- What Is an Investment Portfolio?
An investment portfolio is a basket of asset classes that typically include stocks, bonds, cash, real estate and more. Investors generally aim for a return by diversifying these securities in a way that reflects their risk tolerance and financial goals.… read more…
- How to Invest in Startups
Investing in startups may seem like an opportunity that only exists for those willing and able to drop a few million into a fledgling tech company housed in a garage or a Stanford dorm room. While that type of investor… read more…
- What Is the 60/40 Portfolio (And Should You Have One)?
Building an investment portfolio means determining the right mix of assets to help you reach your goals for the short and long term. One of the more conventional approaches financial advisors and experts suggest is the 60/40 portfolio. Going this… read more…
- What Is the SIPC, and What Does It Do?
There are many agencies and organizations in America that exist to protect consumers, including consumers on the investing markets. One of those organizations is the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The SIPC is a nonprofit, member-funded organization that helps clients… read more…
- What Is Current Ratio and How Do You Calculate It?
The current ratio is an accounting measure that tells you if a company can pay such short-term obligations as payroll and rent for the year. A good metric for investors to use when analyzing securities, the current ratio is a… read more…
- FINRA BrokerCheck: What It Is and How to Use It
Before signing on with a broker or investment advisor, you should look them up in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA’s) BrokerCheck. FINRA is authorized by Congress to oversee brokers and broker-dealers. The FINRA BrokerCheck database provides key information about individual brokers and… read more…
- What Is the Series 66 License?
The Series 66 license is required to work as an investment advisor in the United States. To obtain it, you must pass a rigorous exam covering methods of delivering investment advice and other topics. Below, we’ll tackle what the exam… read more…
- GDP: Definition, Examples and Economic Usage
Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the market value of all goods and services a country produces in a specific time frame. It’s used to gauge a nation’s economic growth and its people’s standard of living. GDP also guides investment decisions… read more…
- How to Use TreasuryDirect to Buy Government Bonds
Government bonds are one of the safest places to park cash. This is because they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, so there’s virtually no risk of default. The tradeoff for safety, of course,… read more…
- Series 7 Exam: Qualifications and Preparation
The Series 7 exam is one of two exams that registered representatives of broker-dealers must pass to sell and trade most securities as a financial services professional. The exam mainly covers information about investments, their suitability for different investors, record-keeping… read more…
- What Is the Series 57 License?
A Series 57 license allows brokers to trade equities and convertible debt securities in the U.S. To obtain one, you must pass the Series 57 exam. This test covers topics like equity trading concepts and regulations around the financial services… read more…
- Ken Fisher: Everything You Need to Know
Ken Fisher, an investment analyst and self-made billionaire, is perhaps best known for founding Fisher Investments. The financial advisor firm based in Camas, Washington manages more than $96 billion for more than 40,000 clients, mostly high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. Fisher currently serves as the firm’s executive chairman and co-chief investment officer. However, he has… read more…
- Should I Pay Down My Mortgage or Invest?
If you find yourself with some extra money, then you’ll need to decide what to do with it. If you have a mortgage worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, it may be tempting to put your windfall toward making extra… read more…
- What Is EBITDA and How Do You Calculate It?
EBITDA is a popular metric that analysts and investors use for determining the current performance of a company. It measures a company’s earnings minus certain expenses, including taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization. As a result, EBITDA can give you an… read more…
- Free Investment Classes for Learning How to Invest
As you aspire toward a secure retirement and other financial milestones, investments become an increasingly important financial topic to know about. But those looking to gain knowledge about investing may have issues finding reliable sources. Luckily, the internet is home to many… read more…
- A Guide to Dividend Reinvestment Plans
A dividend reinvestment plan, or DRIP, is a vehicle that reinvests the money shareholders get from companies in cash dividends. Many investors favor DRIPs because of their ease, low-to-nonexistent fees and ability to strengthen returns over a long time horizon. By… read more…
- Saving for College With a Coverdell ESA: Weighing the Pros and Cons
A Coverdell ESA, formerly known as an Education IRA, is a tax-advantaged savings vehicle designed to help parents pay for the educational expenses of a child under the age of 18. It offers several benefits, but it’s not the only… read more…
- Finviz Stock Screener Review
Finviz is a browser-based platform offering a free stock screener, market research, financial news and more. Most of its services are free, but it also offers a subscription package with enhanced features like that allow you to test your trading strategies before deploying them in the real world. We’ll explore the benefits of Finviz as well… read more…
- How to Invest Your Money
Investing can be an intimidating venture, but learning how to navigate the investment market is a life skill with plenty of upside. You can use the returns you earn from your investment portfolio to achieve a number of goals, such… read more…
- What Is Trend Investing and How Do You Do It?
Trend investing is the process of putting your money in stocks, industries or markets expected to boom consistently in the future. The idea is to ride the trend up until it’s the right time to jump off and exit that… read more…
- The Income Statement: A Guide for Investors
Income statements are financial statements that show how a business did financially over a certain period of time. Generally, they show revenue minus expenses and losses to give a company’s profit or loss over that time period. Income statements are… read more…
- An Investor’s Guide to Long-Term Investing
Long-term investing is often the best way to build wealth that stands the test of time. It’s how you plan for retirement and build a legacy to pass on to your children and grandchildren. Long-term investments require patience, but they… read more…
- 7 Short-Term Investment Options to Consider
Short-term investments are generally defined as investments that pay off in less than five years (sometimes even less time, perhaps within a year). Whereas long-term investments are generally made with the goal of building overall wealth and preparing for retirement,… read more…
- What Type of Investment Account Should You Open?
Investing in the stock market has been a great way to build long-term wealth for almost as long as the United States has been a country. And as retirements continue to increase with people’s lifespans, it’s becoming more and more… read more…
- Balance Sheet: What It Shows & How to Read One
A balance sheet is a financial document that a company releases to show its assets, liabilities and overall shareholder equity. Balance sheets are useful tools for potential investors in a company, as they show the general financial status of a… read more…