Re-balance Cycle Reminder All MyPlanIQ’s newsletters are archived here.
Regular AAC (Asset Allocation Composite), SAA and TAA portfolios are always rebalanced on the first trading day of a month. the next re-balance will be on Tuesday September 1, 2020.
Please note: As of March 1, 2020, we officially phased out our old rebalance calendar for both SAA and TAA. They are now always rebalanced on the first trading day of a month.
As a reminder to expert users: advanced portfolios are still re-balanced based on their original re-balance schedules and they are not the same as those used in Strategic and Tactical Asset Allocation (SAA and TAA) portfolios of a plan.
Fixed Income In A Speculative Era
It’s debatable on whether we are in a bubble. But probably most investors would agree that we are now in a speculative era, given extremely high stock valuation by many well known historical standards and extremely low bond yields.
In this newsletter, we look at the role of fixed income in such an era. Specifically, we will look at our total return bond portfolios and see how they help to navigate through this environment.
Stocks vs. bonds since 2001
Though it’s easier to have an impression that stocks (well, at least US stocks) have done a fantastic job for the past many many years, in reality they have lagged behind our bond portfolio Schwab Total Return Bond for the past 15 years (since 2015) or longer:
Name | YTD* Return |
1Yr AR |
3Yr AR |
5Yr AR |
10Yr AR |
15Yr AR |
Since 2001 AR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schwab Total Return Bond | 7.5% | 10.4% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 8.7% |
VFINX (Vanguard (S&P 500) Index) | 4.8% | 18.4% | 12.6% | 12.1% | 13.7% | 9.1% | 7% |
VBINX (Vanguard Balance (60% stocks/40% bonds) | 6.7% | 14.8% | 9.9% | 9.0% | 9.8% | 7.6% | 6.7% |
AR: Annualized Return. All returns are total returns (dividend reinvested)
So even though you might have heard that stocks are ‘surging’ in many recent headlines, they actually did worse year to date (YTD) than the ‘boring’ bond portfolio. In a longer period, not only both S&P 500 (VFINX) and 60% stocks/40% bonds balanced index fund (VBINX) haven’t bettered the portfolio for the past 15 years or longer, they have suffered from much bigger interim losses (drawdowns).
Furthermore, this portfolio actually did better than most standard allocation portfolios or funds (see some discussions of these famous funds) in most short and long periods:
Ticker/Portfolio Name | YTD Return** |
1Yr AR | 3Yr AR | 5Yr AR | 10Yr AR | 15Yr AR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schwab Total Return Bond | 7.5% | 10.4% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% |
MALOX (BlackRock Global Allocation Instl) | 4.3% | 12.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 6.1% | 6.5% |
GBMFX (GMO Benchmark-Free Allocation III) | -6.0% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 5.3% |
PASAX (PIMCO All Asset A) | -2.0% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
DGSIX (DFA Global Allocation 60/40 I) | 0.5% | 8.3% | 5.4% | 6.1% | 7.1% | 5.9% |
10 year chart: the bond portfolio is just a little bit shy of DGSIX for the past 10 years and better than others:
So the boring one has won the race in the recent history.
Opportunities and pitfalls of fixed income investments in the coming years
Before we go on, let’s hear a joke:
These days anyone can get an “A” on every economics exam simply by answering “Print” for every problem question posed.
— Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) August 10, 2020
How to you solve X? Print.
How do you solve Y? Print.
How do you pay for it all? Print.
Bonus question: How do you deal with the consequences? Print moar.
A+
The above tweet reveals many people’s feeling these days. Indeed, the central banks’ ultra loose monetary policies have driven bond yields to record lows. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve’s open market purchase of corporate bonds is providing a powerful backdrop to enable super easy corporate financing (low interest rates). For example, Bloomberg reported that Ball corp recently sold its junk rated bond at 2.875% interest rate, the lowest rate among all junk bonds in record.
We see the following likely phases going forward:
Phase 1: bond interest rates will remain low and maybe even lower for a while. In the event of a second wave of the current Covid19 pandemic or a deteriorating pandemic induced economy, the Federal Reserve will no doubt further drive down interest rates and do ‘whatever it take’ to prop up the markets.
Phase 2: this might happen or might not (skipped over): the V-shaped economy recovery didn’t materialize and either it goes back down (in this case, stocks will be hit hard) or the recovery becomes a prolonged flat line (high unemployment rate and stagnated growth), in this case, interest rates can only stay low while stocks might do well or might suffer.
Phase 3: A strong recovery eventually happens and stocks might do well for a while (along with bonds, though safe bonds will do less well but junk bonds or risky bonds will piggy back ride on stocks) until we see high inflation. Stocks will then suffer, along with bonds.
If we analyze all of these possible branches of likely scenarios in the above, we’ll find that bonds will have much higher chances (or in more scenarios) to do better than stocks by riding on the loose monetary policies. In fact, bonds will only do worse in a period when inflation is rising at some steady but slow paces and economy solidly grows at a slow but also stead pace (a Goldilocks situation). But even in this case, stocks still have a strong headwind of their extremely high valuation. Also, in this case, it’s easy to exit bonds, especially safe bonds (like Treasuries) and switch to higher risk bonds (junk bonds, for example) or just cash or even switch some to stocks.
The above analysis tells us that even though the popular belief now is that stocks seems to be only alternative in the current ultra low rate TINA environment (TINA: There Is No Alternative (other than stocks)), it’s actually a lot safer and has a much higher degree of certainty to get reasonable returns by focusing on tactically investing in various bond segments. Specifically, we are seeing the following possible opportunities total return bond funds (candidates in our total return bond portfolios) can offer:
- Returns from corporate bonds: as stated, we are already seeing ‘surging’ of corporate bond prices (or lower bond interests) since this March. We believe they might still have further room to rise, especially in the current weak economy. This bodes well to funds like Loomis Sayles total return bond fund or PIMCO investment grade bond fund.
- Returns from foreign bonds: it’s said that many currency traders are betting the US dollar will weaken considerably going forward. If this indeed happens, a good total return bond manager like those managing PIMCO total return bond fund or PIMCO income will be able to utilize these opportunities and invest in foreign bonds whose prices will rise when US dollar falls.
UDN: US dollar bearish ETF. It has risen from its low recently indicating a weakened US dollar.
- In dire economic situations, funds that invest in safer bonds such as agency backed securities (Double Line total return) will do well and probably much better relatively than stocks.
To summarize, the scenarios in the above analysis are just likely situations and they are not bound to happen. However, through some rigorous analysis of these likelihoods, we can see that if we are forced to speculate to derive higher returns (than the current rates and stocks can offer), it might be easier and safer to do so in fixed income using a tactical strategy like the one employed in our total return bond portfolios than investing in more volatile assets such as stocks. As a bonus, this might even turn out to have higher returns than stocks in the coming years.
Of course, the above analysis also reveals that there are still several situations in which stocks can outperform. That’s why it’s important to always have some balanced and necessary exposure to the core assets like stocks and bonds. See June 1, 2020: Minimum Equity Portfolios.
Market overview
We are seeing some encouraging positive developments recently: first, small cap stocks have started to rise more strongly than their larger cap counterparts. This indicates investors’ sentiment change as smaller businesses recover from the pandemic:
The relative strength of small cap stocks is still not strong enough. But if the uptrend momentum continues, small cap stocks would have a lot more room to go.
In addition, the Covid19 pandemic seems to be stabilized and/or improved. Number of Infection cases has started to decline while death rate has improved dramatically from March. Of course, this by no means indicates we are now out of the woods: as more and more businesses reopen, chances of virus spread will increase dramatically. Furthermore, we are now close to a normal flu season and that will complicate the situation. Our subjective opinion on this is that it’s still full of many unknowns and this has to be taken into account in one’s expectation and investment decisions.
Again, we call for patience and emphasize the following:
- For strategic allocation (buy and hold) investors, ignore the current market behavior. Remember, as what we have emphasized numerous times, when you choose and commit to a strategic portfolio, you essentially know and commit that your investment horizon (or the time you need to utilize this capital) is 20 years or longer. As we pointed out, if your investments are those diversified (index) funds such as an S&P 500 index fund (VFINX, for example), you know your money is in some solid ‘business’ that eventually (20 years later) will deliver some reasonable returns. As long as you are comfortable with this thesis, you should sit tight and forget about the current gyration.
- For tactical investors, again, you have to ignore the current market noise. Furthermore, you should follow your strategy rigorously, especially in a time like this. Human emotion, both optimistic and pessimistic, and human desire, both greedy and fearful, are your worst enemies. This has been shown to be true time and time again.
In terms of investments, stocks are somewhat cheaper. Investors should not be swayed by the current market volatility and economic distress, instead, they should stand ready to take advantage of the opportunities. For most Americans, we offer the following Winston Churchill’s remark made in the darkest days of World War II: “The Americans will always do the right thing, but only after they have tried everything else.” As a country, the US (and the rest of the world) will get over this, as always, even after stumbles. The past development has been very supportive to our optimistic long term view so far.
We again would like to stress for any new investor and new money, the best way to step into this kind of markets is through dollar cost average (DCA), i.e. invest and/or follow a model portfolio in several phases (such as 2 or 3 months) instead of the whole sum at one shot.
Enjoy Newsletter
How can we improve this newsletter? Please take our survey
–Thanks to those who have already contributed — we appreciate it.
Latest Articles
- August 3, 2020: Sound Investment Strategies
- July 27, 2020: Total Return Bond Funds Update
- July 20, 2020: Divergence Between Value And Growth Stocks Everywhere
- July 13, 2020: Short Term Cash, Treasury Bills, CDs And Future Fixed Income
- July 6, 2020: Bond ETFs vs. Bond Mutual Funds
- June 29, 2020: Industry Sector ETF Rotation With Composite Momentum
- June 22, 2020: Industry Sector Rotation With Composite Momentum
- June 15, 2020: Advanced Minimum Equity Portfolios
- June 8, 2020: Recent Positive Developments
- June 1, 2020: Minimum Equity Portfolios
- May 18, 2020: Core Satellite Portfolios In The Current Pandemic
- May 11, 2020: Asset Trends Review
- May 4, 2020: The Real, Sensible And Wise Warren Buffett
- April 27, 2020: Total Return Bond Funds & Portfolios
- April 20, 2020: Multi-Factor ETFs and Rotation
- April 13, 2020: A Closer Look At 401(k) Investment Portfolios
- April 6, 2020: Long Term Stock Market Timing Since 1871 Revisited
- March 30, 2020: How Did Bond ETFs And Mutual Funds Fare In The Current Crisis?
- March 23, 2020: Chaos And Hope
- March 16, 2020: A Live Lesson
- March 9, 2020: Risk And Reward
- March 2, 2020: The Risk Of Coronavirus Outbreak
- February 24, 2020: Long Term Stock Valuation Based Investment Strategies
- February 10, 2020: Update On Short Term Cash, Treasury Bills and Brokered CDs
- February 3, 2020: Investment Landscape For Retirees And Would-be Retirees: Stocks
- January 27, 2020: Investment Landscape For Retirees And Would-be Retirees: Fixed Income
- January 13, 2020: Portfolio Performance: A Walk In The Past II
- January 6, 2020: Asset Outlook and Portfolio Strategies
- December 16, 2019: Q&As On Our Services
- December 9, 2019: Portfolio Constructions For Advanced Users
- December 2, 2019: Newsletter Collection Update
- November 25, 2019: Core ETFs or Core Mutual Funds Portfolios
- November 18, 2019: Introducing MyPlanIQ Asset Allocation Composite Strategy
- November 11, 2019: Market Indicator And Momentum
- November 4, 2019: Factor ETF Rotation
- October 28, 2019: Multi-factor ETFs vs. Equal Weight Multi-Factor Portfolios
- October 21, 2019: Multi-factor ETFs: Value And Momentum
- October 14, 2019: Low Volatility Factor ETFs
- October 7, 2019: Zero Commission Era Has Arrived, Is It Really That Good?
- September 30, 2019: Boosting Bond ETF Portfolio’s Return With Muni Bond ETFs
- September 23, 2019: Value ETFs
- September 16, 2019: Factor ETFs
- September 9, 2019: Momentum Factor Stock ETFs
- August 26, 2019: Employer 401k Match: Yet Another Free Lunch Not To Be Missed
- August 19, 2019: PIMCO Income Fund and Other Total Return Bond Funds Update
- August 12, 2019: Aggressive Fixed Income Portfolios?
- August 5, 2019: Long Term Investment Strategies And Short Term Market Noises
- July 29, 2019: Fixed Income Portfolios In A Lower Yield Environment
- July 22, 2019: Core Satellite Portfolios Balance Fluctuation
- July 15, 2019: Quality Stock Factor ETFs
- July 8, 2019: Surprise! Brokerages Make Most From Your Cash, Not Commissions
- July 1, 2019: Utilities Sector Review
- June 24, 2019: Asset Allocation Funds Review
- June 17, 2019: Latest Performance Comparison Among Several Advanced Strategies
- June 10, 2019: Money Market And Ultra Short Term Bond Funds
- June 3, 2019: What We Can Learn From The Seasonality Strategy
- May 20, 2019: Morningstar Portfolio Manager Awards
- May 13, 2019: Total Return Bond ETFs Review
- May 6, 2019: Global Allocation Revisited
- April 29, 2019: Asset Trend Review
- April 22, 2019: The Current State Of Fixed Income
- April 15, 2019: The Importance Of Fixed Income Returns For Retirement Spending
- April 8, 2019: Newsletter Collection Update
- April 1, 2019: S&P 500 As A Business
- March 25, 2019: Health Care Sector Review
- March 18, 2019: The Risk Of Stock Investing
- March 11, 2019: Consumer Staples Sector Review
- March 4, 2019: Global Stock Valuation Update
- February 25, 2019: ‘Bad’ Tactical Strategy
- February 11, 2019: “Best” Balanced Fund And Portfolios Revisited
- February 4, 2019: Cash And Money Market Funds: Interests And Safety
- January 28, 2019: Fixed Income Review
- January 14, 2019: Tactical Asset Allocation Portfolio Review
- January 7, 2019: Global Strategic Asset Allocation Portfolio Review
- December 17, 2018: Robinhood’s ‘Revolution’ Or Gimmick
- December 10, 2018: How Defensive Are REITs?
- December 3, 2018: Conservative Core Satellite Portfolio
- November 26, 2018: Allocation Mutual Fund Review
- November 19, 2018: Is The Recent Downtrend Sustainable?
- November 12, 2018: The Staggering Low Interest Rates From Big Banks
- November 5, 2018: The ‘Right’ Or ‘Wrong’ Decision
- October 29, 2018: Taxable Total Return Bond Plus Muni Bond Fund Based Portfolios
- October 22, 2018: DoubleLine Shiller CAPE 10 Based Fund Review
- October 15, 2018: Newsletter Collection Update
- October 8, 2018: Asset Trend Review
- October 1, 2018: Taxable vs. Tax Exempt High Yield Bonds
- September 24, 2018: High Yield Bonds In A Rising Rate Environment
- September 10, 2018: Value, Growth And Blend Stock Style Investing
- August 27, 2018: Money Market ETFs?
- August 20, 2018: How Momentum Investing Stacks Up?
- August 13, 2018: Total Return Bond ETF
- August 6, 2018: Fidelity Zero-Fee Index Funds
- July 30, 2018: Tax Efficient Portfolios
- July 23, 2018: Municipal Bond Funds And Portfolios
- July 16, 2018: A Guide To Conservative Portfolios
- July 9, 2018: Conservative Allocation Mutual Funds Based Portfolios
- July 2, 2018: Small Cap Stocks For The Long Term
- June 25, 2018: What Can We Learn From GE’s Removal From Dow Jones Index?
- June 18, 2018: The ‘Best’ Balanced Portfolio Continues To Excel
- June 11, 2018: Is 10 Year Long Enough For Portfolio Comparison?
- June 4, 2018: Action Plan: Risk Review For Investments
- May 21, 2018: Rising Rates, Consumer Staples And Stock Index
- May 14, 2018: Newsletter Collection Update
- May 7, 2018: Money Market Fund Taxonomy
- April 30, 2018: Momentum Investing Review
- April 23, 2018: Commodities In Current Environment
- April 16, 2018: Municipal Bonds As A Fixed Income Asset Class
- April 9, 2018: Exponential Or Compounding Nature In Investing
- April 2, 2018: Inside Of The Stock Chaos
- March 26, 2018: Total Return Bond Update
- March 19, 2018: Treasury Bills vs. Brokered CDs
- March 12, 2018: Defensive Conservative Portfolio Review
- March 5, 2018: Warren Buffett’s Advices
- February 26, 2018: Pros And Cons of Strategic And Tactical Portfolios In 2018
- February 12, 2018: Trend Review
- February 5, 2018: Market Selloff And Long Term Investing
- January 29, 2018: The New Addition To Our Total Return Bond Fund Candidates
- January 22, 2018: Where Are Bonds Heading?
- January 15, 2018: Tactical Portfolios Review
- January 8, 2018: Strategic Portfolios Review
- December 18, 2017: Record Highs And Risk
- December 11, 2017: Cash Return And Interest Rate Update
- December 4, 2017: Mutual Fund Star Ratings: Are They Useful?
- November 20, 2017: Thankful And Mindful
- November 13, 2017: Is This A Good Time For Retirees Or Would Be Retirees?
- November 6, 2017: Newsletter Collection Update
- October 30, 2017: Rising Interest Rates
- October 23, 2017: A Primer For Portfolios
- October 16, 2017: REITs As An Asset Class
- October 9, 2017: Conservative Portfolios Revisited
- October 2, 2017: The Role of Short Term Bond Funds
- September 25, 2017: Fees In Cash Investments
- September 18, 2017: Conservative Portfolios Review
- September 11, 2017: International Diversification Effect
- September 4, 2017: Invest And Speculate Revisited
- August 28, 2017: Total Return Bond Fund Portfolios: Where Do They Fit?
- August 21, 2017: Portfolio Performance: A Walk In The Past
- August 14, 2017: Fidelity Commission Free ETFs Update
- August 7, 2017: I Didn’t Learn Anything — Mistake vs. Temporary Underperformance
- July 31, 2017: Asset Classes And Fund Choices: A Primer
- July 24, 2017: Total Return Bond Fund Portfolios And Cash
- July 17, 2017: Long Term Stock Holding Periods For Retirement
- July 10, 2017: Half Year Asset Trend Review
- June 26, 2017: How To Beat The Best Balanced Allocation Fund
- June 19, 2017: Newsletter Collection Update
- June 12, 2017: A Mixed Bag Performance of Momentum Investing
- June 5, 2017: How To Start A New Portfolio
- May 29, 2017: Alternative Assets And Their Role In Portfolios
- May 22, 2017: Summer Seasonality And Portfolio Management
- May 15, 2017: Cash: Banking Or Investing?
- May 8, 2017: Holding Period of Long Term Timing Portfolios
- May 1, 2017: Debate on Risk vs. Volatility
- April 24, 2017: The Long Term Stock Market Timing Return Since 1871
- April 17, 2017: Risk vs. Volatility: Long Term Stock Market Returns
- April 10, 2017: Total Return Bond ETFs And Portfolios
- April 3, 2017: Quarter End Asset Trend Review
- March 27, 2017: Practical Consideration For IRAs And 401k Accounts
- March 20, 2017: Fund Fees: That’s (Still) Outrageous
- March 13, 2017: Long Term Stock Valuation Review
- March 6, 2017: Asset Classes for Retirement Investments
- February 27, 2017: Fidelity Total Bond Fund Review
- February 20, 2017: Long Term Stock Timing Based Portfolios And Their Roles
- February 13, 2017: Alternative Investment Portfolios Review
- February 6, 2017: Tax Free Municipal Bond Investments Review
- January 30, 2017: Brokerage Specific Conservative Portfolios
- January 23, 2017: Fixed Income Portfolio Review
- January 16, 2017: Long Term Trend Following Portfolio Review
- January 9, 2017: Tactical Asset Allocation Review
- January 3, 2017: Strategic Asset Allocation Review
- December 12, 2016: Enhanced Index Funds
- December 5, 2016: Review Of Broad Base Core Mutual Funds For Brokerages
- November 28, 2016: Core Index ETFs Review
- November 21, 2016: International Exposure Of U.S. Large Companies
- November 14, 2016: Asset Trends After The Election
- November 7, 2016: Rising Rate And Current Bond Trend
- October 31, 2016: Economy Power And Long Term Stock Returns
- October 24, 2016: Current Commodity Trend And Managed Futures
- October 17, 2016: Investment Mistakes And Good Or Bad Investment Strategies
- October 10, 2016: Momentum Investing Review
- October 3, 2016: Survey & Feedback
- September 26, 2016: Fixed Income Investing: Actively Managed Funds vs. Index Funds
- September 19, 2016: Stock Investing: Actively Managed Funds vs. Index Funds
- September 12, 2016: Newsletter Update
- September 5, 2016: Overvalued Markets And Long Term Timing Strategies
- August 29, 2016: Your 401K Finally Draws Attention
- August 22, 2016: Inflation Protected Securities TIPS For Current Overvalued Markets
- August 15, 2016: Risk On: Emerging Market Stocks And Small Cap Stocks
- August 8, 2016: Portfolio Construction Using Stock ETFs And Bond Mutual Funds
- August 1, 2016: Adding Value To Your Own Investments
- July 25, 2016: Tactical Asset Allocation Funds Review
- July 18, 2016: Strategic Asset Allocation & Lazy Portfolio Review
- July 11, 2016: Asset Trend Review
- June 27, 2016: Secular Cycles For Tactical And Strategic Investment Strategies
- June 20, 2016: A World of Debt
- June 13, 2016: Managed Futures For Portfolio Building
- June 6, 2016: Newsletter Summary
- May 30, 2016: Swensen Portfolio And Permanent Portfolios
- May 23, 2016: AAII Article And Some Web Changes
- May 16, 2016: The PIMCO (Dis)Advantages
- May 9, 2016: Boost Your Dull Summer Investments
- May 2, 2016: Low Cost Index Fund Investing
- April 25, 2016: Tax Free Municipal Bond Funds & Portfolios
- April 18, 2016: Asset Class Trend Review
- April 11, 2016: Construction of Sound And Conservative Portfolios
- March 28, 2016: Total Return Bond ETFs Review
- March 21, 2016: Small And Large Company Stock Performance In Different Economic Expansion Cycles
- March 14, 2016: Are Tactical And Timing Strategies Losing Steam?
- March 7, 2016: Defined Maturity Bond Fund Analysis
- February 29, 2016: Smart Strategic Asset Allocation Rebalance When Market Trend Changes
- February 22, 2016: Be Cash Smart
- February 15, 2016: Bond ETF Portfolios
- February 8, 2016: Newsletter Collection Update
- February 1, 2016: Total Return Bond Fund Portfolios In A Volatile Period
- January 25, 2016: Alternative Portfolios Review
- January 18, 2016: Strategic Asset Allocation: A Cautious Outlook
- January 11, 2016: Review Of Trend Following Tactical Asset Allocation
- January 4, 2016: What Worked And Didn’t In 2015
- December 21, 2015: Distressed Assets
- December 14, 2015: High Yield Bonds And Their Correlation With Stocks
- December 7, 2015: Diversification And Global Allocation
- November 30, 2015: Investors and Speculators Combined
- November 23, 2015: Active Stock Fund Performance Consistency
- November 16, 2015: Permanent, Risk Parity And Alternative Portfolios Review
- November 9, 2015: Broad Base Core Mutual Fund Review
- November 2, 2015: Broad Base Index Core ETFs Review
- October 26, 2015: Total Return Bond Fund Review
- October 19, 2015: Advanced Portfolio Review
- October 12, 2015: What About Commodities?
- October 5, 2015: Core Satellite Portfolios In A 401k Account
- September 28, 2015: Risk Managed Strategic Asset Allocation Portfolios Revisited
- September 21, 2015: Quest For The Best Investment Strategy
- September 14, 2015: Core Satellite Portfolios In Market Turmoil
- September 7, 2015: Market Rout Creates An Opportunity to Reposition Your Portfolios
- August 31, 2015: Review of Asset Allocation Funds and Portfolios
- August 24, 2015: Market Rout And Your Portfolios
- August 17, 2015: ETF or Mutual Fund Based Portfolios
- August 10, 2015: Updated Newsletter Collection
- August 3, 2015: Slippery Asset Trends
- July 27, 2015: Performance Dispersion Among Momentum Based Portfolios
- July 20, 2015: Global Balanced Portfolio Benchmarks
- July 13, 2015: Pain in Tactical Portfolios
- July 6, 2015: Fixed Income Total Return Bond Funds In Strategic Asset Allocation Portfolios
- June 29, 2015: Core ETF Commission Free Portfolios
- June 22, 2015: Secular Asset Trends
- June 15, 2015: Giving Up Bonds?
- June 1, 2015: Summer Blues?
- May 26, 2015: Cash, Bonds and Stocks In A Rising Rate Environment
- May 18, 2015: Portfolio Update
- May 11, 2015: Pain in Fixed Income?
- May 4, 2015: The Balanced Stock and Long Term Treasury Bond Portfolios
- April 27, 2015: Long Term Treasury Bond Behavior
- April 20, 2015: 529 College Savings Plan Rebalance Policy Change
- April 13, 2015: Total Return Bond Funds As Smart Cash
- April 6, 2015: The Low Return Environment
- March 30, 2015: Brokerage Specific Core Mutual Fund Portfolios 2
- March 23, 2015: Investment Arithmetic for Long Term Investments
- March 16, 2015: Brokerage Specific Core Mutual Fund Portfolios
- March 9, 2015: Newsletter Collection Update
- March 2, 2015: Total Return Bond ETFs
- February 23, 2015: Why Is Global Tactical Asset Allocation Not Popular?
- February 16, 2015: Where Are Permanent Portfolios Going?
- February 9, 2015: How Have Asset Allocation Funds Done?
- February 2, 2015: Risk Management Everywhere
- January 26, 2015: Composite Portfolios Review
- January 19, 2015: Fixed Income Investing Review
- January 12, 2015: How Does Trend Following Tactical Asset Allocation Strategy Deliver Returns
- January 5, 2015: When Forecast Fails
- December 22, 2014: Long Term Asset Returns: How Long Is Long?
- December 15, 2014: Beaten Down Assets
- December 8, 2014: Implementing Core Asset Portfolios In a Brokerage
- December 1, 2014: Two Key Issues of Investment Strategies
- November 24, 2014: Holiday Readings
- November 17, 2014: Retirement Spending Portfolios Update
- November 10, 2014: Fixed Income Or Cash
- November 3, 2014: Asset Trend Review
- October 27, 2014: Investment Loss, Mistakes And Market Cycles
- October 20, 2014: Strategic Portfolios With Managed Volatility
- October 13, 2014: Embrace Volatility
- October 6, 2014: Tips For 401k Open Enrollment
- September 29, 2014: What Can We Learn From Bill Gross’ Departure From PIMCO?
- September 22, 2014: Why Total Return Bond Funds?
- September 15, 2014: Equity And Total Return Bond Fund Composite Portfolios
- September 8, 2014: Momentum Based Portfolios Review
- September 1, 2014: Risk & Diversification: Mint.com Interview
- August 25, 2014: Remember Risk
- August 18, 2014: Consistency, The Most Important Edge In Investing: Tactical Case
- August 11, 2014: What To Do In Overvalued Stock Markets
- August 4, 2014: Is This The Peak Or Correction?
- July 28, 2014: Stock Musings
- July 21, 2014: Permanent Portfolios & Four Pillar Foundation Based Framework
- July 14, 2014: Composite Portfolios Review
- July 7, 2014: Portfolio Behavior During Market Corrections
- June 30, 2014: Half Year Brokerage ETF and Mutual Fund Portfolios Review
- June 23, 2014: Newsletter Collection Update
- June 16, 2014: There Are Always Lottery Winners
- June 9, 2014: The Arithmetic of Investment Mistakes
- June 2, 2014: Tips On Portfolio Rebalance
- May 26, 2014: In Praise Of Low Cost Core Asset Class Based Portfolios
- May 19, 2014: Consistency, The Most Important Edge In Investing: Strategic Case
- May 12, 2014: How To Handle An Elevated Overvalued Market
- May 5, 2014: Asset Allocation Funds Review
- April 28, 2014: Now The Economy Backs To The ‘Old Normal’, Should Our Investments Too?
- April 21, 2014: Total Return Bond Investing In The Current Market Environment