Dennis Morton

Emerging From a Financial Crisis with No Regrets

March 13, 2020 / in Behavioral / by Dennis Morton

We all feel caught off guard. The financial professional, the Do-It-Yourself investor, and the 401(k) participant three years from retiring. You might feel like only a few weeks ago you “coulda, woulda, shoulda” done something different with your investments. There is never enough safety when fear takes hold. If we had 10% in stocks a […]

How To Become a No-Conscience Investor

February 5, 2020 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

I watched a lot of high school basketball as a kid. On Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, my father would take me to gyms throughout Baltimore to watch up-and-coming players. In one game, I remember seeing a point guard miss his first dozen shots before taking over and scoring 20 points. My father’s comment was: “He has […]

Why Writing is The Most Valuable Professional Habit of an Advisor

January 29, 2020 / in Role of an Advisor / by Dennis Morton

“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes at nine every morning.” -William Faulkner It is the one-year anniversary of my commitment to the most valuable professional habit benefitting clients: Writing. It took 15 years to figure out, but consistently writing and sharing may be the most important thing I do for our clients, […]

Do safe stocks exist? Evaluating Value and Growth

January 23, 2020 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

If you owned stocks or a stock mutual fund last year, you are probably pretty happy with the results, but you may also be breathing a sigh of relief. If you are anything like the many we have spoken with over the last 18 months, there is a sense that this market has been and […]

Looking Ahead: SECURE Act Update

January 9, 2020 / in Investing, Planning / by Dennis Morton

The closing weeks of 2019 gave us plenty to celebrate and plan for as investors. In contrast to 2018, where it was nearly impossible to find growth in stocks, bonds, or any asset for that matter, 2019 provided plenty of opportunity for returns. There was volatility in the mix, however, as trade talks, domestic politics, and […]

Setting New Year Financial Expectations

January 2, 2020 / in Behavioral, Investing / by Dennis Morton

We are at the start of a new decade. This means lists and reviews of the past year and ten years. Along with these retrospectives, we are treated to a healthy dose of predictions for what is to come (too often by financial gurus, unfortunately). This is click bait. An invitation to bog ourselves down in […]

Cost of Trading Changes

December 16, 2019 / in Investing, Role of an Advisor / by Dennis Morton

The cost of trading changes at Charles Schwab and what it means for you and your financial advisor’s business. The Shifting Ground Under Our Feet The cost of trading has hit its lower limit: $0. In the last several weeks, after Charles Schwab announced that stock trades would be free, many major custodians and banks […]

Philanthropy at Year End

November 26, 2019 / in Planning / by Dennis Morton

All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away Peter Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” The journey from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is a sprint this year. A dash from expressing gratitude over turkey in November, to giving generously in December, to new beginnings in January. I don’t know of […]

Finding Identity in Retirement

November 13, 2019 / in Planning / by Dennis Morton

Do you know someone who has floundered when they walked away from work? Think of that person you know whose identity was tied up in the ‘uniform’ that they wore for so many years. A suit and tie or the company colors. They identified closely with their role on a team or their status among […]

When Your Paycheck Stops

November 1, 2019 / in Investing / by Dennis Morton

Building Retirement Income It is a paralyzing feeling to stare at a lump sum payout of cash and think about investing it. If you’re like me, at some point you have received a bonus or a windfall in some form or size and thought, “I should invest this in something that will grow more than […]