1. Uncover the three key elements to creating your personal investment plan
2. Discuss how you can discover your personal investment comfort level using an online tool they will provide at no charge to you
3. Outline a guaranteed income planning process that allows you to create streams of income for each stage of your retirement
4. Uncover the truth about Life Settlements and outline five fundamental flaws you must understand before you consider investing in Life Settlements
5. Detail safe alternatives you can employ to achieve similar benefits without the risk and baggage that define Life Settlements
6. Develop the five essential elements of an investment growth plan  and the action steps necessary to implement your plan to achieve your lifelong goals and objectives
7. Revisit the importance of a Trusted Advisor relationship, how it differs from the experience most investors encounter, and what the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has to say about the failings of the brokerage industry
8. Scott and Brent also encourage listeners to contact them for a no-obligation “second opinion” review of your current investment strategy designed to provide you with clarity and a balanced analysis so you can be sure you are on the road to Peaceful Wealth.

1. Name the single most important stock tip to make an immediate impact in your financial life
2. Discuss a 14 year Wall Street Journal stock picking contest created to test the theories of Princeton economics professor Burton Malkiel and the vital lessons learned
3. Introduce the Fama/French Forum, an incredible teaching and training resource that includes observations, opinion, research and links from financial economists Eugene Fama and Kenneth French
4. Review a recent study and an interview with Dartmouth economist Kenneth French seeking to identify superior mutual fund managers
   
5. Expose the truth about “Buy and Hold” mythology and explore how investors are better served by an Equilibrium investment model
6. Review the recent 14% drop in the price of oil and explain the 5 critical issues every investor should consider before investing in commodities such as oil, gold, silver and agricultural products
7. Explain what recent economic headlines from Germany, England, Canada and Japan and a debate between Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley mean to you and your financial future
8. Define exactly what Peaceful Wealth means and why all investors and retirees must focus on maximizing potential return, managing risk, minimizing taxes and eliminating unnecessary costs
   
9. Define exactly how investors, pre-retirees and retirees can achieve Peaceful Wealth in the face of uncertain economic times
10. Encourage clients to reject the broken business model of investing and pursue a lifetime of Peaceful Wealth
    

1. Review the human toll and red warning flags of the Bernard Madoff and Allen Stanford scandals
2. Share the thoughts of John Bogle, founder of Vanguard, on the essential lessons all investors must understand to avoid the industry-wide  scammers and schemers waiting to rob you of your wealth
3. Explain why Dimensional Fund Advisors  (the family of funds Scott and Brent use to design client portfolios) had net cash inflows of $6 Billion in 2008, the benefits these net cash inflows offer to investors in the exclusive DFA funds and how they compare to the hundreds of  billions of  net cash outflows from retail mutual funds in 2008
4. Define the meaning and explore the value of the top three financial services certifications - CFP, PFS and CFA
5. List and discuss the alphabet soup of other designations, including CFS, ChFC, CMT, CLU, CASL, CRPC, CRPS, FLMI, FSS, LUTCF.  Scott and Brent also explain why “alphabet soup” designations cause confusion, can signal a product focused bias, offer little value when judged without considering the broader context of a client centered fiduciary standard, investment philosophy and fee structure and why “alphabet soup” designations face increased scrutiny and restrictions because of their often misleading use as a marketing tool
6. Expose how 95% of the 250,000 “Financial Advisors” in the marketplace misrepresent their true allegiance, including the distasteful practice of viewing prospective clients as a “Buying Unit.”
7. Discuss a Harvard Business School analysis of the painful costs investors bear when they misplace their trust
8. Share the current and conflicting stock market and economic forecasts of Comstock Partners, Jack Schannep, Tim Wood, Jim Cramer, Carl Swenlin, Dan Sullivan, Warren Buffett and Jeremy Siegel
9. Analyze the startling statistics behind market forecasts
10. Define exactly how investors should view market and economic forecasts on their journey to Peaceful Wealth

1. Identify the 7 essential questions that must be answered to design a successful retirement income plan
2. Define traditional income planning solutions and discuss the risks and rewards retirees must understand to craft a successful retirement income plan that outpaces inflation, maintains purchasing power and protects a lifetime of savings
3. List and discuss the 5 components of every successful income plan; current and future budget requirements,  emergency needs, the proper role of fixed income,   maintaining purchasing power, and matching the solution to a retirees’ personal comfort level
4. Discuss a planning tool known as Monte Carlo analysis, outline the proper use and specific limitations of Monte Carlo analysis and share how Monte Carlo analysis can help investors quantify the likelihood their retirement plan will match their individual needs
5. Introduce new and powerful ways to guarantee a lifetime of income. Scott and Brent define the benefits of these new solutions, outline specific examples of their use, name the limitations and count the costs ever investor and retiree must consider in their pursuit of Peaceful Wealth
6. Expose a glaring weakness of many guaranteed income solutions, explain and provide an example of how the commission driven focus of most sales representatives fails to address this weakness, and define a hybrid solution designed to match the twin requirements of safety and growth required to fund a long and enjoyable retirement
7. Teach investors how to eliminate the threat of future tax increases that may rob investors of a comfortable and enjoyable retirement by converting their traditional IRA, SEP IRA, Simple IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) into a Roth IRA
8. Outline 6 important reasons why everyone should consider converting their traditional IRA, 401(k), etc. into a Roth IRA and explain 2 powerful strategies to offset a significant portion of the taxes investors will incur in order to  receive the remarkable benefits a Roth IRA provides
9. Make one last invitation for listeners to call today and register for a Peaceful Wealth Workshop from Noon to 1:00 on either Wednesday, July 1 or Thursday, July 2 to learn and understand how to design a portfolio. Join Scott and Brent for a fun and enjoyable free lunch and leave with a thorough understanding of how markets work, how to build a portfolio suited to personal goals and individual comfort and a customized personal risk evaluation to guide your portfolio design.   Ideally suited for those still growing their wealth, approaching retirement or in retirement, the Peaceful Wealth Workshop will equip you with the knowledge you need to chart your path to Peaceful Wealth.

1. Introduce listeners to Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), an exclusive and perhaps wisest fund family you’ve probably never hear of but should know everything about to design elegant investment portfolios
2. Uncover the philosophy, strategy and methodology Talis Advisors and DFA employs to maximize potential returns, manage risks, mitigate taxes and minimize costs in order to best serve client’s best interests.
3. Name the powerful brain trust behind DFA.  Investors who have access to DFA funds through Talis Advisors enlist the wisdom of the most influential minds in financial economics, including Dr. Gene Fama, Dr. Kenneth French, David Booth, Rex Sinquefield, Dr. Roger Ibbotson, Dr. Robert Merton and Dr. Myron Scholes; a who’s who team of profound expertise from the world’s leading universities including Chicago, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Stanford.
4. Explain why DFA is so exclusive and the tangible benefits exclusivity offers investors who are able to own a Talis Advisors portfolio designed using DFA asset class institutional funds.
5. Expose portfolio design truths the commission based brokerage sales machine does not want you to know.
6. Define the Fama/French 3-Factor model and the historic higher returns available to investors who owned an elegantly designed portfolio based on the principles of modern finance
7. Teach the 3 critical components of portfolio design and name the asset classes ideally suited to crafting a globally diversified portfolio
8. Review how our Peaceful Wealth Safety and Opportunity emphasis enables clients to manage risk, maintain purchasing power and guarantee a lifetime of income in retirement
9. List the 5 essential elements required to maximize the benefits of fixed income within a portfolio and explain why these essential elements resulted in Investment News ranking DFA as the #1 fixed income fund family for 2008
   
10. Invite listeners to register today for a Peaceful Wealth Workshop from Noon to 1:00 on either Wednesday, July 1 or Thursday, July 2 to learn and understand how to design a portfolio. Join Scott and Brent for a fun and enjoyable free lunch and leave with a thorough understanding of how markets work, how to build a portfolio suited to personal goals and individual comfort and a customized personal risk evaluation to guide your portfolio design.   Ideally suited for those still growing their wealth, approaching retirement or in retirement, the Peaceful Wealth Workshop will equip you with the knowledge you need to chart your path to Peaceful Wealth.

1. List 3 reasons why investors are worried about their wealth and define the 3 key elements of a successful retirement plan
2. Answer a listener’s question about investing in an IRA with after-tax dollars.  Review the proper decision sequence, list the available alternatives and provide insight into the benefits and drawbacks of each approach
3. Evaluate stock and option picking schemes and software trading strategies in an attempt to define what real value they offer investors.
4. Expose the 5 fundamental flaws of most trading programs and provide personal stories to help listeners decide if a scheme or software program passes the Peaceful Wealth “smell test”
5. Explain the 5 essential laws of wise investing and explain why an investor’s behavior may be one of their biggest impediments to achieving Peaceful Wealth
6. Teach listeners how to develop and implement a tax plan to ensure their estate remains in the hands of those they most cherish.
7. Count the costly mistake 93% of fund managers and investors make in pursuit of short-term gains and explain 3 strategies designed to maximize portfolio tax efficiency and maximize real returns
8. Outline 4 basic estate planning tools every investors should consider
9. Review current Estate Tax exemptions and present 4 advanced estate planning concepts focused on solving complex client needs
10. Offer 2 examples describing the benefits of advanced estate planning.  One client implemented a charitable solution to reduce estate tax liability, create immediate income and ultimately fund a charitable giving initiative for her church.  A second client effectively doubled the size of his estate with an asset maximization strategy designed to reduce estate tax exposure and allow him to control the disbursement of his legacy to those he most cherished.  Brent summarizes the importance of proper tax and estate planning, concluding with a quote from Dr. Barry Baines, M.D., author of Ethical Wills: Putting your values on paper.  Dr. Baines writes, “It’s not just about valuables, but values; not just about principal, but principles.”

R. Scott Maxwell, MBA

What role do you play on your financial ship of state?

Are you a Captain who regally dictates strategy and oversees the orderly operation and conduct of the vessel entrusted to your care?

Are you a Navigator who is always aware of your position and faithfully charts your course to determine how and when you will arrive at your intended destination while avoiding known hazards?

Are you a passenger who entrusts the operation and navigation of your ship to seasoned experts as you tend to other business in route to your booked port of call?

One of the many benefits of today’s investment world is your freedom to choose the role to which you aspire.   Determining the best role for you is a personal choice based on your experience, your temperament and your time.

Unfortunately, many investors fail to embrace a fundamental truth of financial seamanship.

Never delegate responsibility!

Of the many lessons I learned as a young U.S. Navy Officer, none was more important than the sacred concept of responsibility.

Legendary Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the father of our nuclear navy, said of responsibility,

“It can only reside and inhere in a single individual.  You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished.  You may delegate it, but it is still with you.  You may disdain it, but you can not divest yourself of it.  Even if you do not recognize it or admit its presence, you cannot escape it. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible.”

Today’s headlines shout out the vital importance of personal responsibility. Too good to be true sales pitches encouraging unwise borrowing have cost people their homes. The abandonment of risk management and the unquenched pursuit of speculative profit has left once storied financial institutions in ruins and sparked a dramatic and painful decline in markets worldwide.

Be it Captain, Navigator or passenger, you must assume responsibility for the finances entrusted to your care.  Not everyone you meet is worthy of your trust. Schemes abound.  Pirates roam the seas.  Wisdom and discernment must drive your decisions.  Speculative pursuits and get rich quick strategies carry painful consequences.  Unnecessary fees siphon away your wealth.  Unnecessary risks sabotage your future.  Reckless trading and chasing yesterday’s returns diminishes your opportunity for long-term rewards.

Your embarkation call to action?  Ask hard questions.  Learn who you should trust and learn why you should trust them.  Read the small print and understand the difference between a fee-only Registered Investment Advisory firm and a fee-based or commission driven broker. There are vast differences between a trusted advisor and a commissioned sales representative.  A trusted advisor always puts your best interests ahead of their own. A commissioned sales representative, no matter what moniker they assume or which certification initials are printed on their business card, cannot avoid the inherent conflicts of interest that define the Wall Street sales machine.

You must also never lose track of the requirements of the mantle you assume.

Every good Captain needs a capable crew.  Enlist and read the likes of Bogle, Bernstein, Fama, French, Malkiel, Markowitz and Siegel to man your battle stations and cover your flank.  They understand how markets work and offer a prescription designed to make you into a battle tested and seaworthy sailor.

Every good Navigator knows their exact location at any given moment.  Failure to pinpoint current coordinates makes future plots meaningless.  It is impossible to determine the proper path to an intended destination when you have no earthly idea where you are.  Know your destination and stay true to your checkpoints.  Rewards and risks are inextricably related.  A Navigator must anticipate the inevitable storms along their path.  They must insure their vessel can withstand what may lie ahead or chart an alternate course better suited to their unique needs before they set to sea.

Every wise passenger trusts their Captain and their crew. They know their time and energy is best spent on the Lido deck of personal finance as they relish the opportunity to pursue their personal gifts and passions. They feast on the midnight buffet of global diversification. They research their destination and board the best ship available for their intended journey.

There is no hiding from the fact 2008 was a tough year for investors and retirees. You may feel like your financial ship is aground. You may be stuck in a foreign harbor attempting to wait out this storm or calm your fears about the future.

If so, then now is the time to act.  Decide on the role that best suits your personal voyage.  Vow to make wise choices. Hold yourself accountable.  Hold others to a standard of excellence.

Your payoff will be Peaceful Wealth.

R. Scott Maxwell, MBA is a Vice President and a wealth and income solutions expert at Talis Advisors, a wealth management firm headquartered in Plano, Texas. Awarded the prestigious 2009 Five Star Wealth Manager: Best in Client Satisfaction for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area by Texas Monthly magazine, Scott is committed to teaching investors the truth about the stock market and how they can achieve Peaceful Wealth throughout their lives. Scott can be reached at 972-378-1794 or 866-608-2547 or via his web site at http://www.talisadvisors.com

1. Uncover 4 fundamental lessons learned from the GM bankruptcy filing this past week and how those lessons can protect investors from catastrophic loss and maximize their potential for long-term rewards
2. Help a caller discern the difference between a Registered Investment Advisor relationship and a typical broker or insurance agent’s advice, including the SEC resources all investors should use to help protect their best interests
3. Define the risks and expose the exaggerated claims of real estate pitchmen.  Identify 5 reasons why real estate is an outstanding component of a long-term investment plan and contrast the proper use of real estate within an elegantly designed portfolio to the hype and 5 flawed promises that define most real estate schemes
4. Expose a misleading annuity claim and help a caller understand how to create real retirement value and truly maximize a lifetime of  guaranteed income
5. Identify the 5 essential elements of a successful wealth transfer plan and 2 powerful wealth transfer strategies (with examples) designed to maximize the legacy investors leave to their heirs or favorite charities
6. Introduce the Society for Financial Awareness, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational speaker’s bureau dedicated to providing free financial literacy educational workshops to companies, government agencies and organizations throughout the country.  Scott Maxwell serves as President of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Society for Financial Awareness (SOFA) and is committed to giving back to our local community.  Workshop presentation topics cover a range of important issues, including “Getting Fiscally Fit”,” College Planning”, “Women Approaching Retirement and Beyond”, “Investment Concerns in a Fragile Market” and “Financial Blunders and the Lessons We Never Seem to Learn.”  Listeners are encouraged to contact Scott to discuss how SOFA’s educational workshops help employers, HR professionals and leaders educate and empower their people

R. Scott Maxwell, MBA

Your actions today will affect you tomorrow.

If you are like many investors during this difficult market stretch, you want to run for the sidelines (if you haven’t already done so) and eliminate the potential for any more declines in your net worth.

The news of the day sounds so awful. Your account value has shrunk. MSNBC and CNBC analysts keep talking about “the next great economic depression” and how we may be in the midst of a protracted market meltdown that rivals 1929. The President of the United States told us our entire economy is in danger and we are on the precipice of a long and painful recession.

Those sidelines look better and better, don’t they?

Sure they do. Sitting on them also virtually guarantees you will underperform the market over the long run.

How could that be, you say? How in the world could avoiding today’s pain and then swiftly moving back into the market when “things get better” be the wrong thing to do?

Because that is exactly how the market works.

Consider these finding from the independent market research firm DALBAR, Inc:

1. Over the 20 years ended December 31, 2007, the average equity fund investor earned an average of just 4.48% per year, compared with 11.81% for the S&P 500
2. Over the same time period, the average bond fund investor actually lost 1.49% in purchasing power each year.
3. Investors who pursued a systematic, buy-and-hold strategy could have improved their performance results by 50% or more over 20 years.

Let those numbers sink in for a moment. The average investor punted away 7.33% of annualized returns because of their behavior in good times and in bad times over the past 20 years. Losing 7.33% of potential annualized return means the average investor starting out with $100,000 on January 1, 1988 let over $411,500 slip through their fingers.

They let it slip through their fingers because they listened to the “crisis” news of the day and moved out of the market in “bad times” and back into the market in “good times”.

They let it slip though their fingers because they tried to pick “hot” stocks or the “best” mutual funds based on past performance.

Because they paid punitive annual fees to hear a commission driven sales pitch from their stock broker or insurance agent cloaked as advice.

Because they were sold Class A mutual fund shares that skimmed away up to 5.75% of every dollar invested in them or bought actively managed funds with their high expense ratios that sabotage returns.

Because they succumbed to their inner voice telling them to abandon risk management or global diversification because the good times would last forever or the bad times would never end.

I do not pretend to know when the markets will recover or how much lower they may go. Selling everything you own and sitting on the sidelines for a week, or a month, or a year (or more) may prove to be the ideal short-term strategy once we have the clarity of hindsight to reflect upon.

Fortunately, that exact same rear-view mirror offers you a very important long-term lesson about the rewards of patience that completely contradicts your emotional response to bad news.

History brings clarity and promotes perspective. 20 years of hindsight teaches us there is a better way if we are willing to head the lesson.

Ask yourself two questions today (do it now, this is important):

1. Do I need this money today?
2. Is my investment strategy based on seven decades of evidence-based modern economic theory or have I bought into Wall Street’s stock picking, market timing, return chasing, product centered marketing machine?

If you do need it today, meaning you need to withdraw it for living expenses or emergencies, then you must immediately analyze your investments to ensure you have the appropriate level or risk to match your time horizon. Equity market risk is for the long-run. A five year time horizon is our rule of thumb to define long-term.

If you don’t need it today, then do your best to manage your inner voice of worry and keep your eye on the horizon. Make it your personal mission to separate yourself from the flawed and maddening crowd that DALBAR annually exposes.

Your answer to the second question is equally important. The long-term view is meaningless to anyone invested in Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, AIG or any number of other past or future companies to inflict unrecoverable losses on their investors. The market offers wonderful long-term rewards to the properly diversified and patient investor. Chasing returns, picking stocks, timing markets and buying into the commission driven sales machine of the brokerage and insurance worlds are a recipe for underperformance, if not total disaster.

Embrace the fact you cannot predict how markets will behave at any given time. Diversify your portfolio now. Match the return objectives of your investments to your personal comfort level and account for times like these. Make sure you have an elegantly designed portfolio built to weather the inevitable storms of the market while offering real opportunity for growth.

And always remember your success is rooted in your commitment to be there when the next upcycle begins.

Not everyone can win at the inner game of investing. It is hard for the average person to ignore the noise of the moment and the worries of the day. It is hard for the average person to remain committed to a properly diversified, low-cost, asset class portfolio methodology when so many competing voices seek to lead them astray. DALBAR reminds us every year just how hard things can be when you decide to follow the herd.

The evidence is clear. A trusted advisor will keep you on track. The rules of investing have not changed. Markets still work. Risk and reward are still related. Diversification remains paramount. Portfolio design is essential. Performance is the fruit of patience. Inner peace is Peaceful Wealth.

R. Scott Maxwell, MBA is a Vice President and a wealth and income solutions expert at Talis Advisors, a wealth management firm headquartered in Plano, Texas. Awarded the prestigious 2009 Five Star Wealth Manager: Best in Client Satisfaction for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area by Texas Monthly magazine, Scott is committed to teaching investors the truth about the stock market and how they can achieve Peaceful Wealth throughout their lives. Scott can be reached at 972-378-1794 or 866-608-2547 or via his web site at http://www.talisadvisors.com

1. Count the specific costs of leaving retirement savings in a previous employer’s 401(k) plan and name the 4 benefits of rolling over your 401(k) into an elegantly designed portfolio within your IRA
2. Define 5 important issues every 401(k) plan sponsor, Chief Financial Officer or business owner must consider to limit their potential liability and improve their 401(k) plan offering
3. Uncover the truth about investing in gold, including the 4 most popular ways to invest in gold, the costs and risks of each option, the clear historical evidence that should drive your decisions to buy gold and what the academically validated principles of modern finance tell us about gold’s true place in long-term portfolio design
4. Detail 2 primary alternatives to investing in gold to maximize potential returns and maximize peace of mind
5. Develop the fundamental requirements of an insurance risk management plan to ensure your loved ones maintain their lifestyle and standard of living should tragedy strike
6. Explain the purpose of insurance, the 2 primary ways to calculate your coverage needs, which approach is in your best interest, which approach can rob you of your wealth, the 4 main types of insurance coverage, how to decide which type is ideal for you and your loved ones and expose the code words many unscrupulous insurance agents use to separate you from your money
7. Explain Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), their benefits and the risky way many investors use them
8. List 3 of the 10 questions you should always ask to make sure your investments and retirement plans are managed by a trusted advisor focusing on your best interests rather than a commission sales rep driven by self interest and personal profit
9. Encourage listeners to contact them for a complimentary Life Guide entitled “What to do when your loved one dies” to help prepare you to effectively handle the inevitable details, pressures and challenges that must be addressed when tragedy strikes.  They also stand ready to provide an expert insurance policy evaluation to uncover whether your policies will still deliver their intended benefits.    Studies show many policies may be on the verge of lapsing due to recent economic conditions.  Their expert insurance team can evaluate and recommend policy changes where appropriate to provide more benefits for the same costs, similar  benefits for less cost or eliminate all costs yet still maintain or increase the benefits to you and your loved ones