Recording time stamps:


(00:45)     Introduction to Kevin Murphy and his latest research
(04:50)     The (economic) value of health and longevity
(09:54)     Analysis of lives lost vs. economic costs of COVID-19
(21:14)     How has lost labor affected the economy?
(26:04)     Policies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19
(31:54)     A global review of preventative strategies
(38:14)     Should we focus on flattening the curve or achieving herd immunity?
(48:23)     Guidelines for reopening the economy
(56:09)     Finding and assessing reliable information

Additional resources:

• Article from Professor Murphy on the Chicago Booth Review: Some Basic Economics of COVID-19
• Chicago Booth Review: The Impact of COVID-19

The term “novel coronavirus” is so new, some people have apparently wondered whether it is related to Corona beer. (It is not; it’s named after its crown-shaped particles.) And yet, how quickly it has grabbed global headlines. As the viral news has spread, so too has financial uncertainty. What’s going to happen next? Will it further infect our domestic or global economies? In case it does, should you try to shift your investments to remain one step ahead? (more…)

If you’ve been an evidence-based investor for a while, you know the drill:

You’ve already built your low-cost, globally diversified portfolio to help you achieve your personal goals. You’ve done so by tilting your portfolio toward or away from long-term sources of expected returns – and their risks. When those risks arise, if your goals haven’t changed, neither should your portfolio. (more…)

Over the past few decades, there has been a substantial shift from active to passive investment strategies. The shift has occurred as investors have become more aware of the persistent failure of active management, as demonstrated in the S&P Dow Jones biannual Indices Versus Active (SPIVA) reports. (more…)

This analysis from Dimensional Fund Advisors of US-based mutual funds shows that only a small percentage of funds have outperformed industry benchmarks after costs—and among top-ranked funds based on past results, only a small percentage have repeated their success. Click below to watch:

So much of the maintenance of our personal finances falls into the category of “boring, but important.” But when it comes to life insurance, our subconscious resistance to the topic is further compounded because, unlike retirement or career planning, your pot of gold at the end of the life insurance rainbow is actually a headstone.

We don’t like to talk about life insurance for numerous reasons, but especially because it requires acknowledgment of the fragility of our own lives, and of those we love. But considering the extremely high probability of our mortality, life insurance is one of the most important topics to include in your financial spring cleaning.

To ensure your life insurance planning is on track, ask and answer these five questions: (more…)

Every year, the markets provide us with lessons on the prudent investment strategy. Many times, markets offer investors remedial courses, covering lessons it taught in previous years. That’s why one of my favorite sayings is that there’s nothing new in investing—only investment history you don’t yet know. (more…)

On September 7, 2017, Equifax, one of the major credit reporting bureaus, issued a press release announcing that on July 29 it had discovered “unauthorized access” to data belonging to as many as 143 million U.S. consumers. We have compiled some information that we hope may help you understand what happened and what to do next. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have specific questions. (more…)

So much of the maintenance of our personal finances falls into the category of “boring, but important.” But when it comes to life insurance, our subconscious resistance to the topic is further compounded because, unlike retirement or career planning, your pot of gold at the end of the life insurance rainbow is actually a headstone. (more…)