Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Franklin Templeton Asian Growth Fund to liquidate
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/916488/000091648814000004/p-10314.htm
    497 1 p-10314.htm 490 P-1 03-14
    490 P-1 03/14
    SUPPLEMENT DATED MARCH 3, 2014
    TO THE CURRENTLY EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUS
    OF
    Templeton Asian Growth Fund
    (Templeton Global Investment Trust)
    The Prospectus is amended as follows:
    The following paragraphs are added to the “Fund Summary” and “Fund Details” sections:
    On February 25, 2014, the Board of Trustees of Templeton Global Investment Trust on behalf of Templeton Asian Growth Fund approved a proposal to terminate and liquidate the Fund.
    Effective at the close of market on March 18, 2014, the Fund is closed to new investors. Existing investors who had an open and funded account on March 18, 2014 can continue to invest through exchanges and additional purchases. Effective at the close of market on May 13, 2014, the Fund will be closed to additional investments from existing shareholders, except for purchases made through reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. Re-registration of accounts held by existing investors, if required for legal transfer or administrative reasons, will be allowed.
    The liquidation is anticipated to occur on or about May 20, 2014 (Liquidation Date). Except for retirement plan accounts, shareholders with accounts in the Fund on the Liquidation Date will have their accounts liquidated and the proceeds will be delivered to them.
    Shareholders may exchange their Fund shares for shares of other Franklin Templeton funds, consistent with the Fund’s prospectus, prior to the Liquidation Date. An exchange out of the Fund prior to the Liquidation Date, or liquidation, may be considered a taxable transaction for nonretirement plan accounts. Shareholders should consult their tax advisor regarding the effect of the Fund’s liquidation in light of their individual circumstances. Participants in retirement plan accounts will receive further information regarding the handling of the liquidation. In considering new purchases or exchanges, shareholders may want to consult with their financial advisors to consider their investment options.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Fund reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.
    Please keep this supplement for future reference.
  • More Taxing Time Ahead For Fund Investors
    FYI:
    Regards,
    Ted
    Highlight Copy & Paste Barron's 3/1/14: Lewis Braham
    How's this for irony: In 2013, Bill Miller's Legg Mason Opportunity fund (ticker: LGOAX) delivered a chart-topping 68% return, yet his shareholders won't owe a dime in capital-gains taxes this April. Meanwhile, investors in the Royce Premier fund (RYPRX) will have to pay taxes on $2.27 per share of long-term capital gains, even though the fund lagged behind 95% of its peers.
    Tax season is upon us, and it's time to rethink your assumptions about how to build a portfolio that keeps the IRS at bay. After a year in which stocks rose more than 30%, even laggards like the Royce fund—which returned 28% last year—have accumulated significant gains on their books. According to Morningstar, the average U.S. stock fund with more than $1 billion in assets now has a 23% potential capital-gains exposure. That means there are $230 million of taxable capital gains per every $1 billion invested in funds.
    Minimizing taxable investment gains and income is more important than ever. Married couples with taxable income of more than $450,000 will see their long-term capital gains taxed at 20% this year, instead of 15%.
    Those rates can be even higher thanks to two new taxes. First, there's an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on married couples with earned income of more than $250,000. Since the tax on short-term capital gains and some dividend income is equal to investors' highest income tax rate—now as high as 39.6%—those investment gains could hit 40.5%. Second: Investors with more than $250,000 in adjusted gross income (for married couples) could pay an additional 3.8% in a special Medicare tax on some of their investment income. "The sticker shock for our clients will come this March when their tax bills arrive," says Jim Holtzman, a financial planner at Legend Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh. "They're going to be hit with about $5,000 to $7,000 more in taxes on average."
    THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO MINIMIZE the taxes your funds generate. For many financial advisors, the solution is buying low-turnover index funds. Advisor John Smartt Jr. of Financial Counseling & Administration in Knoxville, Tenn., bought his first index fund, the Vanguard 500 (VFINX), in 1989 and hasn't looked back. Now he favors the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index ETF (VTI), which basically buys and holds every U.S. stock forever, so no gains are distributed.
    Brace yourself for the second idea: Scour a fund's semi-annual report for losses they have on their books. Granted, "read the fine print" is tough advice to swallow, but the Internet makes it easier and potentially quite rewarding. Search for the words "loss" and "depreciation" in the Opportunity fund's latest report, for instance, and you'll find it has accumulated $1.9 billion worth on its balance sheet to neutralize future gains. These were generated during two brutal downturns in 2008 and 2011 during which Miller's reputation suffered. Now that Miller seems to have his groove back, the fund could be an interesting buy for the tax-averse. By contrast, Royce Premier had $2.5 billion of unrealized capital gains listed in its June 2013 report. So more distributions may be coming, even if it continues to lag behind its peers.
    Finding funds with losses on their balance sheets can be tricky, though. Funds crushed in 2008 may have used up their losses. Also, the tax law then only allowed losses to be carried for seven years—so whatever losses remain will expire soon.
    The good news is that in 2010 the tax law changed so that balance-sheet losses never expire. Funds in areas—such as gold—that have suffered losses since then have an advantage tax-wise. Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining (VGPMX) and Fidelity Select Gold (FSAGX), for example, each have more than $1 billion in losses on their balance sheets after last year's rout. (Subscribers to Morningstar can screen for funds with negative "potential cap gains exposure.")
    Similarly, funds with emerging markets exposure that took a dive in 2011 and 2013 are also sitting on losses. The key here is to find funds that have strong long-term records and explainable recent hiccups. Case in point: the $4.3 billion Janus Overseas fund (JAOSX), which has $1.1 billion in accumulated losses. Over the last 10 years manager Brent Lynn's fund has delivered an 8.6% annualized return, compared with just 6.5% for its peers in its Morningstar category. But recent performance has been volatile and abysmal. Lynn's more aggressive style may shine as emerging markets recover, and the fund will be able to shelter its taxable gains.
    Another tack: funds that have replaced a money-losing manager with someone with a strong track record elsewhere. "That's like investing in a completely different fund," says HLM Capital's Benjamin Leshem who seeks out such funds for clients of his financial planning practice in Deerfield, Ill. After lagging badly for many years, Columbia International Value (NIVLX) replaced its former subadvisor Brandes Investment Partners with an in-house Columbia manager, Fred Copper, last June. Copper's Columbia Overseas Value fund (COSZX) has beaten more than 80% of its peers in the last five years. Columbia International Value has $570 million in losses, $171 million of which have no expiration date, and just $277 million in assets. Its shareholders won't be paying any capital-gains taxes for a long time.
    .
    .
    .
  • The Hartford Mutual Funds, Inc. liquidates target funds
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1006415/000110465914014800/a14-7005_3497.htm
    497 1 a14-7005_3497.htm 497
    SUPPLEMENT
    DATED MARCH 1, 2014 TO THE FOLLOWING PROSPECTUSES:
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2010 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2015 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2020 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2025 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2030 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2035 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2040 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2045 FUND
    THE HARTFORD TARGET RETIREMENT 2050 FUND
    EACH PROSPECTUS DATED MARCH 1, 2014 AND
    SUMMARY PROSPECTUS DATED MARCH 1, 2014
    (EACH IS A SERIES OF THE HARTFORD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.)
    On December 13, 2013, the Board of Directors of The Hartford Mutual Funds, Inc. (the “Company”) approved a Plan of Liquidation for each of The Hartford Target Retirement 2010 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2015 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2020 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2025 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2030 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2035 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2040 Fund, The Hartford Target Retirement 2045 Fund and The Hartford Target Retirement 2050 Fund (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) pursuant to which the Funds will be liquidated (the “Liquidations”) on or about June 25, 2014 (the “Liquidation Date”). If you are invested in a Fund through a qualified account, such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”), important information applies to you and is provided below.
    SUSPENSION OF SALES. The Funds no longer sell shares to new investors. The Funds will remain open to existing retirement plans and current shareholders until shortly before the Liquidation Date.
    LIQUIDATION OF ASSETS. To prepare for the Liquidations, the Funds may depart from their stated investment objectives and policies as they prepare to distribute their assets to investors. In connection with the Liquidation, any shares of a Fund outstanding on the Liquidation Date will automatically be redeemed by the Fund on the Liquidation Date. The proceeds of any such redemption will be equal to the net asset value of such shares after all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities of a Fund have been paid or provided for. The distribution to shareholders of the Liquidation proceeds will occur on the Liquidation Date, and will be made to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on the business day preceding the Liquidation Date, other than as disclosed below under “Important Information if you are invested in a Fund through a qualified account.”
    OTHER ALTERNATIVES. At any time prior to the Liquidation Date, shareholders of a Fund may redeem their shares of the Fund and receive the net asset value thereof, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Prospectus. Shareholders may exchange their Fund shares for shares of the same class of another Hartford Fund. Class A shareholders may exchange their Class A shares of a Fund for Class A share of another Hartford Fund prior to the Liquidation Date, at net asset value without incurring an additional front-end sales charge.
    U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS. The Liquidation of a Fund will be a realization event for shareholders holding shares through taxable accounts, meaning that if you receive an amount in liquidation of a Fund in excess of your tax basis, you will realize a capital gain, and if you receive an amount in liquidation of a Fund less than your tax basis, you will realize a capital loss. Prior to the Liquidation Date, a Fund may make distributions of income and capital gains, which may be taxable. If you have questions, you should consult your tax adviser for information regarding all tax consequences applicable to your investment in a Fund. Generally, the Liquidation of a Fund will not be a taxable event if you are invested in a Fund through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
    FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY. If you are invested in a Fund through a financial intermediary, please contact that financial intermediary if you have any questions. If you are invested in a qualified account (example, IRA), you must work with the financial intermediary to direct your investment in order to avoid possible tax penalties.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF YOU ARE INVESTED IN A FUND THROUGH A QUALIFIED ACCOUNT AND YOU OPENED YOUR ACCOUNT DIRECTLY WITH HARTFORD FUNDS.
    401k, Pension and Profit Sharing Plans.
    If you are invested in a Fund through a 401k, Pension and Profit Sharing Plan, and we do not receive directions from you or the plan’s trustee, we will send a liquidating distribution to the trustee in the trustee’s name.
    Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SIMPLE, SEP AND 403 Plans (“Qualified Account”).
    We encourage shareholders invested in the Funds through Qualified Accounts to provide instructions for the exchange or reinvestment of Fund shares prior to the Liquidation Date. If a Qualified Account shareholder does not provide these instructions, Fund shares held on the Liquidation Date in a Fund will be exchanged for shares of The Hartford Short Duration Fund to the extent permitted by that shareholder’s Qualified Account custodial agreement. If a shareholder’s Qualified Account custodial agreement does not authorize the investment of the account into The Hartford Short Duration Fund, then the liquidation proceeds will be returned by mail to the shareholder’s attention but made payable to the applicable Qualified Account custodian in order to avoid adverse tax consequences...
  • Thoughts on Wintergreen Fund
    Thanks for your feedback STB65. Yes I've followed Winters for a number of years. He's respected in the financial press and appears on Wealthtrack and other shows often. But you're right... a high expense ratio for underperformance compared to his category. I am wondering if his underperformance is tied to underperformance in emerging markets.
  • Everybody Should Get Off Bill Gross's Back
    Ha! I don't even know who Felix Salmon is. Maybe some character in the old "Odd Couple" sit-com?
    Heck, Gross has been the darling of the financial media for decades. I suppose one of the dangers of Star Manager Syndrome (SMS) with which we are all afflicted to various degrees is that some of these folks might conceivably turn out to be human - and might actually be exposed to the masses as such ... OMG!
    And if you think Gross sounds bad, ... should have seen some of the ones I worked under. :-)
  • Frontier Mkts Hotspot or Not
    Nigeria's Central bank governor Lamido Sanusi has been suspended.
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswright/2014/02/21/as-sanusi-is-suspended-is-nigeria-still-the-worlds-new-investment-darling/
    Forbes: As Sanusi Is Suspended, Is Nigeria Still The World's New Investment Darling?
    As Nigeria has shifted from a corruption-addled frontier state to one of the world's few emerging market bright spots, it has been assisted enormously by the charisma and gravitas of two of its financial leaders. One is the coordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, familiar on the multilateral bank meeting circuit for her strong leadership, candidacy for the world Bank presidency - and her colourful headscarves. The other is central bank governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, sharp-suited and sharper-minded. It's never been entirely clear how well the two people, or at least their institutions, get along, but they present to the world a credible, smart, articulate face for a country whose finances have often been murky.
    But now Sanusi, who was due to step down in June, has been suspended by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over allegations of "financial recklessness and misconduct." Few in the west take these words - taken verbatim from a statement issued by the president through his media adviser, Reuben Abati - at face value, and the result has been to erode confidence in one of the few market darlings of frontier-spirited fund managers in recent years.
    =====
    Feb 20, 2014
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/20/nigeria-sanusi-idUSL6N0LP1TL20140220
    INVESTOR BACKLASH
    Analysts predicted that foreign investors would now be active sellers of assets in Africa's second biggest economy, just when it had been attracting more interest than ever for the huge potential of its 170 million population and a backlog of work needed to update its inadequate infrastructure.
    "The suspension will come as a significant shock to foreign portfolio investors, whose willingness to invest in Nigeria was very much influenced by the transparency and anti-inflation credibility associated with Sanusi's policies," said Razia Khan, head of Africa research at Standard Chartered.
  • Ron Rowland's Weekly ... Invest With An Edge ... Blame It On The Weather
    Wednesday, February 19, 2014
    Editor's Corner
    Blame It On The Weather
    Ron Rowland
    Might as well blame it on the weather, since everyone seems to be doing it. From employment statistics to retail sales to corporate earnings reports, the weather is the most trotted out excuse. Yes, it’s been a harsh winter, so it was really no surprise when housing reports hit the skids. After all, homebuilders are required to work outdoors, and even potential buyers must leave the comfort of their current residence when seeking new shelter.
    According to the National Association of Home Builders, U.S. homebuilder confidence dropped in February. However, it wasn’t just any old drop – it was the largest one-month drop in history. Known as the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, the three-part survey plunged 10 points for the month, from 56 in January to 46 in February. Readings below 50 indicate more builders foresee poor market conditions versus favorable ones.
    One of the index’s three components, views on current sales, declined 11 points to 51. Still above 50, but now it’s at the lowest level since last May. Another component, views on sales for the next six months, fell a more modest 6 points to 54. The third component, prospective buyer traffic, erased 9 points to land at 31. “Significant weather conditions across most of the country led to a decline in buyer traffic last month,” according to a statement from the NAHB.
    Today, the Commerce Department said housing starts dropped 16% in January. The pace in December was 1.05 million new homes annually. Economists were forecasting just a 4.9% drop to 950,000 for January instead of the 880,000 figure reported. That knocks the pace back to September levels and represents the largest one-month drop in 35 months. New building permits also declined more than expected to an annual rate of 937,000.
    Although many would be quick to blame the weather for this drop, housing starts in the frigid Northeast actually soared 62%. It was the remainder of the country pulling the overall number down. Starts fell about 13% in the South, 17% in the West, and the Midwest reported a huge 68% plunge. Weather was a factor, but it wasn’t the only factor. It’s “primarily about demand” according to the chief economist for real estate website Truila.
    Meanwhile, economists are likely busy revising their February numbers lower. Homebuilders stock prices have not been dramatically affected so far. SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) and iShares U.S. Home Construction (ITB) today closed within 2% of last week’s highs.
    Sectors
    Anyone doubting the strength of Health Care in the face of the Affordable Care Act at the beginning of the year must be scratching their head by now. Despite the uncertainty and ever-changing implementation dates of various Obamacare provisions, the Health Care sector has provided consistent market leadership this year. Today, its widened lead over other sectors indicates it still has room to run. Technology moved up a notch to second place as the formerly beleaguered semiconductor industry showed new signs of life. Overhead resistance thwarted Utilities’ rally attempt in January. The sector’s February advance is much stronger, allowing it to easily slice through the former resistance area and remain on the heels of Technology. Real Estate fell from second to fourth while maintaining a steady uptrend. Materials, Industrials, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary have been moving in lockstep recently. They all moved from red to green last week, and today they are reporting increased momentum. The good news for Energy, Telecom, and Consumer Staples is that all three erased their negative trends. The bad news is they all continue to lag the market.
    Styles
    The stock market rally boosted the strength of all our style categories. Mid Cap Growth maintains its place at the top of the list, a position it wrestled away from Micro Cap a week ago. Micro Cap, after briefly falling to fifth, is not about to give up easily and is once again vying for the top spot. Its rise caused Mid Cap Blend, Large Cap Growth, and Mid Cap Value to all slide one notch lower. Small Cap Growth has enough strength to be grouped with the five categories ranked above it. Strength begins to wane starting with Large Cap Blend and continues to drop for each of the four categories below. Small Cap Value is in last place again, but it managed to flip from a negative to positive trend this week.
    Global
    Europe posted strong results this past week, allowing it to keep its top ranking among the global categories. The U.K. performed even better than Euroland and jumped ahead of the U.S. to grab second place. Although the U.S. slipped to third, it did so while posting strong absolute strength, as evidenced by the large momentum improvements across the sector and style categories. EAFE and World Equity have been running neck-and-neck, and this week the advantage went to EAFE. Canada held steady in the middle of the pack, and Pacific ex-Japan broke free of its negative trend. Four categories remain in the red despite two weeks of strong results. Japan’s economic growth is being called into question again, which has prevented the nation’s stock market to fully participate in the global equity rally. Emerging Markets, China, and Latin America still lag far behind. Latin America actually saw stock prices decline while the rest of the world rallied, suggesting it could fall even further.
    Note:
    The charts above depict both the relative strength and absolute strength of various market sectors, styles, and geographic locations on an intermediate-term basis. Each grouping is sorted (top to bottom) by relative strength. The magnitude of the displayed RSM value is a measure of absolute strength, which is our proprietary method of measuring and reporting the intermediate-term strength as an annualized value.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    All Star Investor
    Named to Hulbert Financial Digest's Honor Roll
    Our sister publication, All Star Investor, is one of only nine newsletters to make the Hulbert Financial Digest's (HFD) Honor Roll for 2012. That is fewer than 10% of the newsletters it follows. All Star Investor earned even more accolades from HFD as it is one of only six to be named two years in a row. The editor, Mark Hulbert, writes "making it onto the Honor Roll really means something" and suggests "you give our Newsletter Honor Roll serious consideration"".
    To make the honor roll, a newsletter must perform better than average in both up markets and down markets since 8/31/98, including measures of risk-adjusted performance.
    Sign up for a free 14-day trial to an Honor Roll newsletter here.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    “We won’t know until probably April at the earliest whether there is some change in the fundamentals" of the market because of the weather impact.
    Richard Moody, chief economist at Regions Financial (2/19/14)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    === Follow Us===
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Recent Articles Posted at InvestWithAnEdge.com:
    January 2014 Archive
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DISCLOSURE
    © 2014 AllStarInvestor.com All Rights Reserved. Protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized investment advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized investment advice. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. All Star Investor employees, its affiliates, and clients may hold positions in the recommended securities.
    Distribution is encouraged. Please do not alter content.
    Courtesy of: www.AllStarInvestor.com, Publisher of www.InvestWithAnEdge.com
    This message was sent to Old_Skeet from:
    All Star Investor | 11651 Jollyville Road, Suite 200 | Austin, Texas 78759
    Email Marketing by
    Update Profile | Forward To a Friend
  • An Exciting Portfolio Backtesting Website
    Hi Guys,
    The Portfolio Visualizer website truly offers opportunity. Opportunity to learn.
    There are so many potential and practical uses for this fine website that it is hard to characterize its full utility and scope in a few words. So I’ll settle for a lesser goal and suggest just a few specific applications.
    Any such usage must always be accompanied with the standard cautionary warning that in a dynamic, nonlinear system, specific outcomes are never totally predictable. The Chaos whiz-kids could endlessly pontificate on this matter. But Chaos is not randomness. It borders on the threshold of randomness and it develops in a semi-controlled, non-arbitrary manner.
    A famous saying, often but not always attributed to Mark Twain, captures the spirit of the uncertain future: “History does not repeat itself, but it Rhymes”.
    Given the unknowable future, an investor must exercise judgment in recognizing that rhyming proclivity and a certain market rhythm. A knowledge of market history is necessary to achieve this level of understanding.
    For the global climate change debate, it’s critical to know that the sun-spot activity level has a periodicity of about 22 years. For investors, it is important to know that 22 economic recoveries have occurred since 1904 with an average and median life span of 3.8 and 3.1 years, respectively. This type of knowledge allows an investor to develop a feel for market risk.
    In general, the historical returns for the top tier of investment classes and for the next lower order investment categories serve as a guideline for potential, but never guaranteed, future market rewards. The category data provide guidelines for a logical, long-term expectation level from these various groupings, which is especially useful when assembling a portfolio asset allocation plan. Surely if you seek a 6 % to 8% portfolio annual return, a 100% bond portfolio simply will not suffice.
    Both baseball and investing are awash with data. Properly interpreting this data, and that also means respecting its limitations, will make anyone a better informed investor when making investment decisions.
    In baseball, the Moneyball that Billy Beane deployed was initially rejected by the baseball establishment. It is now the operational rule for all baseball. In the financial world, very little statistical awareness was applied in the mid-1950s. Today, the reverse is true, except for a few old diehards. You get to choose your own pathway.
    To develop a feel for the sensitivity of an equity/bond return/risk tradeoff, just play a few what-if games with the referenced asset class allocation tool. Vary the percentages and see how sensitive the overall returns and the standard deviations are to the mix. There are never any free lunches. Vary the study timeframe to isolate sensitivity to that parameter. If you don’t like the historical database, invent your own preferences and use them as input. Experiment liberally!
    These types of parametric explorations will shorten your learning period. You will develop a sense of what factors are influential and what are noise. The what-if game scenarios will likely make you a better investor whatever your goals.
    You can use the Monte Carlo simulator that is also available on the website to project retirement portfolio survival rates for a variety of market circumstances. These type of studies can be used as positive feedback loops to adjust savings plans and investment risk requirements if you are in your accumulation phase (before retirement).
    You can challenge the robustness of your candidate portfolios by checking survival rates for a normal Bell curve distribution and next stress testing it against a Fat Tail model. A version of a Fat Tail model is incorporated within the referenced Monte Carlo code as a user option.
    I find it somewhat amusing that some members of the MFO family elect to discourage statistical applications, yet in the same posting endorse stress testing. Stress test against what, if not against some target specification gleaned from history. Statistical history serves to guide any meaningful stress test.
    I encourage you to fully exploit the capabilities of this attractive website with its comprehensive set of investment tools. These types of analysis will help you formulate a portfolio that satisfies your return requirements while also serving to measure its risk profile. Of course, there can never be an absolute guarantee given the uncertainty of future exogenous events.
    I wish you more informed and more confident investment decision making. You need confidence to stay the course when the potholes appear. And they will most certainly appear.
    Best wishes to all and thank you for your participation.
  • Grandeur Peak Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund to close to new investors
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/915802/000091580214000008/grandeurpeakemergingmarketso.htm
    497 1 grandeurpeakemergingmarketso.htm Grandeur Peak Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund
    (the “Fund”)
    SUPPLEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 19, 2014 TO THE FUND’S PROSPECTUS DATED MAY 1, 2013, AS SUPPLEMENTED FROM TIME TO TIME
    This Supplement updates certain information contained in the Prospectus for the Fund dated May 1, 2013, as supplemented from time to time. You should retain this Supplement and the Prospectus for future reference. Additional copies of the Prospectus may be obtained free of charge by visiting our web site at www.grandeurpeakglobal.com or calling us at 1.855.377.PEAK (7325).
    Effective as of the close of business on March 5, 2014, the Fund will close to new investors, except as described below:
    ·A financial advisor whose clients have established accounts in a Fund as of March 5, 2014 may continue to open new accounts in that Fund for any of its existing or new clients.
    ·Existing or new participants in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit sharing plan, 403(b) plan or 457 plan, which has an existing position in a Fund as of March 5, 2014, may continue to open new accounts in that Fund. In addition, if such qualified retirement plans have a related retirement plan formed in the future, this plan may also open new accounts in the Fund.
    This change will affect new investors seeking to purchase shares of the Fund either directly or through third party intermediaries. Existing shareholders of the Fund may continue to purchase additional shares of the Fund.
    As described in the Prospectus, the Fund’s investment adviser, Grandeur Peak Global Advisors, LLC, retains the right to make exceptions to any action taken to close the Fund or limit inflows into the Fund.
  • Grandeur Peak Global Opportunities & International Opportunities Funds purchase changes
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/915802/000091580214000009/grandeurpeakgoandiohardclose.htm
    FINANCIAL INVESTORS TRUST
    Grandeur Peak Global Opportunities Fund
    Grandeur Peak International Opportunities Fund (the “Funds”)
    SUPPLEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 19, 2014 TO THE PROSPECTUS
    DATED AUGUST 31, 2013
    This Supplement updates certain information contained in the Prospectus for the Funds dated August 31, 2013. You should retain this Supplement and the Prospectus for future reference. Additional copies of the Prospectus may be obtained free of charge by visiting our web site at www.grandeurpeakglobal.com or calling us at 1.855.377.PEAK (7325).
    Effective as of the close of business on March 5, 2014, the Funds will close to all purchases, except as described below. Once the Funds are closed the Funds will no longer accept purchases from new or existing clients, unless the purchase is part of:
    ·a retirement plan/account which held the Fund prior to this closure;
    ·an automatic investment plan which was established in the Fund prior to this closure; or
    ·an automatic reinvestment of a distribution made by the Fund.
    These exceptions will be implemented wherever possible, but they may not be possible on all intermediary platforms.
    As described in the Prospectus, the Funds’ investment adviser, Grandeur Peak Global Advisors, LLC, retains the right to make exceptions to any action taken to close a Fund or limit inflows into a Fund.
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Reply to @catch22:
    Hi Catch,
    Based on your many questions directed to me, I conclude that you misinterpret my rather generic and innocuous response to Mike’s advisor quagmire. The questions do warrant a reply since they reflect some confusion over my thoughts on the matter.
    My opening statement that searching for “an internet personal advisor is a bad idea” is globally intended. Specifically coupling this generalization to the MFO site is definitely “a bridge too far”.
    I seek, welcome, and often benefit from exchanges that present diverse opinions on any financial topic. Informed alternate assessments lead to more refined analyses and better solutions when the issue is clearly defined with definite goals.
    However, the multifaceted nature of portfolio management make it a horse of a different color. I firmly believe that both the client and his advisor would suffer if the exchanges were constrained to linear Internet communications. This issue has many moving parts and is consequently far more complex.
    I believe that a face-to-face interchange is a more productive approach to capture the nuances of each person’s perspective; distance and writing shortcomings compromise this communication.
    I thought I made that exact point in my original post with the following two paragraphs.
    “I do believe that financial advisors serve a useful purpose, but not as stock or mutual fund pickers. They can guide you in assembling a long-range plan, support you in staying the course during hard times, and adjust the plan as circumstances change.”
    “However, that level of advice demands very personal contact, understanding, attention, and mutual trust. It can not be properly executed over the Internet. Sorry Mike, but it is just a bad idea.”
    Here is a true story that illuminates the need for close-quarters contact.
    When originally assembling its staff, Morningstar recognized the distinction between superior analytical skills and writing communications talent. In these early years Morningstar preferred to hire English majors over Financial graduates. Writing effectiveness was paramount in their worldview at that time. They have modified their policy in that regard as their structure and reach has matured. Many early Morningstar users were not aware of this bias which represents a shortcoming in my view.
    So NO, this site has NOT “evolved into an internet personal advisor status.” And I propose that it would be risky business to do so.
    I do subscribe to the wisdom of the crowd axiom, but only under certain conditions. The opinions must be well informed by qualified people, they must be independently determined, and they must not be under the influence of a strong, dictatorial leader.
    Perhaps applauding “reluctance” is a bit fuzzy description. I feel that giving portfolio advice on the Internet is hazardous business for some of the reasons presented earlier. My singular intent was to salute the forbearance demonstrated by MFOers as they respected the dangers of providing incomplete advisor-like counsel.
    I never claim any special knowledge or forecasting prescience. I fully recognize the limitations of my investment experience and skill set. I am an amateur in this arena. Occasionally I might speculate on this group’s position, but any judgments I make are mine alone. I never attempt to represent it as any MFO membership consensus. Likely, no such consensus even exists. I do prefer to reply to postings quickly since issues tend to get rapidly buried with our active contribution rate. The rapidity of the reply is not a valid measure of its quality.
    Finally, I found none of the replies unfriendly with hidden nasty intentions, my own post included. In the true spirit of this website, we all attempted to be helpful and to suggest plausible options. I surely welcome Mike to the site and hope he will remain an active participant.
    As a concluding observation, I noticed that although you addressed the bulk of your comments to responders, you failed to respond to Mike’s specific questions. That’s too too bad since, given your prior posts as a guide, I suspect you have much to offer on this subject.
    Please stay cool; divergent opinions are positive and attractive attributes of this fine website.
    Best Wishes.
  • Fund questions, a no-no, don't ask, no chit-chat......then just pull the server plug
    :) I was reading your post and the server went down. How did you do that???
    Guess I didn't notice the MJG's typical passive-aggressive slights or maybe I've just gotten use to them. I remember my first post, oh, probably back in '06-'07, I got bashed by Investor. I asked something about using financial advisors and he scolded me that the topic wasn't appropriate for Fund Alarm. I remember rono came to my aid and told him off. Anyway, it didn't detour me from posting and I hope mikes425 isn't offended either.
    And now that I think about it, what ever happen to Investor? He became one of my favorite posters.
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Hi Mike. I'll throw in my 2 cents. Advice from this web site or any other would be interesting, informative and entertaining, but nothing more than that. Lots of opinions but no-way a financial plan. It would be interesting though to see how your original advisor set up your conservative-moderate portfolio and what the Mutual Fund Store people suggested.
    I'm guessing like everyone here, you want a financial plan in place, one you can sleep with and have trust in. You decided 4-6% returns is sufficient going forward. Not sure how you decided that, but I'll assume you are close to or in retirement. 4-6% wouldn't be an accumulation/growth portfolio for a younger investor unless they already had assets needed.
    The advice you are getting here to work with a fee only, fiduciary advisor is what I agree with. You already have advice from one. Get a second opinion to be more self assured. It has to be a one on one discussion as I believe MJG suggested.
    I've been coming to this site, first Fund Alarm and now MFO for years and like I mentioned above, it is informative and some times very entertaining - lots of personalities. David's commentaries are better than any magazine or news letter you can buy. You can do things yourself, but sometimes it's nice to have the reassurance of a trusted professional. I know that is true for me. I lost my job a few months back and the first thing I did was seek advise.
    Good luck to you Mike!
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Reply to @catch22: Come on Catch! I don't think I requested Mike425 to do anything. As MJG already noted, many here would be happy to rip the portfolio apart if Mike would reveal his hand. That's fine and dandy. Ted has already volunteered.
    However, there was a more subtle underlying message in my reply: If it were my money - especially a whole lot of it - I'd turn to a highly recommended and qualified locally based certified professional and expect him/her to be there day in and day out as needed. He/she would meet with me regularly, maintain the necessary records, perform the accounting, make contacts with various fiduciaries, provide tax guidance and seek legal advice as warranted. None of these necessary adjuncts to financial planning are we set up to do here at MFO.
    Nothing was intended to detract from the board or its members. Matter of fact, I'd suggest Mike425 begin immediately reading at least 10 of Ted's linked articles every day as part of his continuing education. Most are gems that could advance his knowledge and potentially bring him to the point where he'd be comfortable managing his own investments. Regards
  • Frontier Mkts Hotspot or Not
    Reply to @finder: Last week I exchanged some of my WAFMX into MFMPX shares for some of the reasons being discussed here.Ms Garitz is now responsible as manager or co-manager of over $3 bill in fund assets in three different funds.
    Here are some snippets from Morgan Stanley's Fact Sheet and Investment Strategy Profile .It would seem their investment universe is very fluid as are the actual indexes . http://www.msci.com/products/indices/country_and_regional/fm/msci_frontier_emerging_markets_index.html
    From Morgan Stanley(emphasis added)
    The team allocates the portfolio’s assets among frontier emerging markets based on relative
    economic, political and social fundamentals, stock valuations and investor sentiment with bottom-up
    fundamental analysis. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the portfolio’s assets will be
    invested in equity securities of companies operating in frontier emerging-market countries. The
    portfolio may also invest in emerging-market securities.
    The equity securities in which the portfolio
    may primarily invest include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights, warrants,
    depositary receipts, limited partnership interests and other specialty securities having equity features.
    The portfolio may hold or have exposure to equity securities of companies of any size, including small-
    and medium-capitalization companies, and to companies in any industry or sector. The portfolio has a
    fundamental policy of investing 25% or more of its assets in the banking industry, which cannot be
    changed without shareholder approval
    Investment Philosophy
    The Frontier Emerging Markets Equity team believes that frontier markets are
    in various stages of economic development—but generally lag the “mainstream”
    emerging markets in terms of economic and financial market reform, and, in
    many cases, are overlooked by many foreign investors. Their equity market
    performance correlation with other markets has been historically low because
    of their limited integration with the rest of the world’s financial markets, thus
    providing potential diversification benefits.1
    The strategy’s investment team defines a frontier emerging market as a developing
    country beyond the generally accepted 26 frontier emerging market countries
    within the MSCI Frontier Markets index.

    The team regards these “non-core” emerging markets as attractive new investment
    destinations with unrealized economic potential
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Hi: I second what John and MJG said. And, I don't give specific advice of the nature requested because plain and simple - I'm not qualified to give individual investment advice.
    Take any advice received via electronic media with a (heavy) grain of salt. The radio personality who sounds so financially competent and genuinely concerned for your wellbeing today can disappear into the stratosphere tomorrow should his ratings tumble or he anger a sponsor. David (bless him) could conceivably get "PO"ed by some of our antics and yank the plug. (Sure hope he doesn't:-) Point is, this source of advice always has a transient element to it and should not supplant either a (1) fee-based, reputable and knowledgeable, financial advisor or (2) your own decision making based on the financial education you undertake to acquire. (And MFO is a great place to acquire such an education.) Many fund houses also claim to provide such advice. I'd be leery. One size does not fit all and advice over the phone or internet, no matter how well intended, may not be suitable for your own particular situation.
    As for the 4-6% average return you'd like (with some ups and downs along the way), that should be eminently achievable using conservative funds over the next decade. Just to tease a little - here's three conservative offerings from T. Rowe Price and how they've fared over the past decade. Part of their performance was due to the strong tail-wind bonds in general experienced during that period. That "assist" has probably ended for the foreseeable future. So, it's of some concern. I'm of the opinion, however, that these managers will continue to navigate these waters with their usual exemplary skills and will continue to post nice returns. Clicking the link brings up each fund. One is a conservative bond fund; one a general purpose (multi-sector) income fund; and one a conservative equity fund. Regards
    PRGMX 10 year return: +4.32%
    RPSIX: 10 year return: + 5.95%
    PRWCX: 10 year return: + 8.77%
    The above are for illustration only and not meant to constitute recommendations.
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Hi Mike,
    Plainly and simply put, an internet personal advisor is a bad idea.
    I am pleased that the MFO population en masse did not volunteer for this nearly Mission Impossible task. Once again, they demonstrated the wisdom of the crowd by abstaining. I applaud their reluctance.
    The ghost of John Wayne (aka John Chisum) offered some solid generic advice. I’m sure it was not exactly what you were seeking, but it is worth serious consideration. MFOers will proffer outstanding individual mutual fund and ETF tips, but that doesn’t constitute an investment plan.
    Yesterday, I posted an article written by Morgan Housel that listed “77 Reasons You’re Awful at Managing Money”. You might want to access that piece.
    With a few noun substitutions, Chisum hit on several of Housel’s reasons: “47. You don't realize that the guy giving advice on TV doesn't know you, your circumstances, your goals, or your risk tolerance. He doesn't really care about you, either. He just wants to be seen on TV.” And “61. You think paying your financial advisor and other money managers 2% a year seems reasonable, without realizing that it'll probably eat up one-third or more of your long-term returns.”
    Those fees are consistent and, from a compound returns perspective, erode end-wealth since excess returns is a sometimes proposition.
    The fees are particularly ruinous given the mediocre performance record of most money managers. Persistent excess returns (Alpha) is an illusive target, and is so rarely achieved that many folks consider it a myth.
    I do believe that financial advisors serve a useful purpose, but not as stock or mutual fund pickers. They can guide you in assembling a long-range plan, support you in staying the course during hard times, and adjust the plan as circumstances change.
    However, that level of advice demands very personal contact, understanding, attention, and mutual trust. It can not be properly executed over the Internet. Sorry Mike, but it is just a bad idea.
    In another direction, your goal to register a 4 - 6 % average return over any extended timeframe is realistic without resorting to active market timing or active fund management.. The most direct way to satisfy this reasonable target is to lower fund expenses, and to lower or eliminate advisor fees. Once again, see Housel’s comments.
    Over the long haul your most optimistic investment returns goal should be to shoot for market returns using historical averages for whatever asset mix is compatible with your risk profile. Be assured that your risk profile will change over time too.
    If you choose to retain an advisor, don’t pay his fee from your portfolio contributions. Save a little more to cover his costs. A daily visit to Starbucks could be reduced to a twice weekly event. Some research shows that less frequent exposures actually enhance the enjoyment and the end happiness.
    I know this is not the response you wanted, but I suspect it is the response favored, but not explicitly quoted, by many MFO members. Their silence is telling you something. I’m not as smart as most who elected to pass on your request. Regardless, I wish you good luck in resolving your dilemma.
    Best Regards.
  • Advisors vs DIYers
    Sharing your portfolio here will attract a lot of responses from some good experts. I would post it and see.
    On the issue of whether to do it yourself or have an advisor, another thought would be to split your portfolio if possible and you run one part. See how that pans out. It sounds like you do pay attention to the markets and have some knowledge of how things work.
    I do all my investing myself even though I do have access to an advisor. If things go well I can pat myself on the back. If things go not so well, I have myself to look at in the mirror and I learn from my mistakes. Educating ones self about financial matters has a lot of benefits.
    Edit: Additionally, my opinion regarding advisors; there are good ones out there but it has to be known that while they might seem to have your best interests in mind, they are also salesmen and they have to have the company's best interests in mind too. A independent advisor is always best.
  • Need advice with retirement planning for my mom
    Hello,
    I know that the internet isn't the best place for advice, but I cannot find my mom any Fee only financial advisors in her area. What she is dealing with is way above my pay grade and it involves a possible six figure tax hit.
    Here is her issue:
    She is sixty two and just suffered from several strokes and simply can't work any longer. She is in management and the DR has warned against any/all stress because of her new found heart issue.
    Most of her retirement is in company stock. As of the last statement the account value was 1.7 M - outside of tax shelter. See the issue? She has always been very independent and has been very uncomfortable talking about money matters with me until now. Now I find myself trying to figure out the best path for more diversification ( tons more ) and protect her from the sharks in the investment world. It seems that every "planner" I have talked with has tried to sell the idea of "A" share funds with no thought of the tax issue at hand. Making this situation even worse is I'm three States away.
    She does have around 200G in her regular 401K. I simply can't believe how much she has invested in the company stock over the years. I guess this time it has worked out well...for now.
  • Vanguard Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund is closed to 3rd party intermediaries & new investors
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/891190/000093247114004578/arktag.htm
    Vanguard Admiral™ Treasury Money Market Fund
    Supplement to the Prospectus and Summary Prospectus
    Important Note Regarding Vanguard Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund
    Vanguard Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund (the Fund) will no longer accept additional investments from any financial advisor, intermediary, or institutional accounts, including those of defined contribution plans. Furthermore, the Fund is no longer available as an investment option for defined contribution plans.
    The Fund is closed to new accounts and will remain closed until further notice. During the Fund’s closed period, current retail shareholders may continue to purchase, exchange, or redeem shares of the Fund online, by telephone, or by mail.
    The Fund may modify these transaction policies at any time and without prior notice to shareholders. You may call Vanguard for more detailed information about the Fund’s transaction policies. Participants in employer-sponsored plans may call Vanguard Participant Services at 800-523-1188. Investors in nonretirement accounts and IRAs may call Vanguard’s Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447.
    © 2010 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
    Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. PS 11 122010