Q1 2014 Newsletter

Our 1st quarter newsletter features articles by the whole team. Q1 2014 Newsletter from Financial Synergies Asset Management, Inc

A Surgical Approach to Rebalancing

As we have all experienced, time and repetition can cause us to take for granted things that others recognize as being extraordinary. During the past week, two new clients mentioned how impressed they were with the rebalancing strategy we employ, …

High-Frequency Trading and Long-Term Investing

If you keep up with the financial news outlets, you’ve probably been exposed to the latest debates on high-frequency trading (HFT). In Michael Lewis’ new book, “Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt,” he says that the stock market is rigged. His …

Russia Annexes Crimea: Should Investors Respond?

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 …

Growth vs. Value: Oil & Water?

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 …

Duration Risk: What Bond Investors May Not Know

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 …

Washington, the Economy, and Your Money

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 …

The Market Takes a Breather in January

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 …

What it Means to Be a “Registered Investment Advisor”

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 …

Our 4th Quarter 2013 Newsletter

Q4 2013 Newsletter from Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors, Inc.

The Fund with the Odd Name

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 …

An Affirmation from Morningstar

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 …

Investment Decisions at “Ludicrous Speed”

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: A More Active Approach to Fixed Income

“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 …

Real Estate Fund Swap

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 …

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