In this timely video, Dimensional demonstrates the valuable role advisers play by helping their clients stay disciplined and invested when markets are volatile.  

Tuning Out the Noise takes viewers on a journey through the "lost decade," featuring the media’s amplified coverage of headline events and pointing to the positive outcome that a disciplined investor could have experienced in the recovery.

If you have questions or simply wish to see how an adviser could help you stay disciplined, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We often send out commentary to our clients that we simply call: "Reality Checks."  They are designed to address an investors questions and concerns about a specific topic.  In essence, we hope to bring our clients back to reality before the financial media jumps onto the next so called "catastrophe."

As you can see, it is always something until it isn't.  Your long-term investment plan isn't concerned with the next "Apocalypse Du Jour", nor is it concerned with the daily headlines.  Your long-term investment plan is concerned with your goals and timeline; the rest is just noise.  

If you have more questions about this topic, please contact us.

In just a few short weeks, Americans will head to the polls to elect the next President of the United States.

While the outcome is unknown, one thing is for certain: There will be a steady stream of opinions from pundits and prognosticators about how the election will impact the stock market.  As explained in the below graph from Dimensional, investors would be well-served to avoid the temptation to make significant changes to a long-term investment plan based on upon these sorts of predictions.

Additionally, this short 4 minute video from Vanguard aids investors in shifting their focus from the short term impact of the election to focusing on the long term.  Decades of historical data tell us that presidential elections typically don't have a long-term effect on market performance.

This data does not suggest an obvious pattern of long-term stock market performance based upon which party holds the Oval Office. The key takeaway here is that over the long run, the market has provided substantial returns regardless of who controlled the executive branch.

For more resources on this topic, please contact us.

In light of the upcoming March Madness that will soon take over the sports world, Dave Butler, a vice president at Dimensional,  explains the power of routine in responding to pressure and offers a sports-related example to help investors apply discipline in a stressful market.

Click the image to read the full article.

"The same lessons apply to the seasoned investor.  A chaotic market is akin to what the visiting team experiences in a gym, where opposing fans and players are doing everything possible to distract you.  You stay focused on a routine burned into your nature through coaching and repetitive practice.

The components of the seasoned investor’s routine are similar: the investment policy statement, the regular review of family goals and liquidity needs, and the regular calls an advisor makes during good and bad markets. These and other actions are all part of the process developed to summon that muscle memory needed in stressful times. Just as the great athlete navigates through the moments of pressure in any athletic event, the actions are part of the routine that allows the individual to navigate through a chaotic market like we have today. "

As a lifelong player and fan of basketball, this metaphor couldn't be more true.  The routine can be attributed to the process that you take when investing.  Focusing on the "routine" in this case will help you maintain your discipline during volatile markets.  As you can imagine, your advisor is your coach and will help you stay disciplined during these times.