Investing advice

How Much Does Your Money Manager Cost You?

Noted investing guru Charles Ellis talks about the challenges boomers face from high investment fees, low bond yields, uncertain stock returns, and dubious financial come-ons.

What to Do When Your Boss Stiffs Your 401(k)

Wondering why you haven't seen the performance you've hoped for from your 401(k) lately? A big reason may be that your employer isn't putting what it used to into the account.

5 Moves to Make Before the Stock Market Rally Ends

With the Dow Jones industrial average soaring to new all-time highs, investors are enjoying the new-found prosperity reflected in their brokerage statements. But it you want to keep those paper profits, now's the time to start making some tough decisions.

What Two Unlikely Art Collectors Can Teach You About Investing

Herb and Dorothy Vogel never earned much money, but together, they amassed them one of the most significant modern art collections in the country. Now, you can't replicate the Vogel's genius, but you could learn from them -- because the rules they followed apply just as well in the investment world as the art world.

Are Individual Investors Destined to Fail?

It's axiomatic among financial-service professionals that most do-it-yourself investors are their own worst enemies, always in the grip of some cognitive bias. But might the professionals be too pessimistic?

Is 'Globesity' the Next Big Thing in Investing?

Obesity. Climate change. Our ever-increasing energy needs. These are just some of the megatrends analysts see coming down the global pike, trends that investors can draft behind and make money from.

SmartMoney Cashes Out: Popular Financial Magazine Bites the Dust

Say farewell to SmartMoney. The glossy yet insightful monthly magazine isn't dying for a lack of readers: It has more than 800,000 subscribers. But with ad sales floundering and expenses rising, Dow Jones has been forced to turn it into an online-only publication.

Motley Fool Live Chat Answers Your Investing Questions Now

Have an investing question you've always been too embarrassed to ask? Get answers right here, right now. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT today, Motley Fool advisors and stock analysts will be on hand to field your questions in a live chat exclusively for DailyFinance readers.

Are ETFs Really Necessary? Pros and Cons of an Investment Craze

Everywhere you look, new exchange-traded funds are popping up, and many people now think they're a must-have for a successful portfolio. But even though investors have poured more than $1 trillion into ETFs, the question remains: Do you really need them?

Victoria O'Hara's 6 Best Tips for Would-Be Investors

Victoria O'Hara parlayed a relative's gift of one share of stock into a sizable portfolio by investing in a few shares at a time, on a postal worker's salary. Here are her top lessons for any novice investors hoping to emulate her success.

A Vital Investing Lesson from the World's (Other) Dumbest CEO

There's a new contender for the dumbest CEO crown: Robert Stiller, the now ex-chairman of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. And the stupid mistake that cost him his job -- and a lot of money -- was an investing choice that you might be making too.

Why You Need to Be Your Own Stock Analyst

Sell-side analysts are often criticized for acting too slowly when it come to downgrading companies and lowering estimates. That means if you rely on the experts, you'll be reacting late too.

Cash In On the Businesses You Buy From

You're probably spending a lot this holiday season, on yourself and your friends and family. Why not get a little something back? Buying shares of stock in some of the retailers you patronize can give you your fair share of the profits your purchases help to create. Retail ETFs can give you that and boost your retirement funds in the process.

IPO's Over: So Now Should You Invest in Groupon?

After Groupon's IPO release on Thursday and its bumpy first day of trading Friday, it's time for ordinary investors to think hard about whether we really want to take the plunge on the coupon company. DailyFinance offers a few expert opinions about whether this daily deal is a winner.

How to Calculate Free Cash Flow, and Why It Matters

Today brings part three in a our series on Mathanese -- the numbers behind investing's big equations. But as much as math may turn you off don't click away. There's nothing too complicated here, despite how intimidating money managers make it seem. Our subject: free cash flow.

How to Invest Like J.R. Ewing

It's a tough admission to make, but we're all friends here: Lately, I've taken to watching old DVDs of Dallas. It's become a vice I can't shake. And, much to my surprise, I'm learning a lot about investing from the adventures of the oil-rich Ewing family, especially the sly, conniving older brother, J.R.

3 Easy Ways to Get Great Dividends

Investments that generate income, have the potential for strong growth, and offer protection against stock market downturns: That compelling combination of attributes has made dividend stocks so popular with investors these days. To make the most of it, some investors are turning to ETFs.

Wikinvest's Mike Sha on the Investing Wisdom of Crowds

If the financial collapse taught us anything, it's that opacity and self-serving behavior rule at the big Wall Street firms -- so how can the little guy trust their advice? Wikinvest's Mike Sha explains how crowdsourcing can provide better, less biased investment advice to average investors.

Ask the Expert: Killer Returns vs. Killer Stocks

A "best-performing stock" is the one that has delivered the highest total return over a set period of time. Optimists will say a stock ranks among the top performers because the business is firing on all cylinders. But the pragmatic view reminds us why some stocks have so much room to rise.

Are Annuities the Right Choice for Your Retirement?

With memories of the stock market's 2008 tumble still fresh in investors minds, many are scared of stock and are seeking "guarantees" instead of chasing returns. Because of this, for many, annuities have never looked more tempting. But is an annuity a good choice for you?

Money on Your Mind? Tell DailyFinance ... or Ask Us

We at DailyFinance want to know more about how we can help you with personal finance matters. So -- what's keeping you up at night? Personal finance columnist Regina Lewis has access to some of of the world's top experts, and will chase down answers to your most pressing money questions.

How You Can Join the Ranks of the New Millionaires

Last year, the number of millionaires worldwide grew by 8.3%, and about one in a hundred American's qualifies as a "high-net-worth" individual. Wondering how you can join that demographic? It's not so far fetched: Just follow the advice of these fiscal big shots and you'll be on your way.

Should You Gamble on Less Active Stocks?

Street Directory recently made the argument that if investors want some degree of price stability, they should buy stocks which have heavy daily trading volumes. But what if an investor prefers the potential of sharp moves up or down that comes with a stock whose normal daily volume is modest?

Three Stocks Set to Soar on Emerging Market Growth

Sky-high oil prices may slow U.S. economic growth in the quarters ahead, so prudent investors may want to put some money into companies with strong international operations that can take advantage of growth elsewhere. Here are three impressive options.

Inside Wall Street: Turbo-Charged Investment Managing

Wall Street is littered with so-called hot and smart investors who flamed-out during economic downturns or market crashes. But Marketocracy says its investment management teams are different -- with stock picks that have demonstrated proven, long-term staying prowess.