In this video, Mark Gochnour, a VP with Dimensional Fund Advsiors, briefly describes his parent’s investment journey, and how simple advice will help with decisions that can result in a positive or negative investing experience. Mark was on the phone with his mother in February of 2009 when the market was down 50 percent. Mark’s mother told him they were […]
Three Reasons to Have an Estate Plan
Terri Schiavo was 27 when she suffered a cardiac arrest in her St. Petersburg Florida home. It left her with brain damage and in a permanent vegetative state. Two years of unsuccessful therapy followed and Terri’s husband wanted her off life support. This request was met with contempt from Terri’s parents who did not want to lose their daughter. The […]
Finding Your Purpose Isn’t Enough
If you haven’t yet seen the 2017 Harvard commencement speech given by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, it is worth a listen. During the commencement, Zuckerberg implores the class of 2017 to not just find their purpose, but to create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose. Zuckerberg illustrates this by sharing the story of a NASA janitor in […]
Budgeting and Saving Basics
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” This statement by Leonardo da Vinci regarding simplicity has been tested and tried in the financial industry. Tracking expenses and making sure they’re not exceeding income is a foundational component of building wealth. In the book titled “The Millionaire Next Door,” two professors studied millionaires in the United States. They studied what kind of car […]
Client Letter – Q1 2017
During the first quarter of 2017, the best performing asset classes were emerging markets, international small, and international small value stocks. The following chart shows the 3-month, 5-year, and 10-year performance of many DFA funds (representing different asset classes) compared to the S&P 500 Index: Market Returns for the period ending March 31, 2017 DFA Fund / Index 3 Month […]
Quarterly Market Review – Q1 2017
For an in-depth look at the world capital market performance and a timeline of events during the past quarter, here is our Quarterly Market Review: About Christopher Jones Christopher Jones is the Founder and President of Sparrow Wealth Management, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. Before entering the investment field, Chris was a management consultant for Deloitte Monitor. […]
Tony Robbins: Unshakeable
Tony Robbins recently released his latest book on investing and financial planning called Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook. This is a much better book than his first book on investing called Money: Master the Game. In Unshakeable, Robbins addresses topics such as hidden fees, 401(k) plans, and Registered Investment Advisors. He gives specific advice on how to choose a financial advisor, […]
The Complexity Trap
I recently attended TD Ameritrade’s National LINC conference in San Diego. The conference is held for independent Registered Investment Advisors to learn about the latest industry trends and to be inspired by other like-minded advisors. The conference is held in San Diego, California, and bedsides the wonderful weather, I always look forward to the keynote speakers. This year did not disappoint. I […]
New Market Highs and Positive Expected Returns
There has been much discussion in the news recently about new nominal highs in stock indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500. When markets hit new highs, is that an indication that it’s time for investors to cash out? History tells us that a market index being at an all-time high generally does not provide actionable […]
Client Letter – Q4 2016
During the past year, the best performing asset classes were U.S. large value, small, and small value stocks. Emerging markets stocks were next, just ahead of the S&P 500. The following chart shows the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year performance of many DFA funds (representing different asset classes) compared to the S&P 500 Index: Market Returns for the period ending December […]
