Posts Tagged ‘Business Manager’
A Trustee’s Duty to Independently Monitor Investment Advisors
Many trustees implicitly trust the investment advisor to whom investment duties have been delegated. They trust that the advisor’s strategy is reasonable. They trust that the return the advisor produced was reasonable given the level of risk that was taken. They trust that the benchmark the advisor is comparing himself against is fairly established. They trust that the advisor’s fees are fair. They trust that the advisor’s representation of being “above average” is supported by facts.
Read MoreIs my investment advisor doing a good job?
It’s difficult to answer the question, “Is my investment advisor doing a good job?” Predictably, all investment advisors report that they are “doing great” and are “above average.” They all provide compelling charts, graphs and benchmarks…
Read MoreIs your client’s investment advisor better than average?
Vanguard vs. Client: The Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund (VSMGX) is (1) well diversified (60% global stocks and 40% bonds), (2) inexpensive (0.15% per year), (3) has a long and successful 20-year track record, and (4) is really big ($15b). How does your client’s moderately allocated portfolio with a similar risk and return profile compare…
Read MoreThe Emperor Has No Clothes
The investment industrial complex does not want you to know how to evaluate its members. If it did you would have easy access to the following data: Each investment advisor would establish a target rate of return that could be measured against in future years. Each investment advisor’s portfolio would be compared to several reasonable…
Read MoreWhen to Fire an Investment Advisor
Question: When, if ever, should a business manager recommend that their client fire their investment advisor? Answer: It will be time for your client to part ways with their investment advisor when, over a protracted period of time, the investment advisor has been unable to accomplish the job they were hired to do. The problem…
Read MoreWhy the “Passive vs. Active” Investment Debate is the Wrong Issue
The investment industry is embroiled in a “great debate” concerning which investment philosophy is best: active vs. passive management. The debate concerns how the building blocks (asset classes) that make up the portfolio are constructed. The raging question is whether investment advisors should use passive index funds and ETFs as the building blocks or whether…
Read MoreInvestment Governance Best Practices for Business Managers (How to Watch the Hen House)
The Problem: You are a business manager(1), and it is either explicitly or implicitly the case that you are responsible for monitoring the activities of the investment managers that have been entrusted with your clients’ capital. (If you are not a business manager or disagree with this statement, stop reading. This paper does not apply…
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