We Don't Buy and Forget | Dickinson Investment Advisors

I want to help you to understand the steps that I take so that my ?buy and hold? strategy for long-term investing does not turn into a practice of ?buy and forget.?

The mission of our firm incorporates a focus on ?proven, time-tested investment solutions.?? Such solutions for my clients include a proactive approach to research and analysis of the funds that make up our portfolios.

First of all, when I meet together with folks for the first time, I don?t start out right away by making recommendations about what they should invest in.? As a Certified Financial Planner^?, I focus first of all on assessing their situation and needs and helping them think through the process of retirement planning.? I build a financial plan, then buy investments to fit that plan.? I approach investing from a long-term perspective and avoid the lure of attempting to ?time? the stock market for short-term gains.

I believe that fund managers should be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure they are still the best of the best.? So then, how do I go about selecting the funds for my recommended list?? Here are some of the ongoing activities that I practice so that once I recommend a fund or an investment strategy for a person, I don?t just ?buy and forget:?

• I subscribe to Morningstar, which is the most well-known mutual fund research firm.? This service provides research reports, portfolio trackers and many relevant articles, along with fund analysis and recommendations.? Because there are over 2,900 mutual funds, I use this service to screen for the best funds available.
• I consult together with a group of financial advisors through a monthly conference call.? Through this peer interaction, we are able to compare tools for conducting the best funds analysis as well as share best practices with one another.
• I make use of the resources for funds research available to us through Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ? the custodian for our assets under management.
• I regularly confer with fund managers as part of my own independent personal research.? Recently, I shared a sample portfolio model of mine with a group of funds analysts and authorized them to evaluate the funds I recommend for the portfolio.? Overall, their analysis helped to reinforce the strengths of the asset allocation that I have had in place, but it also gave me several ideas for continuing to make improvements in my funds selection.

I have learned over the years that when selecting funds for my clients, I don?t base my decisions on this year?s performance alone or on the latest headlines or on the fanciest marketing glitz by fund companies.? I seek to evaluate each fund according to how it will work within an entire portfolio to accomplish what is best for my clients ? to enhance reward and reduce risk.

As a tax preparer, I have the advantage of seeing the investments used by many of the advisors and brokers in the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area.? I am always comparing what I do with what others do.? I believe we compare very well, but I?m not opposed to finding new ideas from others as well.

In sum, I trust that this helps you to better understand my commitment to helping to bring value to the process of selecting funds for your retirement assets.? I would be glad to arrange a time to discuss these things with you in person and to introduce you to my team.

Sincerely,

Ron Dickinson, CPA, CFP^?, MPA-Tax

Source: http://www.dickinsoninvestments.com/we-dont-buy-and-forget/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=we-dont-buy-and-forget

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