Investments Resources

As the end of the year rolls around, if you have not already done so, now is the time to plan for contributions into your retirement accounts in 2015. While Traditional IRA and Roth IRA plan limits are unchanged versus 2014, please note the contribution increases in 401(k), 403(b), 457 and SIMPLE IRAs.

It's one of the most important—maybe even the most important question—in the fund world. It is possible for investors to reach their financial goals using either approach, or by blending the two. Using an all-index portfolio is generally a low-cost, low-maintenance way to go. On the other hand, investors can also buy and hold active funds; the key is doing their homework and having the…

Plenty of people who pass away or become debilitated leave their spouses with overly complicated financial plans, too little information, and no clear instructions about where to turn for help. Below are some of the key ways to make sure that doesn't happen to your family.

1) Start the Conversation. Even if your spouse is happily hands-off, it's important that he or she is looped in on…

Even people who think they've ticked off all of the usual boxes on their estate-planning to-do lists may have overlooked an increasingly important component of the process: ensuring the proper management and orderly transfer of their digital assets. Just as traditional estate-planning relates to the management and transfer of financial accounts and hard assets, digital estate-planning…

Given that the U.S. Federal Reserve is stepping back some of its maneuvers to keep interest rates low, interest rates are expected to increase to more normal levels. Normal means that interest rates are generally dictated by the rate of inflation plus a spread. In the case of the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond, the spread has averaged about 2.4%, though that level has been quite volatile. If one…

The market turmoil of 2008 has caused panicked investors to flee to safety, from stocks and mutual funds to risk-free investments like Treasuries and savings accounts. However, a risk-free portfolio might carry a high price. With their low returns and limited growth potential, some fixed-income investments may leave investors with little return after inflation. Further, by dumping stocks and…

Outlining an investment plan can be challenging: Today, individuals are responsible for building their own retirement accounts. This is a dramatic change from the past generation, who relied heavily on defined-benefit pension plans, which guaranteed income for life following retirement. Investors are faced with the challenge of making decisions on how much to save each month, how to allocate…

There’s a reason that investors tend to only hear about “looming” market doom or “imminent” market growth. While many news outlets have incentive to draw viewer attention with wildly bullish or bearish predictions, these sensationalized views may be a distraction to a sound investment approach. When tempted to make a radical change to your investment portfolio based on these headlines, it is…

Mutual fund investors' tax bills have been on the rise again recently. The average capital gains distribution (a payment to shareholders of profits realized on the sale of a fund’s securities) for U.S. equity funds based on data as of April 2014 is 19.3% of assets, compared with, for example, 6.9% back in 2007. These recent distributions are among the largest seen since the start of the…

Letting money sit tight in an old 401(k) plan is the path of least resistance, which is why many participants let their assets sit in the plans of former employers. This, of course, may be better than cashing the money out and spending it. Investors younger than 55 pay ordinary income taxes and a penalty on any premature distributions, which can diminish a 401(k) balance considerably. But…