Investment Help

If you are seeking investment help, look at the video here on my services. If you are seeking a different approach to managing your assets, you have landed at the right spot. I am a fee-only advisor registered in the State of Maryland, charge less than half the going rate for investment management, and seek to teach individuals how to manage their own assets using low-cost indexed exchange traded funds. Please call or email me if interested in further details. My website is at http://www.rwinvestmentstrategies.com. If you are new to investing, take a look at the "DIY Investor Newbie" posts here by typing "newbie" in the search box above to the left. These take you through the basics of what you need to know in getting started on doing your own investing.

Seminars




Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find the best way to own common stocks is through an index fund that charges minimal fees.  Those following this path are sure to beat the net results (after fees and expenses) delivered by the great majority of investment professionals.

        -Warren Buffett, 
         Berkshire Hathaway chairman and legendaryAmerican investor, 
         Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 1996 Shareholder Letter

The purpose of my seminars is to give people specific, actionable information to guide them in managing their investments in today's challenging markets.

I begin with a basic framework of how to look at and manage assets holistically.  I discuss how to minimize investment costs, how to ensure assets are well diversified, and how to determine an appropriate asset allocation.  I emphasize the difference between the accumulation phase and the so-called de-cumulation phase where a retiree is drawing a paycheck from his or her nest egg.  I emphasize the importance of paying attention to investment fees and the location of investments.  Understanding the importance of locating investments appropriately can save investors hundreds of dollars.  I will talk about ways to increase the yield on your portfolio and when it is appropriate to consider a single-premium immediate pay annuity.  Most investment advisors--even fee-only, registered advisors--will not tell you about this approach (even though they are fiduciaries) because their main source of revenue is managing assets.

In this seminar, I discuss a specific approach on how to manage assets and show specific applications using online tools.  This approach has been supported by people such as Warren Buffett, Charles Ellis, Burton Malkiel, John Bogle, and many others.  It is the antithesis of the typical WallStreet/advisor high-fee, high-turnover commodity type of approach.

Some of the questions I address are:
  • am you saving enough to reach  retirement goals?
  • how do you determine the percent to invest in bonds and stocks?
  • how do you structure the bond portion of your portfolio?
  • how do you choose funds in your 401k?
  • should you rollover your 401k from a previous job?
  • how do you allocate assets to minimize taxes?
  • why are goals important in structuring assets?
  • why do the pros prefer exchange traded funds over mutual funds?
  • what does it take to successfully manage your own assets?
  • what are the best books and online resources to help the do-it-yourself investor?
If your organization would like me to give a talk, please email me at robert@rwinvestmentstrategies.com or call me at 443-896-4123.

Upcoming Presentation

Thursday 4/23/2013 
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR 401K and OTHER INVESTMENTS

Retirees and young investors alike are in the same boat - they are responsible for getting on the right road for retirement. Whether they choose an advisor or manage their own investments they will be better off learning what many of the most respected practitioners and thinkers in the field believe. This presentation will examine this thinking and show  how to create a well diversified, low cost portfolio that academic evidence shows has outperformed high cost professional portfolios over the long run. This presentation focuses on evidenced based investing.

7 - 8:30 pm at the Howard County Library System's Miller Branch, Ellicott Room

Thursday 6/20/2013
Online Book Discussion - Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned In School by Andrew Hallam
  
This is a face-to-face meeting to kick start an online book discussion of Millionaire Teacher. The online program will cover a 2 month period where we cover one chapter/week. A blog will be set up where participants can comment, ask questions, and answer discussion questions. This discussion will be of interest to those entering the labor force as well as those with investment experience. Hopefully parents and their children will participate and use the low key course as an avenue for discussing this all important topic. There will be plenty to learn by young and old alike. 
  
7 - 8:30 pm at the Howard County Library System's Miller Branch, Ellicott Room 

Thursday 11/13/2014 
Low Cost Index Fund and Dividend Investing

This seminar/workshop will look at these two approaches to investing as well as go over a worksheet to ascertain that individuals are on proceeding to build a nest egg at the appropriate rate. The presentation will present ideas for those building a nest egg as well as for those living off of their investments. 

7 - 8:30 pm at the  Howard County Library System's Miller Branch, Ellicott Room