circumstances may lead to different decisions than another investor. We are building a knowledge base in these articles. So that you may better understand the process and properly communicate with your financial advisors. We are not making specific investment recommendations.
When starting out, I recommend beginning with the oldest posts and work back. The articles and subject areas tend to build on each other in order. For example, risk and return, followed by asset classes, then asset allocations, etc.
Each subject builds on the previous ones. Reading chronologically will make the knowledge flow much easier to follow.
Keep Updated on New Content
You can stop by this Wealth Management Commentary page periodically to check for new content. I hate having to subscribe to websites, so I do not do that on my own sites.
Or you can find any new content when posted via Twitter or Facebook.
On Twitter, I often tweet quick thoughts on current events. I also retweet and comment on interesting wealth management links from other parties. Tweets update on my Facebook page.
There is some excellent information out there. If I think it adds value to readers, I shall pass it on via Twitter or Facebook. To stay up to date, please feel free to follow me at either medium.
Thanks and best of success as you work to improve your investment knowledge.