How to Calculate Return on Investment

Posted by Don on January 9, 2014

Many people use the return on investment calculation to determine how well their investments are performing. The benefit of the return on investment (ROI) calculation is that it is very simple to understand and to complete. It is also beneficial because it gives meaning when someone tells you they earned $5,000 on an investment. But […]

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What is the Rule of 72?

Posted by Don on October 16, 2013

Have you heard of the Rule of 72? No it’s not something related to Breaking Bad. It’s a math formula. Before you go running from this page, hear me out. I’ll do my best to make this math lesson as easy and enjoyable as possible. What is the Rule of 72? At its core, the […]

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It’s Time to Get Serious About Mutual Fund Fees

Posted by Adrienne on August 15, 2013

Do you know how much you’re paying in fees for your investments? 1%? 2%? It may seem like such a small percentage that you ignore it. Even seemingly small percentages can have a big impact on your investment returns. Here is why you should pay attention to investment fund fees. Mutual Fund Fees What are […]

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Pop Quiz: How Does Volatility Impact Your Returns?

Posted by Don on August 13, 2013

I want to explain to you the impact volatility has on investments. If you are unfamiliar with the term volatility, it can be defined as the fluctuation of value of the underlying asset. A government bond fund is not very volatile. Its price does not swing wildly from one day to the next. On the […]

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Why Do People Invest in Gold?

Posted by Don on July 23, 2013

Gold has plummeted close to 30% in value. Gold was once valued at over $1,700 an ounce but now is sitting at around $1,200 an ounce (as of last week; see the current gold price for today’s gold rate). So what’s the deal with gold? Why do people invest in it and what’s up with […]

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Should You Reinvest Dividends?

Posted by Don on June 20, 2013

Every quarter some of my stocks pay dividends. Depending on the various mutual funds I own, I receive a dividend from them either quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. I have all of these dividends set to reinvest back into the funds they came from. Why? Because by reinvesting the dividends, I increase the return of those […]

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3 Steps to Successful Investing

Posted by Don on May 9, 2013

It’s all over the news about how the stock market is now trading at all-time highs. For many investors, your portfolios should now be worth more than they were back in 2007 before the financial crisis hit. I say should for two reasons, the first being this assumes you actually stayed invested in the market. […]

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I see stories in the newspapers and online about why the stock market wants President Obama to get reelected. I also see stories about why the stock market wants Mitt Romney to win the election. Theory tells us that the stock market will perform better when a Republican is sitting in the White House. This […]

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Personal Capital Review

Posted by Kate on August 15, 2012

If you’re looking for an online service to keep track of your finances in one place, it might be worth considering Personal Capital. I recently opened an account to check out Personal Capital and see how well it works. Personal Capital Review Personal Capital is a free service that puts all of your financial information […]

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Are You Still Using Lending Club?

Posted by Jill on July 19, 2012

It’s been awhile since we’ve done a Lending Club update. If you’re not familiar, Lending Club is a peer-to-peer lending service. Regular people like you and me can use the site to borrow and lend money without using a bank. To run the service, Lending Club charges each party a small fee. But in general, […]

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