Last month we were begging for cooler fall weather and now we're hoping that winter doesn't set in too quickly. North Carolina has a special way of flinging us from one season to the next, then back and forth a couple more times, just to keep it exciting. At least we finally got the rain we've so desperately needed, so I guess we can't complain. The time change and earlier sunsets are pushing us all into realizing that the end of the year is nearing and soon we'll be wrapped up in the craziness of the holiday bustle. We always like to remind people to take some time to review their finances before the next couple of months fly by with holiday excitement. 

This month's The Wealth Report is a pretty interesting read, as it discusses how our behavior can impact our earnings potential when it comes to investing. Behavioral finance, as the study of this phenomena is called, is something we take into account with the families that we help with managing their invested accounts. As the article states, we are not machines and our emotions can influence our actions when it comes to managing invested portfolios, which can help or hurt you. 

At JDS, we use a tool called Riskalyze to help our clients land on a solid Risk Number, which tells us your risk tolerance based on theories of behavioral finance. Having an accurate measure of your risk tolerance allows for better selection of investment models and gives you something to calm your worries during the times that we would potentially see emotions leading you to making irrational investing decisions.  

For those of you not currently working with our investment team, feel free to reach out for a risk analysis. We can send you a Riskalyze questionnaire and analyze whether your current portfolio is in line with your Risk Number. It doesn't hurt to do a checkup on your investments every now and then, just to see if you're doing what makes sense for you. 

If  there is anything we can assist you with, then just let us know.  And, as always, remember -  The purpose of the money dictates where you put it.