Scary Market Insights
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Market-Timing Traps and Temptations
Created: August 3, 2022
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Scary Market Insights
Description: This commentary points to the surprisingly strong July 2022 returns (after awful returns during the first half of the year) to remind investors why market-timing remains ill-advised. As always, markets don't set prices based on whether news is good or bad, but whether it's better or worse than expected.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2022 Q2
Created: July 4, 2022
Categories: Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights
Description: This quarterly client letter touches on a series of disorienting conditions in current markets, such as the fact that stocks and bonds are down simultaneously, and reinforces sticking with one's long-term, globally diversified portfolio, including a value tilt when appropriate.
Six Ways a Recession Resembles a Bad Mood
Created: June 14, 2022
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Economics, Financial Planning, General Audience, Listicle, Report, Scary Market Insights
Description: This piece helps your clients and prospective clients put current market and recessionary concerns in perspective by describing six ways a recession resembles a bad mood. For example, they're both difficult to define, best seen in retrospect, and part of life. Besides describing what recessions are and how they work, a main message is that investors can't control the world around them, but they can control how they react to it. And you, as their advisor can assist with that.
How Do We Choose the Funds We Use? (DRIP SERIES)
Created: May 26, 2022
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, How Do We Choose Funds We Use, Scary Market Insights
Description: This five-part DRIP series can be sent via emails or blog posts to remind clients and other investors why your rigorous, multi-step investment selection process is important for looking past today’s unsettling news in pursuit of their greater financial goals. It also reinforces the value you add as their investment advisor. We've also released a separate REPORT version if you'd like to distribute the information as a single document.
How Do We Choose the Funds We Use? (REPORT)
Created: May 17, 2022
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, How Do We Choose Funds We Use, Report, Scary Market Insights, UPDATED Content
Description: UPDATED FROM November 2015: This 4-page REPORT reminds clients and other investors why your rigorous, multi-step investment selection process is important for looking past today’s unsettling news in pursuit of their greater financial goals. It also reinforces the value you add as their investment advisor. We've also released a separate DRIP SERIES if you'd like to distribute the information as a multipart email or blog post series.
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.
Fighter Planes and Market Turmoil
Created: January 26, 2022
Categories: Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: Use this client reach-out to quell nervous reactions to current market volatility and encourage clients to stick with their existing investment plans.
Inflation Part 2: What We Can Do About It
Created: June 24, 2021
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, Economics, General Audience, Inflation, Scary Market Insights
Description: Part 2 of a 2-part series on inflation. Part 1 defined inflation, put current events in greater context, and described the difference between "good" and "bad" inflation. This Part 2 explores why forecasts for inflation remain as fuzzy as ever, and how investors can best prepare for whatever may happen next.
Inflation Part 1: What We Know
Created: June 15, 2021
Categories: Article, Breaking News, Economics, General Audience, Inflation, Scary Market Insights
Description: Part 1 of a 2-part series on inflation. Part 1 defines inflation, puts current events in greater context, and describes the difference between "good" and "bad" inflation. Part 2 explores why forecasts for inflation remain as fuzzy as ever, and how investors can best prepare for whatever may happen next.
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.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2020 Q1
Created: April 3, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights, Tax Planning
Description: This 652-word Q1 2020 quarterly client letter prepares clients for putting last quarter's returns in perspective. It reviews the activities you're doing on their behalf, encourages them to be in touch if their investment resolve is wavering, and reminds them of the perils of market-timing.
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.)
A Coronavirus Round-Up Report
Created: March 27, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Report, Scary Market Insights, Tax Planning
Description: Use this 812-word overview as an additional reach-out to your clients during the coronavirus crisis (or edit for general purposes). It reviews what you, they and the markets can do at this time, and reminds them of the many ways you're supporting them at this time.
A Retirement Plan Sponsor Reach-Out
Created: March 25, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Client Experience, General Letter/E-Mail, Retirement Plan Sponsor, Retirement Planning, Scary Market Insights
Description: Use this 757-word piece to reach out to retirement plan sponsor clients during the coronavirus crisis. Let them know you're available as always, update them on retirement plan regulatory issues you're keeping an eye on, and summarize best financial practices for themselves and their plan participants.
Taking a New View on Coronavirus
Created: March 13, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Scary Market Insights
Description: Share this 727-word piece as another timely outreach to your clients (or for general audiences with some edits), to help them remain resolute during current COVID-19-fueled crises. The piece acknowledges the current risks being realized, while pointing out that these same risks are likely to generate important insights for seeding future expected social resilience and market growth.
Three Thoughts During Scary Markets Free Sample (Click on title to download)
Created: March 9, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Free Samples, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: As market headlines go from bad to worse, share this 685-word confidence-building reach-out with your clients (or, with modest edits, with a wider audience). Includes a review of the relationship between risk and expected reward, the significance of being prepared in advance for these kinds of downturns, and a reminder that you remain available to provide objective advice.
10 Things To Do Right Now While Markets Are Tanking (UPDATED)
Created: February 28, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Listicle, Scary Market Insights, Tax Planning, UPDATED Content
Description: UPDATED FROM MARCH 2018: Use this 1,238-word handout with clients or prospects, to remind them during the current coronavirus-generated crisis of 10 judicious actions to take during scary markets, along with 10 insightful quotes from respected subject matter experts.
You, Your Investments, and the Coronavirus (UPDATED)
Created: February 24, 2020
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Scary Market Insights, UPDATED Content
Description: UPDATED 2/24: Use this 677-word client reach-out to remind your clients why they should avoid reacting to breaking news about novel coronavirus, at least as far as their investment portfolio is concerned. With minor modifications, the piece can also be used for general/prospecting purposes.
Why Safe Harbors Can Be Risky Business
Created: November 21, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, Fixed Income, General Audience, Scary Market Insights
Description: Use this 922-word article to remind clients and explain to prospective clients how to balance managing short-term market volatility risks with the long-term risk of inflation. It’s also risky to overweight a portfolio in "safe harbor" investments, and/or flee to the sidelines during turbulent times, just in a different way.
16 Things You Can Do To Prepare for the Next Recession
Created: October 18, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Expenses, Family Wealth, Financial Planning, General Audience, Listicle, Retirement Planning, Scary Market Insights, Wealth Management
Description: 16 things investors can do to truly strengthen their financial well-being, instead of engaging in market-timing in reaction to a potential recession. Share this 783-word overview with clients and prospects.
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.
A Timely Reminder on the Perils of Market Timing
Created: August 25, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: A 735-word client reach-out about the prospect that a trade war with China could lead to a recession. The piece covers four reasons why trying to engage in market-timing in reaction to the unfolding news remains as ill-advised as ever.
The Viability of the Value Premium (Multi-Part Series)
Created: June 16, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Scary Market Insights, Viability of Value Investing
Description: This multi-part series segments the full-length 1,765-word report on the viability of the value premium into five shorter, quick-read pieces. It covers the origins of the value premium, historical precedents, additional evidence that the value premium likely remains viable, and the role global diversification plays in managing risks and expected returns. The five parts are bundled into a single zip file for simplified download.
The Viability of the Value Premium (Full Report Version)
Created: June 16, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Report, Scary Market Insights, Viability of Value Investing
Description: This 1,765-word document addresses investor concerns that the value premium may be "dead," since value stocks have underperformed growth stocks for approximately the past decade. It covers the origins of the value premium, historical precedents, additional evidence that the value premium likely remains viable, and the role global diversification plays in managing risks and expected returns.
Cover Intro for Dimensional 2018 Market Review
Created: January 8, 2019
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, General Letter/E-Mail, Intro to Expert Commentary, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 565-word summary provides an introduction you can use to share Dimensional's 2018 Market Review, with an emphasis on remaining resolute and diversified during volatile markets. You can use the intro to be in touch with your clients or as a prospecting piece for those interested in evidence-based investing.
Quarterly Client Letter — 2018 Q4
Created: January 2, 2019
Categories: Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 515-word quarterly client letter offers two talking points on how to consider current market conditions in the context of long-term market performance. "Average" returns aren't the norm, and recency bias is a risk.
Six Financial Best Practices for 2019
Created: December 17, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Client Experience, Estate Planning, Financial Best Practice Lists, Financial Planning, Listicle, Prospect-Focused, Scary Market Insights, Security, Wealth Management
Description: Six financial best practices encouraging investors to ignore market volatility and take practical steps toward enhancing their financial well-being. Use this piece as is to share with prospective clients, or modify it slightly for client use. This piece represents the second in an annual series, potentially pairing well with "Ten Financial Best Practices to Jump-Start Your New Year," published in December 2017.
2018 Year-End Market Volatility Client Reach-Out
Created: December 6, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: Use this 2018 year-end client reach-out to help clients ride out current market volatility. The document contains two versions: (1) a 580-word extended reach-out that includes references to Hans Rosling's new book "Factfulness," and (2) an abbreviated, 330-word reach-out that omits the reference to Rosling's book.
Five Financial Adages for Thriving in Volatile Markets
Created: November 19, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Behavioral Finance, Client Experience, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Report, Scary Market Insights
Description: This big, meaty, 2,000-word report takes a close look at why so many investors fail to adhere to five widely accepted financial adages (e.g., "buy low, sell high"), ESPECIALLY DURING VOLATILE/DOWN MARKETS. Use this report with clients or prospects -- either as-is, or as a drip communication or video series, sharing one adage at a time, over time.
Global Diversification: The Antacid for Market Turbulence
Created: October 10, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: A timely 600-word client reach-out to reflect on the October 10, 2018 U.S. stock market tumble. Emphasizing the continued importance of remaining globally diversified according to one's goals and risk tolerances, the message also reminds them of your role as their fiduciary advisor. Ideal for a client email, the piece can also be modified for more general purposes.
10 Things To Do Right Now While Markets Are (Not Really) Tanking
Created: March 21, 2018
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Scary Market Insights, Tax Planning
Description: Use this 1,250-word handout with clients or prospects, to serve as a "safety drill" during calm markets, to help them prepare for staying the course during market downturns. The piece offers 10 judicious actions to take during bear markets, along with 10 insightful quotes from respected subject matter experts. You also can encourage readers to revisit the piece (or use it with a brief intro) the next time markets actually are tanking.
The Current Market Decline in Context
Created: February 5, 2018
Categories: Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 430-word message is optimized for reaching out to your clients about the current market decline. It encourages them to stay the course according to their personal plans (unless their own goals have changed). It also reflects on how market drops are normal, and how popular headlines are often designed to grab attention rather than inform readers. The message can be modified to share with prospective clients or for other purposes.
Hurricane Harvey Texan Client Reach-Out
Created: August 28, 2017
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: A 284-word client reach-out for advisors based in Texas, to be in touch with clients about the effects of Hurricane Harvey. (A version for advisors NOT based in Texas also is available as a separate download.)
Hurricane Harvey General Client Reach-Out
Created: August 28, 2017
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: A 238-word client reach-out for advisors NOT based in Texas, to be in touch with clients about the effects of Hurricane Harvey. (A Texan advisor version also is available as a separate download.)
Misperceptions About Market Corrections: Are You Prepared?
Created: June 4, 2017
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Behavioral Finance, Client-Focused, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, General Letter/E-Mail, Prospect-Focused, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 750-word document can be used in letter, email, article or video script format to help clients and prospects prepare for any future market corrections following the current long stint of relative calm. It encourages readers to ensure their portfolio meets their long-term goals and risk tolerances. Choose from two calls to action at the end, depending on whether you're sharing it with clients or prospects.
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.
Quarterly Client Letter – 2016 Q2
Created: July 4, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, Quarterly Client Letter, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 360-word, second quarter client letter reminds clients that the markets' responses in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum illustrate the inherent uncertainty involved in maintaining a disciplined, globally diversified portfolio designed to manage risks and capture expected market returns.
Brexit Vote and Market Outcomes
Created: June 24, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Economics, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 680-word piece can be used to reach out to your clients to remind them that you are there for them and to encourage them to stay the course during the days ahead. With minor modifications, it could be used for a general e-blast, video script or similar content for wider audiences.
You, the Capital Markets and Your Brexit Fears (Anglicised)
Created: June 15, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, Economics, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: For advisors to reach out to clients who are contemplating abandoning their investment plan in the face of Brexit-generated market volatility, this 500-piece letter reiterates the timeless, evidence-based reasons it's important to avoid reacting to breaking news. Assuming the letter is most appropriate for UK audiences, it is edited for Anglicised references and spellings.
Our Mixed Up, Messed Up Relationship with Investment Risk
Created: May 11, 2016
Categories: Article, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Economics, Evidence-Based Investing, General Audience, Scary Market Insights
Description: As we swing into another summer of global events (such as the Cdn. Fort McMurray wildfire, UK Brexit and US elections), this article presents ways that investors tend to overestimate, underestimate, misunderstand and mistreat investment risks (both return-generating market risks as well as avoidable concentrated ones). Use this 1,000-word piece to explain investment risks to prospects and clients alike. Break each section into a series for video scripts or other uses.
Good Advice
Created: February 11, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, Client Experience, General Audience, Scary Market Insights, Wealth Management
Description: This 675-word piece reminds your clients and informs prospective clients that the best-interest advice you have to offer goes well beyond what is often thought of as "advice" (i.e., stock tips and little more). It reinforces why a good financial adviser remains relevant even as low-cost funds, automated investing and simplified financial planning is on the rise, and especially during the turbulent market times we are currently experiencing. As such, this piece can be used as a timely response to current market volatility or as a timeless article for all market climes.
Cover Intro for Dimensional 2015 Year in Review
Created: January 21, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Economics, General Letter/E-Mail, Intro to Expert Commentary, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 540-word summary provides an introduction you can use to share Dimensional's 2015 Advisor Byline Market & Economic Review. The introduction is a little longer than in most years, given the current market climate. It's primarily for being in touch with your clients, although it can be modified to serve as a prospecting piece as well.
Additional China-Oil Response
Created: January 17, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: As the market continues to remain in a state of flux, you may want to send another reach-out to your clients (or an initial one if you've not yet been in touch), reminding them that the best course through volatile markets is an evidence-based course. This 380-word message will help you do that.
Client New Year Greeting-China/Oil Response
Created: January 7, 2016
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: Happy New Year! Here is a short, 350-word message you can use to reach out to your clients in light of the market volatility we're experiencing in the opening days of 2016.
Advice That Adds Up During Down Markets
Created: October 14, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Behavioral Finance, Breaking News, Client Experience, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: Here is a 700-word piece you can use to remain in touch with clients who may still be nervous after receiving their third-quarter report during the current down market. It encourages them to stay the course with their carefully planned portfolio, already designed to endure market risks. It reminds them why this is your advice, and how an objective third-party can help them overcome their instinctive reactions to down markets. Use as follow up to your clients' third quarter reports or to reach out to clients or prospects in general. It could also serve as good narrative for a video.
Client Reach-Out About Bad Market News
Created: August 22, 2015
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: You can use this brief, 450-word piece to reach out to clients and prospects in an e-mail or mail distribution, or it could serve as language for a short video. Created for the August 2015 market decline, but applicable with minor edits to any "bad news" market conditions. The piece reminds clients that it is your role as their advisor to put bad market news in context, that this is exactly what realized market risk looks like, and that they should stick to their existing Investment Policy Statement to reap the market's long-term expected rewards.
Timeless Investment Advice for Timely Market Troubles
Created: October 15, 2014
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, General Audience, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 500-word e-mail can be used to reach out to clients or prospects about today's (October 15, 2014) market drop or repurposed as a follow-up (with minor edits to adjust to whatever happens next in the market). It empathizes with the pain that market drops can cause and reinforces classic themes such as the importance of taking a long-term, evidence-based approach to harnessing market volatility.
Market Mania and Investor Resolve … Again
Created: July 31, 2014
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Breaking News, Client-Focused, General Letter/E-Mail, Scary Market Insights
Description: This 500-word timely client letter can be used to contact clients who may be concerned about the July 31 2014 steep market decline (or modifiable to be used in the days ahead, depending on continued news). Borrowing on language from past periods of market risk, it reinforces the importance of avoiding herd mentality and instead staying the course during times when market risk appears.
UPDATED: Market Mania and Investor Resolve
Created: October 11, 2013
Categories: Advisor Role/Value, Article, Breaking News, General Audience, Scary Market Insights
Description: We've updated this piece from an earlier version, created during the last period of steep market decline in June. This updated 800-word version provides calming, historic context and reminders of essential investment tenets for clients who may be second-guessing the current risk levels in their portfolio in light of the government shutdown and related events.