WrapManager's Wealth Management Blog

With much fanfare and a great deal of press, legendary bond investor Bill Gross shockingly announced his resignation from PIMCO on September 26, after 43 years with the company. Known as the “Bond King” for his track record managing the $222 billion PIMCO Total Return fund, Gross was leaving the company he helped found in 1971 and that he grew into a $2 trillion behemoth.1 Whatever the reasons behind his departure, it gives investors good reason to ask an important question: when the portfolio manager leaves a fund, should you remove your investments from the fund? The four considerations outlined below will help answer this important question. [+] Read More

We are fortunate to have a brilliant CFA here at WrapManager, Doug Hutchinson. At our weekly staff meetings, he has been testing our abilities with financial quizzes. These are great tests of your investment knowledge. Good luck! Scenario: ETF A has an expense ratio of 0.05% ETF B has an expense ratio of 0.20% Assume ETF A and ETF B track the same index and both track that index perfectly. So if the index returns 5%, then ETF A will return 4.95% (including the expense ratio) and ETF B will return 4.80% (including the expense ratio). Assume the index returns 5% a year for each of the next 3 years. Manager A invests $10,000 in ETF A at the start of Year 1 Manager B invests $10,000 in ETF B at the start of Year 1 What is the difference in wealth accumulation (in dollar terms) between Manager A and Manager B after 1 year? After 3 years? [+] Read More

Dividend money manager Brookmont Capital’s third quarter commentary provides a few tips that they recommend to their clients during quiet or volatile markets. “The chart of the Dow Jones’ price history clearly indicates periods of volatility and sharp declines. It also shows periods of dramatic upward performance. We have become so focused on short-term performance that we only see a lot of trees and not the forest. If you step back and look at the graph, the forest becomes obvious and the trees fade into the background. We understand investor angst. This is your life savings and your retirement. The following bullet points are what we recommend to our clients when the markets are volatile or quiet. The rules never change.” Download Brookmont's Full Commentary Here Get Free Research Reports on Brookmont Capital Management [+] Read More

How do you know whether your financial advisor has your best interest in mind or is simply doing just enough to fulfill their basic duties? This is an important question to ask yourself because the security of your future depends on your retirement lifestyle planning, investing, and wealth management strategies. While you take care of the many different aspects of your life, your financial advisor can help look after your future. This is one of the many advantages of hiring a financial advisor. But not all financial advisors act as fiduciaries, putting your best interest at the forefront of investment decisions. Your retirement plans may not be as safe as you think if you have put your trust in a financial advisor whose motives are unclear or who is incentivized to recommend certain financial products. Our new eBook, Your Guide to Finding a Better Financial Advisor, can help you understand the very important question above: how do I know whether my financial advisor has my best interest in mind? And how can you find a better financial advisor? [+] Read More

Mistakes in your retirement plan can have a big impact on your future retirement income. The good news is that there are relatively simple solutions to these kinds of mistakes. The key is to identify these mistakes before they’ve had time to become problems. Once you’ve identified them, you can take the appropriate measures to get back on track. In fact, using your financial advisor as a sounding board and involving your loved ones can help fix the following 6 common retirement mistakes. A Do-It-Yourself Mentality Many investors have a knack for taking care of themselves, whether it’s installing a new bathroom floor or investing on their own, but this do-it-yourself mentality can backfire when it comes to your retirement investment plan. [+] Read More

Here are WrapManager's Top Equity Money Manager Picks for the final quarter in 2014. Selected by our Investment Policy Committee, the report highlights certain money manager strategies for investors to consider. Download the report to learn more about: Risk-Managed - Newfound Research LLC Dividend Equity - Brookmont Capital Management Multi-Cap Growth - ClearBridge Investments Small Cap Growth - Granite Investment Partners International Equity – Cambiar Investors [+] Read More

Since the mid-1980s interest rates have been declining1 and have now remained low for the past few years. These low rates have made it challenging for many investors to generate the retirement income they need to reach their retirement goals. However, a recovering economy could suggest the possibility of rising interest rates by the Federal Reserve. [+] Read More

Part of planning for the end of the calendar year includes a thorough review of your investment plan. One of the problems that many people face is discovering they may have not paid as much attention to investment planning as they originally thought. While the stock market has stayed fairly strong through most of 2014, it may still be a good time to re-evaluate your portfolio, especially if your goals have changed and you have yet to adjust your investment plan. Here are a few topics to cover with your Financial Advisor before year end. [+] Read More

You've finally hit the wonder years. You no longer have to pull the sheets back early in the morning to head off to work, and best of all, if hitting up the greens for a nice round of golf on a Tuesday is what you feel like doing, then that's perfectly okay. Here's a quick look at a few tips that can help your money last longer in retirement. Pay Close Attention to your Withdrawal Rate Now more than ever, having a budget and sticking to it will be of the utmost importance. If you withdraw more than your investment plan calls for, you'll find yourself dwindling down your retirement savings more quickly than anticipated. [+] Read More