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investing
Using 'brokerage window' to expand 401(k) options
Do you trust your investment prowess enough to put your 401(k) plan on the line? Don Uphouse, chief finance officer of Active Minerals International in Sparks, Md., does. The 59-year-old uses his company’s brokerage window as a way to save and invest for retirement. “I’m a seasoned investor, and I enjoy picking my own stocks,”…
Read MoreAll about IRAs
An individual retirement arrangement (IRA) is a personal retirement savings plan that offers specific tax benefits. In fact, IRAs are one of the most powerful retirement savings tools available to you. Even if you’re contributing to a 401(k) or other plan at work, you should also consider investing in an IRA. What types of IRAs…
Read MoreHolding Equities for the Long Term: Time Versus Timing
Legendary investor Warren Buffett is famous for his long-term perspective. He has said that he likes to make investments he would be comfortable holding even if the market shut down for 10 years. Investing with an eye to the long term is particularly important with stocks. Historically, equities have typically outperformed bonds, cash, and inflation,…
Read MoreMonitoring Your Portfolio
You probably already know you need to monitor your investment portfolio and update it periodically. Even if you’ve chosen an asset allocation, market forces may quickly begin to tweak it. For example, if stock prices go up, you may eventually find yourself with a greater percentage of stocks in your portfolio than you want. If…
Read MoreShould You Pay Off Your Mortgage or Invest?
Owning a home outright is a dream that many Americans share. Having a mortgage can be a huge burden, and paying it off may be the first item on your financial to-do list. But competing with the desire to own your home free and clear is your need to invest for retirement, your child’s college…
Read MoreSaving for College
There’s no denying the benefits of a college education: the ability to compete in today’s competitive job market, increased earning power, and expanded horizons. But these advantages come at a price–college is expensive. And yet, year after year, thousands of students graduate from college. So, how do they do it? Many families finance a college…
Read MoreDollar Cost Averaging
If you haven’t started investing towards a long-term goal because you’re worried about short-term market volatility, consider using a popular investment strategy called dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging takes some of the guesswork out of investing in the stock market. Instead of waiting to invest a single lump sum until you feel prices…
Read MoreBonds, Interest Rates, and the Impact of Inflation
There are two fundamental ways that you can profit from owning bonds: from the interest that bonds pay, or from any increase in the bond’s price. Many people who invest in bonds because they want a steady stream of income are surprised to learn that bond prices can fluctuate, just as they do with any…
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