One of the most attractive features of an annuity is its tax-deferred status. Generally, you won’t pay any income tax on the interest or earnings

A bond ladder is a strategy involving the purchase of bonds that have staggering maturity dates. Instead of maturing all at once, the bonds mature

Common stock and preferred stock are the two main types of stocks that are sold by companies and traded among investors on the open market.

When considering the profit they make on stocks, many investors assess the gains they have obtained based on the appreciation of the stock on the

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are just one of the many types of investment funds available, but they have some qualities that are unique and set them

Investors are often confused about the differences between growth stocks and value stocks. The main way in which they differ is not in how they

Many people have heard the Benjamin Franklin quote, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Mutual fund taxes can be onerous. However,

Most people know something about the stock market, but many investors who see stock as a way to get rich quick might not understand exactly

Zero-coupon bonds (“zeros”) represent a type of bond that does not pay interest during the life of the bond. Instead, investors buy these bonds at

Virtually every investment has some type of risk associated with it. The stock market rises and falls. An increase in interest rates can cause a

Bonds are issued by federal, state, and local governments; agencies of the U.S. government; and corporations. There are three basic types of bonds: U.S. Treasury,

When you invest in bonds, you are investing in the debt of a government entity or a corporation. A bond is simply evidence of a

Bond ratings gauge a bond issuer’s financial ability to repay its promised principal and interest payments. Ratings are based on an analysis of the issuer’s

In 1884, Charles Henry Dow averaged the closing prices of 11 stocks he considered representative of the strength of the U.S. economy in a paper

Whether you’re a first-time stock investor or a seasoned veteran, you should understand what differentiates single stock investments from mutual fund investing. Picture a collection

Since the creation of the first modern-day mutual fund, the Massachusetts Investors Trust, in 1924, there has been a steady growth of mutual funds. Today

Closed-end funds have been around since 1893, more than 30 years before the first mutual fund (also known as an open-end fund) was created in

Mutual fund transactions can be complicated, especially with the fees and expenses that accompany the process. It’s important to understand mutual fund loads, or sales

An annuity is a contract with an insurance company that is funded by the purchaser and designed to generate an income stream in retirement. It

An annuity is a contract with an insurance company in which you make one or more payments in exchange for a future income stream in

Taken by itself, the word “risk” sounds negative. But broken down into what it really stands for in terms of investing, it begins to be

When it comes to investing their money, many people are content to take a random approach. They may have received a hot tip for a

Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” This

Once you’ve determined how much it could cost to send your children to college, your next prudent step is to develop a systematic investment plan

As tax laws change, college investment planning becomes increasingly complex. The most beneficial strategies for creating a college fund are quite similar to other investment

Many prudent investors may have at least some of their holdings in stocks, corporate bonds, or both. In fact, when most people think of “investing,”

Every investor dreams of buying into the market at a low point, just before it hits an upswing, and garnering a large profit from selling

Looking for a tax-advantaged college savings plan that has no age restrictions and no income phaseout limits — and one you can use to pay