ABCs of Behavioral Biases (A to F)
Four self-inflicted biases that knock a number of investors off-course are anchoring, blind spot, confirmation and familiarity bias.
When it comes to investing, our message has long been loud and clear. Build a well-structured portfolio to capture available market returns while managing the risks involved. Shape it to meet your individual goals and risk tolerances. Keep a lid on the costs. Stay on target over time.
That is all well and good, but what if you have been investing a while, but you do not yet have that well-structured portfolio?
The more wealth you accumulate, the more chaotic your assets and accounts can become. What begins as a manageable assortment (hopefully) grows. That is a good “problem” to have, but the sheer volume can eventually overwhelm your organizational efforts.
Then what? Fortunately, it is never too late to bring order to your investment universe. Today, we will take a look at how to move from random results to a more organized approach.
A great way to get started is to figure out where you stand today. What do you currently own? Where are you holding it, and why? Bonus points if you can determine how much your current holdings are costing you in apparent and hidden fees.
Next, it is time to plan, and document, what your orderly investment universe looks like, and how you expect to get there. Having a plan in place can feel incredibly empowering if your investments have gotten out of hand. You can stop taking pot shots at your wealth and begin aiming at your tailored targets.
Strategy: How much risk and expected return are you shooting for? Do you have the time and temerity to take on more investment risk, hoping for higher returns? Or are you better served with a more modest approach, less “exciting” but less likely to fall apart in a pinch?
Target: If you could start with a clean slate for creating your “perfect” investment portfolio, what would that look like? How many stocks vs. bonds, international vs. domestic, and so on? What would be the best funds or securities for achieving your aim?
Tactics: Which of your current investments no longer make sense for your plans? Which might be replaced with better-managed, lower-cost equivalents? What pieces are missing?
If you have accumulated a vast clutter of capital, you are likely to want to do some remodeling such as selling unnecessary or overpriced positions, buying others that are a better fit, streamlining duplicate assets and accounts, and otherwise rearranging your financial furniture.
In a tax-free world, you could proceed at full speed. In real life, when you sell positions for more than you paid for them, there can be burdensome capital gain taxes realized in the year of the sale. Plus, if you generate enough taxable gains in a year, it could bump you into a higher tax bracket, which could increase your tax rates across a wider swath of your total annual income.
How do you pursue a tidy transition, given the challenges involved? It helps to identify which trades can be placed promptly, and which may be better managed over time.
Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where we will take a look at transaction and taxes.
FREE FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT
With all the uncertainty and volatility in today’s economy, the time is now to take a thorough look at your finances. To accurately plan for your financial future, you must first know where you currently stand. For these reasons, our Success Team at Impact Advisors Group is offering a free financial assessment for both individuals and business owners. Request yours today!
This post was written and first distributed by Wendy J. Cook.
Four self-inflicted biases that knock a number of investors off-course are anchoring, blind spot, confirmation and familiarity bias.
Legendary economist Benjamin Graham once stated that ‘your own behavioral biases are often the greatest threat to your financial well-being.’
If you file tax returns separately AND are separated from your partner, colleges consider you a two-household family.
Take some time to map out how to pay for all four years before your student gets the bill for freshman year.