vanguard

Would you ever think of paying 25 or even 33 percent of your investment gains to a portfolio manager? Probably not. But in reality, people buying taxable bond funds do just that -- because Treasury yields are just three or four percent and the average fund charges fees of slightly more than one...

Retirement mistake #6 is ignoring immediate annuities. For most retirees, variable annuities and equity-indexed annuities are poor investments. Because of the poor reputation of these products, retirees have shunned immediate annuities. This can be a big mistake. Immediate annuities are simple to...

Retirement mistake #5 is being tempted by exchange-traded funds. I don't understand the fascination with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The good news is that ETFs track indexes and most ETFS are low cost. The bad news is that they are being misused by retirees and other investors.

The number of mutual funds available to investors will contract in 2009. It will be the first time that there has been such a contraction since the carnage of the market after the internet bubble burst in 2002. At the same time, the market for ETFs is rapidly expanding due, in part, to lower...

For 30 years, Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, hasn't concealed his distaste for money market mutual funds. As chairman of President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, he may finally have the power he needs to impose regulations on money market funds that would make...

First, the backstory. I was invited to go on CNBC on Friday to debate the merits of continuing to invest in 401(k) plans. My position is that most 401(k) plans are terrible. They have high costs and expenses, poor investment choices, and uncertain tax consequences. I was asked what investors...

The recent eye-popping gains in the stock market offered a rare bit of sunshine in the middle of a worldwide economic tsunami. But institutional money managers are cautioning investors into reading too much into the rally. "We are still in a long-term bear market . . . not the beginning of a...

Welcome to WalletPop's series "You've graduated. Now what?" Our bloggers have a wealth of suggestions to help you find you way through that time of amazing transformation, from student to working stiff. Previous: Decide where you'll spend the rest of your lifeNext: Make your own decisions Last...