NorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital Advisors
Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here

Financial Advising Jedi?

  • June 7, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Seeking Prudent Advice

Although the recently released “Solo” is losing money for Disney, the older Star Wars movies have some positive money perspective.  Ryan Neal has a great piece on “Star Wars” lessons for financial planning.  Here are some excerpts and adaptations to help you answer the perennial question, Is my financial advisor a Jedi Master?

sw1The Power of Holistic Planning

As young Skywalker’s advisor, Obi Wan Kenobi teaches him that the Force, an energy field created by all living things that binds the galaxy together, is the source of his power. For financial advisors to truly unlock their potential, they need to have a holistic view of their clients’ financial lives, as well as a mastery of investment strategy. By understanding how various accounts, needs and goals all connect together, an advisor can be a truly powerful guide for their clients.

sw2Sticking to the Plan

While Luke is a neophyte just learning the ways of the Force, Han Solo is a hardened skeptic, disregarding advisors like Obi Wan Kenobi and instead preferring the lifestyle of a risk taker, which has led him to real problems with debt. When Luke gets distracted by Solo’s taunts, Kenobi reminds him to trust in his plan instead of making knee-jerk reactions. While things get rocky along the way, Luke eventually reaches his goal of becoming a Jedi Knight. It’s a good reminder for when the markets get rough: Trust in the plan, mitigate short-term emotional reactions, and focus on long-term goals. Han may call it luck, but advisors know there’s no such thing.

sw3The Quick and Easy Path Leads to the Dark Side

We learn more about the Force in the 1980s’ “Empire Strikes Back,” when Jedi master Yoda teaches Luke about the Dark Side. Like a good advisor, he tells Luke that chasing instant gratification, like investing heavily in a hot stock, can lead to ruin. When Luke ignores the advice, he’s almost defeated by Darth Vader. Yoda reminds us that patience is key with investing, not adventure or excitement.

sw4Know Your Advisor’s True Value

Though his investment strategy might be questionable, Han Solo does understand value. Luke is shocked when Solo initially discloses his fees to pilot them across the galaxy in the Millennium Falcon. Luke says he could buy and pilot his own starship for less, but Obi Wan Kenobi knows expertise can command a fair price and even offers to spend more to ensure results. It turned out that Luke didn’t know flying through hyperspace from dusting crops, and Solo’s experience came in handy.

sw5It’s Not Just About Money

Though Han Solo told Princess Leia that he doesn’t care about her or the rebellion, he becomes a true hero after he realizes that there’s more to life than money. Advisors are worth more than just allocating assets and providing returns; they can be even more valuable to clients by helping them navigate important milestones in life, like buying a home, sending kids to college, and retiring comfortably. Remember what Leia told Han: “If money is all that you love, then that’s what you’ll receive.”

sw5Don’t Judge by Appearances

“Judge me by my size, do you?” Yoda may be small, but his power with the force is great. Similarly, many investors often think bigger is better and don’t realize that small boutique firms can provide superior guidance.

 

sw6

Source: WM


Class of 2018: Financial Advice That will CHANGE YOUR LIFE

  • June 1, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Best Practices, Personal Finance, Saving Money

PDS-CommencementThe following is a brief excerpt from the commencement address by Dr. Chris Mullis to the graduating class of Providence Day School on May 31, 2013. The full text of Dr. Mullis’ speech, that includes career advice, financial guidance, and a few pearls of wisdom, can be found here.

At my investment advisory firm, we developed complex computer algorithms and use them to manage our clients’ investment portfolios. But the basic steps you need to take to manage your own money well are deceptively simple. First, live within your means and avoid being caught up in rapid lifestyle inflation. You will not live like your parents when you first start out. Second, save and invest your money wisely. Let me elaborate on this point.

Wealth accumulation depends on three factors: how much you save, the rate at which your money grows, and how long you save. That last factor, time, is very, very important. There’s an urban legend that Albert Einstein once said that compounding interest is the most powerful force in the Universe. That quote is likely misattributed but the message is spot on. If you save $5,000 a year for 40 years and earn 8% annually, you will eventually have $1.3M. But if you delay starting for merely 5 years, your results after 35 years will be only $860k. That 5-year delay preserved $25k of short-term capital but ultimately cost you >$400k in the long run. Time is the most powerful lever in the machinery of investing. Nothing else comes close to it.

So what do you need to do? Start saving and investing right out of high school regardless of how hard you think it hurts or how unpleasant the tradeoffs. Even if you set aside only 5% of your paycheck starting out, do it to get into the habit of saving. Delaying getting serious about investing until my 30s was a significant financial mistake on my part. No one ever sat me down and explained how important it is to start investing early. Now that we’ve had this little talk, you’ll never be able to say that no one told you.


The Retirement Pyramid

  • May 25, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Uncategorised

Riffing off the widely-seen-but-rarely-followed food pyramid, advisor Tony Isola created the retirement pyramid.  Remember how this works — you want to  do a lot of the stuff at the bottom of the pyramid and very little to none of the high-level stuff.  Follow this guide to be wealthier and healthier!


Financial Free Lunch?

  • May 11, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Best Practices

freelunchBarry Ritholtz lays bare the myth…

Deep down inside, you already know this: There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch, financially or otherwise.

Of so many free lunches, this is the hard truth:

  • You are not going to win the lottery.
  • Hot stock tips are worthless (the only exceptions are those especially costly tips that will get you sent to federal prison).
  • You are not going to buy an iPad from one of those deal sites for $3.
  • No, you are not likely to buy in early to the next Apple or Netflix, and if you do, you are unlikely to hold it long enough.
  • No, you are not going to make $10,000 gambling at fantasy sports.
  • You (or your kid) are not going to be the next Michael Jordan or Adele.
  • The odds are radically against you finding the mutual fund manager or stock broker who is going to make you fabulously rich.
  • Indeed, the odds are against you stock picking, market timing or investing in a venture fund, private equity fund or hedge fund that, over the long haul, is going to outperform a simple index fund.

Source: BR


How to Succeed and have a Long and Happy Life

  • May 4, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Best Practices, Live Well

Legendary banker Richard Jenrette passed away last week at the age of 89.  In his desk he left a hand-written note listing his 24 rules to succeed in finance and life.  The note titled, “What I Learned (How to Succeed and have a Long and Happy Life),” was shared at his memorial service in Charleston, SC:

  • Stay in the game. That’s often all you need to do – don’t quit. Stick around! Don’t be a quitter!
  • Don’t burn bridges (behind you)
  • Remember – Life has no blessing like a good friend!
  • You can’t get enough of them
  • Don’t leave old friends behind – you may need them
  • Try to be nice and say “thank you” a lot!
  • Stay informed/KEEP LEARNING!
  • Study — Stay Educated. Do Your Home Work!! Keep learning!
  • Cultivate friends of all ages – especially younger
  • Run Scared — over-prepare
  • Be proud — no Uriah Heep for you! But not conceited. Know your own worth.
  • Plan ahead but be prepared to allow when opportunity presents itself.
  • Turn Problems into Opportunities. Very often it can be done. Problems create opportunities for change — people willing to consider change when there are problems.
  • Present yourself well. Clean, clean-shaven, dress “classically” to age. Beware style, trends. Look for charm. Good grammar. Don’t swear so much — it’s not cute.
  • But be open to change — don’t be stuck in mud. Be willing to consider what’s new but don’t blindly follow it. USE YOUR HEAD – COMMON SENSE.
  • Have some fun – but not all the time!
  • Be on the side of the Angels. Wear the White Hat.
  • Have a fall-back position. Heir and the spare. Don’t leave all your money in one place.
  • Learn a foreign language.
  • Travel a lot — around the world, if possible.
  • Don’t criticize someone in front of others.
  • Don’t forget to praise a job well done (but don’t praise a poor job)
  • I don’t like to lose — but don’t be a poor loser if you do.
  • It helps to have someone to love who loves you (not just sex).
  • Keep your standards high in all you do.
  • Look for the big picture but don’t forget the small details.

This is good advice for anyone!

Source: Bloomberg

 


Jason Zweig’s Rules for Investing

  • April 27, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Best Practices, Seeking Prudent Advice

money-brainJason Zweig is a leading financial journalist and author.  You’ll find his stuff in the Wall Street Journal several days a week.  Buried within the appendix of his book, Your Money & Your Brain, is this great list of common sense rules that are commonly ignored.

Jason Zweig’s Rules for Investing

1. Take the Global View: Use a spreadsheet to track your total net worth — not day-to-day price fluctuations.

2. Hope for the best, but expect the worst: Brace for disaster via diversification and learning market history. Expect good investments to do poorly from time to time. Don’t allow temporary under-performance or disaster to cause you to panic.

3. Investigate, then invest: Study companies’ financial statement, mutual funds’ prospectus, and advisors’ background. Do your homework!

4. Never say always: Never put more than 10% of your net worth into any one investment.

5. Know what you don’t know: Don’t believe you know everything. Look across different time periods; ask what might make an investment go down.

6. The past is not prologue: Investors buy low sell high! They don’t buy something merely because it is trending higher.

7. Weigh what they say: Ask any forecaster for their complete track record of predictions. Before deploying a strategy, gather objective evidence of its performance.

8. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is: High Return + Low Risk + Short Time = Fraud.

9. Costs are killers: Trading costs can equal 1%; Mutual fund fees are another 1-2%; If middlemen take 3-5% of your cash, its a huge drag on returns.

10. Eggs go splat: Never put all your eggs in one basket; diversify across U.S., Foreign stocks, bonds and cash. Never fill your 401(k) with employee company stock.


Managing Your Portfolio: One Father’s Advice

  • April 20, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Best Practices, Personal Finance

Writing letter to a friend.Arthur Zeikel, president of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, sent his daughter a letter teaching her some investing basics.

Enjoy!

———

Personal portfolio management is not a competitive sport. It is, instead, an important individualized effort to achieve some predetermined financial goal by balancing one’s risk-tolerance level with the desire to enhance capital wealth. Good investment management practices are complex and time consuming, requiring discipline, patience, and consistency of application. Too many investors fail to follow some simple, time-tested tenets that improve the odds of achieving success and, at the same time, reduce the anxiety naturally associated with an uncertain undertaking.

I hope the following advice will help:

A fool and his money are soon parted. Investment capital becomes a perishable commodity if not handled properly. Be serious. Pay attention to your financial affairs. Take an active, intensive interest. If you don’t, why should anyone else?

There is no free lunch. Risk and return are interrelated. Set reasonable objectives using history as a guide. All returns relate to inflation. Better to be safe than sorry. Never up, never in. Most investors underestimate the stress of a high-risk portfolio on the way down.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify. Asset allocation determines the rate of return. Stocks beat bonds over time.

Never overreach for yield. Remember, leverage works both ways. More money has been lost searching for yield than at the point of a gun (Ray DeVoe).

Spend interest, never principal, If at all possible, take out less than comes in. Then a portfolio grows in value and lasts forever. The other way around, it can be diminished quite rapidly.

You cannot eat relative performance. Measure results on a total return, portfolio basis against your own objectives, not someone else’s.

Don’t be afraid to take a loss. Mistakes are part of the game. The cost price of a security is a matter of historical insignificance, of interest only to the IRS. Averaging down, which is different from dollar cost averaging, means the first decision was a mistake. It is a technique used to avoid admitting a mistake or to recover a loss against the odds. When in doubt, get out. The first loss is not only the best, but is also usually the smallest.

Watch out for fads. Hula hoops and bowling alleys (among others) didn’t last. There are no permanent shortages (or oversupplies). Every trend creates its own countervailing force. Expect the unexpected.

Act. Make decisions. No amount of information can remove all uncertainty. Have confidence in your moves. Better to be approximately right than precisely wrong.

Take the long view. Don’t panic under short-term transitory developments. Stick to your plan. Prevent emotion from overtaking reason. Market timing generally doesn’t work. Recognize the rhythm of events.

Remember the value of common sense. No system works all of the time. History is a guide, not a template.

This is all you really need to know.

When this article was originally published in 1995, Arthur Zeikel was president of Merrill Lynch Asset Management in New Jersey.

Source: Forbes


Salary You Need to Afford the Average Home in Your State

  • April 13, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Economy, Personal Finance, Saving Money

The map above from howmuch shows how much salary you need to afford the average home in your state.  This a quick snapshot of housing affordability across the United States.

Top five places where you need the highest salaries to afford the average house:

  1. Hawaii: $153,520 for a house worth $610,000
  2. Washington, DC: $138,440 for a house worth $549,000
  3. California: $120,120 for a house worth $499,900
  4. Massachusetts: $101,320 for a house worth $419,900
  5. Colorado: $100,200 for a house worth $415,000

Top five places where you need the lowest salaries to afford the average house:

  1. West Virginia: $38,320 for a house worth $149,500
  2. Ohio: $38,400 for a house worth $149,900
  3. Michigan: $40,800 for a house worth $160,000
  4. Arkansas: $41,040 for a house worth $161,000
  5. Missouri: $42,200 for a house worth $165,900

Source: howmuch


20 People You Don’t Want to Invest With

  • April 6, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Best Practices, Fiduciary, Scams & Schemes

20Identifying what does NOT work is often a great process for narrowing your list of options of what you should do.  In that spirit, here’s Ben Carlson’s list of 20 people you wouldn’t want to invest with:

1. People that are unwilling or unable to admit their limitations.

2. People that are consumed by ideological or political beliefs when making investment decisions.

3. People that are unwilling to say “I don’t know.”

4. People that don’t learn from their mistakes.

5. People that blame external forces for their failures.

6. People that are unable to effectively communicate their process.

7. People that make guarantees about the markets in the future.

8. People that are more interested in selling you a product than creating a beneficial long-lasting client relationship.

9. People that try to invest in the markets as they “should be” instead of how they actually are.

10. People that are more worried about what others are doing instead of focusing on their own process and goals.

11. People that take the markets personally and let their emotions drive their decisions.

12. People that assume “trust me, I got this” is good enough in terms of explaining their strategy.

13. People that believe in conspiracy theories and think the system is out to get them.

14. People that are more worried about sounding intelligent than actually making money.

15. People that obsess over the market’s short-term movements.

16. People that would rather take you golfing than help you solve your problems.

17. People that make you feel like they’re doing you a favor by letting you invest your money with them.

18. People that try to dazzle you with 200 page pitch books.

19. People that are more worried about gathering future clients than taking care of their current ones.

20. People that tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to hear.

Source: AWOCS


Your Investing Philosophy in Ten Words or Less

  • March 30, 2018/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Investing 101, Seeking Prudent Advice

no-talkingBrevity is power.  If you truly understand something well, you can explain it in simple terms.  Ten individuals share their investing philosophies in 10 words or less:

  1. Barry Ritholtz, Bloomberg: “Keep it simple, do less, and manage your stupidity.” 
  2. Ben Carlson, author of A Wealth of Common Sense: “Less is more. Process over outcomes. Behavior is the key.”
  3. Harold Pollack, University of Chicago: “Save 15-20%. Low-fee Indexes. Pay off plastic. Maximize 401(k).”
  4. Robert Brokamp, Motley Fool: “Diversification reduces risk, increases predictability, and boosts returns.” 
  5. Michael Batnick, Ritholtz Wealth Management: “Avoiding catastrophic mistakes matters more than constructing the ‘perfect portfolio.'”
  6. Cullen Roche, Pragmatic Capitalism: “Low-fee, tax-efficient, index-based global-macro asset allocation.”
  7. Eddy Elfenbein, blogger, Crossing Wall Street: “Be patient and ignore fads. Focus on value. Never panic.”
  8. Seth Jayson, Motley Fool: “Be safe, keep your costs low, and don’t overthink.”
  9. Josh Brown, CNBC, The Reformed Broker: “Roses are red, violets are blue. I don’t know what will happen and neither do you.”
  10. Morgan Housel: “Worry only when you think you have it figured out.”

 

Source: MF

 


« First‹ Prev14151617181920Next ›Last »
Recent Posts
  • What the Fed sees…and why it matters September 2,2025
  • New Tax Law: 7 Big Changes You Should Know About August 1,2025
  • Markets at All-Time Highs: What Should You Do Now? July 1,2025
  • Thoughts on the shifting housing market June 5,2025
  • The patience premium: What market history teaches us May 1,2025
Archives
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
Categories
  • 401(k)
  • Annuities
  • Behavior
  • Best Practices
  • Bonds
  • Charitable Donations
  • Economy
  • Fees
  • Fiduciary
  • Financial Planning
  • Investing 101
  • Live Well
  • Market Outlook
  • Mutual Funds
  • NorthStar
  • Performance
  • Personal Finance
  • Planning
  • Retirement
  • Saving Money
  • Scams & Schemes
  • Seeking Prudent Advice
  • Tax Planning
  • Uncategorised
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly Market Review
ABOUT US

We are a fee-only, independent fiduciary advisor. Our allegiance rests solely with our clients and their best interests. We are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and serve client families across the nation.



CLIENT TOOLS
CONTACT
  • (704) 350-5028
  • info@nstarcapital.com
  • 521 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
    (by appointment only)
  • fax: (704) 626-3462
FROM OUR BLOG
  • What the Fed sees…and why it matters September 2,2025
  • New Tax Law: 7 Big Changes You Should Know About August 1,2025
  • Markets at All-Time Highs: What Should You Do Now? July 1,2025
Nothing on this website constitutes either the provision of investment advice or solicitation to provide investment advice.
Investment advice can only be provided through a formal investment advisory relationship.