Compass Investors encourages subscribers to manage their investments in an ACTIVE manner rather than use an arbitrary allocation model or a "set-it-and-forget-it" approach. In addition, we never wish anyone to become dependent on sources outside their control that have the potential to be reduced or eliminated (e.g., government entitlement programs, private pension programs). Passive or dependent approaches will likely leave you short of your financial goals.

NEVER stop growing and protecting your investments! A shift to fixed income investments upon retirement made sense for past generations who spent just a few precious years in retirement where inflation and the viability or availability of entitlement programs were less of a concern. However, today, a healthy American reaching age 65 can expect to live at least another 20 years in retirement thus the need to not lose focus on your personal portfolio.

In summary, until you are satisfied that your portfolio alone will enable you to maintain your standard of living and that you will not outlive your money (i.e., Compass Investors definition of retirement income security), we encourage subscribers to continue to actively grow and protect their investments.

Most "experts" suggest that 70% (or less) of your pre-retirement income each year will be sufficient to provide you with a quality standard of living in retirement. But, with realities of increasing life expectancy, rising costs of living, and uncertain entitlement programs, Compass Investors believes that replacing 100% of your pre-retirement income each year during your retirement should be your minimum goal.

Each of us only get one shot at this, and we would rather you reach retirement having saved MORE than you needed than the unenviable alternative of running out of money before you die. So, to avoid this unthinkable outcome, Compass Investors encourages subscribers to grow and protect their own investment portfolio so that it alone can provide them with at least 100% of their pre-retirement income.

A Simple Formula. To ensure you can maintain your pre-retirement standard of living and not outlive your money, we suggest you save at least 20 times your pre-retirement salary for retirement. When that nest egg is invested at 5%, the interest alone will equal your pre-retirement salary and, perhaps best of all, you have no need to touch the principle unless you want or need to.

Example: If you expect to be earning $70,000 when you retire, your goal is to save $1.4 million (20*$70,000). Invested at 5%, that money will produce $70,000 a year ($1.4M * 5%) in interest, forever!

The result of this work is a sophisticated computer model that sifts, commingles and weights technical and economic parameters to identify the currently best-positioned mutual fund and exchange traded fund (ETF) investment opportunities. This model is responsible for an average annual plan performance exceeding 13% since 1997 which compares favorably to the S&P 500 (7.2%), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (6.0%) and the NASDAQ (7.2%) over the same period.

Coupled with our detailed reallocation process instructions and tools, the output of that computer model will help anyone take control of their financial future.

Our shared objective is to ensure that every American worker can have the type of retirement they deserve after a lifetime of hard work.

Kevin L. Coppola

Having spent more than 20 years with Accenture helping companies achieve excellence through innovation and optimization, Kevin Coppola combines powerful expertise in multiple areas, including program management, systems design, strategic thinking and the building of organizations for exploiting new and advancing technologies.

After retiring from Accenture in 2001, he founded the Compass Institute, an organization dedicated to applying these same principles to investment strategy research.

Since the proliferation of investment strategies based on the 1980s work of Harry Markowitz (the Efficient Frontier and Modern Portfolio Theory), Coppola has perceived, exposed and created a solution for the inherent shortcomings of commonly marketed asset allocation strategies based on those components.

The Adaptive Asset Allocation™ (AAA) strategy emerged after 5 years of intensive research. AAA is an objective, algorithmic strategy not restricted by artificial asset class rules or fund manager judgment. It optimizes the performance of ANY set of mutual funds in ANY existing retirement plan with MINIMUM RISK.

Compass Investors, where Mr. Coppola currently serves as President, offers the Adaptive Asset Allocation™ strategy to the public through its Horizon™ service—a proven, realistic and sustainable system by which investors can simply, substantially and safely improve their investing results.

Kevin also serves as the Chief Research Officer of the Compass Institute.

Kevin holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Northwestern University.
 

Mark Berube, CLU, ChFC

Mark built his financial career on his passion for serving clients, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his ability to listen well. Mark's ChFC title (Chartered Financial Consultant) from the American College is the most extensive designation available in the financial planning discipline.

He began his career at Prudential where he worked for 16 years, receiving numerous financial awards and personal achievements—including Rookie of the Year and the youngest Managing Director on record.

His genuine, truthful, and results-oriented approach has propelled Mark Berube to a position as a sought-after financial advisor to a fast-growing client base. Mark is host of the popular radio broadcast series, Smart Money Solutions.

Mr. Berube's focus on operating with integrity and winning his clients trust through results is what initially brought Mark to Compass Investors where he now serves as Senior Vice President. Their attention to detail and focus on providing clients with the best-possible results is a perfect fit for Mark's overall philosophy.

Mark holds a B.S. degree from Westfield State College.