Podcast: Bulletproof Your Portfolio

Okay, nothing is totally bulletproof, because when it comes to investing there are zero guarantees! However, there are numerous ways you can help yourself succeed as an investor. This week we take a look at a few changes that just might make your plan more resilient than it is currently so you can succeed in reaching your goals

What's Your Required Return?

If you know what your savings goals are you should know the return it's going to take to get there. Your required return is that seemingly magic number that compounds your wealth from where to stand today to the goal you've been dreaming about. However, you need to know if that required return is practical, achievable, and fitting with your temperament. It's also an all-important factor in figuring out your investment allocation.

Not even at the point of having written goals and a plan to get there? Well, then maybe it's time for a LIFE Plan to get your goals on paper and develop a roadmap to get there.

Temperament Vs Requirement

We hear a lot about risk requirement when advisors and financial gurus talk about investing. But, what if risk requirement isn't everything? In fact, what if you're too conservative of an investor for the goals you desire. Or, what if you're far more aggressive than your goals dictate? We'll break down a few scenarios and what investors might consider in each.

Stocks and Bonds

It's common knowledge that stocks and bonds often move opposite of each other. In fact, this is one of the reasons investors typically split their portfolios between these two assets classes. But, what happens when this relationship changes? Like a bad date, something's gone awry lately in this typically quiet relationship. During the recent volatility in the stock market to start this year, we've seen both stocks and bond prices decline. We'll consider some of the reasons this might be occurring, what it means for investors' portfolios, and what we're doing here in response.

Is Gold Shining?

Much of the economic data we've seen lately seems to point to demand and prices picking up across the economic spectrum. If this trend continues to hold for any length of time, inflation may be just around the corner. This is one of the key reasons we've been looking at investments such as materials and gold lately. We'll break down why we're allocating into this shiny metal and our plan for it from here.