Investing for Life - Adviser Investments

Straightforward Financial Advice From Experienced Investors

Investing for Life

Vanguard Fires Manager

August 3, 2012

Vanguard Fires Manager

On August 2nd, Vanguard officially parted ways with AllianceBernstein, which had been sub-advising three of the firm’s funds: Global Equity, International Value and Windsor. While Vanguard was not specific about the reasons behind AllianceBernstein’s dismissal, the firm’s performance on the portions of the funds it ran was likely the …

Vanguard Veteran Stepping Down

July 6, 2012

Vanguard Veteran Stepping Down

After 25 years at Vanguard, Chief Investment Officer George "Gus" Sauter, 58, announced he will be retiring at the end of this year. Sauter was the driving force behind Vanguard’s decision to launch an ETF share class for many of its existing mutual funds. His departure represents a …

Is Fidelity’s Newest Fund a Winner?

June 22, 2012

Fidelity Bets on Stock Selection 

With the recent launch of Stock Selector Mid Cap, Fidelity has added to its growing family of sector-neutral Stock Selector funds available to individual investors. Like its sibling funds, Stock Selector Mid Cap relies on a team of managers, each of whom independently manages sector-focused sleeves of …

Popular Vanguard Fund Closes

June 8, 2012

Fidelity’s Quest for Income Solutions

With bond yields touching historic lows and dividend yields averaging around 2% in the U.S., income-starved investors have been searching high and low for any investment that can deliver a decent yield. So it may come as no surprise to learn that Fidelity, in an effort to …

Vanguard Redeems Its Redemption Fees

May 25, 2012

Vanguard Redeems It’s Redemption Fees

In somewhat of a surprise announcement, Vanguard eliminated back-end loads on 33 funds, effective immediately. Only two Vanguard funds will continue to charge sales fees going forward, FTSE All-World ex-U.S. Small-Cap Index and Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index. The purpose of the loads (charged on sales of …

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Estate Checklist

A Straightforward Guide to Preparing and Settling an Estate

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Did Your Vanguard Expenses Go Down?

May 11, 2012

Fidelity Shuffles Managers

Fidelity announced several portfolio manager changes over the past month. The most notable change occurred at Fidelity Mid Cap Growth and Advisor Growth Strategies, where Steve Calhoun has been replaced by Fidelity’s Stock Selector Mid Cap team. The team includes Douglas Simmons, Samuel J. Wald, Pierre Sorel, Patrick Venanzi, …

Maximize Your Social Security Benefits

April 27, 2012

What Part Will Social Security Play in Your Retirement?

While the 75-year-old institution of Social Security has been making headlines of late, for those nearing either their 60s or retirement it’s worth gaining a greater understanding of how the program works and how it will fit into your future financial plans. Most …

Did Your Vanguard Fund Fees Go Up?

April 13, 2012

Legendary Vanguard Manager Passes

Howard Schow of PRIMECAP Management, a Vanguard fund manager since 1984, passed away last weekend at the age of 84. Schow eschewed the spotlight, rarely giving appearances or interviews, preferring instead to let his funds’ performance do the talking for him. His keen focus and strong management served …

Is Technology’s Season Over?

March 30, 2012

Is the Tech Rally Over?

  As one of the mildest winters in recent memory drew to a close, the annual 'season' of Tech Winter also ended. In years past, we’ve written to you about what we call Tech Winter--the four-month period from November to February during which technology stocks have traditionally …

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Social Security's Role in Your Retirement

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Vanguard International Funds Make Changes

March 2, 2012

Vanguard Makes Changes to International Index Funds

This week, Vanguard announced that it was getting rid of one fund’s loads, while also changing the distribution schedule for nine of its international index funds.

Emerging Markets Index Drops Loads

Investors in Emerging Markets Index will no longer have to contend with the 0.25% …

Two Vanguard Funds Gone for Good

February 17, 2012

Vanguard Puts Two Funds to Rest

With little fanfare, Vanguard completed the planned elimination of two funds earlier this week. Target Retirement 2005 was merged into Target Retirement Income while Asset Allocation ended its 23-year run by merging into Balanced Index. While the end results were the same, the reasons behind the …