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 …
“Is now a good time to start investing?” It’s a simple question, but it’s almost impossible to answer because it requires a market prediction. Most people agree that trying to predict the market is impossible, but it’s human nature to …
Financial Synergies teams up with J.P. Morgan in a speaker-event with Andres Garcia-Amaya, Global Market Strategist, J.P. Morgan Funds. The event was held at the Hofheinz House, in Houston, TX on September 4, 2013 at 6pm. See below for some …
The situation in Syria has gone from bad to worse over the last few weeks. The U.S. and allies are preparing for a possible military strike against President Assad’s regime in a country that has been torn apart by a brutal civil war. …
Remember 2008? Some of us kept our eye on the ball and maintained our long-term investment plans. Others panicked and went to cash, thinking that it would protect them from downside risk, and waited until the market “normalized” before they dove back …
Aaron Tippin is a country music artist that rose to fame in the early 1990’s. I was a teenager when his debut single was released, “You’ve Got To Stand For Something”. It became a popular anthem for Americans as we …
One of the toughest parts of my job as a financial advisor is experiencing the passing of a long-time client. Comforting a grieving family and helping to guide heirs through the account transfer process that follows is both challenging and …
What 7% Mortgages Mean for Housing and the Economy