We are living in a time where our existence is more exposed than we’ve ever known. Our emails, names, phone numbers, personal pictures, and other personal data are associated with everything we do.
According to bankrate.com, the average savings account earns a disappointing 0.06%. But many online savings accounts are paying closer to 1% which is over 10 times the national average. That might not sound like much to get excited about, but …
A prerequisite for investing is optimism about the future. After all, if you don’t believe that things will be better tomorrow than they are today, there would be no reason to squirrel away your money. It can be difficult at …
As a client of Financial Synergies, you’ve undoubtedly heard us use the terms “growth” and “value”; they are even included in the names of some of our funds, and are strategies we utilize in your portfolios. Growth and Value are …
As Mike Booker mentioned in the Q4 newsletter, we think bonds still deserve a place in most portfolios. After all, bonds are ultimately one of the greatest diversifiers an investor can own. Historically, conservative investors have allocated large percentages of …
On April 1st, 2014, Financial Synergies will welcome Greg Valliere, Chief Political Strategist for the Potomac Research Group, to a special client event at Willie G’s in Houston. With over 30 years of experience covering Washington, Greg focuses on the …
After a year like 2013 stocks deserve a little breather, and that’s exactly what they got in January. Stocks (S&P 500) ended the month down -3.5%, while bonds (Barclays Aggregate Bond Index) posted a 1.5% gain. Last year stocks were …
When I was home over the holiday break, my father asked me a very important question about why we are different from other large brokerage firms. I simply responded with an impatient answer: “We are an RIA, Dad.” At that …
When first mentioned in client meetings, the Merger Fund sometimes elicits looks of confusion or curiosity from its name alone. It doesn’t sound like the other names in your portfolio, and it doesn’t act like them either. It’s considered an …
Morningstar announced last week their selections for their 2013 Fund Manager of the Year awards. We were pleased to learn that Dan Ivascyn and Alfred Murata, managers of the PIMCO Income fund, were selected as Fixed-Income Fund Managers of the …
Riding in the elevator this morning, a fellow passenger commented on how quickly the year had flown by for her. Every year about this time, I find myself having that conversation regularly. I’m sure you do as well. Indeed, each …
“Low for Longer” is Blackrock’s investment theme heading in to 2014. The Low for Longer tag line is their way of expressing a forecast of tepid economic growth, easy monetary policy and, consequently, low interest rates. Investment catchphrases such as …
In the spirit of the holidays, I’ve decided to get a head start on my New Year’s Resolutions: “I resolve to write every day, learn the guitar, and teach myself conversational French.” Now, lofty goals are my specialty, but the …
Yesterday we sold our long-term real estate holding, JP Morgan U.S. Real Estate (SUIEX) in all of our clients’ accounts. We’ve replaced it with Cohen & Steers Institutional Realty Shares (CSRIX). Since we first bought the JP Morgan fund in 2000 …
While visiting BlackRock’s New York offices on a due diligence trip in October, Bryan Zschiesche of Financial Synergies had the opportunity to interview Brian Miller, CFA, Portfolio Specialist for the BlackRock Global Allocation fund. The Global Allocation fund is a …
At a recent event, I was introduced to a book called Living to 100. The book explores many of the factors that contribute to longevity and is based on research performed by the New England Centenarian Study. As you probably …
Chart of the Month | Stocks vs. Bonds: More Choices for Investors as Bond Yields Rise