Why Don't You Have a 529 College Savings Plan?
Only a third of parents are actually using one of these accounts. Why is that? Today's Stocks & Topics: Business Development Companies, BP - BP PLC ADR, Saving Time and Money, Gold vs. Dollar, VNQ - Vanguard REIT ETF, RH - Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc., P - Pandora Media Inc., International ETFs, Tracking S&P 500, SXCP - SunCoke Energy Partners L.P., PNNT - PennantPark Investment Corp., GD...
45m Jul 20, 2016
45m
Mutual Funds: A Shopper's Checklist
What those fund ratings mean, adding up expensive ratios, weighing the importance of past performance, active or passive management. Today's Stocks & Topics: Mobil Apps, ETFs, Charts, WCIC - WCI Communities Inc., Interest Rates, GILD - Gilead Sciences Inc., GME - GameStop Corp., the Economy, Housing Sales Report, NFLX - Netflix Inc., 401k Funds.
45m Jul 19, 2016
45m
6 Unusual Money Investment Ideas with High Returns
They’re Unconventional, and you may have a lot of homework to do before you try them. Today's Stocks & Topics: Cash Flow Per Share, Treasury Yield, GILD - Gilead Sciences Inc., HFC - HollyFrontier Corp., Target Date Funds, CAT - Caterpillar Inc.
45m Jul 18, 2016
45m
Bad Habits We Can Learn From the Rich
The wealthy make money missteps, too. But you don't have to be rich to make these mistakes. Today's Stocks & Topics: Cash, PICK – I Shares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF, Health Care Spending, Loose Money, HFC – Holly Frontier Corp., Investing, F - Ford Motor Co., GPRO - GoPro Inc., Holding Cash, WPC - W. P. Carey Inc., VTR - Ventas Inc., INFY - Infosys Ltd.
45m Jul 15, 2016
45m
Your Status Quo Bias Can Cost You
Investors can suffer when they choose to stick to their default modes of investing and fail to adjust. Today's Stocks & Topics: New Investor, VXX - Barclays Bank PLC iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN, Housing, Health Care Spending, Tricks to Sell Your Home Faster, WWAV - WhiteWave Foods Co., LYB - LyondellBasell Industries N.V. Cl A, MO - Altria Group Inc., NTDOY - Nintendo Co. Ltd. ADR,...
45m Jul 14, 2016
45m
401(k): The Self-Directed Option
This option allows the employee to invest their retirement funds however they like, rather than being limited to the mutual funds on their roster. Today's Stocks & Topics: Investing Strategy, REGN - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Value Stock, TM - Toyota Motor Corp., ACIA - Acacia Communications Inc., LEA - Lear Corp., VLO - Valero Energy Corp., Jobs Report, Dollar Cost Average.
45m Jul 13, 2016
45m
The Ultimate Diversification Tool
So you want to build a robust retirement portfolio that avoids the dreaded all-your-eggs-in-one-basket cliché? Today's Stocks & Topics: Sectors, VUZI - Vuzix Corp., Retirement, Brexit & Buying Opportunities, Using I-R-A or Social Security, GDX - VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF, RAD - Rite Aid Corp., IEX - IDEX Corp., FHKCX - Fidelity China Region Fund, GPL - Great Panther Silver Ltd., CYH - Comm...
45m Jul 12, 2016
45m
3 Most Important Factors to Making Your Retirement Money Last
There are formulas to help you match your annual spending with growth in your portfolio. Today's Stocks & Topics: Publicly Traded Companies, Gold & Silver, Mortgages, Alcoa Earnings, RIG - Transocean Ltd., WOOF - VCA Inc., JNJ - Johnson & Johnson, GBX - Greenbrier Cos. Inc., BIDU - Baidu Inc. ADR, VLO - Valero Energy Corp., FSLR - First Solar Inc., AMZN - Amazon.com Inc.
45m Jul 11, 2016
45m
How Inflation Could Crack Your Nest Egg
For retirees, even low inflation can have an outsized effect on their finances. They face a different inflation environment than non-retirees. Today's Stocks & Topics: Limited Partnership, Gold, New Kind of Housing Crisis, Banks, the Stock Market, Pros and Cons of a 403(b) Rollover Into an Roth IRA, Individual Bonds, New Retire, Deadliest Animals in America, Stock Investing, Bond Funds, Buying ...
46m Jul 08, 2016
46m
The Critical Balancing Act
Over time the risk level in your portfolio can increase or decrease without you even knowing it. Today's Stocks & Topics: Big Companies, Metrics, Countries With Negative Interest Rates, Morgan Stanley, Workers Over 50, Oil & Gas Transportation Companies, Pharmaceuticals, Dividends, Statistics, Large Caps, Mutual Funds, Day Trading, Retirement, Treasury Bonds, Cash Reserve Fund.
47m Jul 07, 2016
47m
Should You Be Thinking Commodities?
Year-to-date gains in core commodity indexes are two to three times the gains in broad U.S. bond and stock indexes. Today's Stocks & Topics: Dividends, TSO - Tesoro Corp., QQQ - PowerShares QQQ Trust Series, AGU - Agrium Inc., GBSN - Great Basin Scientific Inc., Oil Companies, MACD, STNG - Scorpio Tankers Inc., Commodities, GDX - VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF, NG - NovaGold Resources Inc., BCS...
45m Jul 06, 2016
45m
How To Choose: Mutual Fund or ETF
These two types of investments are traded and taxed differently. Today's Stocks & Topics: P.E. Ratio, DAN - Dana Holding Corp., Shorting Banks, JPM - JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Brexit, Top vs. Bottom Line Growth, GOOG - Alphabet Inc. Cl C, AZO - AutoZone Inc., VASC - Vascular Solutions Inc., Systematic Risk, Recommended Books, New Investor.
44m Jul 05, 2016
44m
What's Holding Investors Back?
In this long running bull market, only about half of Americans have any money invested in the stock market. That matches the lowest ownership rate in one poll’s 19-year history. Today's Stocks & Topics: Real Estate, New Investor, Interest Rates, 401k, ESPP: Employee Stock Purchase Plans, Chinese ADRs, Stock Split, International Investing, Retirement, Equity Index Annuities, 529 Plan, Pension Pl...
46m Jul 04, 2016
46m
Learn About Investing From Bumper to Bumper Traffic
If you understand how traffic flows you’ll easily grasp just why you've had little success outperforming the market. Today's Stocks & Topics: Share Types, UA - Under Armour Inc. Cl A, UA.C - Under Armour Inc. Cl C, KEP - Korea Electric Power Corp., GBLX - GrowBlox Sciences Inc., CRM - Salesforce.com Inc., VCSH - Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF, FTBFX - Fidelity Total Bond Fund Fidelity T...
45m Jul 01, 2016
45m
“Sorting Out the Array of REITs”
Many investors, looking for something different, look to real estate investment trusts. But the options can be confusing. Today's Stocks & Topics: Coverdell IRA, GOOG - Alphabet Inc. Cl C, Commodities in 2016, College Degrees are the New High School Diploma, Underfunded Pension Obligations, NKE - Nike Inc. Cl B, MET - MetLife Inc., ETFs, Long Term Investments, Equal Weight Index, Company Stocks...
45m Jun 30, 2016
45m
Is the Stock Market Too Expensive Now?
S&P 500 is flirting with all-time highs. Its price-to-earnings ratio is now at its most expensive valuation multiple since September 2009. Today's Stocks & Topics: Investing Strategy, ADC - Agree Realty Corp., CF - CF Industries Holdings Inc., IPOs, Wal-Mart, Banks, SWKS - Skyworks Solutions Inc., CFX - Colfax Corp., LGND - Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.
45m Jun 29, 2016
45m
What Men Can Learn From Women About Investing
When it comes to both saving and investing, women are just better at it. Why? Today's Stocks & Topics: Index Funds, Globalization, World Banks, Creative Destruction, Credit, Mergers & Reverse Mergers, 401k, How to Start Investing, Bonds, Triple-Double Tops, Retirement, How to Invest, IRAs.
46m Jun 28, 2016
46m
High Yield: But Too Risky?
These mutual funds were formed to diversify a pool of junk bonds and reduce the risk of investing in financially struggling companies. Today's Stocks & Topics: Spin Roll Ruling, VYM - Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF, the Stock Market, Brexit Vote Leaves UK on Brink of Recession, ETFs, GILD - Gilead Sciences Inc., AAPL - Apple Inc., KSS - Kohl's Corp., WMB - Williams Cos., Moving Averages.
45m Jun 27, 2016
45m
7 Things to Know About 529 Plans
Plans available in many states may be the best way to put away money for college. Today's Stocks & Topics: the Brexit & Gold, GDX - VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF, Value Stocks, Retailers & the Brexit, Living Comfortably in Retirement, VYM - Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF, MNTX - Manitex International Inc., VZ - Verizon Communications Inc., T - AT&T Inc., RRMS - Rose Rock Midstream L.P., Rece...
45m Jun 24, 2016
45m
How to Keep More of Your ETF Gains
A simple guide to understanding ETF expense ratios. Today's Stocks & Topics: ETFs, Four Things that Will Drive Stocks Now, the VIX, LHO - LaSalle Hotel Properties, Portfolio, Retirement, I-R-A, Home Savings Accounts, BA - Boeing Co., MZOR - Mazor Robotics Ltd., ATW - Atwood Oceanics Inc.
45m Jun 23, 2016
45m
The Plus Side of Working Longer
Longer life span may mean longer working lives. There are dollar advantages beyond the paycheck. Today's Stocks & Topics: When to Sell, Tesla, CDs, NICE - NICE Ltd. ADR, MSFT - Microsoft Corp., Retirement, WOOF - VCA Inc., First Time Investor, Day Trading.
45m Jun 22, 2016
45m
The Right and Wrong of Annuities
They do sound appealing. Are annuities the key to a secure retirement? Today's Stocks & Topics: Earnings Projections, the Real Estate Market, the Next President & the Economy, the Fed, TWTR - Twitter Inc., SYK - Stryker Corp., ED - Consolidated Edison Inc., New Investor, DLR - Digital Realty Trust Inc.
44m Jun 21, 2016
44m
Investing Today is Simpler But Not Safer
Go back 50 years - Costs were much higher and choices were much more limited. Knowledge, understanding and information were primitive by today's standards. Today's Stocks & Topics: Mutual Funds, GNRC - Generac Holdings Inc., Sitting Dollars, AAPL - Apple Inc., WAIIX - Western Asset Inflation Indexed Plus Bond Fund, CEL - Cellcom Israel Ltd., NEWM - New Media Investment Group Inc., Lending Money...
45m Jun 20, 2016
45m
How Inflation Could Crack Your Nest Egg
For retirees, even low inflation can have an outsized effect on their finances. They face a different inflation environment than non-retirees. Today's Stocks & Topics: Limited Partnership, NUGT - Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 3x Shares, Gold, New Kind of Housing Crisis, AAPL - Apple Inc., MSG - Madison Square Garden Co., AMAG - AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc., WFM - Whole Foods Market Inc., B...
45m Jun 17, 2016
45m
The Critical Balancing Act
Over time the risk level in your portfolio can increase or decrease without you even knowing it. Today's Stocks & Topics: Big Companies, WMT - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Metrics, Countries With Negative Interest Rates, Morgan Stanley, Workers Over 50, VNR - Vanguard Natural Resources, STNG - Scorpio Tankers Inc., Oil & Gas Transportation Companies, NFLX - Netflix Inc., Pharmaceuticals, FL - Foot Loc...
46m Jun 16, 2016
46m
The High Impact of Corporate Buybacks
The notion that corporate share buybacks have been influential in propping up stocks is nothing new, but the influence may be much greater than most thought. Today's Stocks & Topics: Shorting S&P 500, JDST - Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3X Shares, the Fed, Costco & American Express, Net Neutrality, SCHD - Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF, JPM - JPMorgan Chase & Co., GE - General El...
45m Jun 15, 2016
45m
What's Holding Investors Back?
In this long running bull market, only about half of Americans have any money invested in the stock market. That matches the lowest ownership rate in one poll’s 19-year history. Today's Stocks & Topics: Real Estate, New Investor, POT - Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., Interest Rates, 401k, SLV - iShares Silver Trust, DEO - Diageo PLC ADR, BIIB - Biogen Inc., ESPP: Employee Stock Purchase Plan...
44m Jun 14, 2016
44m
How a 401(k) Plan Benefits the Employer
Considering that high employee turnover creates a financial burden, finding a way to cut such losses is something small and large business owners welcome. Today's Stocks & Topics: Investing, WFC - Wells Fargo & Co., BAC - Bank of America Corp., BPY - Brookfield Property Partners L.P., BG - Bunge Ltd., Microsoft & LinkedIn, Apple Inc., XT - iShares Exponential Technologies ETF, CF - CF Industrie...
45m Jun 14, 2016
45m
What You Didn't Learn In College About Money
College grads now more about E=MC2 than 401(k). Most likely graduate without having a clue about personal finance. Here's a course outline. Today's Stocks & Topics: ATVI - Activision Blizzard Inc., VLO - Valero Energy Corp., Early Retirement, Helicopter Money, Britain, Financial Anxiety, CCE - Coca-Cola European Partners PLC, LVS - Las Vegas Sands Corp., EQR - Equity Residential, Interest Rates...
45m Jun 10, 2016
45m
Bond Holders Can Fall Victim to Duration Risk
Protecting yourself from the ticking time bomb inside today's bond market. Today's Stocks & Topics: Pricing of Stocks and Indexes, Young Adults & Wealth, Big Fall in the Market, Negative Rates, VEGI - iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF, Agricultural Sector, S&P 500 & REITs, ABT - Abbott Laboratories, KMB - Kimberly-Clark Corp., Investing in Real Estate, 529-Plan.
45m Jun 09, 2016
45m
Do You Have a Solid Strategy to Protect Your Portfolio?
Some investors may be willing to try just about anything to protect their portfolios, including strategies that don’t often work. Today's Stocks & Topics: Interest Rates, Banks, Housing, Commodities, 401k, Minimum Distribution, Right Time to Invest, EWZ - iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF, HES - Hess Corp., Mutual Funds, Ex-Dividend Dates.
46m Jun 08, 2016
46m
What Men Can Learn From Women About Investing
When it comes to both saving and investing, women are just better at it. Why? Today's Stocks & Topics: Index Funds, Globalization, World Banks, Creative Destruction, DATA - Tableau Software Inc., NVDA - NVIDIA Corp., Credit, TSO - Tesoro Corp., Mergers & Reverse Mergers, FFIV - F5 Networks Inc., 401k, CUI - CUI Global Inc.
45m Jun 07, 2016
45m
What's Best: Pay Off Mortgage Or Invest?
Should you accelerate mortgage payments or borrow as much as possible, make minimum debt payments and save for retirement? Today's Stocks & Topics: Stocks Value, Financial Bubble, Tesla, Morgan Stanley, Debt, Investing in the Stock Market, GGN - GAMCO Global Gold Natural Resources & Income Trust, ALK - Alaska Air Group Inc., Mutual Funds.
45m Jun 06, 2016
45m
Closed-End Funds Offer Yield, and Risk
Want Income? Closed-end funds (CEFs) can be one solution, with yields averaging 6.73%. But CEFs can entail risk. Today's Stocks & Topics: ULTA - Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc., Institutional Investors, HPQ - HP Inc., Gold Miners, ABBV - AbbVie Inc., Earnings Report, SQ - Square Inc. Cl A, Death Cross, Gold.
45m Jun 03, 2016
45m
International Investing: Evaluating Risk
Investors often neglect an important first step in the process of international investing. Today's Stocks & Topics: Buying Your Own Stocks, 5 Year P.E. Range, European Central Bank, Living in Retirement, Bullish Stock Market, DY - Dycom Industries Inc., LABU - Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3X Shares, AMZN - Amazon.com Inc., Institutional Ownership, CPRT - Copart Inc., TNH - Terra Nitrogen Co....
45m Jun 02, 2016
45m
Can You Name the Five Types of Mutual Funds?
Despite the massive number of choices, your investment options in mutual funds generally boil down to a handfull of categories. Today's Stocks & Topics: When Buy or Sell Mutual Funds, ZBRA - Zebra Technologies Corp. Cl A, NKE - Nike Inc., Low Cost Debt & the Economy, People Finances in the US, Pull Back, IRAs, STLD - Steel Dynamics Inc., APD - Air Products & Chemicals Inc., Umbrella Insurance P...
45m Jun 01, 2016
45m
Income Investing Strategies to Preserve Principal
Their stated goals are capital appreciation or preservation of capital, but most funds analyzed failed at it. Today's Stocks & Topics: Investing in Marijuana, GEO - GEO Group Inc., Biggest Regrets When You’re Older, S&P 500, HPQ - HP Inc., BAYRY - Bayer AG ADR, MXL - MaxLinear Inc., ETFs, Gold, Australia, BAC - Bank of America Corp., ABX - Barrick Gold Corp., Stock Limited Order, BABA - Alibaba...
45m May 31, 2016
45m
5 Tips for Getting Started With ETFs
Those who just noticed Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) may not understand how they work, which ones to choose, or how to buy and sell them. Today's Stocks & Topics: Financial Advisors, Sell Signals, Federal Reserve Policy, Income Investments Other Than Dividend Stocks, Gold, How to Start Investing, Triple-Double Taps, Mutual Funds, Day Trading, Stock Split, Roth I-R-A.
47m May 30, 2016
47m
ETF's Big Advantage Can Be a Disadvantage
Because of the way ETF are traded, those who invest in them can act like a trader. For most people that's not good. Today's Stocks & Topics: Junk Bonds, KMI - Kinder Morgan Inc., Who Needs the Federal Reserve, Dividends Stocks, SEB - Seaboard Corp., Bonds, SBUX - Starbucks Corp., BP - BP PLC ADR, ISRG - Intuitive Surgical Inc., GGN - GAMCO Global Gold Natural Resources & Income Trust, Closed En...
45m May 27, 2016
45m
Why You May Not Enjoy Retirement
While you might have prepared for it, you might not have given much thought to how life will be in retirement. Today's Stocks & Topics: Retirement, Target Date Funds, NE - Noble Corp. PLC, Transparency in Business, LMT - Lockheed Martin Corp., Capital Gains Tax Strategy, AMAG - AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc., GME - GameStop Corp. Cl A, Bitcoin vs. Gold, Dividends, GPOR - Gulfport Energy Corp., McDon...
45m May 27, 2016
45m
Investing In Real Estate - The First Step
Lesson learned from stocks and bonds won't help. It's more like a business than an investment. Today's Stocks & Topics: Real Estate CPA, Robots, ABBV - AbbVie Inc., CSAL - Communications Sales & Leasing Inc., Robinhood.com App, PM - Philip Morris International Inc., HCN - Welltower Inc., ETE - Energy Transfer Equity L.P.
45m May 26, 2016
45m
Buffett's Other Big Investment Secret
Sometimes what Warren Buffett doesn’t say in his advice is just as powerful as what he does say. Today's Stocks & Topics: GILD - Gilead Sciences Inc., NAVI - Navient Corp., Real Estate Loan, Interest Rates & Gold, FLPS - XFidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund, Millennials & Money, VDE - Vanguard Energy ETF, Value vs. Growth Investing, FCG - First Trust ISE-Revere Natural Gas Index Fund, the Dollar & G...
45m May 24, 2016
45m
How to Protect Your Portfolio Against Black Swans
Unpredictable macro events can roil financial markets. So how should you react? Is there any way to defend yourself? Today's Stocks & Topics: College Savings Plans, High Rate Cash Back Cards, TGT - Target Corp., ELP - Companhia Paranaense de Energia-COPEL ADR, CVS - CVS Health Corp., HPE - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., HP - QHP Inc., Company Evaluation.
45m May 23, 2016
45m
10 Solutions to Your Retirement Fund Shortfall
Fortunately, there are many options to make up for lost time, although some may require making sacrifices or adjusting plans. Today's Stocks & Topics: Borrowing Money from 401k, LNKD - LinkedIn Corp. Cl A, J.P. Morgan Charts, Where to Retire, Gold, SYY - Sysco Corp., WMT - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Roth I-R-A, STX - Seagate Technology PLC, F - Ford Motor Co., M - Macy's Inc.
45m May 21, 2016
45m
Why Do People Invest in Hedge Funds?
For some investors, they're an opportunity to trounce the market. For others, they're a way to add diversification. Today's Stocks & Topics: 12B1, Negative P.E. Ratio, ABX - Barrick Gold Corp., The Federal Reserve, 401k, Stronger Dollar, UCBI - United Community Banks Inc., EVER - EverBank Financial Corp., SQ - Square Inc. Cl A, XRAY - Dentsply Sirona Inc., Covered Calls, MU - Micron Technology ...
45m May 19, 2016
45m
A Bear Market Ahead? Reading The Signs
New Year Investors got anxious about a possible recession and the stock market tanked. Still no such recession and stocks recovered. Today's Stocks & Topics: Mutual Funds, DIS - Walt Disney Co., 1st Quarter Buybacks, Goldman Sachs, TM - Toyota Motor Corp., Gold, REM - iShares Mortgage Real Estate Capped ETF, SLW - Silver Wheaton Corp., Real Estate Ups and Downs of Downsizing, Shorts, AMTD - TD ...
45m May 18, 2016
45m
Should You Be Content With Lower Returns?
This has serious implications for how you invest. Welcome to the world of the Incredible Shrinking Investments. Today's Stocks & Topics: Solar Companies in Bankruptcy, BG - Bunge Ltd., WDR - Waddell & Reed Financial Inc., PAAS - Pan American Silver Corp., ENDP - Endo International PLC, Chinese Consumers, The Federal Reserve, UA - Under Armour Inc., 401k, Financial Regrets.
45m May 17, 2016
45m
Self-Directed IRA Plans for Real Estate Investing
This could open up a whole new world of opportunities, but you need to learn the rules. Today's Stocks & Topics: Dividends, Warren Buffet & Apple, AMZN - Amazon.com Inc., STJ - St. Jude Medical Inc., COP – ConocoPhillips, Oil Companies Debt, SEDG - SolarEdge Technologies Inc., ZNGA - Zynga Inc. Cl A.
45m May 17, 2016
45m
How To Build an All Stock Portfolio
Stocks and topics discussed: AAPL - Apple Inc.,RCII Rent-A-Center Inc., Dividends, ULTA - Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc., VMW - VMware Inc., Bonds, AMZN - Amazon.com Inc., FEYE - FireEye Inc.,SBUX - Starbucks Corp.
43m May 14, 2016
43m
Four Strategies To Maximize Your Retirement Income
How dividends are paid, RF - Regions Financial Corp., PII - Polaris Industries Inc., CYNO - Cynosure Inc., WOPEY - Woodside Petroleum Ltd. ADR, Gold, How to evaluate a stock, SSYS - Stratasys Ltd., KND - Kindred Healthcare Inc., ARCC - Ares Capital Corp., The facts about Manufacturing jobs, Tech layoffs.
44m May 13, 2016
44m