REITS provide portfolio diversification

Investors who own a typical stock and bond portfolio don’t have to go too far to find a handy diversifier. Shares of real estate investment trusts are traded on the major exchanges just like any other stock. However, unlike other stocks that represent ownership of companies, REITS offer ownership in commercial real estate. They give shareholders access to a steady […]

How to succeed in retirement: Stocks and 4 percent withdrawals

How to invest a nest egg and what is a safe withdrawal rate are the two biggest questions for anyone in or near retirement. Although the answers are far from simple, a lot of recent academic research continues to shed light and offer guidance to the perplexed. The uncertainties of future inflation, investment market returns, and individual life expectancy can […]

Client Letter – Q1 2010

During the past quarter, we are happy to report that the market recovery that started in March 2009 has continued. U.S. small stocks and real estate investment trusts had the best performance for the quarter, earning about 10% during the last 3 months.  Large U.S. stocks and international small stocks earned about 5% during this time.  Take some time to […]

Worried about the future of the United States? Invest overseas

Many investors are worried about the declining position of the United States in the global economy. The dollar has been on a long-term downtrend, federal budget deficits and international trade deficits keep going up, and the country has lost many of its basic industries to overseas competitors. While disconcerting, these trends offer plenty of opportunity to an investor because their […]

Client Letter – Q4 2009

During the past year, we have seen an amazing recovery from the financial crash of 2008, especially when you look at your investment returns since the low point in March 2009. The following chart shows the 1-year, 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 […]