Are Your Investment Returns Good or Bad? Do you know how well your investments are performing? Do you know the quarterly and annual rate of return? What about how well your investments are performing when compared with a standard benchmark? Ever since a friend asked me to look over her investments and tell her if she’s doing well I’ve wanted to help investors answer this question; “What are my investment returns?” Most individuals don’t know if their investment returns are good or bad. Even i…

A Subjective View of Top Investment Analysts and Investment Managers  “It is impossible to produce superior performance unless you do something different from the majority.” – John Templeton Best investment analysts who think outside the box. Indexing is popular, but not the only path to wealth. Active investing approaches may pay off at this stage in the bull market. Whether an active investor is lucky or skillful is only determined after decades of hindsite.

Asset allocation is a cornerstone of creating a diversified investment portfolio. “Asset allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio’s assets according to an individual’s goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. The three main asset classes – equities, fixed-income, and cash and equivalents – have different levels of risk and return, so each will behave differently over time,” ~Investopedia.com After you choose your asset allocat…

Empower Your Investing: Adopting Best Practices From John Templeton, Peter Lynch, and Warren Buffett  I regularly receive free books to review and unfortunately, can’t study every title that arrives. But Empower Your Investing – Adopting Best Practices From John Templeton, Peter Lynch, and Warren Buffett by Scott Chapman, is unique. It reads like a biography and offers invaluable investment guidance. The book is scrupulously researched and and delves into the inner workings of three of the gr…

Why Contribute to a Health Savings Account? A health savings account may be the best kept investing and health-related secret. Yes, you may use your HSA account for medical expenses. However, if used strategically, this account can also grow your wealth—tax free—and/or lower your taxes as you contribute. Plus, an HSA has magnificent investment potential. How do HSA’s Work? To take advantage of the power of an HSA, decide if you’re eligible to open an HSA. Next, learn the contribution limits a…

When and how much to allocate to speculative investments? If passive investing is the right strategy, is there room for any active investing?