RIA | Financial Planner | Retirement Planning | Korving & Company Suffolk & Virginia Beach

How a stock market slump affects retirees

Because retirees are no longer earning income, they view a decline in their investments with more concern than those who are still working.

Many savers in retirement also focus on a number that represents the peak value of their portfolio and view any decline from that value with concern.

Psychologists refer to this as the “anchoring effect.”

The unfortunate result of this is that it causes them to worry, leading to bad decisions. This includes selling some – or all – of their stock portfolio and raising cash. This makes it more difficult for their portfolios to regain its previous values, especially when the return on cash-equivalents like money market funds and CDs are at historic lows.

The answer to this dilemma is to create a well-balanced investment portfolio that can take advantage of growing markets and cushions the blow of declining markets.

This is often where an experienced financial advisor (RIA) can help. One who can create diversified portfolios and who can encourage the investor to stick with the plan in both up and down markets.

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Are fees really the enemy?

The popular press puts a great deal of emphasis on the costs and expenses of mutual funds and investment advice. I am price conscious and shop around for many things. All things being equal, I prefer to pay less rather than more. However, all things are rarely equal. Hamburger is not steak. A Cadillac is not the same as a used Yugo.

The disadvantage facing most investors is that today’s investment market is not your father’s market. Those words are not even mine; they come from a doctor I was speaking to recently who uses an investment firm to manage his money. His portfolio represents his retirement, and it is very important to him. He knows his limitations and knows when to consult a professional. It’s not that he isn’t smart; it’s that he’s smart enough to realize that he doesn’t have the expertise or the time to do the job as well as an investment professional.

As Registered Investment Advisors, we are fiduciaries; we have the legal responsibility to abide by the prudence rule (as opposed to brokers, who only have to abide by a suitability rule). Some interpret our responsibility as meaning that we should choose investments that cost as little as possible, going for the cheapest option. But do you always purchase something exclusively on the lowest cost without taking features, quality, or your personal preferences into consideration?

As I drive to work each day, I pass an auto dealership featuring a new car with a price tag of $9,999 prominently displayed. I’m never tempted to stop in and buy this car, despite its low price. It does not meet my needs nor does it have the features that I’m looking for in a new car. Why would an investment be any different? Too many investors believe that there is no difference between various stocks, mutual funds or investment advisors. They focus exclusively on price and ignore risk, diversification, asset allocation and quality. People who go to great lengths to check out the features on the cars they buy often don’t know what’s in the mutual funds they own. Yet these are the things that often determine how well they will live in retirement. It’s this knowledge that professional investment managers bring to the table.

People who would never diagnose their own illness or write their own will are too often persuaded to roll the dice on their retirement. Don’t make that same mistake with your investments.

Avoid Self-Destructive Investor Behavior

Charles Munger is Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Munger and Warren Buffett are viewed by many as the best investment team in the country. He provided some excellent investment insight:

“A lot of people with high IQs are terrible investors because they’ve got terrible temperaments. You need to keep raw emotions under control.”

Dalbar, Inc. has studied the returns of the average stock fund investor and compared it to the average stock fund. Over the last 20 years investors sacrificed nearly half of their potential returns by making elementary mistakes such as:

Trying to time the market – thinking you can get out before a market decline and get back in when the market is down. It never seems to work.
Chasing hot investments – from chasing internet stocks in the 1990s to real estate ten years later often leads to financial disaster.
Abandoning investment plans – if you have a strategy, and it’s sound, stick with it for the long term.
Avoiding out-of-favor areas – for some reason, people want bargains in the store but avoid them in the market. Don’t be part of the herd.

Few amateur investors have the training or discipline that allows them to avoid these costly mistakes. One of the most important services that a trusted investment manager can provide is to remain disciplined, stick with the plan, remember the goal and focus on the long term.

For more information about professional investment management visit Korving & Co.

Korving & Co. is a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) offering unbiased investment advice.

Arie and Stephen Korving are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals.

Why roll your 401(k) over when you retire?

According to an article in 401(k) Specialist Magazine, 401(k) providers favor proprietary products. What does this mean to the typical worker? Here’s the bottom line:

“Mutual fund companies that are trustees of 401(k) plans must serve plan participants’ needs, but they also have an incentive to promote their own funds.
The analysis suggests that these trustees tend to favor their own funds, especially the poor-quality funds.”

The article goes on to say that these fund companies often make decisions that appear to have an adverse affect on employees’ retirement security.

The investment industry is, unfortunately, rife with conflicts of interest and bad apples. That is why a prudent investor should work with a trusted investment professional who is a fiduciary. A fiduciary has an obligation to place the client’s interests ahead of his own. As a rule of thumb, a fee-only, independent, Registered Investment Advisor, who does not work for one of the large investment firms that have to answer to public shareholders, and who has access to virtually all investment vehicles, has fewer conflicts.

As we mentioned in a recent article:

A fee-only RIA works for you. Stockbrokers, insurance agents, even mutual fund managers, work for the companies that pay them. They are legally required to work in the best interest of their employers, not their clients. Some of them do try to work in their clients’ best interests, but there can be large financial incentives to do otherwise. A fee-only RIA works only for you. We act in your best interest and use our expertise to allow you to take advantage of opportunities in good markets and weather the bad ones.

This gets back to the original question. Rolling your 401(k) into an IRA with someone who isn’t trying to get you to invest in “poor quality funds,” does not have a conflict of interest, and is legally obligated to put your interests ahead of his own is a good reason to roll your 401(k) into an IRA.

4 Reasons Why You Need a Good Financial Advisor Now

A good financial advisor has a number of roles: planner, investment manager, educator who is willing to teach you about investing, and sounding board with whom you can share your fears and aspirations.

Why is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), a fiduciary who puts your interests ahead of his own, so important now? People often get over-confident during a Bull Market. It’s when the market gets scary that financial professionals really prove their worth.

We have all heard the old sayings about being diversified, buy low and sell high, and stay the course. That’s often harder to do than it looks, especially in trying times such as these, when investor psychology overtakes reason. A financial advisor’s job sometimes involves protecting investors from themselves. And to protect them from all the bad advice that’s out there and from the bad actors in the industry.

The first thing that a fiduciary does is tell their clients that despite what you hear, no one can time the market. There may be some people who are exceptionally good at stock picking, but those rare individuals are not giving away their advice to you on TV, in Money Magazine, or in newsletters; I don’t care what they claim. If they exist at all, they are managing their own portfolios on an island in the Caribbean.
The retail financial services industry has an incentive to sell you expensive products as often as possible. And they are very good at it. Don’t get caught in the frequent trading trap; it’s not to your benefit. A fee-only RIA does not have an incentive to sell you investments to earn a commission.
Investors typically allow their portfolios to get too risky during the good times. When the stock market is going up, it’s too easy to get caught up in the excitement and ignore asset allocation guidelines. A good investment manager will rebalance your portfolio regularly to keep you from running into a Bear Market with a portfolio overloaded with risky stocks.
A fee-only RIA works for you. Stockbrokers, insurance agents, even mutual fund managers, work for the companies that pay them. They are legally required to work in the best interest of their employers, not their clients. Some of them do try to work in their clients’ best interests, but there can be large financial incentives to do otherwise. A fee-only RIA works only for you. We act in your best interest and use our expertise to allow you to take advantage of opportunities in good markets and weather the bad ones.

During volatile markets, we focus on the important things that really matter, not the daily chatter. We keep open lines of communication with our clients, helping them make sense of what’s going on, providing perspective, and helping them distinguish between what’s just noise and what’s a genuine trend. We work hard to control risk and manage portfolios to help our clients maintain confidence in their financial future.

If you want to receive our weekly commentary, view our latest guides, or get a free download of the first three chapters of our book “Before I Go”, or just find out about us, visit us at www.korvingco.com.

Financial Guidance for Regular, Middle Class Investors

As major brokerage firms focus on the multi-millionaire and billionaire clients, the so-called “mom and pop” investor class, those that typically define themselves as “regular” or “middle class,” is getting less love. Yet these are the people who are most in need of financial advice.

If you have, say, Donald Trump’s wealth, you really don’t need much advice on your saving rate… or advice on when to apply for Social Security. You can be sure that Trump has a plan, but it’s not going to focus on retirement.

The middle class needs this. But it’s hard to get unbiased investment and planning advice from the major Wall Street investment firms. That’s where the growing ranks of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) come in.

In many cases RIAs are experienced financial consultants who don’t want to be employees of huge mega-banks pushing proprietary products. They want to do the right thing for their clients; to act as fiduciaries. They want to be able to give truly unbiased advice about the right investments for their clients, not rewarded by a big firm for selling in-house mutual funds or the deal of the day.

RIAs get to know you as individuals. They have access to the latest technology. Many are willing to create a financial plan for you without requiring you to turn your investments over to them.

If you hire them to manage your money they will often save you money by reviewing your estate plan, give advice on how to title your accounts, send tax information to your accountant, and make suggestions for passing your estate to your heirs with the least fuss. All this as part of their over-all service.

If this sounds like something you would like to explore, check out our website, give us a call or come see us. We’re conveniently located in North Suffolk behind the police and fire station on RT. 17.

Are You an "Affluent Worker?"

Forbes magazine recently had an article about some of our favorite clients. They call them the “High Net Worker.” These are people who are successful mid-level executives in major businesses. They range in age from 40 to the early 60s. They earn from $200,000 per year and often more than $500,000. They work long hours and are good at their jobs.

According to the Forbes article, many have no plans to retire. Our experience is different; retirement is definitely an objective. But many have valuable skills and plan to begin a second career or consult after retiring from their current company.

At this time in their lives they have accumulated a fair amount of wealth, own a nice home in a good neighborhood, and may be getting stock options or deferred bonuses. That means that at this critical time in their lives, when they are focused on career and have little time for anything else, they have not done much in the way of financial planning.

When it comes to investing, most view themselves as conservative. But because of their compensation their investments are actually much riskier than they think. It is not unusual for executives of large corporations to have well over 50% of their net worth tied to their company’s stock. Few people realize the risks they are taking until something bad happens. For example, the industrial giant General Electric’s stock lost over 90% of its value over a nine year period ending in 2009. The stock of financial giant UBS dropped nearly 90% between May 2007 and February 2009. These companies survived. There are many household names, like General Motors and K-Mart whose shareholders lost everything.

The affluent worker’s family usually includes one or more children who are expected to go to college. Many of these families have a 529 college savings plan for their children. Most have IRAs and contribute to their company’s 401k plan, but because many don’t have a financial planner they do not have a well thought out strategy for this part of their portfolio.

At a time when many less affluent families are downsizing, many families in this category are either looking to upgrade their homes, buy a bigger home, or buy a second – vacation – home. They may even help their adult children with down-payments.

If you are an Affluent Worker, give us a call and see what we can do for you. If you already have a financial advisor, it may be time to get a second opinion.

How to connect with your spouse about finances

Too many spouses don’t share enough information about family finances. It’s not unusual for one spouse to take care of investments and pay the bills. The other spouse may not be interested or may be too busy. It’s a fact that not everyone is interested in investing, budgeting or banking.

But this can lead to a bad outcome in case of death, divorce or separation. In fact, money is one of the top 10 reasons for marriage breakdown.

Money or anything related to finances can be a possible cause of disagreement between many people – including couples. Married couples, whether they are happy or not, may have disagreements over little financial issues to much bigger shared financial responsibilities or unequal monetary status. Money may not always be the principal cause but in fact is usually combined with other forms of reasons for divorce. In any case, it is still a significant contributor and should be managed with fairness from both sides, mutual understanding and a tiny dose of compromise.

But even couples that are financially compatible should sit down from time to time to review their financial situation. Our books: BEFORE I GO and BEFORE I GO WORKBOOK were written to help people do this.

If there is a difference in the financial mind-sets of a couple, a financial advisor may be able to act as a facilitator to reconcile the differences.

A financial advisor can educate the couple about investing, budgeting and retirement planning. Regular meetings with a couple’s financial advisor provide them with the opportunity to share critical family financial issues, keep everyone informed and help resolve issues before they lead to conflict.

Having a trusted financial advisor in place, one who is already familiar with a couple’s finances, can also help in case you find yourself “suddenly single.”

What to look for when getting financial help

What should you look for when you are searching to financial guidance? Finding the financial advisor that is right for you can be difficult. You want someone you can trust; a fiduciary, someone who will put your interests ahead of his own. In some respects, it’s like getting married because a good relationship is open and long-lasting.
To help you in your search, here are a few things to look for.

Compatibility: like a spouse, you want someone you can talk to and who shares your view of life. If you are not compatible, you will always be on the lookout for someone else.
Philosophy: what is your advisor’s investment philosophy? Is it capital preservation, beating the market, getting a fair return? Is that compatible with what you’re looking for?
Strategy: how does your advisor go about achieving your objectives? Do you understand it? If not, ask more questions.
Experience: how many years has he been in business? Try to avoid having a rookie learn on the job with your money.
Certifications: does your financial advisor have a certificate from the International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners? The CFP™ designation means that he has completed the coursework and passed the test to become a Certified Financial Planner™ certificant.
Affiliation: is your advisor an employee of a large financial firm or is he Independent RIA (Registered Investment Advisor). Employees of large financial firms work for their company, an RIA works for you.
Compensation: how is your advisor paid? Fees, commissions, a combination of fees and commissions? It’s important for you to know this ahead of time.
Reputation: does your advisor have a good reputation in the community? You can also check to see if he has any mark on his record by checking with FINRA.
People like you: does your advisor deal with other people like you? This can make a difference in his understanding of the issues you are dealing with.

Finding a good advisor can make the difference between your financial success and failure. He can keep you from making major investment errors and bring you peace of mind. Twice as many people who get professional advice feel very secure about their financial future as opposed to those who do it on their own. Korving & Company is an RIA whose principals are Certified Financial Planners™ (CFP™). We are fiduciaries who put our clients’ interests first. Our objective is to get a fair return. We have decades of experience. We are fee-only. We are proud of our reputation in the community. Are we right for you? Find out.

Finding financial guidance for the middle aged executive

Let’s imagine that you’re now firmly on your career track. You’re an expert in your field and have a team of experts to manage some of the complexities of life outside of work.

You doctor gives you regular medical check-ups.
Your attorney to reviews your estate plans regularly.
Your CPA prepares your taxes and suggests ways to reduce them.
But there’s something missing ….

You are putting away some serious money and you are getting nervous about market risk so you want to find a good financial advisor. You don’t want a broker who will call you to sell stocks and bonds on commission. You want someone who will create a plan and give you unbiased financial advice. Someone who will manage your portfolio for you – commission free – so that your retirement plans won’t blow up just as you get ready to enjoy independence.

But there’s a dilemma. Just as you feel more comfortable knowing that the pilot on your next flight has spent thousands of hours flying your plane, you want to find a seasoned financial pro who has experience in all kinds of markets. But those years of experience could well mean that he’ll retire before you do! What’s the solution?

Recognizing that continuity is important in a relationship as personal as financial guidance, many advisors have set up teams.

Korving & Company is a good example. Arie Korving has nearly 30 years of experience as a financial advisor. A Certified Financial Planner, he is the author of numerous articles and books on finance and estate planning, he has experience that includes both Bull and Bear markets. He’s seen the investment world from both sides and knows that honesty and experience is what people want in their advisor.

Stephen Korving received his degree in finance from Virginia Tech with a focus on risk management. After graduation he joined Cambridge Associates, one of the country’s leading investment management consulting firms. Cambridge provides guidance to major institutions and the super-rich. A Certified Financial Planner, he teamed up with Arie ten years ago and in 2010 they founded Korving & Company, a boutique RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) focused on providing holistic financial guidance to executives and retirees.

Together they provide decades of experience and a plan to continue to do so for decades into the future. Check them out.

If You Were Widowed Would You Fire Your Husband’s Financial Advisor?

According to an article in Financial Advisor magazine,

Surviving spouses — statistically, wives — have a habit of firing financial advisors. Most sources peg the rate at about 50%, but the advisor-education website says the rate is closer to 70% if you wait a few years for the penny to drop.

Why is that? It seems that most advisors have an “unbalanced advisor-client relationship.” That means the advisor focuses on the half of the couple that seems to be more financially savvy. This results in the surviving spouse, often the wife, not really thinking that the advisor is “her” advisor.

The article goes on to suggest that the advisor “provide basic, nuts-and-bolts financial advice to the surviving spouse.”

At Korving & Co. we go one better. We have written a set of books “Before I Go” and the “Before I Go Workbook” anticipating the issues that the surviving spouse will face.

That’s why when our clients lose a spouse, we rarely lose the survivor. They know that we focus on the family and the surviving widow trust us to take care of her. In fact, we often find that when both husband and wife have passed on, the children come to us to manage their affairs.

For a personally autographed copy of both books, or more information on how we can help you, contact us.

What Rich People Need to Know

I ran across an article at Market Watch titled “Ten things rich people know that you don’t.” It listed the usual things:

Start saving early
Automate your savings
Maximize contributions to 401(k)s
Don’t carry credit card debt
Live below your means
Educate yourself about investing
Diversify
Hire a qualified financial advisor

All of that is something to take to heart when you’re young and just starting in life. But what do people who are already rich need to know?

Lots of people get rich without following the rules. They may start a successful business, enter a highly compensated profession, climb the corporate ladder, win the lottery, become a sports star or inherit a fortune. Once you are rich, the number one objective for most people is to stay rich. One very successful financial advisor with just 28 very wealthy clients said

“People don’t come to me to get rich, they come to me to stay rich.”

That’s the role of a good financial advisor. Their job is to do more than manage their client’s portfolios, it’s to take care that all of the other boxes are checked off: to diversify the client portfolio, to educate the client about investing, to see to it that they live within their means. In many cases they take care of family issues, lifestyle issues; the kinds of things that family offices do.

It’s what we do. It’s what our clients expect.

Have a wealth maintenance question? Contact us.

Tag: RIA