Media & Insights

We were fortunate enough to attend Commonwealth's first National Conference in three years in San Diego to connect with industry leaders from across the US. Commonwealth planned a riveting series of seminars by JP Morgan, INVESCO, Nationwide, Fidelity, and many other partners covering all aspects of financial planning.

We were treated to a fabulous lunch and in-depth insight into estate Planning at Gusto Trattoria in Milford. Attorney Bryan Etter of Legacy Law Partners, North Haven, joined us to take us through the finer details of the complex and often delicate process of preparing our estates. 

We know that overall markets are down substantially as we, once again, enter “bear market” territory. As the end of this turbulent year ends, more and more investors will focus on their year-to-date returns (or lack thereof). When faced with substantial losses, investors tend to forget the gift of positive returns we have experienced since the last recession in 2008. Keep in mind that as of this writing (9/21/22), the S&P 500 has had an “average annual return” of 10.62%. It looks good; however, investors must dig a little deeper to understand what average returns actually mean to your account values.

The timing of this information is probably not very good. If you have a 401k plan, more than likely, you will not be in a hurry to open up your June 30th statement, or any investment statement. It hurts to see the losses on your statements, even if it is “only on paper.” Back in December 2019, Congress passed the SECURE ACT and now requires all 401(k) and 403(b) statements to include illustrations of the monthly payments you would receive if your current plan account balance was used to purchase an annuity.

Just browse through the latest true crime documentaries on your preferred streaming network and you’ll see that people of all ages and income levels are vulnerable to financial scammers. Unfortunately, as we get older, certain factors put us at greater risk. Social isolation, recent loss of a spouse or close family member, diminished cognitive abilities, and accumulated wealth can make those over age especially attractive to fraudsters.

It happens! Most people have had several financial advisor relationships over their investment lifetime. It makes sense. As investors we have different stages and financial needs during our lifetime. Your need for financial advice is quite different at age 30 than it is at age 60. Individuals change financial advisors for several reasons, but poor market performance or high fees are not always the primary reason. Communication, or lack of, is a big issue. In the new world of technology, there are several ways your advisor can communicate; however, if you have not had any communication from your advisor for long periods of time, it might be time to look elsewhere.