Tax Efficiency
What it means; why it counts. The after-tax return vs. the pretax return. Everyone wants their investments to perform well. But for many investors it’s their after-tax return that may make all the difference. After
Unrealized Loss and Gain
What they are; why they matter. For many investors, it can be tempting to think of one's portfolio in terms of “gains” or “losses.” True, this is a central concept to understanding market behavior, but
Diversification, Patience, and Consistency
Three important factors when it comes to your financial life. Regardless of how the markets may perform, consider making the following part of your investment philosophy: Diversification. The saying “don’t put all your eggs in
Ten Years, Tremendous Gains
A look at where stocks were in 2009 and how they have performed since. Where were you on March 9, 2009? Do you remember the headwinds hitting Wall Street then? When the closing bell rang
Actively Managed 401(k)s
An option that may help your retirement efforts. How should your 401(k) be invested? While some investors manage their 401(k)s themselves, others may seek a different kind of “hands-on” approach: having their retirement plan assets
Keep Calm, Stay Invested
Expect more volatility, but avoid letting the headlines alter your plans. Recent headlines have disturbed what was an unusually calm stock market. The political uproar in Washington may continue for weeks or months, and it
What Will the Election Do to the Market?
Wall Street has had a rather calm summer. How about fall? Will volatility increase before and after Election Day? So far, the market is performing roughly in line with historical patterns. In 19 of the
Keeping All This Volatility in Perspective
Fall might be anything but calm on Wall Street. Volatility is back, in a big way: the CBOE VIX has risen more than 105% since the end of July. Additionally, 11 of the 15 trading
What Does the Devalued Yuan Mean for the U.S.?
China has surprised global investors by weakening the yuan almost 5%. Its central bank may even weaken it further.1,5 Why did the PRC make this move? Its long-booming economy is in a slump. Most notably,