Welcome to “The Summit,” the official First Ascent blog.

If you’re looking for ways to build your practice, investment insights, or advice on how to communicate more effectively with clients and potential clients, then you’ve come to the right place.

 

Fees Eat Up Return Fees and expenses are two of the most important factors to consider when investing. You can’t control the direction of the financial markets, but you can control what you pay to invest. Every mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF) in your portfolio has what’s called an “internal expense ratio.” This … Read More

Scott's Column

Big.  Some firms say you should work with them because they are very, very big.  But who wants to be just another number?  Ever try to resolve a problem with your cable company or your health insurance provider?  That’s what big looks like. Old.  Some firms say you should work with them because they’ve been … Read More

Scott's Column

What Are Factors? Factors are characteristics common to a group of securities that help explain their returns. These characteristics are distinct and quantifiable and give rise to similar patterns of performance among the securities within the group that distinguish them from other securities over time. Decades of academic research has identified hundreds of factors. There … Read More

Scott's Column

There’s a growing gap between what we know and what we feel.  We know that avoiding panic and staying in place is the best strategy during turbulent markets.  History shows that patient investors are always rewarded, and market timing is a futile exercise. Yet our emotions tell us it’s time to do something.  This excellent … Read More

Scott's Column