WrapManager's Wealth Management Blog

Midterm elections are just a few months away, prompting many investors to explore the often-asked questions: how do political outcomes affect the stock market? Is it worth making any adjustments to your portfolio? We can look to past midterm elections for what may lie ahead for the markets and your investment portfolio. Why Do Midterms Affect the Market? 1. Less Legislating, More Campaigning This can be a net positive for the markets, given the lowered near-term possibility of new laws affecting the markets and the business community. [+] Read More

Each quarter WrapManager's Investment Policy Committee highlights 4 money manager strategies that have been ranked in the Top 1% of Performance in their respective categories since inception by Informa Investment Solutions. Dividend Equity – Brookmont Capital Management Multi-Cap Growth – ClearBridge Investments Tactical - F-Squared Investments AlphaSector® Premium Composite International Equity – WHV Investments You’ll find brief descriptions of the strategies and can request more in depth information for each. One of our Wealth Managers will reach out to you with the information, and can also show you how they would fit into your current portfolio. [+] Read More

For 10 years, the publication Investment Advisor has researched and ranked who they consider the best money managers across the country. They seek out money manager strategies that apply sustainable and repeatable investment processes, with a goal to deliver consistent performance through various business and market cycles.1 In 2014, the award for Best International/Global Equity Money Manager of the Year went to Cambiar Investors. We think it is a well-deserved accolade for Cambiar, who also took home this award in 2012.2 The consistency of their investment approach alongside their track record has earned them the highest respects from Investment Advisor, and also helped garner them a spot on WrapManager’s “Top Equity Money Manager Picks for 2014.” [+] Read More

Retiring in today’s world can seem to be a bit of a mystery. It used to be that when you retired, your company threw you a party then sent you home with a comfortable pension and health insurance. While times have changed, that doesn’t mean your retirement has to be any less comfortable or rewarding than your parent’s. In fact, with all the investment and planning options available today, you and your financial advisor can build a goals-based retirement plan that best suits your income needs, your future plans and your family’s unique situation. Our popular e-book, 5 Ways to Enhance Your Retirement Planning Strategy So You Can Face the Future with Confidence, provides you with an understanding of five of the most effective methods of planning for your retirement. [+] Read More

U.S. investors are significantly under-allocated to international stocks, according to JP Morgan Asset Management. They found that even though 50% of the world’s equity market capitalization is found outside the US, investors have less than a third of their portfolios allocated abroad.1 This imbalance represents a significant disconnect between where the world’s growth is generated today versus where investor portfolios are allocated, and is especially magnified as investment prospects outside the US continue to improve.1 To address this investment issue, you should review your retirement plan’s international exposure with your financial advisor. Is your investment portfolio positioned for whatever growth opportunities may lie ahead in the international markets? [+] Read More

The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 have hit fresh all-time highs this year, and many investors are starting to consider whether stocks are approaching “overvalued” territory. As investors, you’ve worked hard to accumulate assets and grow your portfolio over time, so it’s natural to wonder if “being overvalued” could mean it’s time to pare back your equity holdings or at least reconsider your asset allocation. But the real question to address first is: are stocks really overvalued? JP Morgan Research puts current stock valuations in perspective by taking a look at how they measure up historically. What they found is that current valuations are actually pretty close to their long-term averages, and not necessarily overvalued on a relative basis. [+] Read More

We are happy to present JP Morgan’s Third Quarter Guide to the Markets, narrated by their Chief Marketing Strategist Dr. David Kelly, CFA. This easy and comprehensive 30-minute presentation focuses on the risks and opportunities in the ongoing global recovery, including: Growth outlook for the US and international economies Interest rates and which way they are likely to go Outlook for US, international and emerging stock markets Fixed income market review “People need to invest based not on how they feel about the economy, but based on how they think, based on the facts, based on the numbers. And that’s really what the Guide to the Markets is dedicated to.” - Dr. David Kelly, JP Morgan. Watch the Presentation Here Note: JP Morgan will ask for a name and email to watch the presentation. [+] Read More

Should you count on Social Security benefits as an integral part of your retirement income plan? And how much? These are questions we hear often. There's a lot of confusion out there regarding social security benefits because misinformation abounds. With political issues, rhetoric becomes inflamed, and information is often used to sway opinion or policy. But when you're planning for retirement, misinformation is dangerous. What you need are solid answers about Social Security. Let's look at some of the most common questions surrounding Social Security in retirement. [+] Read More

The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 have hit fresh all-time highs this year,1 and mutterings of stocks being “overvalued” have started to sprout in the media. As a result, you may be wondering if this means it’s time to review your current asset allocation. A closer look at the numbers, however, shows that stock valuations are actually in-line with historical averages. JP Morgan Research puts this all in perspective by analyzing current valuations and comparing them with the 25 year averages for stocks, and what they found is that they are almost the same. [+] Read More