Recent Commentary

The New Bull Market At Dow 30,000

THE NEW BULL MARKET AT DOW 30,000 It took less than four years for the Dow Jones Industrial Average to climb from 20,000 to 30,000 (Jan 2017 – Nov 2020).  This is remarkable given the volatility over this same time period, including a few plunges to the downside.  ...

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COVID-19 Resurgence

So far in 2020 we have had a pandemic, a recession, an impeachment trial of a president, social unrest, and a contentious presidential campaign.  The coming year could be just as eventful.  What do institutional money managers think about such an uncertain environment...

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Our Annual Q & A

1.  What happened in September? Is this a textbook correction or the start of something worse?  The pullback in stocks in September is due to a number of reasons: -              Tech stocks (including the FANG+ names) had powerful gains in the summer and had to come...

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The Market Is Exuberant, But Is It A Bubble?

S&P 500 performance this year has been dominated by the index’s largest components, and the disparity by cap size is great. So far this year, the 50 largest stocks in the S&P 500 are up an average 11.3% YTD through August 28th.  The 50 smallest stocks are down...

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What’s In Store For Act IV

The five largest stocks in the S&P 500 (Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Facebook) have collectively added $1.66 trillion in market cap this year.  The other 495 stocks in the index have lost $1.61 trillion in market cap!  The average share price increase...

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The Massive Melt-Up Rally

Once again, investor sentiment proved to be a good contrary indicator.  At the depths of the market crash (late March), sentiment was overwhelmingly bearish.  Since then, the market has had an amazing run (see main section).  As people turned more positive on stocks,...

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The Federal Reserve Versus Valuations

“Unprecedented” feels like an overused word these days, but it is no overstatement when it comes to the oil market.  In the March mid-month commentary, we wrote that the oil supply glut could throw another gut punch to our economy on top of the coronavirus.  Our worst...

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Markets Driven By Fear

  Equities are trying to find a floor even though the news flow on the spread of the coronavirus outside of China hasn’t shown any signs of improvement.  A number of market indicators would suggest forward returns from current oversold levels should be pretty...

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Archives

Knowledge – Results

Experts in Risk Management

Are you prepared for the next market correction or financial crisis?

Knowledge – Results

Experts in Risk Management

Are you prepared for the next market correction or financial crisis?

Knowledge – Results

Experts in Risk Management

Are you prepared for the next market correction or financial crisis?

Knowledge – Results

Experts in Risk Management

Are you prepared for the next market correction or financial crisis?

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.

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Professional Expertise

Leadership Team

Richard Furmanski

Richard Furmanski

CFA

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.

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Mary Ellen Adam

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.

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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?
We take great care in purchasing only high-quality stocks and bonds intent on a multi-year holding period. Portfolio turnover and taxable realized gains are modest in comparison to other active managers. We do not time the market but will become more defensive, in terms of stock holdings, when market conditions warrant.
Will the portfolio be managed in accordance with my financial goals?
Yes. Each of our clients has a custom-tailored portfolio. These custom portfolios are designed to meet specific client objectives with a thoughtful approach to specific constraints such as risk tolerance. And as each client’s situation changes, the portfolio does as well. There is no cookie cutter approach.
What kind of expertise do you have and how can that help me in difficult markets?
We have been working with high-net-worth clients like you since 1982. Over that time we have helped them to navigate several bear markets and financial crises (including the stock market crash of 1987). We hold the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations.
Are you sensitive to taxes when managing portfolios?
Yes. Our holding period for an individual stock averages 4 plus years which means our turnover is low and realized gains can be carefully managed. Further, where possible, we tax loss harvest small losses as a way of offsetting gains taken elsewhere in the portfolio.
How have you performed?
Results will differ by client and the level of customization but we have provided competitive investment returns for many years.
How do you charge for your services?
We charge a management or consultant fee based upon the size and level of customization of the account. As the account grows, we benefit together.

Recent Commentaries

Stay up to date with all of our latest comments and analysis.

January 2026 Market Commentary

THE INVESTMENT LANDSCAPE FOR 2026 Happy New Year!  The beginning of a new year is as good a time as any to take an...

May 2024 Market Commentary

Early in April, higher interest rates drove share prices roughly 5% lower up until the 2.8% gain in the S&P 500 last week. Yields were not the driver last week.  Instead, it is another narrative, specifically artificial intelligence, that pushed the market higher...

April 2024 Market Commentary

With Q1 2024 now complete, the S&P 500 index posted a return of 10.2%. That was good enough to beat the tech-heavy NASDAQ 100 and the blue-chip Dow Jones 30 on the large-cap front.  It also beat both small-caps and mid-caps. It is remarkable that we haven’t seen a...

March 2024 Market Commentary

The main section in last month’s February commentary was titled “The Tech Bull Market Rolls On.”   Tech stocks continue to lead the charge and exploded to the upside after NVIDIA reported stellar results last week.  AI continues to be the driving theme in the stock...

Monthly Updates

October 2024 Mid-Month Recap

INVESTORS BALANCE SHEET – PROS AND CONS Here are a few of the pros and cons investors should consider when forming an opinion of the stock market.  It is always important for investors to look at both sides of the argument even if they feel strongly in one direction,...

September 2024 Mid-Month Recap

At the end of June, the six month performance spread between the cap-weighted S&P 500 and equal-weighted S&P 500 was the highest in over 20 years, going back to March 2000.  If an investor didn’t have heavy exposure to the Mag-7, their portfolio went nowhere...

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