Wealth Manager Web January 2008

Cover Story

  • Out of the Blue

    By Vanessa Drucker

    Turbulence on the ground doesn't have to be an earthquake or a tsunami. Consider the tumultuous stretch from August 8 through August 16, 2007, when...

  • Growing Up

    By Stan Luxenburg

    Beginning in 2000, growth stocks suffered a seven-year drought. During that period, mid-cap growth funds returned 0.1 percent annually-- lagging mid-cap value by more than...

  • Rethinking Zero

    By James Picerno

    Alpha is widely viewed as a zero sum game, and so for every investor who beats the market, someone must trail it. If this balancing...

  • A Question of Supply

    By James Picerno

    Chess is one example, poker is another. But is investment alpha a zero sum game, too? Do the winners in money management always triumph at...

  • An IRS Tale of Two Cities

    By Julian Block

    An ever-growing number of frequent flyers are "commuter couples"--those who live apart in an effort to keep their jobs or advance their careers. By one...

  • Sites to Behold

    By Richard J. Koreto

    As I've written before, the Web opened up a whole new way to waste time as well as save it. Below are a few of...

  • The Great Index Quiz

    By Russell Wild

    Once Upon A Time...financial indices were delightfully simple constructions, designed to help measure movement in financial markets. There was the venerable S&P 500, the Dow,...

  • Special Needs, Special Solutions

    By Janet Aschkenasy

    Max was like many parents of disabled kids. His daughter, now 14, is severely autistic--unable to communicate with others and in need of lifelong supervision....

  • The ISO Trap

    By Julian Block

    By now, we all know the drill: The law requires individuals to calculate their tax liability two ways. First, they do the computation under the...

  • Getting Active

    By Elaine Robertson Demby

    Early in 2007, HSBC took a $6.3 billion charge because of exposure in the sub-prime mortgage market. Shortly thereafter Knight Vinke Asset Management announced it...

  • A Well-Scripted Plan

    By Joseph Finora

    Hollywood and money have always had a rocky relationship. Like the gold rush mentality that characterized the early settlers of the state, virtually since the...

  • Law & Order

    By Sheryl Garrett

    Shortly after I was quoted in the Wall Street Journal stating that I believe most Americans would be best served by taking their company pension...

  • Finding a Boss

    By Ed McCarthy, CFP

    At some undefined but recognizable point, having a firm's founder administer a growing business can become a drawback. Professionals like accountants and attorneys have wrestled...

  • From Friends to Clients

    By Bryce M. Sanders

    There's an old saying in business that it isn't what you know, it's who you know. For the purposes of this book, I'd amend that...

  • Nurturing Clients

    By Marie Swift

    Advisors are generally schooled in the "slow and steady wins the race" method of financial advice: Save steadily, invest prudently, and always have a long-term...

  • Guilt-Free Footprints

    By Gregory Taggart

    In March 2007, Alan Simpson, a member of the British House of Commons, stood up to criticize carbon offsets, arguing that they had no place...

  • The Clock is Ticking

    By Daniel Moisand

    I have always found it fascinating how financial planners can seem so comfortable advising clients about buy-sell arrangements, key person coverage and other business issues,...