Articles

Forefield2 PRINT Businesses sell shares of stock to investors as a way to raise money to finance expansion, pay off debt, and provide operating capital. Each share of stock represents a proportional share of ownership in the company. As a stockholder, you share in a portion of any profits and growth of the company. Dividends…

Forefield2 PRINT Why do so many people never obtain the financial independence that they desire? Often it’s because they just don’t take that first step–getting started. Besides procrastination, other excuses that people make are that investing is too risky, too complicated, too time consuming, and only for the rich. The fact is, there’s nothing complicated…

Forefield2 PRINT 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…

by James E. McWhinney, Investopedia2 PRINT One of the primary reasons for the popularity of international investing can be summed up in one word: diversification. Foreign markets provide access to a considerable number of investment opportunities, such as emerging markets and specialized regional economies. In fact, although the United States is the world’s largest stock…

by Glenn Curtis, Investopedia2 PRINT Are you thinking about investing in a mutual fund, but aren’t sure how to go about it or which one is the most appropriate based on your needs? You’re not alone. However, what you may not know is that the selection process is much easier than you think. Read on…

by Jim Mueller, Investopedia2 PRINT So you’ve decided to invest in the stock market. Congratulations! In his 2005 book “The Future for Investors,” Jeremy Siegel showed that, in the long run, investing in stocks has handily outperformed investing in bonds, Treasury bills, gold or cash. In the short term, one or another asset may outperform…

OIC2 PRINT Introduction Options are financial instruments that can provide you with the flexibility you need in almost any investment situation you might encounter. Options give you options by giving you the ability to tailor your position to your own situation. You can protect stock holdings from a decline in market price. You can increase…

Investopedia2 PRINT Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a type of financial instrument whose unique advantages over mutual funds have caught the eye of many an investor. If you find the tasks of analyzing and picking stocks a little daunting, ETFs may be right for you. In this article we define ETFs, highlight their advantages, and list…

Morningstar2 PRINT 1. They don’t demand large up-front investments. If you had just $1,000 to invest, it would be difficult for you to assemble a varied basket of stocks or bonds on your own. For example, with $1,000, you could buy one share of stock from the largest U.S. company, then one from the next…

Mark Miller, Morningstar2 PRINT The bipartisan budget deal signed into law last week by President Obama jolted some near-retirement couples–and the retirement-planning world–by closing a loophole in Social Security law that a growing number of married couples were using to substantially increase their benefits. The law makes changes in two Social Security claiming maneuvers–“file-and-suspend” and…