Investing and Financial Planning Workshops (2024)

Investing and Financial Planning Workshops

Insight Wealth Management President, Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®speaks frequently to community groups, churches and other charitable organizations, Mensa, independent and individual investor clubs including the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII), Better Investingand others.He has over twenty-five years of experience teaching finance and economics toundergraduate and graduate students, most recently teachingcourses in investment analysis and portfolio management for the Johns Hopkins University’s Carey School of Business, the Business of Medicine program at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine, and review courses domestically, in Canada and in Europe for candidates taking the Chartered Financial Analyst exams. He teaches currently the entire Level III CFA Exam review courses for the CFA Society of Washington, DC and the World Bank. He has also taught investment analysis and portfolio management forMerrill Lynch investment professionals at their corporate campus in Princeton, New Jersey and for Fidelity in Boston.

Consider inviting Bob to speak to your group, free of charge. The presentation will be tailored to the needs and interests of your group.

Upcoming Seminars and Workshops Open to the Public

Someevents are private and participationis limited to members of the sponsoring organizations, andare not listed here. Please contact IWM if you are interested in scheduling public or private offerings of educational events for your organization.

"Creating a Fixed-Income Safety Net for Your Portfolio"

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP® to:

The Research Triangle Chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII), June 10, 2017. Download this presentation here.

and

The Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII), February 18, 2017

Many investors find themselves in hot water during equity market corrections and bear markets because of their failure to manage risk appropriately. Investing should be about managing risk first and chasing return second. Some investors are even endangering their standard of living, especially in retirement, by not creating a safety net in their investment portfolios. One of the best ways of creating a portfolio safety net is an allocation to fixed income. In this workshop, Bob Pugh will explore how to use fixed-income investments effectively as a key tool to manage portfolio risk.

Attend This Meeting to Learn:
1. How to assess your risk tolerance and determine an appropriate allocation to fixed income in your portfolio
2. Alternative ways of managing risk in your portfolio, with a focus on fixed income
3. How to structure the fixed income allocation in your portfolio using individual bonds and ETFs

Bob will also present a brief assessment and outlook of current economic and market conditions.

Download the presentation here.

For more information on joining AAII or attending this program, please contact:

AAII Research Triangle Chapter

or

AAII Washington DC Metro Chapter
P.O. 2751
Merrifield, VA 22116

General Information
301­-593-4542
Questions about registration
703­-879-8480

Selected Past Seminars and Workshops

Following are some selected past events to provide examples of the scope of workshops and seminars IWM can offer your group. All can be updated and modified to suit your needs.

"Reading the Tea Leaves: Making Sense of Economists, Politicians and the Federal Reserve"

Keynote address to the BetterInvesting National Convention 2016, Saturday, May 21, 3:00 to 3:50 PM at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, 14750 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly, VA.

No one can predict the future, stock prices or market behavior. However, developing sound expectations based on objective analysis is an important part of the investing process. Bob will look at valuations in some key markets, economic trends and global political-economic concerns, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and policy trends by the Federal Reserve to provide insight on what the future might hold for long term investors.

"Bull or Bear: What’s a Better Investor to Do?"

Panel discussion at the BetterInvesting National Convention 2016, Saturday, May 21, 5:00 to 5:55 PM at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, 14750 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly, VA.

This bull market celebrated its 7th birthday in March. Seven's a great age for a kid, but what about a bull market? During this session we'll explore the prospects for this bull market to reach eight years of age, the opportunities (and pitfalls) this creates for long term investors, and various approaches individual investors should consider during the senior stages of this market.

“Generation to Generation: Planning for Families in Transition”

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^®at Centreville United Methodist Church (CUMC) sponsored by the CUMC Endowment Committee, January 30, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Thisworkshop will address many of the challenges families face when planning for the future incapacity or death of loved ones, and for when loved ones are no longer capable of handling their own affairs. Topics include the Role of the Fiduciary, Signs of Elder Financial Abuse, Estate Planning Basics, Long-Term Care and Medicaid Planning, and Multigenerational Investment Planning. We will also discuss how families can begin these difficult conversations. The workshop is free and open to the public.

"Portfolio Performance Evaluation"

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^® to the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, July 18, 2015

Understanding portfolio performance is critical for any investor whether they manage their own money or use an advisor. Are the strategies employed adding the value you expect? How does your portfolio stack up to the relevant benchmarks? Is your advisor worth the money you are paying? You will learn hands-on analytical techniques that require nothing more than your account statements and a spread sheet to answer. This workshop will provide valuable insight into your portfolio's performance whether you are an active or a passive investor.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. Techniques of measuring portfolio performance for return and risk, and comparing that performance to relevant benchmarks.
2. How to use portfolio performance analysis to evaluate investment strategies.
3. How to assess the investment performance of services provided by financial advisors.

Reasons to attend:

1. To find out how the portfolio performance provided by your investment professional is (or should be) calculated.
2. To learn how to analyze the level of risk in your portfolio.
3. To objectively measure your success (or lack thereof) in adding alpha to your portfolio.

“Invest Intelligently by Controlling Behavioral Biases”

Workshop presented to the Mensa Annual Gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, July 2015

Cognitive errors and emotional biases can seriously impair anyone's ability to make sound investment decisions. Attend this workshop to learn what these behavioral impediments to good investing are, and how you can avoid them. An understanding of behavioral finance can help you prepare better for your own financial future, or assess what your financial advisor is doing.

“Reading the Tea Leaves (or trying to make sense of economists, politicians and Federal Reserve officials)”

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^® to the Baltimore, Maryland chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, April 11. 2015

This workshop will survey some of the key issues facing investors in upcoming months. No one can predict the future, stock prices, or market behavior. However, developing sound expectations based on objective analysis is an important part of the investing process. This applies to short-term investors seeking to select securities with greater chances of performing well, or long-term investors who want to balance risk and return in their asset allocation targets. In this session we will cover policy trends by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, and potential impacts of those trends on equities, bonds and exchange rates. We’ll look at valuations in some key markets, economic trends and global political-economic concerns, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. What the Federal Reserve and other central banks have been doing and saying recently
2. How the economy has been performing, and how future trends could impact your investments
3. Some risks that might keep you awake

Reasons to attend:

1. Learn some fundamental techniques of incorporating economic and market expectations into investment decision-making.
2. Understand how reading tea leaves differs for short-term and long-term investors.
3. Become a more astute observer of the Federal Reserve, and understand the impact of monetary policy on markets.

“Using Alternative Investments to Enhance Portfolio Performance”

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^® to the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, May 17, 2014

The goals of this workshop are to introduce participants to the various types of alternative investments, and to illustrate how individual investors can use these assets to improve the risk and return performance of their portfolios. Investors are generally familiar with traditional asset classes such as equity and fixed-income, but are often unaware of other asset classes such as real estate, commodities, private equity, hedge funds, managed futures and others. These alternative asset classes can be added to core portfolios of equity and fixed-income to augment expected returns and/or reduce volatility. Moreover, new products such as alternative asset class ETFs put alternatives within reach of most investors.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. What the different types of alternative investments are (and are not).
2. How alternative asset classes differ from traditional asset classes.
3. How adding alternative asset classes impacts the expected risk and return of a portfolio.

Reasons to attend:

1. Learn how to add an alternative asset strategy to your portfolio.
2. Find out about low-cost alternative asset products available to individual investors.
3. Be able to measure and benchmark the performance of your new investment strategy that includes alternative asset classes.

"Investment Planning for Retirement in Volatile Times"

Presentation by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^® to the Washington, DC Regional Chapter of Better Investing October 5, 2013

The economic and market volatility of recent years has shaken our confidence in our ability to secure a comfortable retirement. This workshop teaches participants how to estimate their financial needs during retirement to maintain their desired lifestyle, and how to structure their investment portfolio to meet those needs consistently with their tolerance for financial risk. It provides guidance on how to determine an appropriate asset allocation and create an implementation plan based on retirement goals. We’ll discuss also how to factor into your retirement investment planning other resources available to you such as Social Security and pension benefits.

“Managing Portfolio Risk Using Asset Allocation Strategies”

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^® to the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, February 16, 2013

Investing should focus more on managing risk than on chasing return. This presentation will discuss asset allocation as an inexpensive technique to manage investment and market risk in your portfolio, and to seek as much return as possible given your risk tolerance. Market timing is unreliable, and derivatives are expensive and complex. Asset allocation tailored to the investor's risk tolerance provides a tool that allows investors to survive market down turns and profit from growth.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. An overview of alternative portfolio risk management techniques.
2. How exposure to diversified asset classes affects the risk and return of your portfolio.
3. How to use asset allocation as your key portfolio risk management strategy.

Reasons to attend:

1. To develop a better understanding of portfolio risk and how to manage it.
2. Be better able to align your portfolio's risk with your own investment risk tolerance.
3. Learn how to implement asset allocation strategies.

"Incorporating Political Economy into Investing"

Presentation by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^®to theWashington, DC Chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) Computer Investing SIG, February 25, 2012.

Investors make the mistake often of basing their decision-making entirely on quantitative measures, or evaluations of firms' management, while overlooking macro political factors. Even though very important, these firm-specific factors can be overwhelmed in both the short- and long-runs by national and global political dimensions. Understanding political impacts can greatly improve an investor's assessment of the risk inherent in investments.

"Investment Planning for Retirement in Volatile Times"

Seminar presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^® to the Mensa Regional Gathering hosted by Metropolitan Washington Mensa, October 9, 2011

The economic and market volatility of recent years has shaken our confidence in our ability to secure a comfortable retirement. This workshop teaches participants how to estimate their financial needs during retirement to maintain their desired lifestyle, and how to structure their investment portfolio to meet those needs consistently with their tolerance for financial risk. It provides guidance on how to determine an appropriate asset allocation and create an implementation plan based on retirement goals. We’ll discuss also how to factor into your retirement investment planning other resources available to you such as Social Security and pension benefits.

Private Wealth Management Career Panel,moderated by IWM President Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^®

February 24, 2011. Hosted by the CFA Society of Washington, DC and open to both members and non-members. For more information, please see theannouncementon the Society's website.

Private Wealth Management can be a very rewarding career with almost unlimited growth potential. However, breaking into the field is difficult, and the challenges don’t end once you land a job. You’re responsible for building your own book of business, managing investments, and counseling clients who may not be familiar with the financial world.

Come hear a panel of local professionals who have established successful careers in Private Wealth Management discuss their strategies for entering the field, developing a client base, and building the skills necessary to advance your career. At the end of the discussion, there will be an opportunity to network with colleagues and representatives from Private Wealth firms looking to meet local talent.

The panel discussion will begin promptly at 6:15pm and will be followed by a networking reception (drinks and light hors d'oeuvres).

Speakers:

Michael K. Hickey, Vice President, Bernstein Global Wealth Management

Brian Sharpe, CFA, Managing Director, U.S. Trust

Bruce Tanous, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Chase

Ellen A. McGee, CFA, Portfolio Manager, FBB Capital Partners

Moderator: Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^®

“Healthcare Reform – What Taxpayers and Investors Need to Know Now”

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®and William S. Duvall, CPA, CVA, DuvallWheeler, LLP, Saturday, November 20, 2010. Sponsored by the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors.

President Obama’s healthcare reform legislation, combined with the administration’s tax changes, will have profound impacts on tax and investment planning. This presentation will neither oppose nor advocate any aspects of the President’s legislative and tax agendas, but instead present practical advice on tactics taxpayers and investors can employ now to succeed in the new environment. Topics will be very relevant as we approach the end of the year and time is still available to make changes in your financial plan.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. Changes in tax laws that come into effect in 2011
2. Changes in how you will receive healthcare services
3. Industries and sectors that will benefit or suffer from President Obama’s legislative agenda

Reasons to attend:

1. Act on new tax laws before they take effect in 2011
2. Restructure your portfolio to take advantage of the new healthcare system
3. Understand other ways the Administration’s agenda will impact your financial plan.

"Implementing an Economic Trends-Based Investment Strategy Using ETFs"

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®to theWashington, DC Chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII), July 17, 2010.

The intrinsic value of any investment is the future cash flows it generates. Firms produce cash flows not only from the quality of the firm and its management, but largely from the underlying strength of the economy and the firm’s sector. This workshop will teach participants how to interpret various economic indicators and analyze the outlook of various classes of investments on that basis. It will focus on asset classes and implementing an investment strategy using exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. The key economic indicators, where to find them for free, and how an investor can create a contextual understanding of business and sector cycles using those indicators
2. How to use ETFs to implement an inexpensive investment strategy based on economic expectations
3. Work through a detailed example using this analytical framework to develop interest rate expectations, and use those expectations as the basis for investment decision making

Reasons to attend:

1. Refresh your knowledge of some of the basic economic concepts essential to understanding the behavior of financial markets.
2. Expand the framework of your investment analysis beyond a security-by-security approach by learning to incorporate economic expectations into your research.
3. Discover ways to reduce your costs of investing by using free economic data and low-expense exchange-traded funds (ETFs)

"The Portfolio Perspective"

Seminar by Bob Pugh, CFA, CFP^® to the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, June 6, 2009

Investors often put the cart before the horse by purchasing securities without an investment strategy. Investing from the perspective of your total portfolio is a much more effective way of managing investment risk and determining which securities are right for you. This workshop teaches a methodical approach to assessing investment risk tolerance, creating a portfolio strategy that suits an individual's needs, establishing a strategic asset allocation, and selecting suitable securities. Taking the portfolio perspective to investing is appropriate whether you chose securities as a fundamentalist or technician.

Presentation topics:

1. How to manage investment risk in your portfolio more effectively.
2. How to create a strategic asset allocation based on your personal financial needs and outlook for the markets.
3. How to determine if specific securities fit your investment strategy.

“Behavioral Finance: A Primer for Investors”

Seminar presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®. Sponsored by the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors, Maryland Investment Special Interest Group.

Behind every trade lies someone’s feelings, emotions or intuition, as well as any objective analysis they have performed. This presentation will review some of the basic ideas of behavioral finance and how they differ from traditional financial theory, and then survey some of the new research in this field. It will wrap up with a question and answer session.

"How Did We Get Into This Mess and What's an Investor to Do Now?"

Seminar presented by Bob Pugh,CFA,CFP^®.Sponsored by Metropolitan Washington Mensa (MWM).

Bobwill survey some of the major causes of the current economic crisis, discuss the government's responses and examine different courses of action investors can take now with a view toward the future.

"Financial Planning for Tough Times"

Seminar presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®.Sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute.

This two-session seminar will survey a variety of financial planning topics of interest to those who are retired or are about to retire including:

1. Qualifications required to be a financial planning or investment advisor, and differentiating between credible professional designations such as CFA,CFP®and CPA, and others that require less effort to attain and ongoing commitment to maintain
2. Effective financial planning for seniors
3. Where to find planning help
4. Financial planning tools on the Internet
5. Assessing your tolerance for investment risk and the security of your investments
6. The elements of an effective investment plan
7. Department of the Treasury programs, FDIC insurance, guarantees for money market funds, etc.

"The Great Depression, Part Two?"

Seminar presented by Bob Pugh,CFA,CFP^®.Sponsored by Metropolitan Washington Mensa (MWM).

This seminar studies the events leading up to theGreat Depression and the underlying causes that made it as severe as it was. We then compare that historical episode to the current economic crisis. Finally, Bob will present some ideas for structuring investment portfolios in the current economic environment.

“Bond Analysis, Portfolio Strategies, and Trade Execution"

Workshop presented by Bob Pugh, CFA,CFP^®.Sponsored by the Washington, DC chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors.

An allocation to bonds is an important risk management tool for most investment portfolios. Owning individual investment-grade corporate and/or U.S. Treasury securities is preferable to buying bond mutual funds because of the lower fees and greater control of factors such as maturity and duration of a bond allocation or portfolio. With some education, individual investors can understand, research, and include bonds in their own portfolios.

Attend this meeting to learn:

1. Techniques for analyzing and researching bond investments
2. Common, low-risk bond portfolio strategies such as laddering
3. Execution of bond trades

Additional Seminars and Workshops Available from IWM Include:

I. Core Knowledge of Financial Planning and Investing

Financial Planning Basics– This workshop teaches the basics of budgeting, saving, financial goal-setting and avoiding credit card problems. Participants learn to complete provided worksheets to determine their personal cash flow for budgeting purposes, and their financial net worth. We’ll survey other topics, such as how investing fits into your financial planning. It is appropriate for all audiences. (two to three hours)

Investment Planning for Retirement– This workshop teaches participants how to estimate their financial needs during retirement to maintain their desired lifestyle, and how to structure their investment portfolio to meet those needs consistently with their tolerance for financial risk. It provides guidance on how to determine an appropriate asset allocation and implementation plan for that investment portfolio. It is appropriate for all audiences. (two to three hours)

Estate and Tax Planning– Estate and tax planning explores methods of transferring wealth and assets to others, and to charitable organizations, while minimizing tax burdens. The workshop will teach participants how to structure their investment portfolios to maximize tax efficiency and methods of gifting securities to charitable organizations to gain full deductibility of the assets’ value and avoid capital gains taxes. Various gifting structures are examined, such as charitable trusts and annuities, as well as any new vehicles that may be available in the future. It is appropriate for all audiences. (two to three hours)

Investment Planning for Education– This workshop teaches participants how to estimate future education expenses for themselves and/or their children and how to design and implement an investment plan to accumulate the necessary funds. Various investment vehicles are discussed including 529 plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, Custodial (UGMA/UTMA) accounts, trusts, regular savings accounts and tax-deferred accounts. The workshop will also discuss the financial aid process and the potential impacts of the various education savings vehicles on eligibility for financial aid. It is appropriate for all audiences. (two to three hours)

II.Portfolio Management and Investing

Portfolio Management and Investing- This program consists of two sessions and is an abbreviated version of the portfolio management and investing course for medical professionals offered through the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine’s Business of Medicine continuing education program, which IWM President, Bob Pugh, has taught. Bob will tailor this program to the specific needs of groups whether they are medical professionals, endowment committees, investment clubs, members of other professions or interest groups, or audiences of participants with diverse interests. The program teaches a rigorous process of determining portfolio risk and return objectives, creating an individualized investment policy and strategy, structuring an asset allocation, implementing the investment policy using appropriate securities, and monitoring and evaluating the portfolio’s performance. Specific security types such as stocks, bonds, exchange traded funds, mutual funds, alternative investments and derivatives, and their place in the portfolio, are explored.

“Portfolio Management and Investing” is more in-depth than the core workshops and covers some basic principles of financial and investments theory. However, it assumes no prior financial education and is accessible to all motivated audiences. (two, three-hour sessions)

III.Specialized Training

Endowment Fund Management– Outlines the steps and procedures involved in creating and maintaining an investment policy and operating procedures, consistent with both governing laws and the organization’s own goals and constraints, for a charitable endowment fund. The workshop surveys relevant ethical and legal requirements including duties of fiduciaries and, for example in Virginia, the Commonwealth’s Uniform Management of Institutional Funds Act (§ 55-268.1 to 10). The workshop will be tailored to the level of investment knowledge of each group and is appropriate for endowment committee members and others responsible for management of charitable fund assets. (two to three hours)

Portfolio Performance Evaluation– This workshop teaches participants how to measure and evaluate a portfolio’s performance on a risk-adjusted basis and compare that performance to relevant benchmarks.

The workshop is offered in two versions. One version surveys the concepts and methods of portfolio performance evaluation and is aimed at investors who want to understand better the information provided about their investments by brokers, financial advisors and others. It is appropriate for all audiences. (approximately two hours)

The other version is a hands-on workshop during which participants learn methods of evaluating portfolio performance by working through a series of hypothetical examples. It is more advanced and appropriate for participants who have a fundamental knowledge of, or basic experience in, investing. (approximately three hours)

Behavioral Finance– This workshop explores differences between traditional theories of finance and investing, and more recent research on the impact of human psychology on investment decision-making. It explores how investors can apply an understanding of behavioral finance to making better investment decisions themselves. It is appropriate for participants who have a fundamental knowledge of, or basic experience in, investing, and those who have completed IWM’s two-session “Portfolio Management and Investing” program. (approximately three hours)

IV.Other Financial Planning and Investing Training

Insight Wealth Management will gladly consider requests from clients, investment clubs and other groups to develop and present workshops in topics not mentioned here.