Archives for 2013

Hi Everyone, Happy Holidays. LPL Financial's Outlook for 2014 is out; excerpts below. Important information for existing clients too. ~Susan Outlook 2014 LPL Financial Research's "Outlook 2014 - The Investor's Almanac" is out. Email me for a full copy. Here are a few highlights: After two "clean" lifts to the debt ceiling since 2011, we are unlikely to see concessions in exchange for a third increase in 2014- … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, Thank you. Your support has enabled The Linkous Group to continue our commitment to charitable giving in 2013. I am so very proud and grateful for the opportunity to help. Happy Thanksgiving, Susan The Giving The Linkous Group, LTD is pleased to have been able to support the following organizations in 2013: PBS - KAET Channel 8 KJZZ Public Radio Goodwill of Arizona UMOM BASIS School of Scottsdale The Phoenix Zoo The … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, Once a year the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) puts out a list of some of the best financial websites. I look forward to finding new ones too and I hope you'll find a few useful. ~Susan Great Financial Websites MyMoney.gov - financial planning site full of useful tools covering most aspects of personal finance. FRED (Federal Reserve … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, High-yield bonds are held in many of the accounts that I manage and they have been impacted somewhat by recent events so I would like to share the following comments from Anthony Valeri, CFA to provide some perspective. Before we get started, let's remember that high-yield/junk bonds are not investment grade securities and they involve substantial risks. Generally, they should be part of a diversified portfolio of sophisticated … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, Benjamin Graham once said "Individuals who cannot master their emotions are ill-suited to profit from the investment process." That' a bit harsh given the events of 2008 and although emotions matter, a trusted advisor can help you avoid the "investor behavior penalty" discussed below. ~Susan Investor Behavior "A study by Dalbar underscores the importance of controlling emotions and avoiding self-destructive … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, With the drama of the past few weeks temporarily behind us, I want to take a look at one of the primary reasons we continue to see strength in the U. S. equity markets. . . the Consumer. ~Susan Shop or Drop "Acknowledging the consumer's leading role in keeping the U.S. economy moving forward in recent years, revenue and profit trends within the consumer discretionary sector will be very influential on … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, Many of you have asked about the U.S. housing market both in terms of investing and in terms of managing mortgage debt. I encourage caution with direct investment into sector for most. James Krapfel of Morningstar summed my views up well in an interview August 13th. Here's part of it, Susan Rising Rates & Housing "We cite three main sources … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, At time of writing, parts of our government are closed and debt ceiling issue continues. Regardless of when resolution comes, I want you to remember that the effective governing of your portfolio goes on no matter what they throw at us. ~Susan Governing "The failure in Washington is disappointing, if not a surprise. However, history tells us it is not necessarily a bad thing for investors. The 16 government … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, October is always busy and this one is likely to set a record. Due to political uncertainties, strong equity market performance and rising interest rates, there's no shortage of work. Sounds fun. Let's get busy, Susan Decisions In my perfect world, portfolios have been realigned by 10/1 of each year for the 4th quarter. The aforementioned have pushed this work back a bit and aligned it with annual tax planning. This is … [Read more...]

Hi Everyone, A few times per year, I write about new technology and this time it's a look at my firm as well as the interesting sector. ~Susan Technology Update Effective September 29th, those clients currently using our online account view system will be upgraded to a new portal. I need you to be patient, follow the online guide or send me an email if you need help. You can keep your same login … [Read more...]