While there have been many times in history when the U.S. stock market's performance was driven in large part by the successes of large companies, there have been other times when the innovation and high-growth orientation of smaller or midsized firms led the charge...
Why should you care about mutual fund fees? Because fees are deducted from your account balance, they reduce your total return and, ultimately, the size of your nest egg when you retire. Consider how just a one percentage point difference in fees - for instance .5%...
Low interest rates have been a boon for homeowners, but the picture hasn't been so rosy for income investors. Yet some people have overlooked one income-producing investment category that may also help with other financial objectives, such as reducing portfolio...
Wouldn't it be great if there were investment options designed with your exact needs in mind that allowed you to stay focused on building financial security for retirement? Actually, such investments do exist. They're called lifestyle funds, and they may be available...
Investing is a lifelong process. And regardless of what financial stage of life you're in, you'll have to decide what your needs are and how comfortable you are with risk. From there, however, the actual investment strategies that you decide to implement probably...
Many investors own bonds or debt based investments as a strategy for balancing the short-term market risk historically associated with stocks.1 It's important to understand the characteristics of bonds when making decisions about how to invest. A bond is an "IOU" for...
Even during periods when equities are top market performers, bonds may still have a place in your portfolio. As a complement to the more volatile nature of stock funds, fixed-income funds may have the potential to generate a steady stream of income and add stability...
Investors who are concerned about market volatility should examine their investment choices from all angles when constructing a portfolio -- evaluating not only return, but risk too. There are a variety of risk measures that may come in handy. Of course, numbers don't...
Owning company stock within your employer-sponsored retirement plan is not necessarily a bad thing. The issue, however, is that for some investors, company stock may represent too large a percentage of their retirement plan assets. Here are some tips to help you...
Retirees need their financial plans to meet two key objectives: generate ongoing income and preserve as much of their principal as possible. In many instances, the strategy of bond laddering may be helpful in pursuing both of these goals. What Is Laddering? A bond...