- Interest Rate for Series I Savings Bonds Falls to 4.3%: Here’s What it Means
Gone are the days of series I savings bonds paying almost 7% in interest. The U.S. Treasury announced Friday that the inflation-protected bonds would start paying investors 4.3% on May 1, down from the 6.89% that they’ve paid out over… read more…
- How Often Should You Rebalance Your Portfolio?
Choosing the right asset allocation matters for achieving your investment goals. But it isn’t just set-it-and-forget-it. Rebalancing your portfolio from time to time is necessary to ensure that you have the right mix of investments, based on your goals and… read more…
- Robinhood vs. Fidelity vs. Vanguard
With Fidelity and Vanguard, investors can access traditional, full-service investment platforms that allow you to individually manage your own account. Robinhood, by comparison, offers a very different experience geared towards mobile users. Here’s how they stack up. If you prefer hands-on… read more…
- This Personality Trait Explains Why You’re Scared to Invest in Stocks
If you’ve found yourself thinking, “Only a crazy person would buy bonds these days,” you could be right. A new study from researchers at Northwestern, DePaul University and the London School of Economics finds that five major personality traits have… read more…
- What Is the Real Return of an Investment?
When measuring investment performance, it’s helpful to understand its real return. The real return on investment is what you earn after returns are adjusted for inflation and taxes. Nominal returns, on the other hand, don’t account for those deductions. Understanding… read more…
- How to Start Investing in Your 20s
The earlier you begin investing, the better off you’re likely to be in the long term. Here’s how you can get started if you’re still in your 20s. It’s never too early to start investing—as long as you do so wisely.… read more…
- Here’s How Often You Should Rebalance Your Portfolio, According to Vanguard
Portfolio shifts are a common occurrence for investors, especially active ones. Over time, assets shift out of balance from their original assigned portions and could take you out of your comfort zone. Rebalancing your portfolio realigns your assets to meet… read more…
- Webull vs. Charles Schwab
Finding an online brokerage firm to use for your personal investment can be intimidating. There are many options out there, and it isn’t all about picking the option with the most bells and whistles — you have to choose the… read more…
- Passive Real Estate Investing: What to Know
Real estate investing can have many benefits, including cash flow, asset appreciation and tax breaks. However, it can also be a lot of work, which many people don’t have the time to do. But investing in real estate doesn’t have… read more…
- What Is a Forward Rate?
A forward rate can be one of two things. In most usage, forward rates estimate the interest that an investment or loan will pay in the future. You can use it to predict the yield you will get on a… read more…
- How This ‘Do Nothing Portfolio’ Can Beat the S&P 500
A hypothetical stock portfolio has taken hands-off investing to a whole new level. Jeffrey Ptak, a chartered financial analyst (CFA) for Morningstar, recently devised a passive investment portfolio that’s based on the composition of the S&P 500. But instead of… read more…
- Should You Invest All at Once or Spread it Out? Here’s What Vanguard Says You Should Consider
A financial windfall like an inheritance or salary bonus can be a wonderful opportunity for investing. But what’s the best way to invest your newfound wealth: all at once or little by little? New research from Vanguard suggests that you’re… read more…
- How Much Should You Invest Each Month
Investing money can help you to build wealth. The sooner you start investing, the more time you have to benefit from compounding interest. So, how much should you invest per month? It’s not a simple question as you have to… read more…
- How to Invest in Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has become one of the most talked about technologies over the past few years. Many see AI with large dollar signs in their eyes. However, every new technology has a lag between invention and commodification and just… read more…
- Morningstar Says to Look for Durable Dividends
Dividend stocks are the primary building blocks of income portfolios – that is, investment portfolios that aim to generate cash flow instead of simply growing in value. Picking which dividend stocks to buy, though, isn’t always easy. While the “instant… read more…
- Why Schwab Believes Short-Duration Stocks Belong in Your Portfolio
As the Federal Reserve has aggressively raised interest rates over the last year to fight inflation, shorter-duration bonds have offered higher yields than their longer-duration counterparts. Surprisingly, a similar dynamic has existed for equities, according to financial services giant, Schwab.… read more…
- Buy to Open vs. Buy to Close: Investment Guide
Buying to open is when you purchase a new options contract and assume either a long or short position. Conversely, buying to close is when you purchase an existing options contract that matches a contract you sold. In doing so… read more…
- What Are FAAMG Stocks?
FAAMG is an acronym for a group of five American technology stocks: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Given the tech behemoths behind each of these stocks, they have been centerpieces in millions of stock portfolios. Here’s what you need… read more…
- Have Apple and Microsoft Made Portfolio Diversification Impossible?
While the volatility of a single stock can lead to big winnings if the company takes off, your portfolio can suffer just as easily if that firm has a bad day. Diversification can help you smooth out those lows. At… read more…
- These Stocks Fell at Least 38% Last Quarter. Are They in Your Portfolio?
The first quarter of 2023 was a mixed bag for many stocks. And five, in particular, were among the worst performers. According to Morningstar, First Republic Bank (FRC), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Groupon (GRPN), Lumen Technologies (LUMN) and Zions Bancorp… read more…
- Dollar-Cost Averaging vs. Lump Sum Investing
If you want to dip your toe into investing, it can be overwhelming. The terminology, risks and fees might make you want to just dump your funds in a savings account instead. But that would be a mistake – investing… read more…
- How to Be a Risk Averse Investor
A risk-averse investor is someone who prefers to emphasize security over potential gains. Their portfolio is built to preserve capital and prevent losses first and pursue growth second. This isn’t to say that risk-averse investors see no gains. This is… read more…
- When You Should Use a Taxable Brokerage Account?
A taxable brokerage account that allows you to buy and sell a wide range of securities, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Unlike contributions to a traditional IRA or a 401(k), contributions to a taxable brokerage… read more…
- Protect Your Investments From Market Crashes With Theses 2 Strategies From Fidelity
When financial markets are falling fast, risk-averse investors may be tempted to cut and run. But cashing out your investments when markets are falling often means locking in investment losses. And knowing the right moment to reenter the market when… read more…
- Impact Investing vs. ESG
Impact investing is a strategy for using your money to create or affect positive change by investing in things that will do good in the future. ESG, on the other hand, is a framework for evaluating and selecting investments based… read more…