Investing Basics
Investing in Municipal Bonds
Municipal bonds are often an ideal investment choice for clients who are nearing or in retirement. This article summarizes the salient characteristics of municipal bond investing that you’ll want to share with your clients.
College Planning 101
Studies show a college education can pay for itself over time, as the average college graduate earns more in a lifetime than the average high school graduate.
Investing for College
Higher education ranks among many investors' larger financial obligations. Fortunately, there are several investment options, many tax-advantaged, designed for those with college in their future.
Guide to Mutual Fund Investing
Insight on how mutual funds offer the potential for capital growth and income through investment performance, dividends and distributions under the guidance of a portfolio manager.
Investing With an Eye Toward Taxes
By incorporating a few tax-wise strategies alongside a well-thought-out financial plan, investors can potentially limit their tax liabilities and, in turn, enhance their long-term wealth.
Tax Issues in Mutual Funds
Mutual funds come with specific tax considerations that should be understood by both existing shareholders and those considering investment in a fund.
Fixed Income Investing
Fixed income securities offer a unique investment opportunity for investors seeking the potential for regular income streams, diversified portfolios and reduced risk. This article explores different types of bonds along with varied approaches to fixed income investing, each with their advantages and levels of risk.
Guide to Investing in Closed-End Funds
A look at how closed-end funds offer investors the potential for generating capital growth and income through investment performance, dividends and distributions, the manner in which they trade may present an investor with the opportunity to purchase shares at a discount to the value of the fund's assets.
A Look at Leverage
Leverage involves profiting from the normal spread between short-term and long-term interest rates by borrowing or issuing securities that typically pay higher rates of return. This article explores how some closed-end funds that focus principally on fixed income securities may employ leverage in order to enhance shareholder returns.
Understanding Discounts and Premiums
A key aspect of closed-end funds is the relationship between the market price of a given fund and its net asset value (NAV). Analyzing this relationship plays an important role in evaluating a closed-end fund's performance and can be a significant factor in an investor's decision to buy or sell a fund.
Understanding Duration
Duration is a key measurement in evaluating bonds and bond portfolios. Find out how duration can be used to help assess the appropriateness of a fixed income security within an overall portfolio.
Working with a Financial Professional
No doubt, for the financial do-it-yourselfer, there is an abundance of material on money matters in newspapers, online and on the street. But when it comes down to dollars and sense, those raw materials may be useless without the proper skills and tools for applying them. In many cases, a financial professional can mean the difference between a loosely constructed plan and a well-built financial foundation.
Asset Allocation: A Solid Investment Framework
The evolution and expansion of global capital markets over the years have left today's investors with an increasingly large number of baskets in which to place their financial eggs. An asset allocation strategy can be extremely valuable in helping investors sort through these opportunities and, ultimately, make sound investment decisions that are consistent with their financial goals.
Investors' Guide to the Mutual Fund Prospectus
While the task of reading a mutual fund prospectus can be daunting given its size and depth of information, it is among the most useful tools available to help determine which fund best meets your investment needs and objectives. Mutual fund prospectuses tend to follow a standard format. With a little practice — alongside this "how to" guide — you can quickly become adept in scanning this all-important document's critical features.
Growth and Value: Two Paths to Equity Investing
One of the most common distinctions drawn in the world of stock investing is that between growth and value. These labels are routinely applied to individual stocks, market sectors, indexes, investors and mutual funds.