Tag: fees

November 27, 2019

I Ran A Marathon! Also, Here’s How to Read a Prospectus

I ran the Philly Marathon this past Sunday! It was my first, and I definitely didn’t run it fast, but I finished. I wasn’t a fan of the rain and snow at the end though. Anyway, back to business…

Many investors that I speak with have their savings invested in a combination of mutual funds. Usually, owned through tax-advantaged accounts like 401k’s and IRAs. This is a good way to invest, although I often notice investors don’t know what fees they are paying. This is an intentional feature of the mutual fund market, unfortunately. Mutual fund providers must provide certain cost information in a prospectus, but many providers intentionally make this information inaccessible.

May 4, 2019

401k Selection: Focus on These Two Things

401k investments are often the entry point for young investors into the market. There are a lot of factors that can and should influence an investor’s strategy for 401k selection, but the two most important decisions are:

Should I invest in a Roth 401k or a Traditional 401k?
What types of assets should I pick within it?

tablet and printed sheets of investment analysis for 401k selection

This article was originally published May 4, 2019 and was updated on September 5, 2022.

November 18, 2017

Personal Finance Basics

The past 50 years have seen incredible advances in investment accessibility for average Americans. With the development of simple indexed mutual funds in the 1970s, average investors gained access to the equity and bond markets that had traditionally only been open to wealthy families and institutions. Further innovations such as ETFs, retirement savings vehicles, and online banking opened the gates even wider. Today, average investors by and large play on a level field with even the wealthiest among us. Yet, because of poor personal finance management, many middle and working class families are missing out on their full retirement potential.

Continue reading “Personal Finance Basics”