According to Yale University's Crash Confidence Index, only about 40% of investors are confident the stock market will not crash sometime during the next six months.1 If fear leads investors to avoid the entire investment class, they may limit their potential returns. For example, for most of the 10-year period ended 2023, stocks outperformed [...]

Imagine driving a car without a basic understanding of the rules of the road or even how to operate it. Scary thought. Here’s another scary circumstance – one that is all too real. Many Americans are making financial decisions with minimal financial knowledge of investing, budgeting, and credit. The TIAA Institute conducted a survey [...]

There is no shortage of analysis for anyone interested in investing. A search for the term "stock market analysis" turned up over one billion results on Google and well over two billion on Yahoo.1 The majority of stock market analysis can be lumped into three broad groups: fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here's a close [...]

Regardless of how the markets may perform, consider making the following part of your investment philosophy: Diversification. The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” has some application to investing. Over time, certain asset classes may perform better than others. If your assets are mostly held in one kind of investment, you [...]

One of the most common questions people ask about Social Security is when they should start taking benefits. Making the right decision for you can have a meaningful impact on your financial income in retirement. Before considering how personal circumstances and objectives may play into your decision, it may be helpful to preface that [...]

Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, "Almost any decision is better than no decision at all." This investment inaction is played out in many ways, often silently, invisibly, and with potential consequences to an individual’s future financial security. [...]

A money market fund, not to be confused with a money market account, is a type of mutual fund that invests in instruments like cash equivalents and short-term debt-based securities, which can also include U.S. Treasury Bonds.1 Safety First These funds are designed to be easily accessible and are often considered cash equivalents. Their [...]

A recent survey found that 18% of workers are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 36% are not confident.1 In 2001 congress passed a law that can help older workers make up for lost time. But few may understand how this generous offer [...]

One of the common threads of a mobile workforce is that many individuals who leave their job are faced with a decision about what to do with their 401(k) account.¹ Individuals have four choices with the 401(k) account they accrued at a previous employer.2 Choice 1: Leave It with Your [...]

Will you pay higher taxes in retirement? It’s possible. But that will largely depend on how you generate income. Will it be from working? Will it be from retirement plans? And if it does come from retirement plans, it’s important to understand which types of plans will be financing your retirement. Another factor to [...]