Portfolio Management

A couple of common questions we get during election years are: "What do you think the markets will do if <Candidate X> is voted in?" Or: "How are you positioning the portfolio, because if <Candidate Y> is elected, I’m convinced the economy will struggle?” We’ve even had this occasional request: "Move my portfolio to all cash, because if <Candidate Z> is elected, I don’t want to lose money when the market crashes.” We spent the better part of the years between 2008 and 2016 (when Obama was president) convincing Republicans that it was okay to invest and that the world Read More

When  you’re looking for the right professional to help you manage your money, you come across quite a few different titles. Because we believe that it’s  important to know what you’re getting when you hire someone to provide guidance on your financial life, we’re here to help you sort out the differences as we see them between two commonly used titles: wealth manager and financial advisor.  It’s important to understand that these terms are subjective and can be used to describe those who serve any variety of functions in the financial planning industries.  First, what defines a financial advisor?  The Read More

A financial strategy reboot is recommended from time to time, and right now — with the Coronavirus pandemic throwing everything out of whack — we’ve identified a few smart strategy shifts to help you weather the storm. Here are five things you should consider and discuss with your financial advisor. #1: If you’re in retirement, evaluate cash flow needs for the next 12 to 24 months, and where to source it. In other words, identify specifically which assets in your portfolio would be best to liquidate to provide you with the cash you’ll need. How to know which assets are Read More

“This time is different”:  The past 2 weeks have brought hysteria to global stock markets, concerned over the daily spread of the coronavirus.  The advisors at Ironwood want to provide guidance and leadership during times like these; and to remind our clients the importance of remaining disciplined, by avoiding impulsive investment decisions based upon uncertainty and fear.  During challenging periods investors often operate under the mindset that “this time is different” – which is indeed true. Every stock pullback has been triggered by circumstances which were different than the past, yet the long-term results have remained the same: markets power Read More

When Is the Right Time to Hire a Wealth Advisor?  When you were early in your career and retirement was decades away, “wealth management” may not have been something you thought much about. At that time, you may have been more focused on accelerating your career path and making sure you were making the max contribution to your 401k, along with building a comfortable nest egg. But as you get closer to retirement — within a decade or so — managing your finances and your assets increases in complexity. Let’s face it: There are a number of risks in Read More

Top Financial Terms Every Savvy Investor Knows Investing comes with its own lengthy lexicon of words and phrases. If you’re considering working with a financial advisor or wealth manager, or you just want to brush up on your investment vocabulary, get to know these key terms. This list is by no means exhaustive, but contains several terms that you’ll find useful in understanding your investment and financial picture. Alpha A historical measure of portfolio success, alpha is the excess return expected on an investment above and beyond a market index or benchmark. It can be represented as a single number Read More