A survey that Bankrate conducted last year showed that only 20 percent of American adults have no financial regrets, while more than 70 percent of respondents said there were very specific mistakes that they wish they had not made. Among the respondents’ biggest regrets, the one cited most often was not starting retirement savings early… Continue Reading
One of the most critical yet confusing aspects of personal finance is saving for retirement. Individuals have a number of different options for saving, and it can become difficult to decide which avenue is the best. Many people do not even realize all the different options that exist and tend to stick primarily with the… Continue Reading
To buy and sell stocks, you need to hire a stockbroker. This individual acts as a middleman between investors and the stock market. Brokers act sort of like salesmen to facilitate a sale on behalf of a larger brokerage house, such as Charles Schwab or Merrill Lynch. Once brokers carry out a transaction, they typically… Continue Reading
The former president of DFC Global Corporation, Don Gayhardt serves as chief executive officer and president of CURO Financial Technologies Corp. Through CURO, Don Gayhardt provides short-term financial services to unbanked and underbanked individuals. He is also a member of the Community Financial Services Association of America board. Through these positions, he helps individuals reclaim… Continue Reading
In the United States, stocks remain the most popular risky asset class because they have the potential for a big payoff. However, because big rewards come with big risks, investing in stocks generates a great deal of anxiety. This means that people may face some serious adverse effects to their mental health when they decide… Continue Reading
Many investors rely on options to round out their portfolios. While options have traditionally been considered risky investments, investors who understand these risks can use them to accomplish a number of financial goals. As with futures, options can be used to hedge against declines in the market and to minimize losses, as well as to… Continue Reading
The typical investor’s portfolio consists of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, but other types of securities are available for increasing diversification. Many sophisticated investors rely on options to create new opportunities within their portfolios. Options are extremely versatile securities that can help investors shift their market position to hedge risk and even engage in speculative… Continue Reading
Most people think primarily of stocks when they consider what it means to invest money. For many people, however, investing in stocks seems overwhelming. The learning curve for purchasing stocks is indeed steep, and individuals still need to complete thorough due diligence for each purchase once they understand how exchanges work. Individuals should therefore avoid… Continue Reading
A popular type of mutual fund is the money market fund. Money market funds are designed to have low volatility by investing only in cash or cash-equivalent securities. Such investments usually have high credit quality and high liquidity. Typical money market fund investments include bankers’ acceptances, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, US Treasury securities, and… Continue Reading
When tasked with making their first stock purchase, the average person is often unsure about how to proceed. Even those who have done their homework to learn about the stock market and choose the best stocks for their purposes may not understand exactly how to perform the transaction. The following is a brief guide to… Continue Reading