Factor | noun | fak·ter | A characteristic or element that contributes to a result or outcome. Forty years ago Vanguard founder, Jack Bogle, created and launched the world's first index mutual fund (the Vanguard 500 Index Fund). This fund, and the many index funds created since, have provided an overwhelming benefit to investors and have recently picked up, even more, momentum.... Read More
Social Security Planning
Whether you’re approaching retirement or already in it, you probably have questions about Social Security and how it impacts your retirement plan. Social Security is as complex as it is important. The income stream can be an integral part of a well-thought out financial plan and the myriad of options often lead to sub-optimal elections by otherwise well-informed folks. Social... Read More
Brexit: Keep Calm and Carry On
Good morning! Chances are you woke up today to news of Britain voting to leave the European Union, and more than one ALL CAPS headline screaming that financial markets are plunging. Here’s some perspective: As of this morning, The S&P 500 index is still up 1% year-to-date US Small-cap stocks (IWM) are up 0.7% YTD Emerging Markets stocks (VWO) are up... Read More
The Very Real Cost of Impatience
I have a bit of a commute and end up spending a lot of time in the car. Despite all this “practice”, I’m still terrible at predicting which lane of traffic is moving best when the all too frequent Portland traffic jam occurs. The left lane is moving, so I cut over only to see the lane I was just in... Read More
The More You Know: Navigating the Financial Transition from Intel [Free Workshop]
“The more you know, the more you know you don't know.” ― Aristotle Intel employees and therefore most of our clients—given our focus on providing ongoing financial planning and investment management to current and former Intel employees—are a sharp bunch. We work with smart people. But, while they know a lot, as Aristotle quips, knowledge makes you more sensitive to and... Read More
“Keep Swimming” and Other Lessons From Intel’s Andy Grove
"Life is like a big lake. All the boys get into the water and start swimming. Not all of them will swim across. But one of them, I'm sure, will. That one is Groff." ~Andy Grove's High School Physics Teacher Andy Grove concludes his memoir Swimming Across, with the line “I am still swimming.” This line perfectly epitomized a life of... Read More
Why You Don’t Need to Keep Up During a Bull Market
Investing is cyclical in nature. There are periods where fear abounds and others when people throw caution to the wind. Sometimes the market goes nowhere and others times it feels like it’s running away without us. This cyclical nature of investing can lead to impatience and frustration. And I think we are currently in one of the most frustrating parts of... Read More
Never Miss an “Extreme Winner” Again
Many people look at Intel, or another wildly successfully company, as justification for a concentrated stock position. By the time of its IPO, an investment in Intel founder’s stock would have returned $2170 for each dollar invested. A fantastic result that fulfilled co-founder Robert Noyce’s vision that all Intel employees, from executives all the way down, would share in the success... Read More
Thriving in Uncertainty
In 1911, two teams set out with hopes of being the first in modern history to reach the South Pole. For one team, led by Roald Amundsen, the trek was a fantastic success. Amundsen and his team reached the pole on December 15, 1911, and safely returned to their base camp over the next 40 days. For the other team,... Read More
Mr. Market
Equity investors over the last two decades experienced two of the worst bear markets in market history. Since March 2009, they have also experienced one of the strongest market rallies in history. Ben Graham, Warren Buffett's teacher, and mentor came up with an allegory that describes this market behavior: Mr. Market. In the allegory, Mr. Market offers you a price... Read More