Investment Strategy (4) Resources

CPAs are an important part of the investment process.  Besides the valuable tax planning and financial planning expertise that they offer, many CPAs are involved with their client’s investment decision making.  Besides understanding their tax situation, a CPA can recommend appropriate financial solutions that can fit both their particular taxation and investing circumstances.

Investors often believe that they cannot obtain proper diversification within their investments without paying a significant amount in investing fees such as upfront mutual fund sales charges and ongoing internal expenses.  However, the advent of technology-driven investing has allowed investors to create a properly diversified portfolio at a relatively inexpensive cost.  Best of all, this does not necessarily come at the expense of traditional human interaction and service.

529 plans are an excellent way to save for college.  However, there are alternative investment platforms that can complement these college savings plans.  These investment vehicles can act as an avenue of exposure to alternative assets that may not be available inside a 529 plan.  Furthermore, these investment vehicles can potentially act as a hedge against risks in the 529 plan. 

When investing for retirement, investment fees should not total a significant portion of your retirement portfolio.  Fees assessed on qualified retirement plans add up, especially for plans for smaller employers.  The 401k and the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) have become the retirement savings vehicles of choice, but these accounts all charge fees or other expenses that eat into returns.

Part of a successful investment methodology is generating positive investment results in multiple market conditions. In today’s investment world, investors need to look beyond the traditional bull market and bear market. Investors also need to consider what we at 4Thought Financial Group define as the “Wolf” and the “Eagle” portions of market cycles.

Gaining exposure to low-correlation diversifying investment methods by the conventional route – direct subscription to Hedge Funds and Private Equity Limited Partnerships – is fraught with difficulties. Such investments require accredited investor status; lack of transparency with respect to strategies, underlying investments, and performance reporting; high fees (usually an asset based fee and a percentage of gains); low liquidity, lock-up periods, infrequent redemptions, and surrender charges; and ongoing capital commitments (with private equity) that may be difficult for clients to meet. But there are alternative routes to getting exposures to the strategies and risk premiums employed by Hedge Funds and Private Equity.

We consider ourselves advocates for the idea of systematic savings and investment, and we have developed focused proprietary strategies to potentially maximize the benefits of this process for our investors.

Professionals often make the mistake of not working and planning alongside the heirs of their clients. Not exploring the wishes of both clients and their children not only causes miscommunication in the development of a plan that efficiently transfers assets but also may displace the professional relationship in the future.

Financial professionals are starting to grasp the power of technology as a tool to manage client assets. A savvy financial professional will not only utilize technology but will develop a corresponding investment methodology and strategy behind it.

Investment professionals can utilize specialized Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) as a way to mitigate the risk of their clients. SMAs can be customized by investing in certain securities or certain strategies. They may, for example, wish to screen for equities or fixed income and invest according to a selective or opportunistic strategy.