return on investment

How Emotional Investing Decisions Are Costing You a Fortune

According to one old adage, making money in stocks is simple: Just buy low and sell high. Unfortunately, most people do the exact opposite -- buy high and sell low -- and pay dearly for it. Here's why we do that, and how you can avoid making those mistakes in the future.

401(k) Fees: You'll Pay Now or Pay Later, But You Will Pay

In some ways, a 401(k) is almost an ideal investment. The only problem is the costs. 401(k) plans are not cheap to manage, and that means fees your employer will probably pass on to you, cutting into your investment returns. But how your company passes those fees on can make a big difference.

Cramer Explains: The 3 Troubles With Target-Date Funds

Target-date funds are probably better than defaulting to a money market fund or throwing darts to pick your 401(k) options. But like any heavily hyped investment, these things are flawed. Extremely flawed. Let me count the ways:

Choosing a College: Which Schools Offer the Best Return on Investment?

Collegians are having to become more careful consumers, as high-quality jobs become scarce and interest rates on student loans are set to increase. A comparison of the average return on investment for over 1,200 American colleges and universities offers some clues on how to choose.

This Investment Has a Guaranteed 10% Return

The stock market has bounced back from its crisis lows -- but you never can tell which way it'll go. Bonds look steady -- but they're actually a guaranteed way to make your money shrink slowly. There is, however, a place most of us can put more cash that is sure to outpace the market.

Investing Error: Don't Use Stocks as an Inflation Hedge

You%u2019ve heard it so often you can probably repeat it in your sleep: Equities are the best protection against inflation. But academic research establishes clearly that it just isn't so: Stocks aren't a good hedge against inflation at all, particularly high inflation.

Could This Radical College Change the World Economy?

At EARTH University, students don't produce papers. They produce -- organically grown crops they harvest and sell -- along with other entrepreneurial agricultural products. Is this hands-on education in working the soil and changing the world a model for a better future.

Should the Government Give Colleges Value Report Cards?

More students and parents are approaching higher education like any other big investment, researching schools' relative merits and the values of their diplomas so they can make informed decisions. Trouble is, the data can be hard to find -- and what's available isn't always trustworthy. Should Washington step in?

The Best Place to Put Cash: Extra Mortgage Payments

Eenie, meenie, miney, moe -- where should my cash savings go? That's the riddle many Americans are trying to figure out these days. After the necessities are taken care of, it's time to choose: mattress, stock market or mortgage? Do the math and the answer is clear.

The 10 Best-Paid CEOs: Which Are Worth the Money?

Each year, any number of organizations publish lists of America's highest paid CEOs. But the real question is: How many of them can be said to have earned those gigantic pay packages. 24/7 Wall St. dug into the numbers to find out.

Easier Money: Stock Investing Is for Wusses

In a volatile market, some people opine that stock investing isn't for wusses. But when you look beyond the potential scariness of the roller coaster ride, it's actually a money-making option that's hard to beat. In fact, considering the alternatives, stocks are perfect for wusses.