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Short-term investments are generally defined as investments that pay off in less than five years (sometimes even less time, perhaps within a year). Whereas long-term investments are generally made with the goal of building overall wealth and preparing for retirement, short-term investments typically are made to build wealth quickly. Often, an investor wants to prepare for a specific goal, such as paying for college or buying a new home. Most successful portfolios will contain a mix of short-term and long-term investments. With that in mind, here are some of the best short-term investment options for investors who want returns sooner than later. Read More...
Investing in the stock market has been a great way to build long-term wealth for almost as long as the United States has been a country. And as retirements continue to increase with people’s lifespans, it’s becoming more and more important to protect your savings from inflation by earning a steady return. Thankfully, investing has never been more accessible than it is today. The proliferation of online investment platforms and robo-advisors has greatly increased the options for those looking to make their first foray into investing. Should you use a financial advisor or go it alone? What’s the difference between a robo-advisor and an online brokerage account? And what sort of tax protection can a retirement account provide? Read More...
Both pensions and 401(k) plans have at one time held the distinction of most popular employer-sponsored retirement plan in the country. However, due to the much higher cost on employers, pensions are becoming less and less popular, especially for non-government employees. In their place, more employers are offering 401(ks). Typically employers will offer either a pension or a 401(k), but not both. So it’s unlikely you’ll ever have to choose between the two. However, odds are that you or someone close to you will enroll in one of these plans at some point in your career, so it’s helpful to understand how they’re similar and how they differ. Read More...
When you leave a job where you had a 401(k) plan, you might choose to roll over that plan an individual retirement account (IRA). Such rollovers are fairly straightforward; the transfer of assets isn’t a taxable event, and your savings will continue to grow tax-deferred. But some might take this opportunity to roll over some or all of their funds to a Roth IRA instead. Read More...
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Data Articles and Studies
The fight for equal rights for working women remains an uphill battle. That’s one reason why about 3 million people around the world recently participated in women’s marches and thousands took part in demonstrations on International Women’s Day. An analysis from the Center of American Progress estimated that A Day Without a Woman could have cost the U.S. GDP $21 billion if every woman who worked outside the house went on strike. Read More...
Credit card complaints can be difficult to address. Sometimes credit card companies are hard to reach or it’s not clear who you should be complaining to. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, the federal government set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to help protect consumers. The CFPB government agency helps consumers address complaints they have with banks, credit unions, credit card companies, payday lenders and other financial companies. Read More...
Home is where the heart is, so the saying goes. For homeowners, their home is also where they probably invested a large chunk of their money. In some places homeownership has proved to be a worthwhile investment, as the home values skyrocket. But in other places, depressed home values and high property taxes may have made owning a home less worth it. Read More...
Videos
Patrice Washington says she is an accidental personal finance blogger. Regardless, it’s a role she seems born to play, and one she’s certainly making the most of! Patrice is now much more than a personal finance blogger, she is a personal finance educator, author and advocate. You can see, hear and read Patrice pretty much everywhere from the Steve Harvey TV and radio show to her own books on personal finance. We caught up with Patrice in New Orleans for this edition of SmartAsset Talks. Read More...
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