A few years back, target date funds were all the rage in retirement accounts like 401(k)s, 403(b)s and they spilled over into individual retirement accounts like IRAs as well.  The selling point was the following: You could simply “set it and forget it” and the fund would do all the work. How Target Date Funds are Supposed to Work The way the funds are supposed...

One of the hallmarks of a good portfolio is diversity. This is a basic investing principle that most of us are familiar with. However, it can be difficult to build a diverse portfolio using stocks, bonds and cash. Choosing investments starts to become time consuming and risky. This is why many investors choose funds, which consist of a number of different securities lumped...

In this time of volatility, many are concerned about investing in the stock market. What some are most interested in, especially those nearing retirement, is capital preservation. Unfortunately, inflation can erode returns on cash products and even many bond investments. Indeed, if the rate of inflation exceeds your yearly return, your buying power could be eroded. If...

You probably know that one of the most important aspects of successful investing is a healthy diversity in your portfolio. One of the ways that many people attempt to add diversity to their portfolios is by investing in funds. Funds offer a collection of investments. You invest in the fund, and you automatically invest in everything that is in that fund. For many —...

One thing that money savvy people have learned from the recession is that income diversity is important. Getting all of your income from one place can be devastating if you lose your job. You don’t have to quit your day job if you don’t want to, but you can begin cultivating a little alternative income so that if you do lose your job, you have something that...

[ad#Content 300x250] It’s all too easy to be lured to the prospect of huge returns from leveraged ETFs with the ability to return double, and now, even triple the returns of particular sectors and indices. When looking back at the historical top performers in ETF lists, inevitably, the top slots are populated by leveraged ETFs. However, they’re risky for...