Investment Management
Should You Invest In DFA Funds?
Should you invest in DFA funds? The author brings to light the difference between DFA’s Morningstar ratings and their performance. 
Greg Phelps – Accredited Investment Fiduciary
Greg Phelps, CFP, CLU, AAMS the President of REDROCK WEALTH MANAGEMENT has earned is Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation through Fi360.
What Does A Winning Streak Tell Us
Bill Miller at Legg Mason had a stellar track record for over a decade, yet as with most active managers – he too fell from grace.
FINRA Warns Investors About REITS
Chasing yield can be a dangerous game for investors. FINRA recently warned investors about REIT securities which may be largely illiquid and very confusing investments for retirees.
Living With Investment Portfolio Volatility
Volatility can be scary, frustrating, and nerve-wracking to say the least. It can lead to fear, and fear is a very dominant emotion. But making financial and investment decisions based on fear can be disastrous to your financial health.
Reality Show for Investors: “Survivor”
A recent article by DFA Funds Weston Wellington illustrates the folly of searching for the “next big thing” to invest in. The fact is, chasing the next big thing may seem attractive, and sure some will be the next big thing – but for how long? Innovation will consistently pressure the mighty companies of the world to remain atop of their game.
Dimensional Funds Client Presentation (Powerpoint)
Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA Funds) Client Presentation in powerpoint. Markets work, risk and return are related, diversification is key and investment portfolio structure determines performance.
Questions to ask your financial advisor (NAPFA)
NAPFA questionnaire helping consumers understand truly comprehensive financial planning. Encompasses the fiduciary oath, compensation, and regulatory compliance.
RetireWire Special Report – August 2011
This RetireWire Special Report went out to all clients of REDROCK WEALTH MANAGEMENT clients the second week of August, 2011 in light of massive market volatility and global financial concern. The Special Report puts the news headlines in perspective, and attempts to calm frayed investor nerves.
FINRA Warns Investors about Chasing Yield
Investors chasing return through floating rate bond funds, leveraged products, high yield funds and other structured notes may find themselves holding the bag at the end of the day.
If GOLD is SO GREAT…
If gold is such a great investment, why is it marketed like ShamWow?
Warren Buffet’s take on gold as an investment
Is the gold bug really rational? Buffet says: “You could take all the gold that’s ever been mined, and it would fill a cube 67 feet in each direction….
DFA Dimensional Fund Advisors “Eliteness”
I’ve been working with DFA Dimensional Fund Financial Advisors for 9 years now. It’s an exceptional company that doesn’t allow just anyone investment access.
Market Outlook vs. Investment Philosophy
Market outlooks are counterproductive to a long term plan whereas an investment philosophy is a more fundamentally sounds approach to investing.
Inverse Relationship: Bond Prices and Interest Rates
Bond prices drop when interest rates rise, and vice versa. Many investors who are piling into longer term bond mutual funds and positions may see their holdings drop in massive proportions, like stocks did a couple of years back!
The Worst Time To Invest
Just more proof that as humans we’re simply NOT wired right to be good investors.
Risk Tolerance Profile Assessment
Risk profiling is an art more than a science. Without a real meaningful conversation about risk and volatility, a proper portfolio can’t be built, and surprises are sure to present themselves at portfolio review meetings.
What you can spend vs. what rate of return?
What’s more important to you – your rate of investment return or what you can spend? At the end of the day rat of return is arbitrary, the real issue is what you can afford to spend throughout retirement.
Individual 401k Contributions and Rules
Individual 401k plans can be a great retirement planning tool for self employed individuals.
Investment Management – Active Management vs. Passive Management
Active investment managers fail far more often than not in trying to beat their peer benchmark index, so we utilize passive investment funds in our client portfolios, and focus on portfolio construction over index competition.
Everything But Bonds
The equity markets have soared for two years now. That doesn’t mean we can extrapolate any positive or negative into the future based on the past. Investment performance in the short term is just that – SHORT TERM. Focus on the long term, focus on the plan. Success will follow.
Microloans and Microcredit – Investment in a Global Economy
Microloans (or microcredit) are granted to those with aspirations of starting up a small or home based business (both in the U.S. and impoverished countries alike).
Morningstar Mutual Fund Star Ratings – Achievement NOT Aptitude!
Morningstar mutual fund star ratings are an achievement test, not an aptitude test. The truth is, making decisions based off fund star ratings is like driving while looking in the rear view mirror – IT CAUSES A LOT OF ACCIDENTS!
Survivorship Bias in Mutual Fund Investing
Index funds and DFA mutual fund investment options clearly have a performance advantage, but even more substantial that performance advantage would be if there weren’t the real phenomena of survivorship bias.
The Current Stock Market Aftershock
David Booth from Dimensional Fund Advisors explains a bit about stock market returns in real dollars. While he talks about the “lost decade”, I think it’s really more of a “misplaced decade”.
What next plus new site map
There’s never a shortage of fear factors out there to worry about. The crisis du jour is everpresent, and always worrisome. What matters is how we let that fear and concern affect us with our investment decisions.
Stock Market Index – What to know…
A brief article on stock market index information.
DFA Fund Advisors – Deconstructing Berkshire Hathaway
Dimensional Fund Advisors Weston Wellington’s takes on Warren Buffet’s annual letter to shareholders.
Market Timing the Market Timers
It’s harder to time the market timers than it is to time the market! Why not just have the right strategy in place ALL the time, one that works for YOUR situation!
Tulipomania – Learning from Market Bubbles of the 16th Century
Tulipomania was perhaps the most notable historic market bubble. At one point you could nearly furnish a small home and feed your family for a few tulip bulbs. We’d all be well served learning from financial and investment mistakes of the past.
Does Monetary Expansion Stoke Inflation?
The recent monetary expansion policy the Federal Government has implemented has caused a great deal of anxiety regarding future inflationary pressures. But, does monetary expansion necessitate hyperinflation?
Inverse ETF’s – Exchange Traded Funds
Information on leveraged and inverse ETF’s and how tracking error affects their performance over multiple reset periods.
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS – Down to the Wire
Courtesy of Weston Wellington at Dimensional Funds, small caps outperformed by a nice margin yet it took patience and turning a deaf ear to the talking heads to reap the benefits.
Index Annuities Aren’t What They’re Cracked Up to Be
Indexed annuities, as with most variable annuity products, are sold – NOT bought. Rarely do consumers go looking for annuities, rather they’re pitched to consumers much of the time as silver bullet investments.
