The good news regarding mutual and exchange-traded fund fees? Last year saw the biggest one-year decline in fees and several major fund companies have been competitively lowering their fees (with one now even offering index funds without any management fees). The bad news, according to today’s article, “is that many investors don’t realize how much they’re paying in fund fees…
The author of today’s article argues that the investments in your retirement account are likely not as diversified as they should be. Rather than the traditional approach to diversification (a mix of stocks, bonds and mutual funds), the author advocates “extended diversification”, which “requires a different set of resources than the traditional investment approach.” For more on how you can…
There are over 8,000 mutual funds and the average participant in a workplace retirement plan has 28 investment options to choose from. However, the author of today’s article advises that “you can create a smart, diversified portfolio with just a handful of mutual funds” – and she proceeds to highlight some model “lazy portfolios” to do just that. To learn…
While the primary casualty of the fiduciary rule – which began to take effect in June – is intended to be conflicts of interest on the part of financial advisers when it comes to their clients’ retirement accounts, today’s article identifies another potential casualty of the rule: the number of mutual funds offered by brokerage firms as they seek to…
One of the macro-level changes in the investment landscape has been the large-scale shift by investors into indexes and ETFs (and away from stocks and mutual funds) – a shift that the author of today’s article sees as being based on misplaced beliefs, and one that he warns will cost those investors – especially younger investors – in the long…
In this case a race to the bottom is a good thing: In an effort to attract new customers and increase market share in an extremely competitive business, mutual fund companies are battling it out for who can offer the lowest-cost ETF – and the resultant rock-bottom fees are great news for retirement savers. The author of today’s article highlights…
They’re not likely to help you become rich, but they can help you maintain your purchasing power. Today’s article provides an examination of TIPS (treasury inflation-protected securities), a form of U.S. Treasury bond which serves as an investment option for those who are worried about their money losing its purchasing power due to inflation (such as investors who are in…
There have been a mounting number of class-action lawsuits of late over the retirement savings plans offered by corporations and institutions such as universities. Against this backdrop, today’s article examines some of the main allegations at the heart of many of these lawsuits, thus identifying ways in which plan sponsors can shortchange retirement savers in general. From excessive fees, to…
“Even if you were an incredibly well-informed investor and paid a great deal of attention, it’s very hard to succeed in this system.” This is the assessment of law professor William A. Birdthistle, who has penned a new book on the perceived failures of the United States’ do-it-yourself retirement system, specifically mutual funds and 401(k)s. To read what Birdthistle sees…