Investment Insights Blog | Plancorp | Investment Strategy (8)

In late 2017, I was tasked with building Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) portfolios for Plancorp. To be honest, I was initially less than thrilled; my past experiences with these types of portfolios were not necessarily positive. Read more…

As people across the globe are being told to stay put in their homes, it’s not surprising to see some companies suffering more than others. Our normal routines are turned upside down, and so are our normal consumer spending habits. Read more…

The American Enterprise Institute estimates 91% of American families will receive a check from the US government as part of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. They also expect the average Recovery Rebate check to be $1,729, with some Americans receiving them Read more…

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting virtually everyone in our society, and our hearts go out to all who have suffered first-hand or through friends and family. As a former practicing physician, I cannot help focusing on the plight of our healthcare workers – including nurses, aides, support staff, Read more…

We are facing risks unlike any we’ve dealt with in our lifetimes. Being told you’re in danger triggers all your evolutionary defense mechanisms intended to keep you safe. Unfortunately, none of these instinctive reactions are useful in the arena of long-term investing. Read more…

The wealth management industry can no longer ignore the rise of fintech. Investors have pumped more than $100 billion into the fintech market since 2010—including $6 billion in the first quarter of 2019. Those investments are going toward things like robo-advisors and investment apps that help Read more…

Volatility and risk are part of the stock market experience – it’s why stocks produce higher returns than less-risky assets over long periods of time. We say this often, it’s easy to forget when the market declines. Read more…

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service recently announced that the federal income tax filing due date had been automatically extended from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020.  Saturday’s release updated the notice issued on March 18th that payments could be deferred but not filing.  Read more…

Global stock markets have fallen significantly  in response to the spread of the coronavirus. While market losses of this magnitude are not uncommon, the speed at which the losses have occurred are a bit more unusual. Read more…

A partial Roth conversion is one of my favorite tools to help clients manage their retirement income taxes, so I get frustrated when I see that tool used in the wrong way.  Read more…