Politics
Like what you see here?
Become a Content-Sharing Library member today for $325 USD/year, and it's all yours to use as you please (subject to these Terms and Conditions). Plus, we'll add at least 2 dozen new pieces annually (approx. 2 each month). Download a few Free Samples first, or Become a Member today. Questions? Let's talk.
A Balanced Look at Stock Buybacks Series REPORT
Created: August 4, 2023
Categories: Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Politics, Report, Stock Buybacks, Tax Planning
Description: Our 3-part series bundled into a full-length report, exploring how and why stock buybacks can help investors, hurt them, or be a neutral event, depending on the particulars.
A Balanced Look at Stock Buybacks — Part 3: Risks Amidst the Rewards
Created: August 4, 2023
Categories: Article, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Politics, Stock Buybacks, Tax Planning
Description: Part 3 of a 3-part series exploring how and why stock buybacks can help investors, hurt them, or be a neutral event, depending on the particulars. Part 1 described how stock buybacks generally work, and emphasized the importance of investing in a globally diversified portfolio, rather than chasing or fleeing particular stock buyback opportunities. Part 2 covered how companies may use stock buybacks to strike a balance between sustaining current and future shareholder value. In this, Part 3, we cover how the power of stock buybacks can become weaponized in the wrong hands, and why the government is keeping its eye on them.
Is the Debt Ceiling Bringing You Down?
Created: May 10, 2023
Categories: Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: A client reach-out to reinforce the importance of sticking with a personalized, globally diversified portfolio, regardless of how the debt ceiling crisis plays out.
Is Social Security Going Bust?
Created: March 26, 2023
Categories: Article, Family Wealth, Financial Planning, General Audience, Politics, Report, Retirement Planning
Description: An analysis of what is projected for Social Security, some of the fixes Congress is exploring to replenish its reserves, and why taking Social Security early just to avoid potential cuts in benefit, is only shifting financial risks rather than eliminating them.
Back to the Investment Basics: Part 1 — Remembering Summers Past Free Sample (Click on title to download)
Created: August 29, 2022
Categories: Article, Back to the Basics, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Free Samples, General Audience, Politics
Description: Part 1 of a multipart series reminds investors to consider current market events in proper historical context, while depending on investment basics to move past today's challenges and future unknowns. In upcoming parts, we'll cover five investment basics: saving, market returns, market pricing, investor resolve, and personal financial goals.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2022 Q1 Free Sample (Click on title to download)
Created: April 4, 2022
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, Free Samples, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This quarterly client letter explores the essentials of investment planning amidst current market volatility, aggravated by inflation, interest rates, and economic concerns. It optionally points to the recently completed three-part report on the same.
Interest Rates, Inflation & Investing: Report Version
Created: April 4, 2022
Categories: Alternative Investments, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, General Audience, Interest, Inflation & Investing, Politics, Report, Retirement Planning
Description: A compiled, three-part report that combines our multi-part series covering current concerns about interest rates (part 1), inflation (part 2), and what these influences mean to investors (part 3).
Interest Rates, Inflation & Investing, Part 3
Created: April 1, 2022
Categories: Alternative Investments, Article, Breaking News, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, General Audience, Interest, Inflation & Investing, Politics, Report, Retirement Planning
Description: Part 3 in a 3-part series covering current concerns about interest rates (part 1), inflation (part 2), and what these influences mean to investors (in this part 3).
Interest Rates, Inflation & Investing, Part 2
Created: March 24, 2022
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Economics, General Audience, Interest, Inflation & Investing, Politics, Report
Description: Part 2 in a 3-part series covering current concerns about interest rates (part 1), inflation (in this part 2) and what these influences mean to investors (part 3).
Interest Rates, Inflation & Investing, Part 1
Created: March 16, 2022
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Economics, Fixed Income, General Audience, Interest, Inflation & Investing, Politics, Report
Description: Part 1 in a 3-part series covering current concerns about interest rates (in this part 1), inflation (part 2) and what these influences mean to investors (part 3).
Ukraine
Created: February 24, 2022
Categories: Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: A timely client reach-out with timeless reminders to guide investing during the current Russian/Ukraine crisis.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2021 Q3
Created: October 4, 2021
Categories: Breaking News, Client-Focused, Family Wealth, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This Q3 2021 quarterly client letter puts recent market highs and lows in the context of more enduring news and views.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2020 Q4
Created: January 4, 2021
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Financial Planning, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter, Tax Planning
Description: This 487-word Q4 2020 quarterly client letter reviews the wild ride 2020 delivered and why it’s important to stay the course through both bear and bull markets. It lists the ways you’ll be helping them do that, in the context of current financial and political news.
Presidential Election Reflection (UPDATED)
Created: November 9, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Politics, UPDATED Content
Description: UPDATED FROM OCT. 2020: This 426-word client reach-out offers three simple reminders on why it's as important as ever to disconnect your long-term investment activities from late-breaking political news. Updated on Nov. 9 for distribution post- instead of pre-election.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2020 Q3
Created: October 1, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 558-word Q3 2020 quarterly client letter reminds clients of why it’s important to ignore distractions that might have detracted from their ability to participate in the market’s recent strong overall returns. Illustrations include chasing FAANG stocks, trying to predict presidential elections, and more.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2020 Q2
Created: July 2, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 460-word Q2 2020 quarterly client letter reminds clients of the importance of sticking to plan despite near-term market noise in 2020.
How To Be Positively Skeptical | Part 4: Check the Facts Before You Act
Created: May 17, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, How To Be Positively Skeptical, Politics
Description: Use this third, 898-word installment of a 4-part series to help clients and prospects strengthen their ability to differentiate solid evidence from bogus claims, especially during the coronavirus crisis. Parts 1-3 described why it's important to be positively skeptical, how our emotions interfere with our reasoning, and what should guide our due diligence. Part 4 describes some of the practical steps involved and wraps with a call to action.
How To Be Positively Skeptical | Part 3: How Do You Do Your Due Diligence?
Created: May 17, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, How To Be Positively Skeptical, Politics
Description: Use this third, 673-word installment of a 4-part series to help clients and prospects strengthen their ability to differentiate solid evidence from bogus claims, especially during the coronavirus crisis. Parts 1 and 2 described why it's important to be positively skeptical, and how our emotions interfere with our reasoning. Part 3 provides five “do’s” and “don’ts” to guide our due diligence, and Part 4 will offer some of the practical steps involved.
A CARES Act Overview (Updated 4/3/20)
Created: April 1, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Financial Planning, Philanthropy/Giving, Politics, Report, Scary Market Insights, Tax Planning
Description: Share this 1,450-word CARES Act Overview with clients or (slightly modified) with prospects to provide an approachable but relatively substantive summary of critical content within the Act. The overview is organized by audience, such as items applicable to employees, to employers, to businesses, to students, etc. It includes a list of resources referenced, for additional insights. (UPDATED 4/3/20 to reflect SBA clarifications.)
How To Be Positively Skeptical | Part 1: The Benefits of Having a Doubt
Created: February 27, 2020
Categories: Article, Behavioral Finance, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, How To Be Positively Skeptical, Politics, Security, Technology
Description: Use this first, 600-word installment of a 4-part series to help clients and prospects strengthen their ability to differentiate solid evidence from bogus claims. Part 1 describes why the ability to be "positively skeptical" is important. Parts 2 - 4 will cover how to recognize when emotions are interfering with reason, and how to hone one's fact-checking skills.
You, Your Retirement, and the SECURE Act – CLIENT Audience
Created: December 24, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Client-Focused, Estate Planning, Financial Planning, Politics, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning
Description: Use this 1,300-word document to provide CLIENTS with an overview of what to expect from the newly enacted U.S. SECURE Act -- emphasizing how you will be assisting them in applying the changes according to their best interests. Refer to separate piece revised for GENERAL AUDIENCE use.
Quarterly Client Letter — 2019 Q3
Created: October 2, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights
Description: Use this 442-word quarterly client letter to remind clients to stay the course amidst breaking global news. It explores how reflexes in your brain can play tricks on your financial resolve.
Quarterly Client Letter — 2018 Q1
Created: April 2, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 500-word quarterly client letter reflects on the recent uptick in market volatility, encouraging clients to be in touch with you if they need a "pep talk," a shift in their investment plans, or both.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2016 Q4
Created: January 3, 2017
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Politics, Quarterly Client Letter
Description: This 425-word, fourth quarter (year-end) client letter acknowledges that 2017 remains an unknown and reminds investors of the durability of what really drives market returns -- which is global human enterprise.
Post-Election Reflections: The Morning After
Created: November 9, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 470-word client letter is a slightly updated and modified version of the client letter posted yesterday (Nov. 8), now that the U.S. presidential election results are known. Either version can be used to contact clients about the unexpected outcome, encourage them to remain on course with their investment strategy and be in touch with you if they have questions.
Post-Election Reflections
Created: November 8, 2016
Categories: Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 440-word client letter can be used on Nov. 8 as U.S. presidential election results are announced, or within the next few days following the election. Use it to remind clients you are available to help them stay the course with their carefully constructed investment strategy ... or to assist them in making updates if warranted.
Presidents, Politics and Your Portfolio: Thinking Beyond Stage One
Created: August 27, 2016
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 750-word article can be shared with clients or prospects who may wonder if there is something they should "do" with their investments as the November 8 U.S. presidential election date nears. It encourages them to stay true to their long-term investment strategies by thinking beyond the immediate news.
Parenting Your Wealth in Uncertain Markets
Created: August 12, 2016
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Politics, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 1,000-word article compares good parenting skills to good wealth management, describing why patience is an investor's greatest virtue. Share with clients and prospects during this summer's unruly political climate or, with minor modifications, it can serve as a timeless piece to address any form of heightened uncertainty.