Articles

By Alexis Kobin A majority of American adults die without writing down their most basic desires for what is to happen when they pass on, according to estate planners. I am 29, and the idea of writing a will seemed pointless at this stage, until the birth of my son. He’s been my catalyst for many changes, and thinking of what will happen to him when I die is one of them. Everyone should make some basic estate plans, regardless of your stage in life. When you put the work in ahead of time, it ensures that whatever life brings, you can influence the outcome, even if you’re not present when decisions need to be acted on. […]

By Isabelle Denton Just as it is important to be sure that you are allocated appropriately given market conditions and your risk tolerance, you need to know how your money will be passed to your heirs and that it is aligned with the rest of your estate plans. […]

You might think that the “long term” doesn’t apply anymore once you retire, but if you were to retire at 65, you still might have a 30-year investment career in front of you.

Asset allocation accounts for the bulk of the long-term performance of investment portfolios. For the same reason you don’t put all your eggs in the same basket, successful investors rely on an array of investments. As Marc Amateis explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO, mutual funds can help make it easier to diversify a portfolio. […]

By Bob Landaas April marks the fourth anniversary of the latest bull market. Those who aren’t bullish might feel sheepish to learn that the average bull market since World War II has been a little longer than four years. But bull markets don’t die of old age. They typically die because of speculative frenzy. They typically die from a rapidly growing economy. They typically die because of surging inflation. They typically die because the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates.

Rule of thumb: Keep three- to six months’ of living expenses saved in safe, accessible accounts.