We define volatility composure as a combination of past experiences and behavioral patterns that describe how an investor typically reacts to changes in the market value of his or her investments as well as overall changes in the value of the stock market. How will the individual actually behave–as opposed to how they think they will behave–when the stock market goes haywire (as it is doing now for the first time in quite some time)? …
What would you say are your greatest strengths? Weaknesses? Think back on the last few job interviews you had for a moment. How many of them included these generic, broad questions? They’ve been handed down through generations of well-meaning hiring managers, but because they don’t relate to specific requirements for the job (other than if the job requires narcissism or self-deprecation) and they’re not tied to a specific aspect of a job (i.e., strength …
Over the past few months, we asked advisors which type of client is the most challenging to work with, and the results are probably not too surprising: nearly one-third of advisors shared that the most challenging type of client is one who wants to beat the market. A little more than one-fourth of advisors shared that the most challenging client is one who cannot stick to a plan, followed by a little less than …
We’ve written before about the often-cited Vanguard “Advisor’s Alpha” study. That research documents the data showing that a good financial advisor can add on average a full 3% in incremental return to a client’s investment portfolio annually. The study then breaks that 3% down into its component parts, showing that the biggest gains–a full 150 basis points–come from effective behavioral coaching that serves to prevent clients from engaging in detrimental investing behaviors (think buying high …
Control. Control. You must learn control. – Yoda, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Approximately 57% of Americans are financially literate, typically measured by answering simple financial literacy questions correctly. The work of Anna Maria Lusardi and her colleagues have demonstrated the woeful state of the world related to financial knowledge and education in the United States and around the world. Often, this group of researchers measures financial literacy with a few …

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