The progressiveinvestor.org is the successor site of mutualfundreform.com, created in 2011.
The mission of both sites remains the same: helping individual investors, firms, funds, and RIAs grow and protect their money while also pursuing a progressive financial agenda.
Progressive political beliefs have to be implemented in the financial industry.
This is because there is a strong link between money and politics. And since the financial sector has the most contact with the investing public, it has primarily evaded regulatory and political pressures to reform.
This situation has existed for many decades. This is why I started the Investing Online newsletter in October 1994. This was the first newsletter to link the home computer and individual investors to retail brokerage firms for trading and portfolio management.
Today, the $3 trillion mutual fund industry plays a critical role in determining the financial well-being of millions of Americans. The industry’s problems range from conflicts of interest to lack of transparency, hidden fees, and high expenses. These all severely affect retirement planning. The net impact of these anti-customer business practices impairs the ability of millions of Americans to build a secure financial future.
As a result of the Lost Decade of investment returns, it’s time for RIAs and fund companies to adopt a new customer-centric business approach. They have to decide whether their primary beneficiaries are wholesaler sales forces or shareholders. They cannot serve both.
A Progressive Financial Agenda Matters to Investors
Progressive political people recognize that the financial sector is long overdue for a change. This means mutual fund reform matters because high fees, in the form of the fund’s expense ratio, are often more important than the fund’s return. When payments are recurring, they have a negative compound effect. This means shareholders lose more money over time. Progressives should favor co-op financial institutions, such as credit unions, and work with investment professionals like RIAs who put their interests ahead of a brokerage firm.
For individual investors, this site believes that educated investors get better returns. For financial advisors (RIAs) and investment management firms, this site believes that long-term investing gains rely on long-term client relationships. So, to highlight your investment approach and services, consider a business listing on this site.
Your comments are always welcome at epstein.chuck@gmail.com
