Class Descriptions



Presentation Topics

I can teach any of the topics listed below, including teaching five of these topics as a one day event to help the Chapter make money.  Normally this is done on a Saturday, utilizing the day for five presentations the Chapter selects.  The Chapter only needs to provide the facility and a video projector.  A connection to the Internet is preferred but not necessary.  I am also willing, in fact prefer, to be invited to stay in someone's home rather than a hotel during the stay.  This cuts costs and increases the profit for the Chapter. Instructions for reimbursement of qualifying expenses are on page 3 below. Scroll down to see them.

Suggested topics from Bob Adams – 206-414-4982

bob.at.seattle@ bob-

All are designed for 50 minutes unless indicated otherwise

Topics listed below are in no specific order

Handouts for some of these presentations are available on my website bob-

Annuities—good, not so good, or bad

A quote from Suze Orman pretty well sums it up. “Although there are certain instances in which buying an annuity may make sense, in a majority of cases I believe that annuities cause more harm than good." We’ll look at both sides of the question. When are the circumstances right for an annuity, when are they wrong, and why.

Mutual Funds—What You Must Know -- Should they be in your portfolio? (Beginner and above)

Managed mutual funds are very expensive.  Learn why, and how they can harm your financial future.  Learn about alternatives where costs are far less and returns better.  If you don't want to pick individual companies to invest in, do well by investing in index funds-which could be described as the set and forget portfolio. Learn where to invest money in your 401(k) or similar accounts.

Your Portfolio—how ya doin’? (Beginner and above)

Do you compare the change in your portfolio value with market averages? Do you make comparisons throughout the year, at the end of the year, or from the time you purchased the stock? Do you know the annualized return for your portfolio since inception? Keeping track of this information is vital to determining how well your portfolio is performing.

How “I” Analyze a Company (Beginner and above) This is a 70 minute class

BetterInvesting software will be used to analyze a company, with an emphasis on confirming your judgment using Internet resources.  Build your confidence in making judgment decisions. You’ll be shown how to use the outside sources for confirmation of your judgment, as well as suggested guidelines. This demonstration is designed to go through the analysis step-by-step, first in a presentation format, then as a live demonstration.

SSG Judgment—step by step instructions (Intermediate and above)

If you sometimes question your judgment when completing a SSG this class will help.  We'll look at each section of the stock analysis form, discuss guideline limits, what to look for, and how to easily use Internet data to support and help guide judgment decisions.  This will be a step by step approach to adding judgment in each section--how to recognize when data is within or outside reasonable limits.  The purpose of the class is to make you feel more comfortable with the judgment decisions that must be made. 

Handy URLs for Stock Analysis—that work from within Toolkit and Stock Analyst software (Intermediate)

Implant useful website addresses into your Toolkit or Stock Analyst software to better organize your research of a company. A click of a mouse button can provide helpful information from outside the analysis software. Need help in setting the critically important low price in the next five years? That’s only one example of information available only a mouse click away.

Follow Your Stocks—a monthly analysis tool (Beginner and above)

Learn to use a computer spreadsheet to follow the monthly progress of a stock and help make elusive buy or sell decisions. (The SSG monitors annual data, and PERT monitors quarterly data.) This program helps determine if each stock, on a monthly basis, meets projected growth expectations and more. It reminds you when new quarterly data are due to be published. All data are taken directly from the SSG and is simple to enter. It includes four “buy more” indicators and five “take profits or sell” warning signals. Use it in your club as a basis for each member to follow their assigned stock, or for your individual portfolio. Six data items are required once per year; two each quarter; and two each month. And all data are found on the SSG. It’s quick and easy.

Putting it All Together—Utilizing ALL the ICLUBcentral software Tools (Intermediate and above)

Do you use ALL the analysis tools—many don’t? Through examples, we’ll look at each tool and what it tells us—good and bad. There are a number of subtleties on the SSG which speak loudly, if you listen. Did you notice the Portfolio Management Guide (PMG) was screaming “be careful” in the years of 1999 and 2000, and the PERT Worksheet-A was singing along in harmony? What was the warning sign in 2008? We’ll look at examples. What’s important on the Stock Comparison Guide (SCG), and what’s not? How can we use it to our advantage? And, how well is your portfolio performing? We’ll take a brief look at how to compare your portfolio to the market averages.

Analyzing an Annual Report the Easy Way (Beginner and above) This is a 70 minute class.

This updated session focuses on the most important report sections, what is important, and how to analyze the financial numbers. Learn about a free tool providing easy and instantaneous analysis of financial data, including the graphing of five years of data, a comparative analysis of peer and industry average comparisons, insider and institutional ownership, and other evaluation helps.

Take the “Oops” out of the SSG (Beginner and above)

New to Investing? If so, this is for you. Learn what companies to invest in and when—and when not. Can you tell a straight line from a crooked line; when a line is pointed up or horizontal, or down; when a series of numbers are rising, or not? It isn’t quite that simple, but almost. You’ll see examples. Learn to predict how well a company will do in the next five years, and be right most of the time. With the help of a computer the analysis of a company is quick and painless. In this class you’ll be introduced to a method that points you in the right direction, whether buying or selling.

Fundamentals Always Apply (Basic and above)

See examples of seven ways to make money, and seven ways to lose money in the stock market – and how to use each as a guide. Example companies will be used to demonstrate each of the seven ways – good and bad – and what specifics to look for. Knowing what the positive signs are isn’t good enough. We need to learn about the negative signs are as well. We’ll look at both sides and augment the rules with specific examples. This is truly a logical approach to investing using the ICLUBcentral software tools. Wear your “logic” hat when you attend.

Investing 101—What every investor should know—and teach your children (Beginner and above)

This is a 70 minute class

This is a class for all investors and what you should teach your children. It starts with how to use credit cards and avoid the gotchas. Learn about debt and your FICO credit score and what it means. Learn about the four methods of investing in equities, and why equities provide the best return with acceptable risk:  1) Mututal Funds, 2) Index Funds, 3) ETFs, 4) Individual companies.  Learn of the advantages, disadvantages, costs (some are very high), ease of use and time required of each type of investment method.  Are your retirement investments made through your company and the choices limited?  Learn how to evaluate the choices.  Do you compare your portfolio and Mutual Fund returns with market averages?  It’s critical you do. Learn how easy it is.

The Past and Future of Investing – Software—the Internet—the Market (Beginner and above)

History is a great teacher. By looking back to where our investment teachings came from, we can strengthen our present and future resolve. George Nicholson clearly laid out what you should expect from a portfolio from year one through maturity. Learn how to apply today’s technology—software and Internet—to those teachings. Learn by looking back as well as looking forward.

Reverse Mortgages – dangerous to your health? (General)

The next major financial fiasco could be reverse mortgages. Learn why.  Learn about the potential costs and potholes as well as financial resources to consider before a reverse mortgage.  What are other types of financial help and how do we access them?  Discover when a reverse mortgage might be the answer ... and when not.

When to Sell -- A Portfolio Tracker for Toolkit users

Are you looking for specific reminders about when to sell? This discussion centers on a spreadsheet tool that collects sell data from Toolkit and displays it on a single page, coloring the results to indicate companies in your portfolio that should be sold. Each company is shown on a single spreadsheet line and includes appropriate alerts. Just enter a ticker symbol. This tool requires Excel and Toolkit and functions with either Mac or PC.

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Bio for Bob Adams

Bob is retired from 26 years in radio & television broadcasting, and 13 years as a college professor. He belongs to two investment clubs, a local club and an online club--is a past president of the local club and current president of the second. He has served as a Director for InvestEd Inc., a non-profit investor education organization since 2007; served on the BetterInvesting Computer Group Advisory Board from 1999 through 2006; has been a Director on the Board of the Puget Sound Chapter since 1994. Bob is a strong advocate of long-term investing. Go to his personal website for information and free investment tools: bob-.

PAID CHAPTER VISITS:

Every Chapter is allowed one free visit, once every three years, by a featured speaker for a Special Event such as an Annual Meeting, Investors Fair or Education Fair. Many speakers can also provide training classes for Volunteers, typically the evening before (or after) the Special Event. The Speakers travel and lodging costs will be covered by BetterInvesting headquarters up to a maximum of $500 per visit. Any additional costs must be borne by the Chapter. The budget is limited each year; Chapter requests are filled based on the order received.

Download the Speakers Bureau Request Form from the BetterInvesting site

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Download the Speaker Evaluation Form from the BetterInvesting site

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1. Fill in the request form specifying the speaker you are requesting and submit it to: chapterservices@. The speaker needs to teach at least two sessions and/or be the keynote speaker. If a request is made for a Friday evening session with Chapter Directors, acceptance of your request is enhanced.

2. Following the event, send the Speaker Evaluation form to chapterservices@.

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