General

The end of the year is a great time to make sure your financial plan is still on track. Review this checklist with your financial advisor to see where you are and what you should do.

Click Here to download your checklist! 

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

While there's no map for moving through life, a holistic financial plan delivered by a trusted financial professional can help you confidently prepare for all the what ifs.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

How Much Impact Does the President Have on Stocks?

The anticipation building up to elections often brings with it questions about how financial markets will respond. But the outcome of an election is only one of many inputs to the market. Our interactive exhibit examines market and economic data for nearly 100 years of US presidential terms and shows a consistent upward march for US equities regardless of the administration in place. This is an important lesson on the benefits of a long-term investment approach.

Please press here to download the PDF and walk through each presidency to learn more!

NOTES AND DATA SOURCES

This material is in relation to the US market and contains analysis specific to the US.

In US dollars. Stock returns represented by Fama/French Total US Market Research Index, provided by Ken French and available at http://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pages/faculty/ken.french/data_library.html. This value-weighed US market index is constructed every month, using all issues listed on the NYSE, AMEX, or Nasdaq with available outstanding shares and valid prices for that month and the month before. Exclusions: American depositary receipts. Sources: CRSP for value-weighted US market return. Rebalancing: Monthly. Dividends: Reinvested in the paying company until the portfolio is rebalanced.

Growth of wealth shows the growth of a hypothetical investment of $100 in the securities in the Fama/French US Total Market Research Index. Growth of wealth for the full sample from March 4, 1929, through June 30, 2020. Growth of wealth for each presidential term starts on the election day of each president up to but not including the election day of a successor. For presidents who are not initially elected, the growth of wealth period starts from the day of inauguration up to but not including the successor’s election day.

Federal surplus or deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product, inflation, and unemployment data from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED). GDP Growth is annual real GDP Growth, using constant 2012 dollars, as provided by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. Unemployment data not reported prior to April 1929. Federal surplus or deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product data is cumulative.

US Government Presidential and Congressional data obtained from the History, Art & Archives of the United States House of Representatives. US Senate data is from the Art & History records of the United States Senate.

For Herbert Hoover, the federal budget is calculated from 1929 to 1932. Annual real GDP growth is calculated from 1930 to 1932; GDP data not available prior to 1930.

DISCLOSURES

Data presented in the Growth of Wealth chart is hypothetical and assumes reinvestment of income and no transaction costs or taxes. The chart is for illustrative purposes only and is not indicative of any investment.

The information in this document is provided in good faith without any warranty and is intended for the recipient’s background information only. It does not constitute investment advice, recommendation, or an offer of any services or products for sale and is not intended to provide a sufficient basis on which to make an investment decision. It is the responsibility of any persons wishing to make a purchase to inform themselves of and observe all applicable laws and regulations. Unauthorized copying, reproducing, duplicating, or transmitting of this document are strictly prohibited. Dimensional accepts no responsibility for loss arising from the use of the information contained herein.

Eugene Fama and Ken French are members of the Board of Directors of the general partner of, and provide consulting services to, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.

“Dimensional” refers to the Dimensional separate but affiliated entities generally, rather than to one particular entity. These entities are Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd., Dimensional Ireland Limited, DFA Australia Limited, Dimensional Fund Advisors Canada ULC, Dimensional Fund Advisors Pte. Ltd, Dimensional Japan Ltd., and Dimensional Hong Kong Limited. Dimensional Hong Kong Limited is licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission to conduct Type 1 (dealing in securities) regulated activities only and does not provide asset management services.

UNITED STATES: Dimensional Fund Advisors LP is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your life. And it's important to know how to manage it. Watch this video to learn more.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

Do you understand your retirement options? Working with a professional can help you understand the risk and reward associated with retirement strategies.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs ever. Working with a financial advisor can at least eliminate the stress of investing.

Teaching is very stressful. In fact, according to a Gallup Report titled: The State of America’s Schools, 46% of teachers report high daily stress.¹ Viewed another way, every teacher experiences high daily stress every other day.

Investing can be stressful too, but it doesn’t have to be. If you use the help of an financial advisor, you can help eliminate the stress of investing and retirement planning. Here are a few tips to help you invest wisely, and stay sane at the same time.

Hire a Financial Advisor. According to the National Education Association, teachers spend an average of 50 hours per week on instructional duties, including an average of 12 hours each week on non-compensated school-related activities such as grading papers, bus duty, and club advising.² Most of the time, teachers just don't have the time to spend on their own retirement planning. Further, seeking the advice of a professional doesn't mean you are not smart enough or capable enough to figure it out on your own.

You're capable of changing the oil in your car and growing your own vegetables. But you don't mind paying someone else to do those tasks, if you don't have the time. Then there are some cases where you should never do things on your own. You don't see people filling their own cavities, right?

Let Your Advisor Create a Plan for You. The biggest mistake investors make is failing to make a disciplined plan. Let your advisor create a plan for you, recommend your overall asset allocation, such as a mix of stocks and bonds, and stick to it. Your advisor will check your portfolio periodically to see if your account has fluctuated away from your original plan (say, 70% stocks and 30% bonds). If needed, your advisor will recommend you make changes to bring your account back to the proper proportion.

This is called rebalancing, a fantastic risk management tool.

Stop Checking Your Accounts Every Day. If you have a properly diversified portfolio, focusing on daily changes in your account value will increase your stress and tempt you to trade too much. And if you make frequent transactions, hoping to profit from short-term price swings, your trading fees may increase. Avoid making emotional decisions and wait for your monthly or quarterly statement to arrive. Then before you do anything, talk to your advisor. As a disciplined investor, you need to tolerate volatility. This gives you more peace of mind, too.

We Can Help

The term “burnout" is often used when teachers describe why they leave the teaching profession. But you can't afford to let your retirement plans burnout. Hopefully, working with a financial advisor will allow you to take a step back from your investing life and give you greater peace of mind so that you can focus more on other things like your career and family.

Sources

1. Gallup, “State of America's Schools: The Path to Winning Again in Education." 2014.
2. National Education Association. “Teacher Compensation: Fact vs. Fiction." Available at http://www.nea.org/home/12661.htm. Accessed November 2019.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.

Nurses might suggest “Healthy at 75” should be your new retirement goal

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the one most credited with pioneering modern nursing. The week kicked off with President Trump declaring May 6th as National Nurses Day and concludes with International Nurses Day being observed worldwide on May 12th.

From President Trump’s proclamation of National Nurses Day, 2020:

“Every day, nurses provide quality, compassionate, and critical care to patients during both routine medical visits and in times of great vulnerability, fear, and uncertainty. Over the past weeks and months, as our nurses have worked heroically on the frontlines of the coronavirus response, their contributions to the health and well-being of our citizenry have been exponentially magnified. On National Nurses Day, we honor and celebrate the extraordinary men and women who devote themselves to this vital and noble profession.

Nursing is not merely a vocation; it is a special calling to serve others selflessly, particularly in times when help is needed most. Throughout our Nation’s history, in times of war, natural disaster, medical emergencies, and both epidemics and pandemics, nurses have rushed in – undaunted by danger, personal sacrifice, and discomfort to provide hope, help, and healing to people in need.”

As our nation gives wholehearted thanks to the nation's largest healthcare profession, with more than 3.8 million registered nurses nationwide, let’s consider what kind of advice Florence Nightingale might give if she added the role of financial advisor to her first calling. Because after all, nurses and financial advisors both care deeply about the well-being of those entrusted to their care.

Here are some financial thoughts from a nurse:

What Good is Wealth Without Health?

Too many people don’t realize that taking care of themselves physically leads to better financial tomorrows.

Planning for retirement should start in your early twenties, if not before. Why? Because you develop good health habits early and health governs the quality of life long before retirement, and certainly after.

A report from the Institute of Medicine entitled: U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health, gives reason for concern. Think about your goals and aspirations. Your future depends on good health, for you, and the people you love and care for. In that context, the report is alarming.

The IOM examined life expectancy and other health data for the U.S., versus 16 other high-income democracies in Western Europe, plus Canada, Australia and Japan. Compared to the average of peer countries, Americans as a group fare worse in infant mortality and low birth weight, injuries and homicides, HIV and AIDS, drug-related deaths, obesity and diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease and disability.

Why the Risky Behavior?

Parents should also be concerned about young people’s risky behavior, which reduces the odds that they will live to age 50. Though Americans currently do not smoke as heavily or consume as much alcohol as those other countries, we are more likely to drive drunk with more alcohol-related accidents – and less likely to use seat belts, consume more calories and drive rather than walk. We have higher rates of drug abuse and more often use firearms in committing violent acts.

For those who do survive to 50, risky and unhealthy behaviors lead to poorer health, impeding job advancement and the asset accumulation that leads to independence. Relative to the 17 countries IOCM studied, the U.S. was dead last in life expectancy at birth.

Your New Retirement Goal

Is there any good news in the IOM report? We do have lower cancer deaths and greater control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels compared to peer nations. Those Americans who do reach 75 can expect to live longer than those in the other countries. “Healthy at 75” should be your new retirement goal.

We cannot write off Americans’ health problems to socioeconomic conditions, although that is a factor in the macro-statistics. Studies show that the more fortunate Americans – defined as college-educated, insured, or upper income – are in worse health than similar individuals in other countries.

Investments in health and healthy living may be as important to financial independence as investment strategies. Joining a gym and showing up on a regular basis, engaging a personal trainer, moderation in eating and drinking, health screenings and yearly physicals may make a difference in your quest to make it to 75 and beyond, fit and financially secure.

Certainly, an adequate insurance program is part of the equation. Life, health, disability, liability and umbrella liability insurance is critical to asset protection and the well-being of loved ones and potential survivors.

If the worst happens, someone should have a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care covering you, and all family members, including children age 18 or older. Without such documents medical information cannot be shared.

Good health means you can both accumulate wealth and enjoy it.

Thanking Nurses Everywhere, Everyday

More from the White House:

“Few times has our reliance on nurses been more profoundly evident than during the coronavirus outbreak. In the midst of this crisis, nurses have displayed incredible examples of humanity, selflessness, and sacrifice as they have fought to care for their fellow citizens and save lives. Nationwide, in hospitals, clinics, and other treatment centers where Americans are suffering from the virus, these warriors have steadfastly provided remarkable care and vital assistance to patients. In spite of fatigue and the threat to their own health, nurses soldier on in combat against this invisible enemy. Often the first to treat patients in our hospitals, they provide critical support to doctors, alleviating burdens throughout our healthcare system. They are adaptable and capable of enduring and overcoming unbearable hardship, immeasurable stress, tremendously long hours, and extreme mental and emotional exhaustion so that others may live. Nurses are awe-inspiring and truly worthy of admiration and praise.”

The best thanks we can offer to nurses might be investing in healthy habits. And the more-than-occasional thank you.

This material was prepared by an outside source and does not necessarily represent the views of Zenith Group, Sowell Management, or their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investing involves risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate when redeemed and may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service.