Index Fund Investing: Is it Really That Simple?
Index fund investing is as popular as ever. In 2014, Vanguard alone recorded record mutual fund inflows totaling $216 billion. Investors are catching on to…
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The “Back-Door” Roth IRA: Helping High Earners Keep More of Their Earnings
High earners who would otherwise be excluded from contributing to a Roth IRA may want to consider this strategy. If ever there were a tax-efficient…
A Primer on the Various Types of Investment Firms
In today’s world, there are several different types of investment firms, but with important differences between them that confuse not only consumers but even many…
Learning to Appreciate Bear Markets
While there is no official definition, a bear market has traditionally been defined as a 20% decline in a broad stock market index. Needless to say,…
Real Diversification: An Example
In a previous article, we discussed the idea that a properly diversified portfolio provides investors with an effective tool for reducing risk and volatility, without necessarily…
All Financial Firms Are Not Created Equal
As consumers, before we make a purchase, we read the fine print and compare labels. Unfortunately, it’s not all that easy for investors to compare…
Diversification: The Free Lunch of Investing
Among the most important tools available to investors is diversification. Diversification allows an investor to reduce investment risks while potentially improving investment returns. But even…
A Non-Spouse as Beneficiary of an IRA
When a non-spouse is named the beneficiary of an IRA, he or she has several options as to how to receive the IRA inheritance. If…