You may be anxious about your investments, and frustrated by the false predictions of so-called “financial experts”. You may also be disillusioned by the behavior of firms on Bay & Wall Street, not to mention the activities of an industry driven by the sale and marketing of products rather than advice.

The good news is you can improve your investment experience and it’s not as hard as you would imagine. Taking a little time to become more aware of how things work can go a long way. It is never too late to rethink the way you invest.

	Do not build your portfolio on bold forecasts
	Do not chase past returns as they are random
	Do not invest in alternative investments as they are too risky
	Be aware of and stay clear of investment pitfalls
	Invest in asset classes and not “star managers”
	Build a diversified portfolio using asset class investments
	Hire a firm with an investment process and plan for you
	Insist on full transparency and investment reporting