Letters

Editor's Note
Editor's Note
A look at what's in the April 2012 issue of the AAII Journal.

Financial Planning
Comparing a Bucket Strategy and a Systematic Withdrawal Strategy
Allocating a portfolio into three buckets for use in specific retirement time periods can help investors feel more confident that their savings will last.

Financial Planning
18 Recommendations for Minimizing Inheritance Conflict
Your estate plan can both leave a lasting legacy of love and prevent disputes, if a combination of psychology, good lawyering and common sense are used.

Portfolio Strategies
Using Currencies to Diversify Your Portfolio
Investing in currencies can reduce the overall risk profile of your portfolio, as currencies have different and less volatile returns than stocks and bonds.

Portfolio Strategies
Updating Modern Portfolio Theory for Investor Behavior
The optimum portfolio is not only based on the expected risk and return of the investments, but considers an investor’s tolerance for risk.

Portfolio Strategies
Should You Dollar Cost Average or Lump-Sum Invest?
Since December 1999, dollar cost averaging has worked better for the S&P 500 index, but lump-sum investing has worked better for other indexes.

First Cut
Firms With High Sustainable Growth
These 30 companies have high return on equity and high earnings retention rates.

Trading Strategies
Three Basic Candlestick Formations to Improve Your Timing
Three candlestick formations—the abandoned baby, white soldiers and black crows, and the engulfing pattern—can signal changes in price trends.

AAII Model Portfolios
Model Shadow Stock Portfolio Reaches an All-Time High
A rally in micro-cap stocks helped drive the portfolio’s cumulative return to an all-time high. Plus, read about the portfolio’s latest changes.