Is asset allocation unimportant after all in the grand scheme of managing wealth? Yes, according to a new study the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. “The focus on asset allocation is misplaced,” advises “How Important Is Asset Allocation To Financial Security In Retirement?” On first glance this finding sounds like a knock-out blow to all the studies through the years that tell us that asset allocation is a critical variable for portfolio management. Should we now abandon the idea? In a word, no.