The first half of 2022 is over, thankfully. It was, for some investments, the worst start to a year on record. Not only did stock and bond markets suffer, but the economy also did. Inflation... READ MORE

"The idea that the future is unpredictable is undermined every day by the ease with which the past is explained." We like this quote from Daniel Kahneman, one of the original Behavioral Finance... READ MORE

Portfolio performance in 2021 ended on a solid note with a strong December after a weak November. Most portfolios were up double digits for the year. This performance extended a winning streak that... READ MORE

Recently we wrote a blog covering the signs of inflation we are currently experiencing and defining the type of inflation this could ultimately lead to. All of that is summed up here. This WJ Notes... READ MORE

We recently made a few changes to portfolios and wanted to describe conceptually what these new funds are doing. We purchased three ETFs (exchange traded funds): Simplify Volatility Premium ETF... READ MORE

Although most of the focus has been on stocks lately, it is bonds that have arguably had the more interesting year. Interest rates (which we will use the 10-year treasury yield to represent) have... READ MORE

Wow! What a year. A global pandemic, global recession, stock market crash, and V-shaped stock market rebound among many other things made the year unique. Coronavirus has and will dramatically change... READ MORE

We have recently received an update from one of our core bond funds, the Stone Ridge Alternative Lending fund, or LENDX. As you may recall, this fund primarily buys thousands of small consumer loans,... READ MORE

We recently held our WJ Investor Luncheon, virtually of course. We discussed election results, recent investment performance, our expectations for future returns including the dismal forecast for... READ MORE

In case you have not heard, we have an important election coming up. According to politicians it is the most consequential election in American history. That is a pretty bold claim when considering... READ MORE

When we take a position in a fund, in most cases we intend to hold the fund indefinitely. However, sometimes there are reasons why we replace managers. As described in your Investment Policy... READ MORE

On a recent conference call, we discussed the general reasons we trade portfolios, trades we have placed during the COVID crisis, and some recent/upcoming trades. In case you missed the call, we... READ MORE

The recent market decline brought to light a major concern shared by many of our clients. Will my financial plan still work after a stock market decline? During our most recent conference call, we... READ MORE

We recently placed several trades in portfolios. This WJNotes discusses one of the new funds we purchased: Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF (Ticker: ROMO). All our portfolios have... READ MORE

The decline in stock and bond markets related to Coronavirus began about two months ago. After a modest selloff in late February and early March, the decline accelerated and transformed into panic... READ MORE

On March 27th, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” also known as the “CARES Act,” was signed into law. This is a $2 trillion emergency fiscal stimulus package intended... READ MORE

Last week, we hosted a conference call with our clients to discuss the recent market environment, how we have  been positioned, and opportunities we see going forward. In addition, we received... READ MORE

“ There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy. ” - Alfred Henry Lewis 1906 This quotation seems to perfectly capture the fear generated by the Coronavirus. Obviously, there is also fear... READ MORE

As we are all now painfully aware, Coronavirus is here and making a huge impact on our everyday lives. School districts are closing, universities are finishing their semesters online, large events... READ MORE

Volatility in financial markets continues as the economic impact of Coronavirus is assessed. Markets are forward looking, meaning they attempt, through the action of millions of participants, to... READ MORE

Back on December 20th, President Trump signed the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act” into law, which was part of a larger spending bill to continue funding the... READ MORE

As the 4th quarter of 2019 begins, we make a few comments about recent market performance and portfolio positioning. We also discuss two recent announcements from providers we use. Where Are We?... READ MORE

This article is inspired by a client who recently asked what our thoughts were about an article titled, “3 Safe Dividend Funds Averaging 8% to Buy Today and Hold Forever.” This is a pretty fair... READ MORE

At WJ, we are committed to educating our clients about the strategies that make up their portfolio. One of the lesser understood strategies that we invest in is reinsurance, and as a result, we... READ MORE

We invite you to subscribe to our new WJ Interests blog. By subscribing to the blog, you will receive financial insights from our advisors. The blog will be posted on a weekly basis and will include... READ MORE

Surprisingly, bonds beat all stock and most alternative asset classes over the past year as the following table shows: Markets results in 2018 were similar with cash beating bonds and stocks. In... READ MORE

Cybercrimes, fraud and identity theft are serious threats and are among the fastest growing crimes in America. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics report in January 2019, over 26 million... READ MORE

“In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine” - Benjamin Graham (taught Warren Buffett how to invest) Voting is based on emotion, is subjective... READ MORE

In a recent WJ Notes, we discussed the very low interest rates paid by most banks on checking and savings accounts. To recap, the average checking/savings account is paying 0.09% interest even though... READ MORE

In this WJ Notes, we discuss recent trades and current portfolio positioning. As we have discussed many times in the past, we are in a low return environment. Over the past five years, of the... READ MORE

Why do I own International emerging markets stocks in in my portfolio? They are down 15% this year while the US market is up? Why don’t we just sell them? We have received these types of questions... READ MORE

In this WJ Notes we address three timely topics including: recent portfolio performance, a review of recent trading activity, and performance of the Stone Ridge Reinsurance Fund. Recent Portfolio... READ MORE

Your WJ Portfolio Cash yields have finally moved from nothing to something, making management of cash balances worthwhile. For your managed investments at WJ Interests, when money sits in your... READ MORE

In a continued effort to protect clients, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) modified its Custody Rule requirement for Investment Advisors as it relates to transfers from one account to... READ MORE

In a sharp reversal from 2017’s unending gains, volatility has returned to the markets in 2018. Asset class leadership has also dramatically reversed with the former leader, International emerging... READ MORE

If your home and automobile insurance policies have been renewed since Hurricane Harvey, you may have noticed a greater than usual increase in your premiums. According to the last update from the... READ MORE

If you have spent any time watching the market pundits on CNBC, you likely came away from it either very excited, or very worried. Often these shows or publications will feature very intelligent... READ MORE

Last week we announced the release of our new WJ Client Investment Portal App (“WJ App”) for Apple and Google devices. This is a major update and we hope it will make accessing important... READ MORE

We are pleased to announce a significant update to the WJ Client Investment Portal App (“WJ App”) for Apple and Google devices. The WJ App has been redesigned and is now available for both your... READ MORE

We decided to write this WJNotes, not because the declines we've seen recently are that unusual considering market history, but because they were quite rapid and seemingly came out of nowhere.... READ MORE

As many of you are aware, the new tax law, dubbed the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), was passed at the end of last year. In this WJ Notes, we will summarize many of the tax changes that have taken... READ MORE

The bitcoin mania is upon us. At the beginning of 2017, a single bitcoin cost $998.33. On December 31, 2017 that same bitcoin was worth $14,156.40, a more than 1,318% return (the price actually... READ MORE

As we approach the end of 2017, it's important to be aware of some tax strategies that can be implemented. There are some strategies that can wait until your tax filing deadline, however, the... READ MORE

Next week we are buying a fund called Stone Ridge Reinsurance Risk Premium Interval Fund (SRRIX) in most client portfolios. This fund invests in what are called Insurance Linked Securities (ILS). In... READ MORE

An article was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal by renowned author Jason Zweig titled, "The 19 Questions to Ask Your Financial Adviser". Zweig is the personal finance columnist for the... READ MORE

“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful” - Warren Buffett You may be familiar with this Buffett quotation, but have you thought about what it really means? At WJ... READ MORE

We hope you and your family are safe. As most of us who call the Houston area home were impacted by Hurricane Harvey, please note that you may qualify for tax relief from the IRS due to the disaster... READ MORE

In light of a much-anticipated active hurricane season, we're reminded that now is the time to prepare for the proverbial storm. There are many key facets to being financially prepared including... READ MORE

As a follow up to our WJNotes last week . "Our responsibility now is to keep dancing, but closer to the exit and with a sharp eye on the tea leaves." - Ray Dalio, Head of the largest hedge fund in... READ MORE

When the music stops, in terms of liquidity, things will be complicated. But as long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance. We’re still dancing. - Chuck Prince The intent of... READ MORE

Just over a year ago, we released our new WJ Client Investment Portal to replace our printed quarterly statement. Since that time, over 75% of our clients have logged into their portal. The feedback... READ MORE

Retirement plans offer significant tax benefits to owners, increase employee retention and make companies more attractive to employees in a competitive work environment. Unfortunately, selecting a... READ MORE