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What Should Your Financial Advisor Be Doing in a Volatile Market?

Unless you live under a rock, you know we’re no longer in a bull market. I have spoken with a lot of people whose portfolios are down 20, 30, or even 40 percent. Ouch.

Working with the wrong advisor or getting in over your head trying to manage your own investments might be costly.

So, “What should my financial advisor be doing for me?” Well, let’s look at some strategies that work for my clients.

  1. Diversification

Forget the simple 60/40 approach. If your portfolio hopped on that bandwagon, chances are you’re suffering a hefty loss. Bonds are nearly down as much as stocks this year. (If we head for extended volatility and high inflation, stocks and bonds alone might still struggle.)

Your advisor has to come up with something more (and something you might not be able to do yourself). Liquid investments that have the potential to earn returns regardless of stock and bond bull and bear markets.  Commodities, even select active strategies, might play a role to anchor your investment portfolio.

We take a strategic approach to hedge, preserve, and grow principal over time.

  1. Exclusive Investments

Large firms with billions of dollars often overlook niche investments that might provide positive returns less correlated to traditional investments. Niche investments have limited capacity for large new investments.  Responsible managers of these strategies understand they need to keep their promise to existing investors and not compromise their investment process with a glut of new clients.

Working with an advisor like us might give you opportunity for diversified investments not accessible to most investors.

  1. Tax Planning

In the past, tax optimization strategies were saved for elites. Now, it’s more accessible to those with portfolios between $1-10M.

Active management in a volatile market can keep you invested with long-term investment goals and potentially provide tax savings (versus just sitting on various positions that go up and down).

Simply holding a bunch of mutual funds in taxable accounts potentially sticks you with someone else’s tax bill from prior years.

Skillful use of different investment toolkits allows us to harvest tax losses for you.  We also seek ways to minimize taxes even when you do have to take capital gains.

 

It’s been a choppy year, and I fear it’s far from over. If your investment approach isn’t working, it’s time for a new one.

You need an advisor who will fight for you and your future. My team is ready and happy to help.

Give us a call to schedule a free consultation.

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