MCS Financial Advisors

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Current Articles

MCSFA First Quarter Performance Report and Investment Outlook - 07/13/2012
The first quarter of 2012 saw the best returns for stocks since 1998. The S&P 500 (100% stocks) was up 12.59%. Bonds, however, drifted, with the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index returning a mere 0.30%. Click here to read the full article.

Financial Planning: Focus on Property, Casualty, and Liability Insurance - 07/13/2012
What many people do not realize is that property and casualty (and personal liability) insurance is also an area where a smaller niche of professionals provide services geared specifically to high net worth individuals. Click here to read the full article.

A VOLUNTARY WEALTH TAX - Forgoing 50-100% for a better world - 04/01/2011
Volunteer: Leave this place a little better than they found it Click here to read the full article.

CREATE A HIGH-FUNCTIONING Board of Directors – Address the challenge with expert advice - 10/01/2010
The challenges of developing a high-functioning board of directors Click here to read the full article.

REAL ESTATE Outlook – When the selling gets rough, realists win - 07/01/2010
A realistic price will allow potential buyers to know that the property is the best buy for the money. Click here to read the full article.

Our Purpose - Manage Risk and Increase Wealth - 05/24/2010
Of Warren Buffett’s many famous quotes, his rules for investing stand out: Rule 1 – “Don’t lose money” Rule 2 – “Never forget Rule Number 1” Click here to read the full article.

Can Consulting Help Your Business? – When outside advice can make you stronger - 04/01/2010
The importance of hiring a consultant Click here to read the full article.

Understanding Your Financial Adviser’s Standard of Care - 01/01/2010
Suitability vs. Fiduciary Standard Of Care Click here to read the full article.

From Pain to Gain – Using a Slow Economy to Your Advantage - 12/01/2009
Strategies for positioning your company when starting to see some stabilization in sales and renewed customer inquiries. Click here to read the full article.

Welcome to the New Era - 10/01/2009
THE RECENT STOCK market recovery has put many investors back into sleep mode when it comes to the risks they face. Click here to read the full article.

California Crisis - Not Another Scary Movie - 10/01/2009
The state’s budget crisis and the dire commentary about the potential for default have investors naturally concerned about the safety of bonds issued in California. Click here to read the full article.

The Emotional Ledger - 10/01/2009
THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS of the word compensate that make things complicated in family businesses. Click here to read the full article.

Michael Stalker: Shoulder to Shoulder in the Wealth Management Journey - 10/01/2009
THE ROAD TO WEALTH – and the route chosen to pass it on to succeeding generations – is deeply personal. Click here to read the full article.

Your Money’s Worth – Repairing Busted Trust - 10/01/2009
The “Six C’s of Trust” Click here to read the full article.

Reaching Out to Those in Financial Pain - 03/23/2009
It is a challenging season. One farmer reaps the harvest of a successful crop while his neighbor’s crop fails. Click here to read the full article.

MCS Financial Advisors’ Focus on Risk Management Pays Off – Big Time - 03/20/2009
If all MCS client accounts were lumped together as one big account, MCS finished 2008 in great shape; our total performance was down 6% after fees. Click here to read the full article.

Success by the Numbers - 03/20/2009
As difficult as these times are for so many people, they also provide occasion to reflect on successes – at least here at MCS Financial Advisors. Click here to read the full article.

The Tsunami Arrives - 12/23/2008
“A major earthquake, in the form of the sub-prime mortgage crisis, has unleashed a tsunami that will engulf most residential housing markets and have significant repercussions for the economy in general.” Click here to read the full article.

The Long-Term Stock Market - 12/23/2008
FOR MANY YEARS, MCS FINANCIAL ADVISORS has counseled clients that the conventional wisdom regarding the superiority of stock investing is a half truth promoted by the financial services industry as the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Click here to read the full article.

The Value of Financial Planning - What do I get? - 12/23/2008
At MCS Financial Advisors, our mission statement is always on our mind – how can we transform your money from a source of worry to a resource for fulfillment? Click here to read the full article.

How to Work with a Financial Advisor - 12/23/2008
We recommended learning everything you can about the prospective advisor’s background, credentials, philosophy, and practical processes. Click here to read the full article.

Credit Markets Still Careening Around the Bend - 12/23/2008
In my summer newsletter I used “ominous turn” to describe the direction of the credit markets. That vehicle now is careening out of control and Congress is looking for ways to put up temporary guardrails for the financial system. Click here to read the full article.

MCS Extends Its Commitment to Integrated Family Systems Advising - 12/23/2008
In October, Michael Stalker, Doug Lyons, and Joe Paul – our new consultant to families with businesses – traveled to London for the annual conference of the Family Firm Institute (FFI). Click here to read the full article.

The Great Solvency Crisis of 2008 - 12/23/2008
Everywhere we turn we hear the word “crisis” – mortgage crisis, credit crisis, financial crisis. Isn’t this all one big crisis? In a word, yes. I propose that behind all these crises is the crisis of solvency. Click here to read the full article.

Articles of Interest

Understanding a Financial Advisor’s Standard of Care - 02/15/2008
Mr. Stalker authored a white paper that defines and provides examples of the standard of care provided to a client by various professionals who refer to themselves as a “financial advisor.” Click here to read the full article.

Moving to Higher Ground - 09/20/2007
A major earthquake, in the form of the sub-prime mortgage crisis, has unleashed a tsunami that will engulf most residential housing markets and have significant repercussions for the economy in general. Click here to read the full article.

Credit Markets Are Taking an Ominous Turn - 07/14/2008
The FDIC warned recently that there will be an increasing number of small- and medium-size bank failures, including the possibility of a large-bank failure. (As I prepared these comments, a large failure happened: IndyMac was taken over by the FDIC.) Click here to read the full article.

What to Look for When “Shopping” for a Financial Planner - 07/14/2008
Engaging the services of a financial planner can be an anxiety-ridden step. Who do you chose? What will it cost? How do you know if the person is any good? Here are some practical tips to help you through the process. Click here to read the full article.

What’s the Money For? - 07/14/2008
Money is a powerful symbol. It often carries the hopes, fears, and aspirations of many generations. Click here to read the full article.

Don't Get Burned by the Financial Planner Name Game - 03/03/2008
This pamphlet was produced to help you understand the responsibilities and services offered by different types of Financial Planners. It was originally authored by the Consumer Federation of America. Click here to read the full article.

Selling Your Home in a Down Market - 11/28/2006
It’s over, finished, gone, and I’m not talking about the Thanksgiving Turkey. I am talking about the seismic shift in the real estate market. Click here to read the full article.

Residential Housing & the Economy - 06/20/2005
In my September, 2002 newsletter, I suggested that the stock market bubble was transferring into real estate. Today, you can’t pick up a financial publication without seeing a reference to the real estate “bubble” both in the U.S. and abroad. Click here to read the full article.

Schwab 1099 Reconciliation Process - 04/30/2007
Each year, around the beginning of March, we produce reports that reflect the taxable income activities in your accounts during the preceding tax year. Click here to read the full article.

Client Referral - 04/30/2007
For many professionals – lawyers, doctors, dentists, business owners – new clients often come through the door thanks to personal referrals. Click here to read the full article.

Archive

Perspective on the Bond Market Turmoil - 05/13/2008
This special bulletin is to inform you of changes in the bond market that will affect your portfolio value. Click here to read the full article.

How Secure is Your Money? - 05/13/2008
MCS feels it’s important to address two questions that may be on your mind. First, what is SIPC insurance and what does it do? Second, is Charles Schwab & Co. financially sound? Click here to read the full article.

Certificates from the Family Firm Institute Extend MCS' Expertise - 01/10/2008
Michael Stalker, recently received two certificates from the Family Firm Institute. Click here to read the full article.

MarbleWorks^® and Your Estate - 09/20/2007
Your estate plan is somewhat like a MarbleWorks® game. Wills, trusts, and account designations are the structure, and your assets are the marbles traveling through to their ultimate beneficiaries. Click here to read the full article.

Michael Message-Outlook for the Year - 02/12/2007
As Spring peeks over the horizon and the days continue to lengthen, this seems a good opportunity to shed some light on the economic outlook for the next year, and on appropriate investment strategies based on that assessment. Click here to read the full article.

The Investment Journey - 11/15/2006
One of the ironies of the recent housing boom is that, until recently, inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained in check. Click here to read the full article.

Risk Tolerance - 10/09/1997
While academics and investment professionals define risk as “fluctuation” or “volatility,” most people see risk as the possibility of incurring a loss. Click here to read the full article.

Stock Returns Superior to Bonds - 08/04/1996
Recently, I saw a 79-year old chart that proved stock returns are vastly superior to bonds. Should I forget bonds and just concentrate on stocks? Click here to read the full article.

Portfolio Stress Testing - 06/03/1996
Portfolio Stress testing is an approach that looks at the risks and potential losses an investor faces. The process is both a science and an art. Click here to read the full article.

True Diversification - 05/13/1996
Diversification is more than buying a bunch of mutual funds, stocks, or bonds or a little of this or that. A truly diversified portfolio contains securities that zig when other securities zag. Click here to read the full article.