Gaining Perspective

If there was a word of the year for 2021, it would be “transitory.” Ever since the Fed declared that inflation would be transitory in March 2021, analysts have challenged that assertion and, indeed, have questioned the definition of transitory. Inflation has broad ramification for financial plans, since it affects interest rates, the price of assets and whether cash flows will be sufficient to keep pace with rising prices of goods and services.  Here to discuss that question is James Montier, the co-author of two recent commentaries on the likelihood of transitory inflation and how investors should protect against various outcomes.

Diversity initiatives are being prioritized now more than ever—just a few weeks ago, the SEC approved Nasdaq’s board diversity policy. My guest today is here to discuss diversity and inclusion within the financial planning profession as well as the efforts the CFP Board’s Center takes to increase diversity within the profession. 

The Thornburg Global Opportunities Fund (THOAX) is a concentrated, focused portfolio that invests in 30 to 40 securities. Brian McMahon and his co-portfolio manager, Miguel Oleaga, utilize a flexible approach seeking intrinsically valuable companies not fully recognized by the broader market through bottom-up, fundamental research. The fund recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, and for the 15-year period ending July 31, 2021, Thornburg Global Opportunities Fund has a top percentile ranking in the Morningstar World Large-Stock Blend category among 81 funds based on total returns without sales charge.

We published an article in late September, Pay Attention to Marginal Tax Rates and Not Tax Brackets, that highlighted how the analytic framework for providing retirement income planning advice can be improved.  It focused on three decisions that investors sometimes need to make: (1) whether to convert funds this year from a tax-deferred account (TDA), like a 401(k), to a Roth account; (2) whether to contribute this year to a TDA or a Roth account; and (3) how to tax-efficiently withdraw funds in retirement, where withdraw is interpreted broadly to include Roth conversions.  The author of that article is with me today to discuss how advisors should approach those decisions.

With so much change in the RIA custody space and more options than ever to choose from, this is a good time to rethink the core pieces of your business. It is time to be proactive and weigh your options in light of the changes across the custodial industry. Doing nothing and staying put at your current custody provider might be the best strategy. But we are here to learn how to perform due diligence on different options.

Direct indexing has gathered a lot of buzz in the headlines and for good reasons; this advancement makes it possible for advisors to customize their clients' portfolios down to the individual security level. Direct indexing offers tax efficiency benefits and granular customization that ETFs can't match. But there's a tradeoff; it's not as accessible, requires account minimums, and is more work for investors to manage. Rahul Sen Sharma is here to discuss whether direct indexing has bright future, or whether ETFs will remain the preferred vehicle given their ease-of-access and hands-off management.

Seeking income with Treasury yields at rock bottom levels and investors enduring widespread dividend cuts this year presents a daunting challenge. The HNDL ETF was created to address this challenge, and to meet the cash flow needs of its investors. It is a target distribution strategy that leverages a modern portfolio theory approach focused on risk-adjusted returns to deliver steady cash flow to investors while maintaining the principal over the long-run.

As a financial advisor, you must be there for your clients during hard times and address challenging topics head on with them. The approach you should take depends on the relationship you have with the client and the style of advising that resonates with them. In this podcast, Corey Schmidt will discuss how to approach clients when a difficult conversation is necessary and why it’s important to prioritize those conversations. He will give us examples from his own client relationships.

New Age Alpha is an asset manager that takes existing investment universes and makes them better…by providing ETFs, SMAs and tools that avoid the losers. It has re-engineered active stock selection through a systematic and repeatable process that seeks to provide uncorrelated returns without additional risk.

The Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund seeks to invest in companies whose products and services are providing solutions to global challenges. So, it’s unsurprising that Tesla (transforming the automotive sector), Moderna (unlocking a new paradigm of medicine) and Safaricom (providing connectivity and access to financial tools in Kenya) are all holdings. But when I saw that it owns a semiconductor equipment manufacturer (ASML) and semiconductor manufacturer (TSMC), it piqued my curiosity.