Investors strive to act prudently and to generate good risk-adjusted returns. But what happens when these two objectives are in conflict? The author discusses the conditions under which these goals may be incompatible and offers suggestions for minimizing the opportunity costs that arise when prudence gets in the way of returns.
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A sustained level of volatility may actually benefit long-term commodity investors. Tightening supply/demand conditions may lead to potentially higher long-term returns and investors can capitalize on the shape of the futures curve by taking advantage of short-term supply stocks to generate alpha.
Trading policies implemented after the flash crash of May 2010 have reduced the level of individual stock dislocations but have not eliminated market volatility, which has persisted and even increased. Investors should seek protection from economic and market risks but without blindly forfeiting long-term returns.
The major rating agencies have published a number of reports highlighting the favorable trends for the life/annuity and health insurance industry. This paper provides a synopsis of recent reports from A.M Best, Standard & Poor's, Fitch and Moody's.
Private split dollar can help freeze an estate, minimize gift taxes, provide access to cash values, and finance needed or desired insurance for family members. Properly structured, death benefits may be excluded from the insured's taxable estate and even passed to many successive generations if a dynasty-type trust is used.
Identifying potential hazards and doing advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake. For example, repairing deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations, anchoring overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling, and following local seismic building standards can help reduce the impact of these disasters.
Any business in an area hit by hurricanes or high winds should have a hurricane emergency response plan and a business continuity plan but also place the safety of employees and their families first. Everyone should have a personal evacuation plan and a disaster supplies kit, and know what to do when a hurricane watch or warning is issued.
The hedge fund industry is reinventing business models and best practices to address regulatory changes and investor demands for enhanced fund transparency, liquidity, and efficiency. Investors, fund managers, and regulators are looking to third-party administrators to provide objective risk assessment and reporting.
In this 2011 FOX Financial Executives Forum session, personal product line experts from the underwriting and brokerage markets address changes in the insurance industry, personal insurance considerations, a risk management approach to insurance, and family office liability and solutions.
The Internal Revenue Service records more than 1 million tax-related cases of identity theft every year, and resolving these cases can be time-consuming. This newsletter identifies typical incidents and explains how to resolve them. It also discusses how intra-family loans can help to transfer wealth.