Invest & Retire

“Investing can seem so complicated that you might shut down and do nothing about it — or feel you need to hire someone to guide you. However, it doesn’t need to be complex. You probably already have the opportunity to get started right where you work.”

Essentials

Latest Investing & Retirement

Don’t Make These 7 Common Retirement Mistakes
Don’t Make These 7 Common Retirement Mistakes Investing & Retirement October 4th, 2022
Financial planning and investing aren't rocket science. It's first and foremost about discipline. You set some goals, determine what needs…
What Is the Best Way To Withdraw Money in Retirement?
What Is the Best Way To Withdraw Money in Retirement? Investing & Retirement September 29th, 2022
LOTS OF RESEARCHhas been done on the best way to generate retirement income. It’s one of the most popular topics…
9 Things To Do Before You Quit Your Job and Retire
9 Things To Do Before You Quit Your Job and Retire Investing & Retirement September 10th, 2022
IMAGINE YOU PLANto retire next year. What can you do beforehand to gain the most later on? Here are some…
When Is the Best Time To Collect Social Security?
When Is the Best Time To Collect Social Security? Investing & Retirement September 5th, 2022
Have you heard of the Stanford marshmallow experiment? Researchers gave children one marshmallow. They promised a second marshmallow if the…
piggy bank money
Is a 3% CD Worth It Right Now? Investing & Retirement August 26th, 2022
As the U.S. economy continues to try to ease inflation, money expert Clark Howard says a notable rise in interest…
What is an annuity? A contract between you and an insurance company designed to provide you steady income in retirement.
What Is an Annuity, and Why Does Clark Think They Stink? Insurance August 9th, 2022
Money expert Clark Howard is passionate about many financial topics. But it's hard to find something that gets him more…
Immediate Payout Annuity: What Is It and Do You Need It?
Immediate Payout Annuity: What Is It and Do You Need It? Investing & Retirement August 5th, 2022
Depending on who you're around, sometimes you have to watch your words. I'm not talking about avoiding certain four-letter words…
Should You Sell or Stay in the Stock Market if You Are Retired or Retiring Soon?
Should You Sell or Stay in the Stock Market if You Are Retired or Retiring Soon? Investing & Retirement July 25th, 2022
Whether you celebrated this year's arrival of a bear market or felt pain largely depends on how close you are…
What Is a Bear Market?
What Is a Bear Market? Investing & Retirement July 14th, 2022
The words themselves sound ominous -- if not scary: "bear market." The S&P 500 entered a bear market in June,…
Real Estate Investing: What To Know BEFORE You Start
Real Estate Investing: What To Know BEFORE You Start Homes & Real Estate July 1st, 2022
You've decided to invest in real estate. Now what? Real estate has been a hot commodity of late, generating some…
Clark Howard revisits his crypto predictions and takes after the onset of 'Crypto Winter.'
What Clark Howard Thinks of ‘Crypto Winter’ After Big Crash Investing & Retirement June 27th, 2022
If you think the S&P 500 decline has been brutal, check out some of the devastating crashes that have taken…
investment fees
What Fee Percentage Is Too High for Your Investments? Investing & Retirement June 20th, 2022
It's easy to focus on your investment choices and your returns. But tax implications and investment fees can have an…
12 Horrible Investment Mistakes
12 Horrible Investment Mistakes Investing & Retirement June 8th, 2022
WANT TO IMPROVEyour investment results? The deadly sins below are not only among the most serious financial transgressions, but also…
The best stock trading and investment apps in 2021 are free and offer the opportunity to invest in many different asset classes.
6 Best Stock Trading & Investment Apps in 2022 Investing & Retirement June 3rd, 2022
The best stock trading apps allow you to buy and sell a variety of investments for free right from your…
Thrift Savings Plan
What Is a Thrift Savings Plan? Investing & Retirement May 26th, 2022
What is a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and how is it different than a 401(k) or IRA? To start, money…
interest rate impact
11 Ways Interest Rate Hikes Will Impact Your Wallet Banks & Banking May 26th, 2022
With the Federal Reserve eager to tamp down inflation, the period of historically low interest rates in the United States…
Should Retirees Be Nervous About the Stock Market Right Now?
Should Retirees Be Nervous About the Stock Market Right Now? Investing & Retirement May 10th, 2022
EVERY MARKET DECLINEis different, but all of them can feel unnerving, even for the most steadfast of investors. Spooked by…
Is a recession coming in the United States?
Is a Recession Coming to the United States in 2022? Investing & Retirement May 6th, 2022
It's possible that we're headed for a recession in the United States right now. However, that may not mean what…
Traditional vs. Roth: A Quick Answer for Your Investments
Traditional vs. Roth: A Quick Answer for Your Investments Investing & Retirement May 5th, 2022
Choosing between a traditional and Roth 401(k) or IRA means sifting through a number of variables. But if you have…
You can buy treasury bonds just like countries, Wall Street firms and wealthy individuals.
Buy U.S. Treasury Bonds: A Conservative Way To Beat Your Savings Account Investing & Retirement May 3rd, 2022
If you're a saver, you've been punished for years with terrible interest rates on your savings account, CDs or money…
What Is a Spousal IRA and What Are the Rules?
What Is a Spousal IRA and What Are the Rules? Investing & Retirement April 13th, 2022
Did you know you can put aside thousands of dollars toward retirement each year through a spousal IRA even if…
Why You Should Never Invest With a Bank
Why You Should Never Invest With a Bank Investing & Retirement March 16th, 2022
Earning interest on loans and charging fees for things such as overdrafts aren't the only way that banks make money.…
Best Investments in 2022: Risks and Rewards for Popular Investment Choices
Best Investments in 2022: Risks and Rewards for Popular Investment Choices Investing & Retirement March 7th, 2022
Having money beyond your day-to-day needs is great. It means that you can save and invest. It also means that…
When Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Instead of Investing?
When Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Instead of Investing? Investing & Retirement February 28th, 2022
Should you pay down your mortgage beyond the minimum or invest instead? If you're among the 85 million American individuals…
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Use a 529 Plan
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Use a 529 Plan Children & Pets February 25th, 2022
It's a natural inclination for parents to start thinking about a child's education as soon as their baby is born.…
StockSelloff (2)
Should You Sell or Stay Put in the Stock Market? Investing & Retirement February 24th, 2022
The stock market is incredibly difficult to predict in the short term. The market will decline on plenty of days,…
Why This Retiree Isn’t Afraid To Spend Money
Why This Retiree Isn’t Afraid To Spend Money Investing & Retirement February 18th, 2022
THE DRUMBEATof “retirement crisis” is much too loud. While 54% of retirees believe there’s a national retirement crisis, just 4%describetheir…
Should You Fund Your IRA at Once or Steadily Contribute Throughout the Year?
Should You Fund Your IRA at Once or Steadily Contribute Throughout the Year? Investing & Retirement January 31st, 2022
Saving for your retirement through one of the tax-advantaged tools available in the United States offers you a major financial…
Why a Financial Analyst Switched to a “Do-Nothing” Investment Strategy
Why a Financial Analyst Switched to a “Do-Nothing” Investment Strategy Investing & Retirement January 28th, 2022
I ONCE JOINEDa book club led by an amazingly smart guy. We were reading a challenging book by Nassim NicholasTaleb,…
There’s Still Time To Contribute To Your IRA for 2021
There’s Still Time To Contribute To Your IRA for 2021 Investing & Retirement January 27th, 2022
There's still time to contribute to your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for 2021. The tax year ended on Dec. 31,…