Insight Blog | Litman Gregory Asset Management

Insight

Gretchen Hollstein Featured in Barron’s “How to Invest for a Post-COVID World”

Senior Advisor Gretchen Hollstein, CFP® was highlighted in a recent Barron’s article, which featured a select group of investment professionals responding to how they are modifying clients’ portfolios given the current environment.

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A Sustainable Investing Lexicon

From its origin in socially responsible and values-based strategies, sustainable investing today offers a broad universe of options that help pair investment goals with positive outcomes for society and the planet. With more tools than ever to support our clients in building sustainability into their investments, we want to share our thinking on this evolving space. A good place to start is simply defining terms.

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Advisor Showcase: Guiding Clients Through Pandemic-Driven Uncertainty

Litman Gregory’s senior advisors were featured in North Bay Business Journal’s report on wealth managers. The survey posed questions about the impact of COVID-19 on client relationships, common mistakes investors make in times of great uncertainty, and more. In this post, we share a selection of responses from members of our advisory team.

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Endowments & Foundations: The Value of an Experienced, Accountable Fiduciary Partner

With over thirty years of experience with nonprofits, we oversee all aspects of an organization’s investment portfolio and provide continuous advice to board members on issues that can impact its success. In this post, we give an overview of what our team can do to support the challenges facing endowments and foundations in today’s environment.

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The Litman Gregory Masters Funds are now PartnerSelect Funds

Effective July 31, Litman Gregory Masters Funds will be operating under a new name: PartnerSelect Funds. While the existing funds will be renamed to reflect the updated family name, each funds’ sub-advisor lineup, ticker symbol, and CUSIP will not change.

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Insight Newsletter—Second Quarter 2020

In an effort to deliver our quarterly communications more promptly and reduce our use of paper, we are excited to announce that an electronic version of our Insight Newsletter will be shared on our website going forward.

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A Message from Litman Gregory’s CEO

In June, CEO Steve Savage sent a letter to the firm to underscore Litman Gregory’s stance against racism and for inclusion. We feel it is important to share excerpts of his internal communication so that our clients and friends know where we stand on these meaningful issues.

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Investment Key Takeaways—Second Quarter 2020

During the second quarter, financial markets seemed to defy grim economic news, the continued spread of COVID-19, and worldwide protests against racial inequality. In this post we summarize key takeaways including outcomes by asset class, the effects of support from Central Banks around the world, and potential risks and opportunities still ahead.

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Commentary from Our CIO—Second Quarter 2020

The incredible rebound in risk-asset markets in the second quarter provided a strong tailwind for our portfolios. And while we see a range of potential economic and financial market outcomes looking ahead—heavily dependent on the course of COVID-19—we are prepared if stocks re-test their March lows, and ready to act again when a compelling opportunity arises.

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Why Is the Market Still Going Up When COVID-19 Risks Remain?

Even as the rate of unemployment remains high, COVID-19 continues to spread in the U.S., and economists forecast a huge drop in economic activity, the stock market continues to rally. We remind our clients that market prices reflect a consensus view about the future and that maintaining a disciplined investment approach is the best way forward.

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Why is the Market Going Up When Economic News Looks Grim?

Our clients, and investors broadly, have been asking this important question: How do we reconcile the recent stock market gains, particularly in the United States, with the poor state of the current economy and the weak outlook? In this post, we explain the variables that impact investor behavior and respond to why financial markets can rally in the face of negative news.

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Gretchen Hollstein Named to 2020 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors List

We are pleased to share that Litman Gregory Senior Advisor and Principal Gretchen Hollstein, CFP® has been named to the 2020 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors list.

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Endowments & Foundations: The Value of an Experienced, Accountable Fiduciary Partner

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Why is the Market Going Up When Economic News Looks Grim?

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Stay the Course: There’s a Cost to Timing the Market

In a volatile environment like the one we find ourselves in today, many investors are eager to act. While tempting, market timing involves getting two nearly impossible decisions right: when to sell and when to get back in. We remind our clients to stay invested, stay disciplined, and prudently take advantage of opportunities.

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Bond Market Turbulence: The Fed Steps In

We have seen extraordinary turbulence across the bond market triggered by growing uncertainty surrounding the economic impact of the pandemic. Bond prices in many areas indicate the potential for strong long-term returns from here.

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Negative Rates: Coming to the United States?

In some parts of the world, interest rates have been negative, or mostly negative, for some time now. Amid fears of a deep recession caused by COVID-19, many global interest rates have dipped even lower. With most short-term U.S. interest rates close to zero now, can negative rates come to the U.S.?

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Investment Key Takeaways—First Quarter 2020

The first quarter of 2020 has been an extraordinary period in U.S. financial market history across numerous dimensions. In this post, we summarize key takeaways from the longer commentary including market reactions, outlook on a recession, and investment opportunities presented as we look ahead.

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Commentary from Our CIO—First Quarter 2020 Review & Outlook

We are living through a period in history none of us will ever forget, with unprecedented market volatility and global reaction to a viral pandemic. In this quarter’s commentary, CIO Jeremy DeGroot discusses the factors affecting financial markets today, key drivers going forward, and more.

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Investment Key Takeaways—Year-End 2019

In 2019, almost all major financial asset classes were positive, a shift from 2018 where just about every asset class faltered. And atypically, both stocks and bonds appreciated strongly with the key driver being the Federal Reserve’s policy U-turn toward accommodative monetary policy.

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Commentary from Our CIO—2019 Review & Outlook

While there are a number of reasons to be cautiously optimistic for the financial markets in 2020, we are also weighing a number of short-term risks, including high stock valuations. In the face of the current level of uncertainty, it’s helpful for investors to maintain a balanced mindset and to know that our portfolios are prepared for a variety of market environments.

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Investment Key Takeaways—Third Quarter 2019

Out of the current tug of war between U.S. trade policy and global monetary policy, we see two widely divergent, if not binary, possible market outcomes—a recessionary event or a cyclical rebound. Our client portfolios should be resilient in either scenario.

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Commentary from our CIO—Third Quarter 2019

In this quarter’s investment commentary, our Chief Investment Officer offers a review of the macroeconomic environment, then takes a deep dive into the current valuation levels of U.S. stocks and what we believe is an appropriate portfolio allocation to this asset class.

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Investment Key Takeaways—Second Quarter 2019

After global stock markets got a jump start on the year thanks to progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations and a newly “patient” Fed, an abrupt breakdown in the trade talks spurred a sharp market sell-off in May. But stock markets rebounded in June with expectations of Fed rate cuts later in the year and (tentative) signs of re-engagement on the U.S.-China trade front.

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Insight Newsletter—Second Quarter 2020

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Investment Key Takeaways—Second Quarter 2020

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Commentary from Our CIO—Second Quarter 2020

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Why Is the Market Still Going Up When COVID-19 Risks Remain?

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Why is the Market Going Up When Economic News Looks Grim?

Insight

Stay the Course: There’s a Cost to Timing the Market

Insight

Bond Market Turbulence: The Fed Steps In

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Negative Rates: Coming to the United States?

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Investment Key Takeaways—First Quarter 2020

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Commentary from Our CIO—First Quarter 2020 Review & Outlook

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Replay: Market Update Webinar

Chief Investment Officer Jeremy DeGroot provides insight into Litman Gregory’s views on the economic and market environment, our investment outlook, and how we are managing client portfolios during this time of uncertainty and volatility.

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Overcoming Panic in Volatile Markets

As we all know from news headlines, global stock markets have now entered a “bear” market, having declined more than 20% from recent highs. In Litman Gregory’s 30-plus years, we’ve been through several crises and stock market declines similar to what we are facing today.

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Gretchen Hollstein Featured in Barron’s “How to Invest for a Post-COVID World”

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Advisor Showcase: Guiding Clients Through Pandemic-Driven Uncertainty

Insight

The Litman Gregory Masters Funds are now PartnerSelect Funds

Insight

Insight Newsletter—Second Quarter 2020

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A Message from Litman Gregory’s CEO

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Gretchen Hollstein Named to 2020 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors List

We are pleased to share that Litman Gregory Senior Advisor and Principal Gretchen Hollstein, CFP® has been named to the 2020 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors list.

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Cybersecurity Risks During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the coronavirus outbreak, there has been a substantial increase in cyberfraud attacks. In this post, we share tips on how to spot these attempts and protect your financial information.

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Bay Area Business Continuity Update

We want to assure our clients that our team remains available and ready to offer support and assistance. Litman Gregory maintains an active, up-to-date business continuity plan which has prepared us well to maintain business operations.

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Forbes Honors Gretchen Hollstein and Chris Wheaton as “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors”

Two of Litman Gregory’s senior advisors and principals, Gretchen Hollstein and Chris Wheaton have been named to Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list for 2020.

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Litman Gregory Wealth Management Team Updates

We are committed to providing a deep team of experienced professionals to support our clients’ financial success in the decades and generations to come. For that reason, we are excited to share the latest news from within the Litman Gregory team.

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A Day to Give Back

In this year-end reflection, Managing Director Alice Lowenstein shares her experience as a general skills volunteer with Remote Area Medical, an organization that offers free medical, dental and vision care at temporary clinics held in underserved communities. Thanks to the support of our employees and clients, Alice was able to give back to the community as part of our “Day to Give Back” program.

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Bill Thompson Joins Our Wealth Management Team

We are pleased to announce that Bill Thompson has joined Litman Gregory as a Senior Advisor and director of the Endowments & Foundations Group. Bill is a longtime friend of the firm, and brings over 20 years of experience advising institutional and high-net-worth investors.

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A Sustainable Investing Lexicon

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Taking Action in a Time of Uncertainty

In our role as wealth advisor, we take seriously our responsibility to help guide thoughtful decision making and wise action. Although we face much uncertainty in the current environment, there are a number of steps we can confidently take to create positive financial impact. We review seven of the more common actions we are recommending to our clients today.

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Market Update: Separating Emotion from Action

We recognize the recent market volatility and the continued spread of the coronavirus is highly unnerving and even frightening. Litman Gregory is prepared from a business standpoint and is ready to act with informed conviction to potentially add long-term value to our clients’ portfolios.

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An Update from Our CIO on the Coronavirus

Chief Investment Officer Jeremy DeGroot shares his thoughts on how the Coronavirus outbreak might impact global economies and investment opportunities in the short and longer term.

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Replay: Litman Gregory’s 2020 Outlook Webinar

Watch the replay of Litman Gregory's 2020 Outlook Webinar for an update on the current market environment, tax planning strategies related to the SECURE Act, our evolving work on “sustainable investing” strategies, and more.

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Navigating New Tax Planning Opportunities with the SECURE Act of 2019

As the new year unfolds, we find ourselves with numerous wealth planning opportunities based on tax law updates within the recently passed “SECURE Act of 2019”. This is seen as the first major retirement savings law in many years.

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A Giving Plan for Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday shines a light on philanthropic efforts and serves as a reminder to give to the causes and organizations that mean most to you. We help our clients define their charitable goals and build a plan that maximizes the impact of their giving, while optimizing their tax situation.

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Year-End Tax Planning For 2019

As we move closer to year-end, there are numerous tax planning techniques we consider for our clients, depending on each individual situation. In this post, we provide a description of a few of those tax planning strategies, as well as some of the ways we seek to maximize the tax-efficiency of our client portfolios.

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Making Sense of Equity Compensation

Equity compensation can be a key contributor on your path to financial independence. While only scratching the surface of this topic, in this article we highlight how we can help you navigate the nuances and complexities of equity compensation.

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Three Starter Plans for College Saving Strategies

Every family’s education planning situation is different, so taking time to optimize your funding sources and savings vehicles is time well spent. In this article, we cover three starter strategies to help save for college expenses. And because your situation is unique, please work with your Advisor to create a customized strategy.

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Legacy Letters: Ensuring Your Legacy Goes Beyond the Money

As we guide clients through the various aspects of estate planning, we are in a position to help people define their legacy and the transfer assets to future generations. But in this process, we remind clients that estate planning is much more than just distributing wealth – it is an opportunity to pass along a legacy of values and wisdom.

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Securely Access Your Portfolio Data with Our New Client Portal

In 2018, we launched our new Client Portal which puts real-time portfolio information securely at your fingertips. In this post, we share the benefits of the portal and how to begin using it in your work with our advisory team.

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