Schulz Wealth uses Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) as the basis for all of our portfolio decisions. We strive to identify dimensions of equity returns like momentum, value, and small-cap outperformance. Portfolio tilts are applied toward factors...

Most people trust their financial advisor. Problem is, most advisors should not be trusted. I know that’s a strong statement, but after spending over twenty years in this industry, I know it’s true. I review investment portfolios all of the time....

My sophomore year at The University of Texas, I had a marketing class in the UTC, an annex to the business school, tucked right next to the Perry Castaneda Library, known on campus as the PCL. I remember walking to class past the huge PCL, with...

There are often many important questions around how to invest money in your 401(k). For most of us, what we are able to accumulate in our 401(k) during our working lives is going to be a critical component to our retirement. Because of this, it...

I was reminded recently how different we are, as Americans, compared to the rest of the World as it relates to financial independence. First off, a wide majority of humans still live in undeveloped regions and subsist at a very basic level,...

Bucket number 3 is money for retirement. This is a bucket we all hope to get started on as soon as possible. Getting started with bucket number 3 at an earlier age allows us to invest more aggressively in order to take maximum advantage of our...

Bucket number two is used for intermediate term goals. Intermediate term goals are different and unique, depending on your specific needs. Younger professionals my have an intermediate term goal of buying their first home, while others may be...

Money we have in bucket number one is for rather near term financial goals. Because of the short horizon to these goals, they should be invested in a safe manner. An example for shorter term goal would be planning a big overseas trip, or maybe...

It’s 3 o’clock in the morning and I’m worried. Last week, the markets were down hard, with the S&P 500 going from positive double digit territory at the end of the quarter to down just under break-even only 26 days later. Here’s what the week...

This is the first article in a multi part series centered around a different (and hopefully easier) way to think about your financial goals from an overview perspective. When thinking about our financial goals, it is often much easier to think...

How much money do we need to have to begin investing? The truth to this question is a lot less than we think. Many people I have talked to believe that they need to have thousands of dollars saved up to fund their initial investment, however this...

The TINSTAAFL theory is an informal favorite rule among many economists and financial planners like me. TINSTAAFL stands for “There is no such thing as a free lunch”, and means there is a price for everything, whether you know it or not. From an...

From time to time, I find myself roaming the country, assisting a corporate client in their desire to assess and improve the retirement readiness of their workforce. Normally, personal clients seek me out and arrive at my office ready and willing...

Great post by Austin Smith! Disciplined strategy investing over the long term, rather than trying to time the market fluctuations is a proven strategy for long term portfolio success. Attempting to ‘buy low and sell high’ is incredibly...

Only a very small percentage of Americans will ever experience financial independence. Why? Because just being successful in our professional careers is not enough. We have to know how to translate our professional success into personal...

“I think we’re going to be able to call it.”, Austin says as we review our client’s financial plan and assets on the big screen in my office. We’ve been running and re-running the scenarios, carefully reviewing possible future expenses and...

You have never heard of any of my heroes, so naming them by name is unimportant. Besides, my heroes are not interested in publicity. My heroes lead quiet lives, in attractive, inviting homes, where their values and interests are on display....

When should you start saving for your retirement? The most accurate answer is yesterday. Time is by far the most important factor on saving for your future. Starting early, combined with the effects of compounding interest can make a world of...

Shelly and I went sailing for the first time in many years this weekend. I was a little rusty. As we dodged and weaved our way through the 200 or so moored boats out into Narragansett Bay, I was reminded of the importance and power of lift. Sails...

During the Haiti crisis in the mid-90’s, I was a young sailor on watch. It was a calm, quiet, typical Caribbean sunny day and we were just off the coast of Hispaniola in the Windward Passage. Punching holes in the ocean, is what we called it,...

Note: This post is from our intern – Chris Ensch. Chris attended a recent Rotary meeting with me and ran into his old economics professor from High School (College Equivalency), my friend and fellow Rotarian, Mike Gallaher. Chris will graduate...

Today’s post was inspired by the excellent book: Team of Teams, by Gen. McChrystal Modern destroyers use gas turbine engines for propulsion and electrical power. As a young junior officer, I was required to learn all about these marvelous...