Risk Parity Radio

In this episode we answer emails from Jeffrey, Justin and Matt.  We discuss the concept of "skew" generally and in the context of investing in managed futures, a "station wagon" portfolio similar in macro-allocations to the new OPTRA sample portfolio, and the age old question of whether to pay down debt or invest.  (Uncle Frank says "Do Both.") Links: Basic Article Ab...

In this episode we introduce a new sample experimental portfolio, the O.P.T.R.A., which is now also featured on the Portfolios Page at the website .  It is a mixture of the latest and greatest ideas in portfolio construction. Links: O.P.T.R.A. backtest:   testfol.io O.P.T.R.A. correlation analysis:   testfol.io Morningstar UPRO:  UPRO – Portfolio – ProShares UltraPro S&P500 | Morningstar Morni...

In this episode we answer emails from Marco Esquandolas, Adrian and Paulo.  We discuss portfolio advice for a precocious 11-year old, a simple return-stacked portfolio a la Corey Hoffstein and the priority of the Simplicity Principle, and some recent articles about the Fama-French database. Links: Corey Hoffstein Talking About His Return-Stacked Portfolio:  Show Us Your Portfolio: Corey Hoffstein...

In this episode we answer emails from Steven, Kaleb and Reynolds.  We discuss a levered small cap fund (SAA), short-term cash management and related ETFs, and how to compare and use bond funds of differing durations. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links: ETF Database -- Ultra Short T...

In this episode we answer emails from Mark, Casey, and Kyle.   We discuss transitioning from a drecky complicated Personal Capital/Empower portfolio to a simple risk-parity style portfolio, the song "Anchorage", and Sam Kinison's take on an IUL policy. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page:   Donate - Father McKenna Center Mark's Portfolio Analysis:   Backtest Portfolio As...

In this episode we answer emails from David, Eric from Cincy, and Pete.   We discuss Mike Green's recent commentary about index fund trends and whether its a problem, ROAD HOUSE, children, and Larry Swedroe's esoteric personal portfolio. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links...

In this episode we answer emails from Dr. Anonymous, Lance, John and Eli.  We discuss how to find a lawyer, extended term bond funds, gold ETFs and how ETFs are constructed. Links:   Father McKenna Center Donation Page:   Donate - Father McKenna Center John's Gold ETF link:   9 low cost physical Gold ETFs for portfolio parity - SmartMoneyToolbox ETF Article:   Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF): What...

In this episode we answer emails from Stuart, George and MyContactInfo.  We discuss a follow-up on another listener's accumulation portfolio, the foibles of trying to predict future interest rates and common fallacious reasoning, levered inverse treasury bond funds and other funds that do well in rising interest rate environments, and a follow up on our target date fund rant episode (#333). L...

In this episode we answer emails from Jeff, James and Graham.   We discuss standard deviations and other metrics and tools at Portfolio Charts, revisit Episode 194 regarding the "Cockroach" portfolio, timing the transfer of a 401k to and IRA for better management options and some reasons for holding on to traditional IRAs and not converting them. And THEN we our go through our weekly por...

In this episode we talk about some recent unfavorable changes to Portfolio Visualizer, have a look at a new backtesting tool, and then get back at it with emails from James, Andrew, Phil and Frodo.  We discuss how flexible withdrawal strategies improve safe withdrawal rates and how we use them as a fail-safe or backstop to our 3-1-1 plan, options for financing buying a house, a funny Avengers vide...

In this episode we answer emails from Scott, Midas, and Neil.  We discuss national debt apocalypse theories, the misuse and cherry-picking involved in bad data analyses and umbrella insurance. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links: Reinhardt & Rogoff Book:   This Time Is Different...

In this episode we answer emails from Average Joe, Matt, Kimbrough and Jon.  We discuss goooooold, Matt's proposed portfolio, preferred shares fund PFF and how often to look at your portfolio without going insane. But first we discuss a recent article from David Blanchett recognizing that a 5% withdrawal rate ought to be the standard for financial planners and a New York Times article about f...

In this episode we answer emails from Kimbrough from Anchorage and anonymous Visitors from British Columbia and Denver.  We discuss fish hatching and slaughterhouses, long term treasury bond funds, the inherent problems and inefficiencies with many popular but inflexible withdrawal plans, and how we use our flexible 3-1-1 guidelines to match and maximize spending, fixing a cash hoarding problem an...

In this episode we answer emails from Steve, Mark, and Judy.   We take a frolic and detour into talking about going to law schools, talk about some Rob Berger videos and bucketeering, robo-advisor things and why they are not very helpful, and better choices. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Addit...

In this episode we answer emails from Zane, Slim Jim, and Jim Kirk.   We discuss recent moves in world gold markets, good and bad mental models of collective action and critical events, including Mimetic Theory and fractal sand pile models, avoiding the physical metals racket, the data and evidence showing that retirees experience inflation at a much lower rate than the CPI (and most financial pla...

In this episode we answer emails from Anderson, Brian and Drew.   We entertain ourselves on 4/20 with Anderson's "Uncle Frank" Portfolio and learn something from it, discuss asset swapping for management of retirement accounts with a hat tip to Justin (Risk Parity Chronicles), and discuss the new Global Portfolio analysis and tools from Tyler at Portfolio Charts. And THEN we our go...

In this episode we answer emails from Kyle, Andrew, Sameer and James.  We discuss some portfolio comparisons of levered 60/40 portfolios, interpreting and comparing safe withdrawal rates from various calculators and their practical application in consideration of variable expenses and needs (our 3-1-1 flexible withdrawal plan),  the foolish consistencies of DIYer and financial planners who seem to...

In this episode we answer an email from Ingrid.  We discuss target date funds in depth and why they are not good choices for investors.  We review their history and recent academic research that reveals the truth.  You may not like it, but we hope you can handle it. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio...

In this episode we answer emails from Ed, Anderson and Joe.   We discuss assisting aging parents running out of money, Anderson's levered accumulation portfolio and locating the assets, and using the G Fund in a TSP as a short-term bond fund. Links: Portfolio Matrix Used to Analyze Anderson's Portfolio (insert allocations per podcast):  Portfolio Matrix – Portfolio Charts Morningstar Art...

In this episode we answer questions from Dale, Brad and Corey.  We discuss a new paper about US dollar dominance and the common narrative fallacies associated with that issue, using the Rule of 55 for 401(k) withdrawals, the Nicest Guy of FI, and the basics of constructing portfolios with high historical safe withdrawal rates. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sa...

In this episode we answer emails from Jon, Eli, and George.  We discuss using the tools at Portfolio Charts, methods of charitable giving to our favorite charity, extreme podcast listening, what to invest in if you are speculating on inflation next year and other gambling problems, and applying the math of Shannon's Demon to show us why we should not let the Simplicity Principle tail wag the...

In this episode we answer emails from Jetson and Jon (x2).   We discuss good times to trade, transitioning to a risk parity style portfolio with sub-optimal components and related considerations, experimenting with and learnings from the tools at Portfolio Charts, including the Portfolio Matrix and Drawdown Analyzer, and Gooooold! And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seve...

In this episode we answer emails from Mark,  Justin, and Cy, and also update our answer to last episode's email from Sean.  We talk about a different approach to Sean's situation, Mark's experiments with leveraged funds, rebalancing and assorted gambling problems, reporting on the sample portfolios at the website, the difficulties of trying to plan "how much" goes in retir...

In this episode we answer emails from Andrew, Sean, and MyContactInfo.  We discuss QDSIX and other AQR funds and their approaches, good and bad uses of bond ladders, and macro-issues pertaining to projected global population declines in the future. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional link...

In this episode we review why we are here and then answer emails from Paulo, Paul G, and Carlos.  We discuss our recent trip to the EconoMe Conference, Paulo's portfolio ideas, the plague of being unable to spend money that afflicts most popular personal finance personalities, Mark's Money Mind (a new podcast), why the Simplicity Principle should not override the Holy Grail and other inv...