Investing
Richard Sharrocks/Getty Images TIPS — short for Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities — are a kind of U.S. government bond that can help safeguard your wealth from inflation. TIPS are indexed to inflation, so as prices rise, your investment principal increases, protecting any investment you’ve made in the bonds. With inflation still…
If you’ve opened a Roth IRA, you’ve already laid the foundation for one of the most important parts of your life: putting money away for your post-working years. However, opening a Roth IRA is only the first step to a smart retirement saving strategy. Optimizing your Roth IRA to its…
Hero Images Inc/Getty Images Key takeaways Many Americans have 401(k) plans through their employers, and some of them will be able to manage the account themselves. However, for those who are uncomfortable making investment decisions, working with a financial advisor can provide peace of mind. The main disadvantage of hiring…
Gainbridge, a direct-to-consumer annuity provider, offers different annuity products designed to cater to different needs. Gainbridge aims to make these complex financial products more accessible to everyday investors while taking a digital-first approach on a small slate of offerings. If you’re looking for a wider range of annuity options, take…
Shannon Fagan/Getty Images Key takeaways Decide on your investing goals — for example, whether you’re saving for retirement, a big purchase or a child’s education. Determine whether these are short-, medium- or long-term goals and choose investments with the right time horizons. Conduct regular reviews to keep your goals and…
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer tons of advantages for beginning investors (and intermediate and advanced ones, too). ETFs can provide attractive returns, and investors don’t need extensive knowledge to find funds that are poised to deliver attractive returns for decades. But which ETFs should beginning investors consider buying, and how should they…
Key takeaways Financial advisors are not all regulated in the same way. Investment advisors have different regulatory standards to meet than financial planners, insurance agents and registered financial professionals. Some financial advisors are fiduciaries, which means that they are legally required to put their clients’ interests first. But others are…
Key takeaways Opening and funding a brokerage account is the first step to buying stocks online. Do some research to understand the companies whose stocks you are buying. Buying stocks online is safe if you’re using a reputable broker, and it doesn’t require much money to get started. The stock…
Key takeaways There are many ways to get free financial advice from a variety of sources. It may be possible to see a financial advisor for free or at a reduced cost. For more complex financial planning issues, such as estate planning or starting a business, it may be worth…
Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images When it comes to investing in stocks or other securities that pay out dividends, there are two types of dividends you may receive: ordinary dividends and qualified dividends. Qualified dividends receive favorable tax treatment and are taxed at a lower capital gains rate than ordinary dividends. What…
