Investing Articles
Practical explainers and guidance for investing decisions.
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Which Accounts Should You Tap First If You Retire Early?
Early retirement changes the usual withdrawal-order question. Before age 59 1/2, the best account to tap first depends on cash reserves, taxable accounts, Roth contribution access, 401(k) rules, the Rule of 55, 72(t), health insurance, taxes, and how long the bridge years need to last.
Investing
What Should You Keep in Cash Versus Bonds?
Cash and bonds both add stability to a plan, but they do different jobs. Cash protects near-term access, while bonds can support income, diversification, and longer-term portfolio balance.
Investing
Bond Funds vs. Individual Bonds: Which Should You Use?
Bond funds and individual bonds can both add fixed income to a portfolio, but they differ in maturity, diversification, liquidity, pricing, costs, taxes, and cash-flow control.
Investing
What Role Should Bonds Play in Your Portfolio?
Bonds can support income, diversification, stability, and rebalancing, but they still carry interest-rate, credit, inflation, liquidity, and call risk.
Investing
What Insider Selling Does and Does Not Tell You
Insider selling can be useful context, but it is not automatically a warning sign. Learn how to read insider sales, Form 4 filings, planned sales, ownership changes, and company fundamentals before buying or selling a stock.
Investing
Fundamental Analysis: What to Review Before Buying a Stock
Fundamental analysis helps you slow a stock idea down before you buy. Review the business model, financial statements, earnings quality, cash flow, debt, competition, valuation, dilution, and risks before deciding whether the stock deserves a place in your portfolio.
Investing
How to Read an Earnings Report Before Buying a Stock
An earnings report can tell you more than whether a company beat expectations. Learn how to read revenue, margins, EPS, cash flow, guidance, share count, and valuation before deciding whether a stock belongs in your portfolio.
Retirement
How to Turn Retirement Savings Into a Paycheck
Retirement income planning is the work of turning savings, Social Security, pensions, cash reserves, withdrawals, and possible annuity income into a paycheck that can last through changing markets and changing needs.
Retirement
Fixed, Indexed, and Variable Annuities: What Is the Difference?
Fixed, indexed, and variable annuities can all sit inside retirement planning, but they do very different jobs. The key differences are how growth is credited, who bears market risk, what fees and formulas apply, and whether the contract is mainly about accumulation, income, protection, or flexibility.
Retirement
How to Decide What Income Should Be Guaranteed in Retirement
Guaranteed retirement income can help cover essential expenses, reduce pressure on portfolio withdrawals, and protect against longevity risk. The right amount depends on Social Security, pensions, annuities, survivor needs, inflation, liquidity, and spending flexibility.
Retirement
Should You Use a Bucket Strategy in Retirement?
A bucket strategy can make retirement withdrawals easier to manage by separating near-term spending, intermediate reserves, and long-term growth. It can help with cash flow and behavior, but it is not a magic way to avoid market risk.
Retirement
How to Keep Retirement Income Flexible When Markets Fall
Market declines are harder in retirement because withdrawals may already be underway. A flexible retirement income plan uses cash reserves, spending guardrails, account sequencing, rebalancing, and an income floor so a downturn does not force rushed decisions.
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