Open Window's Insight Articles

An illustrated world review of capital market results in 2024, along with timeless advice for informing investment decisions.

Nobody wants to make mistakes. And yet, we’re human; mistakes happen. Mistakes are part of life. So, here’s how to minimize the investment mistakes that matter the most, and make the most of the ones that remain. And since some misfortunes are just bad luck, here is a link to Charity Navigator's "Give Now" page, a collection of the most critical charitable issues that need a helping hand right now.

The negative effect of holding too much cash (or bonds) for even a short time can be profound. Missing a period of strong returns can drastically impact overall performance, as we show within.

An illustrated world review of capital market results in 2023, along with timeless advice for informing 2024 investment decisions.

If there is a universal investment ideal, it is probably this: Buy low and sell high. There exists an unassuming process for doing just that, called "rebalancing," but it is often overlooked for more exciting ideas.

Which specific investment ideas work, and can they be relied upon going forward? Within, we review the most important academic insights that, in aggregate, offer us a clearer pathway with which to navigate the world's daily twists and turns.

Uncover your Financial Elements with a quick, powerful, and private financial health assessment available to clients and friends at www.openwindowFS.com/financialelements.

The "4% rule" is a handy rule of thumb for estimating a safe and sustainable level of spending in retirement. Does it hold up? Let's learn more about the rule, including how to personalize it for your life.

The 80/20 rule suggests 80% of an outcome is the result of 20% of the effort put into it. In that spirit, here are three financial best practices that pack a lot of value per “pound”.

An electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) of someone experiencing heart trouble looks eerily similar to the stock market from month to month. With so much volatility - up one day, down the next - and with the average individual investor’s portfolio declining 27% last year, it's no wonder investing in the stock market is viewed as risky. However, with the right investment approach, positive results are still the expectation rather than the exception, as we show within.

An illustrated world review of capital market results in 2022. Stocks had their worst year since 2008, and bond prices fell as inflation reached a four-decade high. Markets may have been down, but history suggests there are brighter days ahead.

Believe it or not, another year has rounded third base and is dashing toward home plate. That said, there’s still time to make a few good plays in 2022, while positioning yourself to score in the year ahead. Here are a few of the base hits and home runs that we're sharing with clients.

Some investors worry about the stock market sinking after a recession is officially announced. But history shows that markets incorporate expectations ahead of economic reports. Investors who look beyond headlines may be better positioned for long-term success.

Do you have a long-lost retirement account left with a former employer? Here's how to identify lost accounts and reclaim your money! From retirement accounts to refunded utility payments, safe deposit box contents, and more, you’d be surprised at what may have disappeared over the years!

Heightened levels of market uncertainty across stock and bond markets alike may have left you once again wondering whether this time is different. Let's examine the severity of current events and consider what causes them to loom so large, while also recognizing how easy it is to rewrite memories of past challenges.

Markets often surge, just when we’re most convinced they never will. When you guess wrong, missing out on even a few of the market’s best days each year can have a significant impact on cumulative returns.

A report on the rising popularity of direct indexing - what it is and how it works, and if might serve as a solution for managing a prudent portfolio.

In part 3 of our 3-part series covering concerns about interest rates (part 1), inflation (part 2), and what these influences mean to you we come to the heart of the matter: When interest rates, inflation, or both are on the rise, what’s an investor to do?

If you've been reading the daily headlines—watching markets stall, recover, and dip once again, you may be wondering whether there’s anything you can do to avoid the motion sickness. Surprisingly, when it comes to your life savings, "unpredictability" isn’t usually your biggest threat… attempting to avoid it is.

Over the last 50 years, the average "bear market" lasted 11 months and declined more than -30%. But, the average experience is far from typical, as the enclosed image shows.