The Pyrford Financial Planning blog

Nov 124 min read

How exposed is my portfolio to the U.S. stock markets?

We select a range of portfolios, examine how they are exposed to U.S. markets and the simple steps to increase portfolio diversification.

Sep 84 min read

Will Guyton-Klinger guardrails allow me to withdraw 7% a year?

Do Guyton-Klinger guardrails allow us to take 7% from our portfolio from the first decade of retirement? Does a cash buffer help?

Sep 87 min read

Renaissance Technologies. The greatest hedge fund of all? Updated for 2024

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.(1)

We examine what many consider the greatest hedge fund of all time: Renaissance Technologies. What's its secret?

Sep 83 min read

Book Review: 'Smarter Investing' (4th Edition) by Tim Hale

Tim Hale's book gives you all you need to build a robust portfolio, taking you all the steps from the evidence to actual implementation.

Aug 217 min read

Why we don't rely on cashflow software when planning retirement income

Cashflow modelling software is often used to evaluate the feasibility of client objectives. We identify the limitations of this approach.

Jul 299 min read

Factor investing hasn't worked for 15 years. Why do we still use it?

We take a deep dive into all things factor-related. Performance over the last decade hasn't been great. So why do we stick with it?

Jul 297 min read

Are stock markets efficient? No, but they are for you!

Market efficiency is often talked about in binary terms, being described as "efficient" or "not efficient". Our view: "It's complicated!"

Jun 205 min read

Investing: what is working now? Summer 2024 edition

We examine recent investment trends over the last few years and use the Scoville scale to compare their relative "hotness"

Jun 107 min read

Could a star fund manager send your retirement into a black hole?

Investing your retirement portfolio with "market-beating" star fund managers can seem very appealing. Does the reality live up to the hype?

May 266 min read

The most efficient way to blow up your retirement plan

In a perfect world, retirees would hold diversified portfolios, pay low fees and not misbehave. How might things look in an imperfect world?

May 175 min read

Living too long - how bad is it for your retirement plan?

People are living longer. How might you have to alter your retirement lifestyle if you are worried that you might live longer than planned?

May 153 min read

Happy first birthday to Pyrford Financial Planning!

Pyrford Financial Planning is one year old! We say a few thank yous and discuss why it's a great time to run a financial planning firm.

May 92 min read

Retirement planning concepts that sound good in theory

There are many retirement planning concepts that claim to offer beneficial retirement outcomes. This post aggregates our research

May 73 min read

Smoothed funds - the holy grail of retirement planning?

Smoothed funds are often claimed to reduce portfolio volatility during turbulent markets. We investigate whether these claims stack up.

Apr 275 min read

Using a natural income strategy. The natural choice?

The natural income strategy involves a retiree living off the income from their portfolio. We examine the downsides.

Apr 246 min read

Sequence of Returns Risk. A misunderstood concept?

Sequence of Returns Risk is seen by some as a tiger waiting to pounce at the first sign of market volatility. Do they have valid concerns?

Apr 510 min read

Using the Guyton Klinger withdrawal guardrails - updated for 2024

Guyton-Klinger guardrails aim to improve upon Bill Bengen's research. Should retirees use this framework? What are the downsides?

Apr 23 min read

Increasing client engagement with the One-Page Financial Plan

The One-Page Financial Plan is a high-level summary of the underlying financial plan. Read how we tweaked the process to increase engagement

Mar 314 min read

Buffett's $1m bet with the hedge funds. What did it really teach us?

In 2008, Warren Buffett wagered that the S&P 500 would outperform a basket of hedge funds over the decade. What can we learn from this?

Feb 284 min read

Does buying an annuity improve retirement income sustainability?

Annuity rates have improved in recent times. Can they now help to create a more sustainable retirement income?