Mutual Funds

Introduction In my career of analyzing investment performance, I have learned that most investors focus on a single number: average return. This is a profound and costly mistake. A fund’s return tells you nothing about the journey you will endure to achieve it. I have seen clients abandon sound strategies after a 20% decline, only […]

In the pursuit of investment performance, it is dangerously easy to be seduced by a high return. I have seen too many clients drawn to funds boasting impressive gains, only to ignore the treacherous path taken to achieve them. The truly sophisticated investor knows that return is a meaningless number without the context of risk.

Introduction In my years of advising clients, I have found that one of the most sought-after and yet most misunderstood concepts is the “low-risk growth and income” fund. Investors are drawn to the promise of a smooth ride—participation in the market’s upside with a cushion against its downside, all while generating a steady stream of

In my career of analyzing investment strategies, I have found that few concepts are as powerful yet as misunderstood as the return of an index fund. Unlike active funds, which promise to beat the market, index funds offer a different proposition: to be the market. Their return is not a measure of a manager’s skill

In my years of advising institutions and high-net-worth individuals, I have observed a persistent belief that assembling a portfolio of large, well-known mutual funds is a sure path to market-beating returns. The logic seems sound: combine the expertise of star managers from prestigious firms. However, the data reveals a more humbling reality. The average return

Introduction In the pursuit of market-beating returns, investors often gravitate toward the latest high-flying growth story. But in my experience, one of the most reliable and often overlooked strategies for long-term wealth creation lies in a quieter corner of the market: dividend growth investing. When clients ask me about the “average return” for a dividend

In the world of investing, the term “aggressive” is a siren’s call. It promises the potential for elevated returns but whispers little of the profound risks and volatility required to chase them. As someone who has analyzed countless fund prospectuses and performance charts, I find that the concept of an “average return” for aggressive funds

Introduction In my years guiding investors through multiple market cycles, the most emotionally charged question I face always emerges from the depths of a bear market: “When will I get my money back?” The pain of seeing a portfolio decline is visceral, and the hope for recovery is a powerful driver of investor behavior. The

In the world of investing, we often focus on the dramatic—the soaring returns of stocks, the crushing blows of a bear market. But every seasoned investor and corporate treasurer knows that a portfolio’s foundation is not built on drama; it is built on stability and liquidity. This is the domain of the money market mutual

Introduction In the tumultuous sea of the market, conservative mutual funds are often seen as the safe harbor. When clients approach me, weary of volatility and seeking stability, their first question is invariably, “What kind of return can I realistically expect?” The answer is never a single, static number. The average rate of return for