This past weekend, I had the joy of watching the movie The Sandlot with my 7-year old daughter and 4-year old son. My joy came from my kids laughing at all the moments in the movie that I laughed at the first time I saw it 25 years ago. They particularly enjoyed this scene and learning what a “pickle” is... Read More
10b5-1 Trading Plans Going Under the Hood
For busy corporate executives, managing personal finances with the rigors of a demanding job can be a lot to handle. But what happens when requirements from the corporate office directly impact the family finances? In this post we’ll go under the hood to uncover the basics of a 10b5-1 Trading Plan and key considerations when faced with implementing one. What... Read More
Diversifying Your Company Stock: Strategies For Navigating The Benefits of Diversification VS. The Cost of Paying Taxes (Part 1)
For many corporate employees, the accumulation and growth of their employer’s stock over time becomes the source of significant wealth, but with that accumulation and growth the risk that comes along with investment concentration in a single company grows as well. In fact, it is not uncommon at all to review a long-time corporate employee’s balance sheet and find that... Read More
Tuning out the Noise
Interest Rates and Stock Markets “Interest rates are bound to rise.” We’ve all heard this for the last 10 years. And while it may be true, it might not matter for long-term investors. In fact, contrary to popular belief, history tells us that the relationship between interest rates and stock market returns isn’t as powerful as we’ve been led to... Read More
Investing Insights from Golf
Golf is a stupid game. Yet I love it. The late Robin Williams sums it up here in this expletive ridden comedy sketch. My scorecard typically consists of the occasional birdie, a handful of pars, mostly bogeys and a hole or two that never make the scorecard. Needless to say, I'm pretty average. Never one to lose sight of my day... Read More
Preparation for Experience Does Not Equal Experience
A couple weeks ago, I vacationed with my wife and two kids in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was truly a great vacation, and one where upon returning I felt like I had been gone much longer than a week. But one experience in particular stuck with me as it so poignantly differentiated preparation for an experience from the actual... Read More
Rising rates don’t mean you should exit US Bonds
One of the great advantages of being a long-term investor is the luxury of checking out of the daily financial news cycle. Diversification and a long time horizon silences much of the noise. But, whether or not an individual can actually ignore the news cycle and short-term market changes and not react to them is another story. When the news... Read More
Investing Well and Good With Cordant
Though I’m not qualified to give life advice, one thing I’ve learned through the years is that life is all about tradeoffs. For many decisions, the tradeoffs are obvious. Do I join friends for a beer or go for a run along the river? Admittedly, I don’t always make the most prudent decision on this one, but I do understand... Read More
Managing Investment Assets in Retirement: A Proven, Seven-step Framework
How can I optimize my portfolio in retirement? Many people think of investing as a process that answers questions such as “which stock should I buy?” or “which mutual funds should I pick for my IRA?” While these are important questions to consider, the process of choosing the appropriate investments for your portfolio represents only a fraction of the value... Read More
Investment Integration: A Holistic Approach to Managing Intel Retirement Plan Assets
What's the best way to manage my accounts? As an employee of Intel, you have access to a wide number of investment options, accounts, and benefits through your Intel retirement plan. These can be very valuable for your retirement planning and – at the same time – very complex and time-intensive to manage. The fact is, the traditional financial advisory... Read More