Consider the problem facing most retail investors. They have to buy a company, hopefully at a price lower than the firm’s value, then sell it at some future date to … Read more →

People invest for many reasons. As a hobby, for their ego’s sake or to meet a medium-term goal, such as paying for college. All are reasonable choices, as far as that … Read more →

Last year was a great year for U.S. stocks, among the best investments one could have made, up about 30% over 12 months. The year 2013 was great, but not the best … Read more →

If you are a typical salaried or hourly full-time employee in the United States, you’ve probably heard about your 401(k) plan. Fifty-two million Americans use them. Such plans held $3.5 … Read more →

For many people, the first step is the hardest. As a result, the novice saver and investor ends up being in cash. And that’s where they stick, for years. The … Read more →

Spend a few hours on trading websites and you’re likely to run into a lot of advice regarding “alternative” investments. Much of the talk will be about investing in gold, both … Read more →

If you’ve been investing at all in the past 10 years, chances are you’ve heard someone say the “emerging markets” are a good investment bet. And that’s largely true, with some caveats. Like … Read more →

Most investors are in it from the long-term: retirement, the golden years, the bucket list. But what about investing for shorter-term goals, such as putting a kid through college? Or starting … Read more →

Saving enough for retirement can be a struggle. Many people work hard only to find they have too much month and not enough money. If you qualify for a workplace … Read more →

Most people look at retirement as the finish line, the point after which financial planning and investing become moot. The reality is far different. Forty percent of baby boomers expect to work until they … Read more →