When to Change Portfolio Managers

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Some Considerations for Medical Professionalsfp-book

By Clifton N. McIntire, Jr.; CIMA, CFP®

By Lisa Ellen McIntire; CIMA, CFP®

Sometimes even the best made physician financial plans just don’t work out. And, despite extensive time and energy spent on due diligence before hiring an investment or portfolio manager, it becomes evident that you must change managers.

Some Thoughts for Doctors

Here are a few thoughts when considering a portfolio manager change:

  • You should have initially hired the manager with a long-term relationship in mind. Realizing that styles go in and out of favor, we were not simply buying last quarter’s best numbers; in 2009.
  • Market statistics often mask “real” performance of money managers, both good and bad. The S&P 500’s 2007 performance can be attributed to a few very large companies.
  • Generally, a full market cycle would be required to assess money manager performance. Having said that, what could happen that would warrant changing managers? Here is a brief list:
  1. Style Drift: You have a growth manager and when growth stocks turn down, you begin to see the purchase of “value” stocks.
  2. Not Sticking to Previously Established Disciplines: If the process is to sell if the price declines 20 percent down from the original buy range and now they are holding because, “This time, it is different.”
  3. Personnel Changes: New analysts are hired with a different philosophy. Recent transactions seem 180 degrees off course.
  4. Principals Leave: Like professional sports figures, good money managers are in demand and sometimes change firms. The replacement may be a 29-year-old MBA with little experience.
  5. The Firm is Sold: This may be good new if it broadens ownership and helps retain good people.  Look for long-term incentive driven “staying” bonus plans.
  6. Loss of Major Accounts: Reduced revenues may force cut backs in personnel and services. Attention may shift from portfolio management to marketing.

Assessment

Finally, sometimes it is just not working. Misjudgments in asset allocation and poor stock selection over a reasonable period of time can be reason enough to change managers.

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Whither Physician Self-Portfolio Management?

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Do it Yourself Considerations

By Clifton N. McIntire, Jr.; CIMA, CFP®

By Lisa Ellen McIntire; CIMA, CFP®fp-book

In order to self create and monitor an investment portfolio for personal, office, or medical foundation use, the physician investor should ask him/herself three questions:

1. How much do I have invested?

2. How much did I make on my investments?

3. How much risk did I take to get that rate of return?

How Am I Doing?

Most doctors and health care professionals know how much money they have invested. If they don’t, they can add a few statements together to obtain a total. Few actually know the rate of return achieved during last year’s debacle, or so far this year in 2009. Everyone can get this number by simply subtracting the ending balance from the beginning balance and dividing the difference. But, few take the time to do it. Why? A typical response to the question is, “We were doing fine” -or- “We did terrible last year.”

But, ask how much risk is in the portfolio and help is needed. Nobel laureate Harry Markowitz, PhD said, “If you take more risk, you deserve more return.” Using standard deviation, he referred to the “variability of returns” –  in other words, how much the portfolio goes up and down, its volatility.

Your Own Portfolio

How, and even whether or not to create and manage your own portfolio, is what this brief post is about.

First, you must determine what to do with your investments. How much risk can be taken and what is the time frame? You must understand the concept of risk vs. reward and write an investment policy statement.

Next, the assets that will be used for investment must be selected. This involves asset allocation and mixing different styles of investment management to achieve the desired results, and is the point where you go it alone, or professional investment managers are selected.

Be sure to review expenses, like wrap accounts, service fees, AUMs, commissions and compare mutual funds with private money management.

Monitor

Once the initial portfolio is in place, the performance must be monitored to assure compliance with the investment policy.  Here’s where you consider 401k or 403(b) plans, pension plans, retirement accounts, as well as how to change doctor trustees or managers when necessary.

Assessment

Finally, consider the role of professional consultants. Now after all of this, if you still want to do it yourself rather than be a doctor, the entire process will be professionally illustrated. An actual physicians’ financial plan with investing portfolio was reviewed previously, along with the steps taken to improve returns and reduce risk.

Link: https://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/evaluating-a-sample-physician-financial-plan-iii/

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Understanding Expenses and Investment Portfolio Performance

Posted on September 26, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

A Direct Relationship

By Clifton N. McIntire, Jr.; CIMA, CFP®

By Lisa Ellen McIntire; CIMA, CFP®fp-book

Expenses can play an important role in portfolio performance. You don’t hear much about expense ratios in an up market, like early 2007. If your account was up +28 percent, whether the expense was 3 percent or 1 percent doesn’t seem to make much difference. But, let the market decline, like it did later on in October 2007 and we change our perspective. A 10 percent portfolio decline plus charges of 3 percent equals a 13 percent decline. Now we need a 15 percent increase net of fees just to get even.

The Four Cost Horsemen

Basically you have four cost areas:

  1. Custody—someone must hold the stocks and bonds, collect dividends and interest, prepare tax information for the government, issue monthly statements, and send checks.
  2. Commissions—orders must be executed, transfer securities into and out of your account, trades settled.
  3. Investment Decisions—the money manager must be paid.
  4. Monitoring Performance and Advice—usually an investment management analyst is engaged to provide this service; as well as write the investment policy statement and prepare the asset allocation study.

Portfolio Size

Naturally, size makes a difference. For a doctor’s stock account with a $200,000 total value, all of the above can be accomplished for annual fees between 2.00 and 3.00 percent. An account with $1,500,000 in total assets part bonds and part stocks would pay annual fees between 1.25 and 1.75 percent depending on the ratio of stocks and bonds. These are annual fees and are all-inclusive. Commissions, portfolio management fees, and statements check charges are all included. One quarter of the annual fee is charged every three months. Family related accounts are generally grouped for a quantity fee discount.

Assessment

Some financial consultants prefer to use mutual funds with smaller accounts. A charge of 1 percent per year for their service with a stated minimal fee is common practice. This does not include fees deducted from the account by the mutual fund (anywhere from .50 to 2.50 percent) or commissions paid by the fund managers for trade executions. 

Morningstar Report: Morningstar Expense Ratio Results

Conclusion

And so, your thoughts and comments on this Medical Executive-Post are appreciated. How much do you pay for this service? Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, be sure to subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

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