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For the last few years we have been living in a low interest rate environment. The Federal Reserve has not seen the kind of economic improvement necessary to justify an increase in the federal lending rate. This has made chasing bond yields difficult in a market that contains an abundance of low yield options for investment grade bonds. To complicate the matter further, there is always the lingering debate of tax-managed bonds versus taxable bonds.…

Discussions are often brought to us regarding the appropriate assumptions for investment returns on retirement accounts or the sustainable withdrawal rate that retirement resources can maintain for a lifetime. These two topics appear to be the bottom line for retirement financial success, but history has shown us that a number of other factors also influence financial success in retirement. Most notably the sequence of investment returns can have a substantial impact on the level of income that a retirement nest egg can support, and strategies are available to protect against this risk.…

Congratulations to our very own James Mantosh for completing the CFA® Program and earning his Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation! The CFA Program curriculum connects academic theory with current practice and ethical and professional standards to provide a strong foundation of advanced investment analysis and real-world portfolio management skills. Congratulations, James, on this accomplishment!…

It's often said that farmers and ranchers are "land rich and cash poor." Most of their net worth is tied up in land, and while land may appreciate in value, its actual cash return can be low. And when farmers have significant income, they often want to invest those profits in more land.…

Originally featured in Ag Progress on June 22, 2015…

The theme of this year's CFA Annual Conference is "Future Finance." The intent is for us to examine not only future prospects in the investment markets, but also - and more importantly - the future of the profession itself.…

The concluding speakers presented today at the CFA Annual Conference in Frankfurt. The sessions were fruitful and provided much food for thought. I'm excited to bring these perspectives to our investment team, many of which are already present and implemented in our client portfolios.…

It was an enjoyable and informative first day at the CFA Annual Conference here in Frankfurt, Germany. It got off to a good start when our cab driver played "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra in honor of us. We told him that we were from Iowa and he asked if we were cowboys or American football players. We had to disappoint him by saying we were financial advisors and mediocre soccer (I mean futbol) players but he was happy to learn that John Wayne was born in Iowa. …

Today in Frankfurt is overcast and rainy, which is a bit symbolic of the current economic environment in the European Union. The EU is plagued with slow/no economic growth, troubling unemployment, and generally weakened government balance sheets.…

This year's CFA Annual Conference, a gathering of leading investment professionals, is meeting in Frankfurt, Germany. Jason and I are in attendance representing Sherpa Investment Management and look forward to hearing about current investment trends and research.…