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FinanceDude · 03-25-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz4cash

You mean most FA's don't read prospectuses? That's very surprising to me.

Well, what I meant was "cover-to-cover". Trust me, it's pretty dry reading. I am sure a fair number of FAs skim the document, but I'm too anal not to read the whole thing..........

saluki9 · 03-25-2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz4cash

You mean most FA's don't read prospectuses? That's very surprising to me.

It shouldn't be.

Do you think all doctors read those long documents that come in the medication bottles?

jazz4cash · 03-25-2008, 10:08 PM

I find the analogies between doctors and FA's to be inappropriate. Doctors use a desk reference that summarizes the key characteristics of medicines they prescribe. Furthermore there is a significant approval process before these are ever offered for sale and pharmacists are supposed to offer another level of safety. something comparable for FA's?

outtarentals · 03-26-2008, 01:57 AM

I check my Schwab account balances daily. If I'm out driving and hear on the radio that the market is down - I know my balances will be down. If the market is up, my balances will be up.

A question for the hexperts - what does that mean? I am assuming that my accounts must be tied to something that's going up and down? But what?

As far as the little workhorse rental houses are concerned - I rarely give them a thought. The rent comes in every month regular as clockwork from the happy tenants - and it doesn't seem to matter what the houses are worth - the rent stays the same - even goes up a bit from time to time. That's a nice feeling.

retire@40 · 03-26-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outtarentals

I check my Schwab account balances daily. If I'm out driving and hear on the radio that the market is down - I know my balances will be down. If the market is up, my balances will be up.

A question for the hexperts - what does that mean? I am assuming that my accounts must be tied to something that's going up and down? But what?

It's called the Beta Coefficient.

outtarentals · 03-26-2008, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retire@40

It's called the Beta Coefficient.

AHA!! I was afraid of that! (Tongue in cheek here)

Thank you Retireat40 - I can see why you are managing to retire at 40!
I was thinking it might be the S&P500 since it seems to follow so closely.

However, you've given me a thought - next time I talk to my FA I'll casually say,

"Well now, FA, this Beta Coefficient thing doesn't seem to be working. Maybe we better try something else".

freebird5825 · 03-26-2008, 06:22 PM

i maintain my portfolio share stats using M*'s tracker tool. it is helpful to determine performance in bull/bear and help keep me on track with overall AA.
i like their XRay tool.
i check weekly, but not every single week. lately quite a bit.

bigla · 03-26-2008, 06:46 PM

While I watch the overall markets most everyday, come Friday evening when all the funds have been updated, I enter them into my Quicken investment file and see how they have been doing in past week as well as YTD and past year. Once every couple of weeks, using an Excel spreadsheet I created, I check my allocation percentages against my targets.
Fortunately, I am older and wiser and do not get crazy over the daily gyrations of the market as well as the overall gloominess these days - this too shall pass.
Larry