2014 AAII Silicon Valley Main Events

All the Past Main Event Topics and Speakers

With presentations you can download, where available....

2014 Presentations

Nov 8, 2014 1.Implementing Low-Volatility ETF and Stock Portfolios This session will explain what low volatility ETF and stock portfolios are and why they are useful. Low volatility ETFs will be reviewed along with how they can be used to form a portfolio. Th e “implementation details” of how these portfolios can be managed in a reasonable amount of time and effort will conclude the session. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • Why low-volatility portfolios have become popular
  • The types of low-volatility ETFs that are available
  • How to select/screen for low-volatility stocks
  • Discussed by: Al Zmyslowski, Computerized Investing Subgroup Leader, AAII Silicon Valley Chapter
2.MOTIFS: A New Investment Product Motif Investing is a new online broker with a unique investment product. “Motifs” are weighted baskets or portfolios of up to 30 stocks or ETFs. They are designed by the firm or custom-made by the individual investor, centering on an investment theme, or motif. They are then traded with a single low-cost commission for the entire portfolio. Hardeep Walia, co-founder and CEO of Motif Investing, will tell us about his firm’s unique approach and answer questions. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • What Motif Investing does
  • How a “motif ” compares to a targeted ETF
  • How a “motif ” compares to other basket products
  • Discussed by: Hardeep Walia, CEO and Co-Founder, Motif Investing

Oct 10, 2014: Commonly Held Beliefs And The Realities Of Stock Market Investing Terry Sullivan, co-founder of Bloodhound Investment Research and co-developer of The Bloodhound System, will explore the merits of some of the most widely held stock market investing beliefs. Specifically, he will discuss the lessons he has learned, and what others can learn, from simulating investment strategies that purport to leverage those beliefs. He will show us examples of simulations used and how to interpret their results. Sullivan will also present several easy-to-implement examples of fundamental, technical, and combination approaches to investment that have demonstrated superior returns over up, down or sideways markets. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • How to validate any investment thesis
  • How to test for quantitative and qualitative factors that drive performance
  • Discussed by: Terrence Sullivan, Co-Founder, Bloodhound Investment Research, Inc.

Sept 13, 2014: Introduction To Estate Planning A proper estate plan is essential to ensure that your assets go to the people and organizations you love most. Once completed, it provides peace of mind, the framework for continued updates as your life situation changes, and does not impede your daily life in any way. It ensures that you do not leave a complicated and costly mess for your heirs to sort out in the court system over the course of a year or more. Learn the basics of estate planning, and why it enables your legacy to live on precisely as you most wish it to be. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • How to set up an estate plan that will avoid probate
  • court and unnecessary taxes
  • Why you need an estate plan
  • Updates on important changes to the tax laws,
  • including the new “portability” laws
  • Discussed by: Rebecca E. Renzas
  • Attorney, Greene Radovsky Maloney Share & Hennigh LLP
June 14, 2014 1.Using Behavioral Finance To Improve Investment Profits The traditionalist approach to stocks (markets are efficient and rational) has been supplemented by recognizing the crucial human element in the picture. Insights from behavioral finance (BF) can significantly improve investment and trading results since it gives a fuller picture of what actually moves the market. This presentation will describe key BF concepts (there’s a lot more to it than fear and greed!) to help you identify factors penalizing your returns. Behavioral finance approaches will show how to measure market sentiment. Evidence from charts will be included, as well as some very surprising sources of BF insight that help in timing entry and exit points. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • What inhibits us from making good decisions
  • Common behavioral errors investors make
  • How to measure the crowd’s degree of error
2.Investing For Income Without Losing Your Capital With historically low interest rates, investors are seeking bond alternatives, many of which investors have yet to try. Don Cassidy will fully describe these alternative income vehicles and give suggestions on how to use them most profitably and with limited risk. One major focus of the session will be strong caution against reaching for yield, which endangers capital—a tempting but painful experience for yieldseekers who have no more time for net saving. Among the topics Cassidy will discuss are preferred stocks, options, master limited partnerships (MLPs), equity and mortgage REITs, utilities, and income ETFs. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • About income vehicles that you may not have used before
  • A great free website for preferred-stock info
  • The ins and outs of MLPs and closed-end income funds
  • Discussed by: Donald L. Cassidy, Founder and President, Retirement Investing Institute
May 10, 2014 1.How To Succeed In Changing Markets Learn from over 35 years of successful fund investing during this presentation, where Janet Brown will share the secrets of the Upgrading strategy that has made NoLoad FundX one of the highest-ranked newsletters in the Hulbert Financial Digest for the past 25 years on a risk-adjusted basis. Upgrading is a disciplined, quantitative approach that allows investors to successfully participate in a broad range of opportunities as they develop. It is the process of investing in top-performing no-load mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), holding them for as long as they outperform their peers and upgrading to the new winners when they don’t. It combines the ability to recognize opportunities as they arise with the flexibility to move assets when leadership changes to take advantage of those opportunities. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • How you can stay invested in top-ranked funds in an ever-changing world
  • Why it’s foolish to decide in advance which funds will do well in the future
  • How you can manage fixed income in a rising interestrate environment
Discussed by: Janet Brown, president of FundX Investment Group and managing editor of the NoLoad FundX investment newsletter. 2.How To Earn Double-Digit Returns While Avoiding Major Down Markets In A Safety-First Approach The presentation will investigate market super cycles and avoiding losses on portfolio returns. Nick Atkeson and Andrew Houghton will discuss changing investor risk premiums and measuring risk, which can have a greater influence on stock valuations than earnings. They will investigate analysis tools including the moving average crossover model, market sentiment measures and relative strength to participate in bullish equity markets and avoid bearish equity markets. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • A long-term perspective on how to use a technical system to evaluate stock market risk
  • The tools to apply a disciplined, systematic trading system to achieve outperformance
  • How to interpret and use the Delta Market Sentiment Indicator (MSI) published in Barron’s
  • Discussed by: Nicholas Atkenson and Andrew Houghton

April 12, 2014: U.S. And Global Outlook: Markets And The EconomyToday’s economic environment is both challenging and puzzling. Economies and markets do not always synchronize in terms of recovery, and that has never been more evident than it is now. For this reason, understanding economic issues is critical in formulating the correct investment strategy for changing global conditions. This presentation by Michael Yoshikami seeks to provide insight into the current state of economic recovery on a global basis and presents a few thoughts regarding possible investment strategies in response to these conditions. A discussion forum will be held post-presentation with the speaker and members of the board. Reasons to Attend This Meeting:
  • Hear a review of the important elements of current economic and world events
  • Learn how current events relate to global investing
  • Discuss global investing and ask additional questions
  • Discussed by: Michael Yoshikami , CEO and Founder, Destination Wealth Management

February 8, 2014: College Savings: Investing In The Future and Withdrawal Strategies For Your Retirement PortfolioCollege Savings: Investing In The FutureSaving for tuition doesn’t have to be so taxing. Discover tax-advantaged strategies to save for the education of your children and grandchildren—or even yourself. Adam Frieg help you estimate savings goals, understand available alternatives, and show you some ways education savings can support your estate planning goals. It’s never too late to learn. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • About available college savings options
  • Eligibility requirements and key features of tax-advantaged savings strategies
  • Get a sense for which options may be best for you
  • Discussed by: Adam Frieg , Associate Financial Consultant, Charles Schwab
Withdrawal Strategies For Your Retirement Portfolio Most people spend decades accumulating a retirement portfolio, and expend much time and effort in managing this nest egg. However, little thought is given to withdrawal strategies. This talk discusses practical ways to optimize withdrawals so that the portfolio lasts throughout the retirement years. Attend This Meeting and Learn:
  • Bengen's four percent drawdown rule
  • Bucket strategies
  • Practical drawdown techniques
  • Discussed by: Fred Smith , Registered Investment Adviser

January 11, 2014: Tracking The Fed in TransitionThe Federal Reserve is in transition, trying to determine when and how fast to taper its quantitative easing (QE) programs with a new Fed chair. Rogers focuses on how to track Fed policy and the key economic news affecting Fed decisions. Unwinding the Fed’s hugely expanded balance sheet will require innovative techniques; some likely but alternative scenarios will be discussed. Attend This Meeting and Learn:1) Possible QE tapering scenarios that may unfold in 2014 2) Issues the Fed faces with unwinding their balance sheet in 2014 and beyond 3) How to track Fed policy and the economic news that impacts the Fed’s decisions Reasons to Attend This Meeting:1) Understand the transition issues the Fed faces as we enter 2014 2) Become aware of how to avoid Fed-related “surprises” that may impact your investments 3) Gain insight into Fed workings and thought processes Discussed by: R. Mark Rogers , Senior U.S. Economist, Econoday, Inc.