When Volatile Markets Stop You from Moving Forward

Contributed by: Sandra Adams, CFP®

The year 2022 was a historically volatile market, with returns in both the stock and bond indexes ending in negative territory for the first time in many years. While 2023 has been positive year-to-date, we are not without continued volatility and concerns, including a possible recession, tax uncertainties, inflationary concerns, and the continuing military tensions abroad in Russia and Ukraine, amongst others. 

I have a more significant number than normal of clients and prospective clients that seem "stuck" when it comes to making decisions about their money and investments in this market environment, almost appearing paralyzed by fear. The concern is that there could be greater harm in not doing anything in these situations than doing something. Let me explain.

The first situation is clients sitting in cash because that is where they feel their money is "safest." With these clients, as interest rates have begun to rise, they may still have cash sitting in bank accounts earning little to no interest and essentially "losing" buying power, as these dollars cannot possibly keep up with rising costs. Certainly, when markets are volatile, wanting to protect your hard-earned dollars from loss can be a top priority. However, not taking advantage of the rising interest rates on things like money markets, U.S. Treasuries, CDs, and instruments that can help earn extra interest on cash can harm a financial plan's long-term success. A commitment to slowly getting back into the market with a small amount of cash (via a dollar-cost-averaging strategy) can be a great way to ease someone back into a more traditional portfolio allocation once markets become more stable. In doing so, clients can get back on track to keep up with the returns they need to meet their long-term financial goals.

The second situation is clients who were relatively aggressive in their investment accounts prior to 2022 (i.e., in their former employer 401k accounts), and now that their accounts are down, they are afraid to make any changes in the portfolio allocations "until" the market comes back. Again, this is an example of seeming paralyzed by fear. It could take many years for the current account to come back, and the question is, are we in the right allocation for your current situation to be leaving it there? If not, perhaps it is better to move on and reallocate to a more appropriate allocation, or if appropriate, roll the 401k over to an IRA and have someone more actively watch it for you on an ongoing basis.

Positive markets are indeed much easier to invest in and to make decisions around. However, when we have volatile markets, we cannot get stuck and be paralyzed by fear, causing our financial plans to fail in the long run. If you or someone you know is feeling stuck and needs to talk to someone about options, please reach out to one of our financial planners for a conversation. We are always happy to help!

Sandra Adams, CFP®, is a Partner and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® and holds a CeFT™ designation. She specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and serves as a trusted source for national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine, and Journal of Financial Planning.

The information contained in this letter does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Sandra D. Adams, CFP®, and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expression of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that these statement, opinions or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Individual investor’s results will vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Rebalancing a non-retirement account could be a taxable event that may increase your tax liability.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Center for Financial Planning, Inc. is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Put On Your Boxing Gloves: Active v. Passive Management

Contributed by: Mallory Hunt

Tale as old as time? Not quite, but the active vs. passive management debate is a familiar one in the financial industry. An already intense deliberation has turned up the heat a couple of notches during the most recent market turmoil. So which one wins, and how does it affect you and your portfolio? Let’s start with the basics.

Active Management- What Is It?

Active management is an investment strategy in which a portfolio manager’s goal is to beat the market, take on less risk than the market, or outperform specific benchmarks. This strategy tends to be more expensive than passive management due mainly to the analysts and portfolio managers behind the scenes doing the research and frequent trading in the portfolios. 

When the market is volatile (sound familiar?), active managers have had more success in beating the market and those benchmarks. Scott Ford, the president of affluent wealth management at US Bank, claims that “active managers probably do their best work in times like this of market dislocation and stress.” In the first half of 2022, 58% of large-cap mutual funds were beating their respective benchmarks.

Even after the decline throughout the rest of the year, actively managed funds were down roughly 5% less than the S&P 500 over that same period. Much can be said regarding outperforming on the downside, and risk management is one of the potential extras investors may receive with active funds.

And Passive Management?

On the other hand, passive management is an investment strategy that focuses more on mirroring the return pattern of certain indexes and providing broad market exposure versus outperformance or risk mitigation. 

Conversely to active management, with no one handpicking stocks and trading happening less frequently, this allows passive funds to pass on lower costs to the investor and tends to assist in outperformance when put up against active funds in the long term. These funds tend to be more tax efficient and do not typically rack up much in terms of unexpected capital gains bills unless you are exiting the position, giving you control over when the capital gains are taken. In turn, the less frequent oversight provides little with regard to risk management, as investors own the best and worst companies of the index that the fund tracks. 

This easy, cheap exposure to an index has caused an influx of funds over the past four years or so, and we are at a point where passive funds (black line) have actually superseded active funds (yellow line) in the US domestic equity market as evidenced by the graph below.

So, Whose Time Is It to Shine?

As with most things, while both strategies have advantages and disadvantages, the answer may not be so black and white. The question may not be active OR passive, yet a combination of the two; this does not have to be an either/or choice. We have extensively researched the topic and implemented a balanced approach between the two in our portfolios.

Just as the market is cyclical, so is that of active and passive management. Both skilled active management and passive investing could play an important role in your investment strategy. This can be even more applicable after periods of volatility, as investors close in on meeting their investment goals.

In certain asset classes, such as US Large stocks, consistently achieving outperformance for active managers has proven more complicated, and it may make sense to rely more on passive funds. In areas like International stocks and emerging markets, it may be helpful to depend on active management where it has historically proven more beneficial.

When all is said and done, there will never be an exact strategy that works for everyone; the correct mix will still depend on you and your investment goals on a case-by-case basis.

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Source: “Active vs. Passive: Market Pros Weigh In on the Best Strategy for Retail Investors”, Bloomberg News August 2022 

Mallory Hunt is a Portfolio Administrator at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She holds her Series 7, 63 and 65 Securities Licenses along with her Life, Accident & Health and Variable Annuities licenses.

The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of the Mallory Hunt, and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index, and index performance does not include transaction costs or other fees, which will affect actual investment performance. Individual investor's results will vary. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Past performance may not be indicative of future results.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Center for Financial Planning, Inc. is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Finding the Right Asset Allocation

Contributed by: Jaclyn Jackson, CAP®

**Register for our LIVE investment event or our investment WEBINAR on Feb. 23!

Most delicious meals start with a great recipe. A recipe tells you what ingredients are needed to make the meal and, importantly, how much of each ingredient is needed to make the meal taste good. Just like we need to know the right mix of ingredients for a tasty meal, we also need to know the asset allocation mix that makes our investment journey palatable.

Determining the Right Mix

Asset allocation is considered one of the most impactful factors in meeting investment goals. It is the foundational mix of asset classes (stocks, bonds, cash, and cash alternatives) used to structure your investment plan; your investment recipe. There are many ways to determine your asset allocation. Asking the following questions will help:

• What are my financial goals?

• When do I need to achieve my financial goals?

• How much money will I be investing now or over time to facilitate my financial goals?

Seasoning to Taste

Now, suppose equity markets were down 20%, and your portfolio was suffering. Would you be tempted to sell your stock positions and purchase bonds instead? Figuring out an asset allocation based on goals, time horizons, and resources is essential but means nothing if you can’t stick with it. A recipe may instruct us to “season to taste” for certain ingredients. In other words, some things are subjective, and our feelings greatly influence whether we have a negative or positive experience. For asset allocation, understanding your risk tolerance helps uncover personal attitudes about your investment strategy during challenging market scenarios. It gives insight into your ability or willingness to lose some or all of your investment in exchange for greater potential returns. When deciding our risks tolerances, we must understand the following: 

• The risks and rewards associated with the investment tools we use.

• How we deal with stress, loss, or unforeseen outcomes

• The risks associated with investing

Following the Recipe

When we follow a recipe closely, our meal usually turns out how we expected. In the same way, committing to your asset allocation increases the likelihood of meeting your investment goals. Understanding your risk tolerances can reveal tendencies to undermine your asset allocation (i.e., selling or buying asset classes when we should not). Fortunately, there are a few strategies you can employ to help stay on track. 

• If you are risk-averse, diversifying your investments between and among asset categories can help improve your returns for the levels of risks taken.

• If you find yourself buying or selling assets at the wrong time, routinely (annually, quarterly, or semi-annually) rebalancing your portfolio will force you to trim from the asset classes that have performed well in the past and purchase investments that have the potential to perform well in the future.

• If you find yourself chasing performance or buying investments when they are expensive, buying investments at a fixed dollar amount over a scheduled time frame, dollar cost averaging, can help you to purchase more shares of an investment when it is down relative to other assets (prices are low) and less shares when it is up relative to other assets (more expensive). Ultimately, this can lower your average share cost over time.

Finding the right asset allocation for you is one of the most important aspects of developing your investment plan. Luckily, understanding investment goals, time horizons, resources, and risk tolerances can help you mix the best recipe of asset categories to make your investment journey deliciously successful.

Jaclyn Jackson, CAP® is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She manages client portfolios and performs investment research.

This information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and are not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Every investor’s situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment or investment decision. Investing involves risk, investors may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy or strategies employed. Asset allocation and diversification do not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss. Dollar-cost averaging does not ensure a profit or protect against loss, investors should consider their financial ability to continue purchases through periods of low price levels.

Part 2: Are International Equities Dead?

Contributed by: Nicholas Boguth, CFA®

In part 1 of this 2-part blog series, we discussed the importance of diversified investing despite the recent pain that many asset allocations have felt. We're now turning our attention to a key asset class when thinking about diversification…international stocks.

The S&P 500 (U.S. Large Stocks) returned over 14% annualized for the past ten years. The MSCI EAFE (International Large Stocks) returned a "mere" 7% annualized over the same period. 

This run of outperformance from U.S. stocks has been nothing short of astounding. Between the past outperformance and the current geopolitical conflict overseas, you might feel pressure to throw in the towel on international stocks and invest all of your money in the U.S. stock market. Still, we're here to share some perspectives on why that may not be to your benefit. 

My colleague, Jaclyn Jackson, CAP®, Senior Portfolio Manager and Investment Representative, RJFS, shared some research and statistics on the benefits of diversification in a total portfolio. Spreading bets across many asset classes has historically provided a smoother ride for investors and ultimately led to a higher expected value for portfolios.  

The same principle applies within asset classes. History has repeatedly shown that owning many types of stocks, rather than concentrating on one type of stock, may help maximize investors' chances of achieving return goals and limits the chances of major financial loss.

Beyond the timeless lesson from diversification, international stocks are trading at a larger discount to U.S. stocks than we've seen in a long time. History has also shown us that neither asset class has held a permanent premium when comparing U.S. to international. Lower valuations now suggest higher returns in the future, so valuation is a compelling story if you're looking for a reason to stick to your international allocation. 

Chasing performance is a significant pitfall of both novice and professional investors, but rarely leads to improved investment outcomes. The recent, prolonged outperformance of the U.S. stock market may make it tempting to think that the U.S. will continue to outperform indefinitely, but history suggests otherwise. We don't believe international equities are dead, and we'll continue to stick to the timeless practice of diversification in our portfolios.

Nicholas Boguth, CFA® is a Portfolio Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® He performs investment research and assists with the management of client portfolios.

The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Nick Boguth, CFA® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index, and index performance does not include transaction costs or other fees, which will affect actual investment performance. Individual investor's results will vary.

The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Standard deviation measures the fluctuation of returns around the arithmetic average return of investment. The higher the standard deviation, the greater the variability (and thus risk) of the investment returns.

The MSCI is an index of stocks compiled by Morgan Stanley Capital International. The index consists of more than 1,000 companies in 22 developed markets.

The MSCI EAFE (Europe, Australasia, and Far East) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure developed market equity performance, excluding the United States & Canada. The EAFE consists of the country indices of 22 developed nations.

Part 1: Are International Equities Dead?

Contributed by: Jaclyn Jackson, CAP®

This is part one of a two-part blog series. We'll talk about diversification generally in this blog, then zoom in on international equity diversification during the second part of the series.

Amid geopolitical tension and pandemic backlash, equities have taken a beating; bond prices have fallen as the Fed raises rates, and even cash under the mattress is no match for inflation. Looking at our current market environment, I am reminded of the Motown classic sung by Martha and The Vandellas, "Nowhere to Run." For decades, investment professionals have preached the merits of asset allocation and portfolio diversification, but what do you do when it all stinks?

The answer is simple (but the action is hard): Stay the Course! That advice doesn't feel helpful during market turbulence, but honestly, it's the best advice for long-term investors. Let me explain…

Why Diversification Works

Craig L. Israelsen, Ph.D. and Executive-in-Residence in the Personal Financial Planning Program at Utah Valley, did compelling research around portfolio diversification worth reviewing. He compared five portfolios representing different risk levels and asset allocations over 50-years, from 1970 to 2019. While there is much to glean from his research, let's focus on his comparison of two moderately aggressive portfolios (as they most closely resemble the average investor experience):  

• Traditional “Balanced” Fund: 60% US stock, 40% bond asset allocation

• Seven Asset Diversified Portfolio: 14.3% allocation to seven different asset classes (asset classes included large U.S. stock, small-cap U.S. stock, non-U.S. developed stock, real estate, commodities, U.S. bonds, and cash)

In 2019, a year dominated by the S&P 500, the Traditional "Balanced" Fund (having a larger composition of the S&P 500) predictably outperformed Seven Asset Diversified Portfolio. On the other hand, over the 50-year period, the latter had a similar annualized gross return with a lower standard deviation. An investor with a diversified portfolio experienced comparable returns without taking as much risk.

Grounding his research in numbers, Israelsen evaluated a $250,000 initial investment for each portfolio over 26 rolling 25-year periods from 1970 to 2019 and assumed a 5% initial end-of-year withdrawal with a 3% annual cost of living adjustment taken at the end of each year. The Traditional "Balanced" Fund had a median ending balance of $1,234,749 after 25 years compared to the Seven Asset Diversified Portfolio median ending balance of $1,806,565.  

The research illustrates why planners have a high conviction in diversification. The Seven Asset Diversified Portfolio provided risk mitigation (as measured by standard deviation) and supported robust returns even with annual withdrawals.

Stay Tuned

We've discussed the merits of diversification in a general sense. In part two of the series, we'll speak more directly about international equities and explain why we believe it is still a diversifier worth holding.

Jaclyn Jackson, CAP® is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She manages client portfolios and performs investment research.

The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Jaclyn Jackson, CAP®, and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index, and index performance does not include transaction costs or other fees, which will affect actual investment performance. Individual investor's results will vary.

The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Standard deviation measures the fluctuation of returns around the arithmetic average return of investment. The higher the standard deviation, the greater the variability (and thus risk) of the investment returns.

Tax Diversification and Investment Diversification: The Limitations of Asset Location

Contributed by: Center Investment Department

Taxes throughout your lifetime are nearly impossible to predict, so tax diversification is almost as important as the decision to save itself. Taxes are the biggest enemy to retirement and one of your single most significant costs. Therefore, when you are establishing your career, your younger years are the most impactful time to start saving, as shown by the chart below. In this hypothetical example, an investor starting young (Consistent Chloe) has the potential to accumulate far more – teal colored line and ending portfolio value - than a person who waits until age 35 (Late Lyla) – purple colored line and ending portfolio value - to start saving.

Our younger years also offer us a unique opportunity to save in a Roth IRA (tax-free savings) account; however, this is when we are least likely to think of expanding our retirement income options. What if that growth you see in the example above happened all in a tax-free account? This can help you dodge the bullet of taxes later in life.

As we mature in our careers, our income (and tax brackets) naturally increase, and it often becomes more important to invest within tax-deferred accounts. In turn, this gets us tax deductions today that were not always important before.

In our later stages of saving, perhaps when considering early retirement or before social security and Medicare kick in, we would need to start saving into our taxable account buckets to have money readily available for current expenses. This would bridge the gap if accessing our tax-deferred buckets (usually the largest portion of our assets) come with too many strings attached, such as early withdrawal penalties.

So, we know it is important to save and diversify our tax buckets for savings, but are there differences in how we should diversify those asset buckets?

We have all heard that asset location can also be an important tool for diversification. This means placing portions of our investments in certain accounts because of the additional tax benefits that it provides. For example, placing taxable bonds in your tax-deferred accounts to shelter the ordinary income they spin-off or focusing on equities for high growth in our Roth accounts. This makes a lot of sense for someone in the accumulation stage; however, there needs to be even more careful thought applied for someone in or nearing retirement.

There is also such thing as too much of a good thing. Going to extremes and putting all of your bonds in tax-deferred accounts or all of your most aggressive positions in your Roth accounts can lead to some significant shortcomings. Diversifying your investments by tax buckets is important because it gives you the flexibility in any given year to draw from a certain tax profile based on your current situation and cash flow needs. What if you want capital gains only? Take from taxable investments. Need to remodel your house and take a large withdrawal but doing so could push you into a higher cap gains bracket? Take from your Roth. But what if you need to take from that Roth IRA and the markets have corrected 25% that year? In this case, you might be hesitant to take the money out because you want to give it time to experience the rally back that may be on the horizon. You get the picture of where issues could arise. Asset location is a great tool to mitigate taxes, but always be aware that some diversification may always be appropriate in each tax bucket.

It is important to properly diversify on many different levels, and a financial planner can help you do just that. If you have any questions on this topic or others, don’t hesitate to reach out!

The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of Raymond James. While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. Examples used are for illustrative purposes only.

9 Actionable Steps For The New Year To Help Your Finances

Contributed by: Josh Bitel, CFP®

Yes, it’s time to turn the page on 2020 and start anew!  There’s nothing like a fresh calendar to begin making plans for your envisioned future.  We previously provided you with some tips for year-end tax planning in our annual year-end tax letter. Here, we provide you with some very specific and actionable steps you can take now. Ultimately, while no strategy can guarantee your goals will be met, these steps are a great start on improving your financial health in the New Year:

1. Take score: review your net worth as compared to one year ago.

2. Review your cash flow: how much came in last year and how much went out (hint: it is better to have less go out than came in).

3. Be intentional with your 2021 spending: also known as the dreaded budget – so think “spending plan” instead.

4. Review and update beneficiaries on IRA’s, 401k’s and life insurance: raise your hand if you want your ex-spouse to receive your 401k.

5. Review the titling of your non retirement accounts: consider a “transfer on death” designation, living trust, or joint ownership to avoid probate.

6. Revisit your portfolio’s asset allocation:

7. Review your Social Security Statement: if not yet retired you will need to go online – everyone’s trying to save a buck on printing and mailing costs

8. Check to see if your retirement plan is on track: plan your income need in retirement, review your expected sources of income, and plan for any shortfall.

9. Set up a regular review schedule with your advisor: an objective third party is best – but at a minimum set aside time on your own, with your spouse, or trusted friend to plan on improving your financial health.

So, after you promise to exercise more and eat less, get started on tackling your financial checklist!

We wish you a wonderful New Year!

Josh Bitel, CFP® is an Associate Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® He conducts financial planning analysis for clients and has a special interest in retirement income analysis.

The Single Most Important Investing Decision

Contributed by: Nicholas Boguth

Unsurprisingly, I think investing is fun. This is one of the reasons I’ve chosen a career in investment management. With that being said, my career is only 6 years in. Is it possible that I only think investing is fun because the stock market has hit a new all‐time high every single year of my career? Do stocks ever fall? Why even own bonds that pay 2% coupons?

With the decade being over, and the S&P 500 rising almost 190% over the prior ten years, it seems like a good time to remind ourselves of a few key investing principles.

• Stocks are risky. Their prices can fall.

• Bonds are boring, but they have potential to help preserve your portfolio.

• Asset allocation is the single most important investing decision you will make.

Asset allocation in its simplest form is the ratio of stocks to bonds in your portfolio. More stocks in your portfolio means more risk. More bonds in your portfolio means more potential to balance out the risk of stocks. As financial planners, one of the first decisions we’ll help you make is the decision of what asset allocation is most likely going to lead to your financial success.

Take a look at the drawdowns of a portfolio of mostly stocks (green line) compared to a portfolio of mostly bonds (blue line). Stocks may have roared through the 2010’s, but no one has a crystal ball to tell us what they will do in the 2020’s. This chart is a good reminder of what stocks CAN do. Be sure that your portfolio is set up to maximize your chance of success no matter what stocks do. If you are unsure about your current portfolio, we’re here to help.

Source: Morningstar Direct. Stock index: S&P 500 TR (monthly). Bond Index: IA SBBI US IT Govt Bond TR (monthly).

Nicholas Boguth is a Portfolio Administrator at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® He performs investment research and assists with the management of client portfolios.

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Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. The IA SBBI US IT Government Bond Index is an index created by Ibbotson Associates designed to track the total return of intermediate maturity US Treasury debt securities. One cannot invest directly in an index. Past Performance does not guarantee future results.

Implementing Your Asset Allocation

Contributed by: Center Investment Department

At Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®, one of our core investment beliefs revolves around utilizing a strategic asset allocation. We believe there is an appropriate mix of assets that can help investors meet their goals based on well-established and enduring asset classes. This can vary over time depending on your objectives and evolving markets. Finding the right combination of these asset classes and allocation to each plays a pivotal role in managing risk and aiding in ensuring stabilizing returns. In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed the purpose of asset allocation and how to determine the proper asset allocation.  Now let us wrap up this subject with a hypothetical example of the implementation.

Below is a chart of a financial plan overhaul.  You can see there is quite a difference between the current allocation and a recommended allocation.  The current allocation (in blue) is overweight US Large Cap stocks and International Large Cap stocks while underweight the bond asset categories that we define as Core Fixed Income and Strategic Income.  The financial plan takes into consideration any outside accounts like 401k’s, insurance, and/or annuity products to truly understand an entire investment portfolio and determine a suitable asset mix. This helps keep a client within their volatility comfort range as well as on track to reach their return expectations over the long haul.

Source: Morningstar

The recommendation involves selling some of the positions that fall within the overweight asset classes while adding to the underweight bond asset classes.  The end result should be a portfolio with less risk which can be important leading into those early years of retirement if returns had been excellent in recent years it would be important to have a careful eye toward taxes and work with a CPA to construct a tax efficient strategy to divest some of the risk. 

If you are unsure how your asset allocation stacks up, seek out a financial planner so they can assist you in developing an appropriate strategy tailored to your unique needs.

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These asset allocations are presented only as examples and are not intended as investment advice. Actual investor results will vary. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. Although derived from information which we believe to be reliable, we cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information above. Any information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Investments mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Any opinions are those of Angela Palacios and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Investing involves risk and asset allocation and diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss. 1. Core Fixed Income includes: U.S. Government bonds and high quality corporates 2. Strategic Income includes: Non U.S. bonds, TIPS, high yield corporates and other bonds not in core fixed. 3. Strategic Equity includes: REITS, hedging strategies, commodities, managed futures etc. Large cap (sometimes "big cap") refers to a company with a market capitalization value of more than $10 billion. Large cap is a shortened version of the term "large market capitalization. Smaller mid caps, which are defined as those that fall below a certain market-cap breakpoint, and "small plus smaller mid caps", which include both companies considered small-cap and the smaller mid-cap companies. Mid caps are typically defined as companies with market caps that are between $2 billion and $10 billion. Mid-cap stocks tend to be riskier than large-cap stocks but less risky than small-cap stocks. Small caps are typically defined as companies with market caps that are less than $2 billion. Many small caps are young companies with significant growth potential. However, the risk of failure is greater with small-cap stocks than with large-cap and mid-cap stocks.

Under the Hood: Investment Allocation for 529 Savings Plans

Contributed by: Matthew E. Chope, CFP®

As many parents and grandparents know, 529 plans can be a wonderful strategy for families to help build college tuition savings for their children.  Not only do the plans benefit students, but they also carry advantages for the account creators or donors. The student can potentially enjoy tax-deferred growth with federally tax-free distributions if used for qualified educational expenses. Advantages to the donor include complete control of the account, high contribution limits, and no age restrictions or income limitations to inhibit investing.  It’s no surprise that 529 savings plans have become popular savings vehicles.

Have you ever wondered how 529 college savings plans are invested to meet time-sensitive tuition expenses? 

Age-based investment funds make this challenge easily manageable.  The graph below shows the glide path of equity allocations for 529 savings plans at various ages of the beneficiary from 2010 to 2013.

• Generally, 80% of the portfolio is invested in equities at age 0 and reduces to 10% by the time the beneficiary is enrolled in college.

• Since 2010, plan investment managers have become more conservative in the beginning (age 0) and end (age 19) stages of plans.

• Investment managers have become 6-7% more equity aggressive during ages 5-15 to meet tuition goals.

To meet tuition needs within 18 years, the graph reveals that investment managers are becoming more aggressive during the middle of a student’s investment time horizon, but they are also growing more cautious about preserving money closer to the end of the student’s investment time frame.  Interestingly, the graph also reveals that investment managers still rely on bonds as one of the safest places to preserve money (90% of the portfolio by age 19), despite the negative reputation bonds have received in our current rising rate environment. 

The glide path is designed to allow for an outcome with minimal surprises to all investors, no matter the economic environment when it’s time for college.  Some cycles will end on a poor note with markets crashing, while in other times markets will be soaring as students begin to tap the funds.  Ultimately, the guide path is designed to gradually reduce investors’ risk and exposure to market disruptions in the final years of saving, when investors are closest to needing the money they’ve worked so hard to save.  

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses associated with 529 plans before investing. This and other information about 529 plans is available in the issuer's official statement and should be read carefully before investing. Investors should consult a tax advisor about any state tax consequences of an investment in a 529 plan.

As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state.

Matthew E. Chope, CFP ® is a Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® Matt has been quoted in various investment professional newspapers and magazines. He is active in the community and his profession and helps local corporations and nonprofits in the areas of strategic planning and money and business management decisions.

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The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Raymond James.