19 articles in this subtopic.
Lump sum investing beats dollar-cost averaging about two-thirds of the time. Learn when each strategy makes sense and how to decide for your own windfall.
Federal Reserve rate changes move bond prices, stock valuations, and cash yields through four transmission channels. Learn how to position your portfolio for hi…
The efficient frontier shows which stock-bond allocations maximize return for every level of risk. This guide walks through building a two-asset frontier with r…
Tax drag in taxable accounts compounds against you, costing 25-40% of terminal wealth over 30 years. Learn how IRAs and 401(k)s eliminate annual tax friction to…
A 60/40 stock-bond portfolio captures 85% of pure equity returns with 40% less volatility. Learn why diversification across asset classes is the key to staying …
A plain-language glossary of 25 foundational investing terms — from asset allocation to yield — designed as a bookmarkable quick-reference for new investors.
US brokerages are regulated by the SEC, FINRA, and state agencies. Learn how SIPC protection and net capital rules safeguard your accounts.
Real returns subtract inflation from nominal gains to reveal actual purchasing power growth. Learn the formulas, see historical data for stocks and bonds since …
TIPS and I Bonds protect your purchasing power by adjusting with inflation. Learn how each instrument works and when to use them.
Correlation measures how portfolio assets move together or apart, determining whether your diversification actually works. Learn how inflation regimes flip stoc…
Holding cash beyond a 3-6 month emergency fund costs you far more than you think. Over 30 years, the 7-percentage-point return gap between stocks and cash turns…
Standard deviation quantifies how widely investment returns scatter around their average. Learn to interpret volatility benchmarks for stocks, bonds, and portfo…
Financial news is designed to drive engagement, not inform investment decisions. Learn to identify common manipulation patterns, evaluate source credibility, an…
Risk premiums are the extra return investors earn for bearing uncertainty. Learn the historical equity, credit, term, and liquidity premiums across US asset cla…
Inflation compounds silently against cash savings, eroding more than half your purchasing power over 30 years at just 3% annually. Learn to measure real returns…
Before opening a brokerage account, build 3-6 months of emergency savings and pay off high-interest debt above 8% APR. Then choose a low-cost, SIPC-member broke…
Most US households hold too much cash, missing decades of compound equity returns. Historical data shows why systematic investing through tax-advantaged account…
Learn how the time value of money works through Treasury bond examples, present and future value formulas, and real-world applications in retirement planning an…
Stock returns swing from +20% in early-cycle expansions to -15% in recessions. Learn how the four business cycle phases affect your portfolio and why discipline…
