[newvillagegirl]

Looking for a new financial adviser/broker in or near TheVillages. We would prefer to have someone local to work with.

Does anyone have some good recommendations where you have had decent results in this market over the last two years?

Thanks.

[bogeybabe]

Originally Posted by newvillagegirl

Looking for a new financial adviser/broker in or near TheVillages. We would prefer to have someone local to work with.

Does anyone have some good recommendations where you have had decent results in this market over the last two years?

Thanks.

Cebert Wealth. they are on 466 just across from Laurel Manor. they do not advertise but are wonderful. diversified and have helped me through the market ups and downs. not sure of number right off, but they are in the phone book.

[NJblue]

Cebert plus many of the other advisers in the area will push a lot of variable annuities (at least that is what they were trying to sell me). If that is what you want, then there are many in the area that you can do business with. Personally, after researching annuities and finding that they may not be the best vehicle, I am skittish about advisers who want to put a significant majority of my money into them. Knowing that they pay a fairly large commision, I am skeptical about the motivation of those pushing them.

That being said, I have yet to find a local adviser who I feel comfortable with.

[teachnmo]

Bill Garner, Edward Jones Co., has worked great with us!

[l2ridehd]

Managing "your" money is really very simple, so why pay someone else to do it. Pick the lowest cost mutual funds you can find, Vanguard or Fidelity Spartan funds work just fine. Set up a very diversified portfolio covering the globe with an asset allocation to match your age -15. If you are 60, then go with 45% bonds and 55% stocks. Re-balance once a year and adjust the % to map to your new age. Go to lazytraders.com if you need advice on funds to select to map to a global market. Use all index funds which have a cost basis of under 15 basis points where you will pay an advisory 100 to 150 basis points. Because your paying such small fees, you will beat 85% of all wealth advisers every year. This has been proven over and over by any measure you want to use. And yes, every money manager will tell you they can do better. They can't. And I am sure there will be many responses of folks that tell you they have done better. They are embellishing. Anyone can beat the market for a day, a week, maybe a few months. No one can do it long term, for which we all need to do. Even Peter Lynch who did it for several years got out because he said he could not continue to beat the market averages.

The people who get rich in the market are the ones who manage other peoples money and collect fees for doing it. People who trade stocks for you and charge for it. The people who want to sell you something and charge a fee for doing it.

[batman911]

l2ridehd and NJblue have it right. The only person to trust with YOUR money is YOURSELF. Financial adviser who work for commissions cannot be trusted without question. Spending an hour a day to learn to manage your finances would be the best investment you can make. Do not trust other people who are in business to make money off people like you. Trust yourself and your best judgement after you have researched and reviewed all the facts.

[l2ridehd]

I found these quotes by Warren Buffet in the BRK annual reports. So even he says low cost index funds are the right decision for most investors. And they will beat the results of most all money managers.

"Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks (shares¹) is through an index fund that charges minimal fees. Those following this path are sure to beat the net results (after fees and expenses) of the great majority of investment professionals.²"
1996 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report

"Additionally, those index funds that are very low-cost (such as Vanguard’s) are investor-friendly by definition and are the best selection for most of those who wish to own equities."
2003 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report Annual Report

"Over the 35 years, American business has delivered terrific results. It should therefore have been easy for investors to earn juicy returns: All they had to do was piggyback Corporate America in a diversified, low-expense way. An index fund that they never touched would have done the job. Instead many investors have had experiences ranging from mediocre to disastrous."
2004 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report

[spofford]

Fidelity have had 2 appointments and no advise, all they want is to get all my accounts with them, and they got us in to review and offer their expertise.

[l2ridehd]

Go to this web site and follow one of the simple global portfolios using Vanguard index funds.

Lazy Portfolios - LazyTraders.com

I personally like the 6 fund slice and dice model. I adjust the stock/bond split to match my desired Asset allocation of 60/40, and it beats every benchmark every year. Why pay anyone to do something this simple that you can do yourself? There is NO and I will repeat NO financial manager that can beat those results. Go to Morningstar and back test them for any number of years you want and prove it to yourself. Financial manager charge fees and fees cause results to be poor 100% of the time. Read any book by John Bogle, William Bernstein, Rick Ferri (a financial manager), and they will all tell you the same thing. A diversified portfolio on index funds that cover the total market can't be beat.

[tommy steam]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Managing "your" money is really very simple, so why pay someone else to do it. Pick the lowest cost mutual funds you can find, Vanguard or Fidelity Spartan funds work just fine. Set up a very diversified portfolio covering the globe with an asset allocation to match your age -15. If you are 60, then go with 45% bonds and 55% stocks. Re-balance once a year and adjust the % to map to your new age. Go to lazytraders.com if you need advice on funds to select to map to a global market. Use all index funds which have a cost basis of under 15 basis points where you will pay an advisory 100 to 150 basis points. Because your paying such small fees, you will beat 85% of all wealth advisers every year. This has been proven over and over by any measure you want to use. And yes, every money manager will tell you they can do better. They can't. And I am sure there will be many responses of folks that tell you they have done better. They are embellishing. Anyone can beat the market for a day, a week, maybe a few months. No one can do it long term, for which we all need to do. Even Peter Lynch who did it for several years got out because he said he could not continue to beat the market averages.

The people who get rich in the market are the ones who manage other peoples money and collect fees for doing it. People who trade stocks for you and charge for it. The people who want to sell you something and charge a fee for doing it.

you have given great advice..only thing would add to that ,if one must go to an advisor, find a Fee Only Advisor...google it for the area you live in....They usually charge by the hour.

[Mandles]

Check out George Rand he's at Citizens First in TV. Welcome to Citizens First Bank
He's a great guy and low pressure...no pressure.
Love him....think he is from Virginia.

[joanofarctv]

Citizens First has some good advisors....I've spoken with George before. I think he is at the branch on 466.....Not sure about others but wow there sure are alot of financial advisors in TV. Seems like they are everywhere!

[Carla B]

They are everywhere. We've received I guess an average of 3 invites a week for lunch in three years We could have been eating really well but the phone would be ringing off the wall too.

[riannace]

I am looking also......My neighbors used Parady at the Colony Cottage location - across from Publix.

Also met Mr. Stokes at one of the local functions. He seemed very good.

It is so hard since, of course, you want to choose someone who is "honest".

If anyone else has suggestions, please post them. Thanks!