When it comes to target-date funds, today’s article states that the popular retirement investment vehicles may become more interesting and less expensive this year. Specifically, the article examines how some fund sponsors are going about trying to reduce volatility, boost returns, lower fees, and even select more socially conscious investments, all in an effort to attract more investors. To read…
The post-election “Trump rally” has been very good to investors. But, as today’s article notes, “retirees…have a vested interest in making sure their newly plumped-up nest eggs remain intact.” So, should retirees head for the exits in anticipation of a pullback, or would doing so likely cause them to miss out on further gains next year? The author looks at…
When it comes to a year-end bonus (or any newfound cash for that matter) you undoubtedly have a number of ideas for what you would like to do with it. But what should you do with it? Today’s article lays out five responsible options for what to do with such funds. First and foremost? Replenishing (or establishing) your emergency fund.…
While the author of today’s article does not expect that the next bear market will be as painful as the last, he notes that those approaching or already in retirement still “need to keep a sharp eye on risk.” As such, he proceeds to highlight what he believes are the best stock funds for 2017 for retirees. Specifically, these are…
Based on the findings of a recent analysis conducted by human resources consultancy firm Aon Hewitt, half of 401(k) investors using target-date funds may be using them wrong. What exactly are people getting wrong when it comes to target-date funds? They “spread their dollars across other investments available to them in their plans” rather than using the target-date fund –…
When it comes to the various financial needs that people approaching retirement seek to address, the author of today’s article places them in four groups: “liquidity for emergencies, income to last a lifetime, growth for inflation protection and estate planning for our legacies.” The problem with how most people go about addressing these needs, according to the author? They jump…
When it comes to retirement planning, today’s article provides a case study in what not to do. In fact, it provides seven of them, as relayed by the financial planners who have seen people make these big retirement planning mistakes first-hand. From being too optimistic (or, conversely, too pessimistic) about one’s financial situation, to underestimating the impact taxes will have…
When it comes to identifying attractive stocks, today’s article recommends following broker rating upgrades: “Brokers have in depth idea about what’s happening in a particular company, as they directly communicate with the top management. Also, they exhaustively go through the company’s publicly available documents and attend conference calls.” The authors screened for stocks that have seen broker rating upgrades in…
Many investors spend a great deal of time deciding what to buy and when to buy it. Today’s article argues that the other side of the equation – knowing when to sell a stock – is just as important, noting that “some successful investors tend to know when they will sell a stock even before they place their buy orders.”…
While many investors will not begin to think about taxes for several more months, today’s article argues that “anytime is a good time for tax planning” and that this time in particular – the fourth quarter of the year – is a particularly good time for this, stating that “planning before the end of the year increases the number of…