Real Retirement Solutions
designed to improve- Wealth Preservation
- Management of Risky Assets
- Peace of Mind
This is achieved through an ongoing assessment of market risks given your specific financial situation and goals.
Professional Expertise
Leadership Team

Richard Furmanski
CFA, CFP®
has been a portfolio manager and analyst for over 35 years. He manages conservative, tax-efficient portfolios for both pre-retirees and retirees. His lower risk approach appeals to investors who want less volatility and competitive risk-adjusted returns.

Mary Ellen Adam
Director of Operations
has been in office administration for over twenty years. Her experience includes customer service, firm operations, and office administration. She interacts with our clients on a day-to-day basis and handles any requests that may arise.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find the answer to your questions here, feel free to give us a call at 847-847-2505
Do you manage both stock and bond portfolios?
Yes. We build a portfolio of conservative, high-quality stocks and hold them for the long-term. The average holding period is 4 – 5 years. Our focus is on stocks that are suitable for retirement portfolios.
Our high-quality bond portfolios are designed to provide both income and stability of principal. Bonds provide the anchor for balanced accounts (those holding both stocks and bonds).
What is your investment philosophy?
Will the portfolio be managed in accordance with my financial goals?
What kind of expertise do you have and how can that help me in difficult markets?
Are you sensitive to taxes when managing portfolios?
How have you performed?
How do you charge for your services?
Recent Commentaries
Stay up to date with all of our latest comments and analysis.
Last Week’s GDP Report is Misleading: The Economy Is Still Strong
The stock market is off to an awful start this year. With a YTD decline of over 13% through April, the S&P 500 is off to its third worst start since WWII, and the NASDAQ has never had a weaker start over four months. So one would expect investor sentiment to be...
April 2022 Market Commentary
Despite year-to-date losses for stocks, the estimated earnings of the S&P 500 companies for the next 12 months have continued to climb as shown below: NO LETUP IN FORWARD EPS ESTIMATES Source: Bespoke Investment Group This divergence between the trend in forward...
March 2022 Market Commentary
Even though the market rebound last week was coincident with the Russian invasion (possibly signaling the bad news was fully discounted), we don’t think the coast is clear, and more volatility may be with us in the short term. Investors have at least three major...
Monthly Updates
Are Stock Valuations Cheap Enough?
This year is the worst bond market we have seen in 30 years. And April was the worst month ever for bonds. 60/40 balanced investors could be down double digits YTD (based on common benchmarks) unless they have strategically positioned themselves to avoid some of the...
Why Some Economists Are Warning A U.S. Recession Is Almost Inevitable … Are They Right?
Not long after Vladimir Lenin returned from exile in Switzerland to lead the Russian revolution in 1917, he was credited with saying, “There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” The current Russia-Ukraine war isn’t even three...