The 12 Worst Mutual Funds Money Can Buy
Two-thirds of large mutual funds can't even beat the S&P 500, which makes them bad buys for you. But NerdWallet has culled from that mass the 12 most abysmal performers.
index funds
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.
You Won't Believe How Few People Know the Basics of Investing
Recently, the financial advice gurus at NerdWallet polled Americans to see what we know about basic investing subjects, and the level of ignorance they found will shock you.
AlphaClone: Assemble Your Fantasy Hedge Fund Team ... And Win
Investing in hedge funds is a lot like playing in the NFL: A tiny elite can do it and make millions while the rest of us can only watch and dream. But just as we mere mortals can coach our way to gridiron victory through fantasy football teams, now hedge funds have a "fantasy team" option too.
Main Street Investors Force Big Changes in Wall Street's Fees
Historically, the asset management industry has been merely an easy way for money managers to get rich at your expense. Even today, 401(k) fees alone rob us of $60 billion a year. But investors have caught on and are demanding lower fees -- and lately, they've started getting them.
ETFs and 529s: Two Smart Money Moves That Don't Go Together
Exchange-traded funds are among the most popular recent innovations in the investing world -- with good reason: They offer a host of advantages over mutual funds. But they aren't a universally good solution: They make no sense at all within 529 college savings plans.
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?
Stop Paying Wall Street Extra for Your Mutual Funds
Pop quiz: If someone wanted to charge you $600 for something you could get for $10 elsewhere, who would you buy it from? Sounds like a no-brainer. But when people buy mutual funds, they often end up paying the $600 price instead of the $10 one.
How to Profit from the Top Potential Crises of 2012
From my point of view, we are about to be in heaps of trouble economically, so for 2012, I'm looking to exploit other people's woes like the good capitalist I am. Here are three bets I might pull the trigger on:
How Retirees Can Get Better Returns on Their Nest Eggs
A retiree named Bob is confronting a dilemma many of his peers face: His nest egg is parked in safe cash investments, like certificates of deposit, and earning barely any interest. What can he do to get a better return? Laura Rowley looks at an increasingly popular alternative.
A 9/11 Widow Shares Her Financial Journey
On Sept. 11, 2001, Gail's husband went to work at the World Trade Center. He never came home again. During the blur of grief, the stay-at-home mom realized she was now her family's CFO. Today, she's a bona fide investor, but getting to that point meant traveling a long, challenging road.
Five Dividend Payers to Save Your Portfolio
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Motley Fool analyst Matt Koppenheffer decided to twist that nugget of wisdom a bit and look at what did work in past and figure out how we can repeat it. Doing so, he found five dividend payers that fit the bill today.
How to Boost Your Profits With Unusual Index Funds
By now, most small investors know that investing in index funds is frequently superior to owning individual stocks or actively managed mutual funds. It turns out, however, there are several ways to squeeze even better returns out of your capital using unusually constructed index funds.
Why You're 45% Poorer and What You Can Do About It
The average American household suffered a huge drop in wealth because of the financial crisis, according to a survey released by the Federal Reserve. How did this happen -- and more importantly, what can you do about it?
As Companies Beat Estimates in 2011, Expect Stocks to Soar
Last year, stocks rose as cost-cutting helped businesses set record profits. But its not too late to buy in, says venture capitalist Peter Cohan: With the corporate world's focus shifting to sales growth, and profits likely to beat expectations, stocks still look undervalued.
10 Investing Facts You Probably Don't Know
The securities industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in advertising, but that doesn't mean you're getting the straight scoop. The financial media doesn't always help, either. So, as you contemplate investing for 2011, here are 10 facts you should know.
The 'Unlucky' Way to Double Your Investment Returns
What if you could increase your investment returns more than 200% by simply understanding the role of luck versus skill in investing? Several recent studies have shown how, and if ever there was information the securities industry didn't want you to have, this is it.
How to Protect Your Investments From a Falling Dollar
Investing expert Dan Solin hears this question frequently: It's obvious the dollar is going to crash, so what can I do to protect my investments? His answer may surprise you.
How to Beat Jim Cramer's Portfolio for Free
Finance expert Dan Solin has a simple gripe with CNBC's Jim Cramer: The Mad Money host acts like he has some special insight into the markets that is of value to investors, despite clear evidence that he doesn't. So how can you get better returns than Cramer? Read on.
Why Individual Stock-Picking Is Harder Than Ever
Whether investors can outwit the broader market over the long run is a perennial, hotly debated, topic. But computerized trading and virtual baskets of stocks are making the discerning of specific companies' fortunes matter less and less.
The Secret to Investing in Turbulent Times
Determine how much risk you can take and divide your assets between stocks and bonds. Then purchase low-cost, passively managed stock and bond index funds matched to your ability to withstand risk.
Russell Rebalance Makes for a Volitile Friday
On Friday, after the market closes, the Russell Investment Group will announce how it will rebalance its indexes in the annual event known as the Russell Reconstitution, the ripple effects of which will be felt as a brief, high-energy tremor through the stock markets.
ETF Lessons From the May 6 Flash Crash
The "flash crash" was a day of reckoning for investors in exchange-traded funds. ETFs didn't cause the meltdown, but they were its victims, and investors will need to adjust their strategies to avoid similar losses in the future.
Take the Seinfeld Approach to Market Volatility and Do Nothing
Market turmoil always brings out "experts" dispensing bad advice on what you should do with your money immediately. But if you've stuck to sound investment basics -- appropriate allocations in low-cost index funds -- you should just sit tight and do nothing.
Vanguard Founder Says Indexing Still Rules
After decades in investing, the philosophy of Vanguard Funds Founder John C. Bogle hasn't changed: The stock market is a game that investors cannot win. The champion of indexing says buying every stock on an index to reduce volatility is the only surefire way to succeed.
Seven Reasons to Avoid the Stock Market in 2010
Here are a few: If you think you can pick winning stocks or mutual funds, or if you intend to rely on a broker or financial adviser to help you beat the market. In general, most people will be far better off if they simply steer clear of the stock market.
Hot New Debt Securities
There was a time not long ago when nobody knew what an ETF was. Now, just when you've gotten accustomed to ETFs, you've probably begun hearing a bit of buzz around their cousins, the ETNs: exchange-traded notes. Here's what every investor should know.
