Customer Relationship Summary | Privacy & Disclosures | ADV Firm Brochure Part 2A Part 2B
Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC (‘Abacus’) is an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the SEC nor does it indicate that Abacus has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This material prepared by Abacus is for informational purposes only and is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. Abacus’ website and its associated links offer news, commentary, and generalized research. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. It is not intended to serve as personalized tax, legal, and/or investment advice since the availability and effectiveness of any strategy is dependent upon your individual facts and circumstances. Abacus is not a legal or accounting firm. Please consult with your tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific tax or legal situation when determining if any of the mentioned strategies are right for you. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past performance is an indication of future performance. All investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.
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Note from the CIO: The Return of Inflation
The Abacus Investment Committee
Please note the publish date of this blog. Financial information, market conditions, and other data mentioned in this post may no longer be accurate or relevant.
At Abacus we are goal-focused, values-aligned, planning-driven, long-term investors. So, it might come as a surprise the Abacus Investment Committee strives to stay on top of market trends and cycles. We do this not as a timing tool, but to question our assumptions and stress test our understanding of what moves markets. We also do this so our clients will hopefully never feel like they need to follow market trends – that is what we are here for. Accordingly, inflation is one of the market trends shaping 2021 and has direct relevance to our clients and their portfolios.
Briefly, inflation is a rise in the overall price of goods and services (think of your groceries, or gasoline, or electric bill) coupled with a decrease in the purchasing power of the underlying currency. Inflation can arise from higher demand for those goods and services – which drives up prices – or it can also result from an increase in the amount of money in circulation. We’ve all heard the quip “the Fed prints money”, meaning the more dollar bills there are in the economy, the less “special” each dollar is (and the more of them it takes to buy your groceries).
We have been keenly watching the uptick in inflation that started last year. The United States has embarked on a historic economic experiment. Including the new American Rescue Plan ($1.9 trillion), the government has committed over $5 trillion in fiscal support since the pandemic began – or roughly 25% of the entire pre-pandemic economy. Before the ARP, the overall economy was expanding and Americans held upwards of $2 trillion in “excess savings,” a reservoir of untapped consumer buying power rarely seen since the end of WWII. This obviously pales in importance to the tens of millions of Americans who have suffered the devastating loss of livelihoods and loved ones. And yet, it remains our fiduciary duty to steadily continue to look ahead. As the pandemic has retreated, vaccinations proliferated, and herd immunity approached in much of the country, the uptick in economic activity and massive government support has made trillions of dollars available to the economy.
For context, inflation – or the percentage rate at which prices change – has averaged 2.9% per year going back to 1926 (the earliest data we have on the Consumer Price Index (CPI)). I prefer to anchor to 1970, not because it was my birth year, but because the economy officially ended its reliance on the gold standard that year. Since then, inflation has averaged 3.9% per year. Inflation over the past decade, from 2010 to 2019, averaged 1.8% per year.
In the first half of 2021, inflation is up 4.3% (or 8.8% in annual terms with compounding). For the 12 months ending in June of 2021, inflation was 5.4% – the largest 12-month reduction in our purchasing power since 2008. It is effectively a flat tax on everyone equally, no matter how much money or income you have. And it tends to hurt poorer communities the most because they do not have access to strategies for mitigating inflation (although Abacus is actively working on ways to deliver financial advice and education to these communities).
Most of us have clear spending goals and it’s unsettling that something we thought was affordable could unexpectedly become out of reach. However, financial planners draw an important distinction between money and purchasing power – and it’s our purchasing power we should care about more.
We don’t know for sure if there will be an acceleration of inflation in the future. The market is only pricing in an expectation of 2.5% annual inflation for the next five years, but last summer its five-year annual expectation was 0.5%. This could mean the market is likely already pricing in significantly higher inflation. Regardless of uncertainty, here’s what we do know for our clients:
Part of that proactivity involves the power of diverse investments. A question I’m asked about often is buying gold and other precious metals to hedge against inflation. I decided to compare gold to stocks as an inflation hedge over various start dates through May of this year and this is what I found:[1]
It turns out gold is a halfway decent inflation hedge. But why stop halfway? Clearly stocks have been the superior inflation hedge, allowing investor purchasing power to expand significantly over time even in the face of inflation. Additionally, companies have the ability to raise their prices and stay profitable in inflationary environments. And many companies hold physical assets like manufacturing equipment which also increases in value under inflation.
Our portfolios also hold real estate investments, which provide inflation protection in multiple ways: the ability to raise rents when leases are up; and similar to many companies, letting their primary assets – real property – rise in value under inflation.
Finally, we also invest a portion of our bond allocation specifically in inflation protected bonds, which pay less yield than normal bonds, but fluctuate in principal value each month based on changes in inflation.
You can be sure the Abacus Investment Committee will continue to monitor inflation and other market trends, as well as research the best investment tools and strategies. Our time-honored approach not only gives you the greatest chance of reaching your unique financial goals, but it lets you do it without having to become an inflation specialist yourself.
References:
[1] Gold data from “Gold Prices – 100 Year Historical Chart” on Macrotrends. S&P and inflation data from Dimensional Fund Advisors.
Disclosure:
Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC (Abacus) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of California. Abacus may only transact business in those states in which it is notice filed, or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from notice filing requirements. This brochure is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its investment advisory services. Any subsequent, direct communication by Abacus with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For information pertaining to the registration status of Abacus, please contact us or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure web site (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov).
This is not an offer to sell any type of security, and there is no investment currently available through Abacus. This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell this security. This newsletter contains general information that is not suitable for everyone. The information contained herein should not be construed as personalized investment advice. Information was based on sources we deem to be reliable, but we make no representations as to its accuracy. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. There is no guarantee that the views and opinions expressed in this newsletter will come to pass. Investing in the stock market involves gains and losses and may not be suitable for all investors. Information presented herein is subject to change without notice and should not be considered as a solicitation to buy or sell any security.
For additional information about Abacus, including fees and services, send for our disclosure brochure as set forth on Form ADV from us using the contact information herein. Please read the disclosure brochure carefully before you invest or send money.
Disclosure
Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC by the SEC nor does it indicate that Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This material prepared by Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC is for informational purposes only and is accurate as of the date it was prepared. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC unless a client service agreement is in place. This material is not intended to serve as personalized tax, legal, and/or investment advice since the availability and effectiveness of any strategy is dependent upon your individual facts and circumstances. Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC is not an accounting or legal firm. Please consult with your tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific tax and/or legal situation when determining if any of the mentioned strategies are right for you.
Please Note: Abacus does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, and completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by an unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Abacus’ website or blog or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.
For more information about Abacus and this article, please read these important disclosures
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