ITA Wealth Management

Over the last few weeks I note that we are picking up new readers and there has been an explosion in readership from outside the United States.  With nearly 500 entries on the free side of the blog and another 170 over on Premium Content, where does one begin to gain an understanding of the investment philosophy behind the asset allocation strategy.

The obvious and best starting place is to go back to Valentine’s Day (February 14) of 2008.  That is when I started posting investing information.  If you don’t wish to start at the very beginning, at least you are not ready to do that right now, then mover over to “Categories” and click on “Beginning Investors.”  This will get you started.  Then do a search from Fama, French, Hebner, Bernstein, or Ibbotson.  Such searches will bring up a number of entries that are fundamental to this approach to investing.

Serious investors will look up some of the books I recommend.  Authors such as Bernstein, Gibson, Ferri, and Hebner are critical.  Over under “Links” you will find a link to a long list of books to consider.  Also identified are a number you can easily skip.

I am a strong advocate of saving as much as you can as early as you can.  Develop a plan for your portfolio and that plan should center around the concept of asset allocation.  Many examples are given and the Premium Content goes into more depth of both construction and management of the portfolio.  Learn what it means to rebalance.  While we stress using ETFs for valid reasons, we will use some individual stocks.

I want to extend a special welcome to readers from Poland, Hong Kong, Dubay, Italy, South Africa, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, European Union, Japan, Malaysia, India, Viet Nam, Singapore, Turkey, as well as many cities here in the United States.  Thank you for checking in on this blog.  We appreciate your readership.

Lowell Herr

Photograph: Art hanging above a garage in Central Oregon.