San Francisco Gate – It might be the “dream job” that comes with unforeseen nightmares, or the fabulous vacation spot that leaves some visitors surprisingly nonplussed, or the big lifetimecelebration — like a wedding — that is remembered more for big bills or family fights than for the love and joy of the moment.
In investing, the security atop many wish lists is a hedge fund, a private investment pool that is the domain of big institutions and people the financial-planning community describes as “high net-worth investors.”
For everyone aspiring to be a high net-worth investor — and who doesn’t? — hedge funds are sometimes seen as a sign that you have “made it.”
But hedge funds may be another case where true life doesn’t always live up to the hype. A new study out from a San Francisco wealth management company suggests that most hedge fund investors aren’t actually getting a performance boost by going the exclusive route. Investors may dream of buying a hedge fund run by a legend like George Soros, but they are much more likely to get something far more pedestrian and disappointing.
