What Risks Remain in the Financial System?
Author Zachary Karabell on risk-taking in the financial-services sector and the folly of trying to predict the next crisis.
Christine Benz
Christine Benz is Morningstar's director of personal finance and author of 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances and the Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success. Follow Christine on Twitter: @christine_benz.
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Should Spouses Obtain Separate Healthcare Insurance?
With more employers levying spousal surcharges, obtaining coverage on a single plan isn't necessarily the most cost-effective for dual-earning couples.
Zachary Karabell: Brown Brothers Harriman Is the Story of American Capitalism
Author Zachary Karabell discusses the firm's evolution and what made it different from many of its Wall Street counterparts.
Are Supply Chain Woes Abating?
Dhananjay Phadnis, a Fidelity portfolio manager who focuses on Asian equities, discusses what he's seeing on the ground.
Without the Backdoor, Aftertax IRA Contributions Don't Add Up
Better tax treatment, low yields argue for using a taxable account instead.
What Proposed Tax Changes May Mean for You
Here's a rundown of the provisions to keep on your radar.
Dhananjay Phadnis: 'ESG Investing Is Still at a Very Early Stage in Asia'
The Fidelity Sustainable Asian Equity manager talks investing amid turmoil in China, the state of the Asian supply chain, ESG’s role in the investment process, and more.
Your Financial To-Do List for October
Year-end is right around the corner; here’s what to focus on this month.
3 Simple Ways to Bump Up Your Savings Rate
Small changes do add up.
Tadas Viskanta: 'Retirement Is Such a Personal Decision'
The financial blogger and Ritholtz director of financial education discusses the interplay between portfolio consumption and annuitization.
Is Your Retirement Portfolio's Asset Allocation on Track?
The essential first step for retirement portfolio planning: finding the right stock/bond mix.
A Retirement Readiness Checklist
Determining if you're on track to retire can be more manageable if you break it into smaller steps.
An Investing Road Map for Pre-Retirees
The late 50s and early 60s are the perfect time for investors to embark on a savings sprint, assess the viability of their portfolio, and build out their stake in safer securities.
How to Create a Retirement Policy Statement
Use our template to document your retirement assets, strategy, and spending system.
How to Create an Investment Policy Statement
An IPS helps transition your investment collection to an investment plan.
An Investing Road Map for Retirees
For people in drawdown mode, tips on asset allocation, Social Security, annuities, withdrawal rates, and more.
How Do Your Financial Priorities Stack Up With Our Pyramid?
Make sure you're not geeking out about small-bore investment problems while giving short shrift to the game-changers.
It's Open Enrollment Season. Have You Taken a Good Look at an HSA?
For high-income investors who are maxing out other tax-sheltered accounts, the high-deductible healthcare plan/HSA combo is close to a no-brainer.
Tadas Viskanta: Luck Plays a Big Role in Investing
The financial blogger and Ritholtz director of investor education discusses direct indexing, retirement income, and his go-to resources for perspective on the markets and personal finance.
Retiring Early? What to Keep in Mind
Opting into the "Great Resignation" calls for mindful choices.
There's More to Investing Than Just Risk and Return
In praise of what can't be measured.
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox: 'You Can't Borrow for Your Retirement'
Parents shouldn't put themselves in financial jeopardy to pay for education, says this author and expert in college funding.
Can You Save Too Much in a Health Savings Account?
Even savers whose assets exceed their healthcare outlays have some escape hatches.
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox: 'There's a Huge Wealth Gap in America'
The author and financial expert discusses the racial wealth and homeownership gap, college debt, and how she paid off her own debt.
Pitfalls to Avoid in a Lofty Market
Very good markets can also lead you to make mistakes.
How to Incentivize People to Save for the Future
Professor Hal Hershfield on how to encourage investors to prioritize their future selves.
Having Your Retirement Cake and Slicing It, Too
How to get comfortable with portion control.
Paying for Long-Term Care
Many people have chosen to fund their own long-term care rather than relying on insurance. Carolyn McClanahan talks to Christine Benz about this trend.
Long-Term Care in a Post-Pandemic World
Carolyn McClanahan talks about the implications of the pandemic for long-term care.
Retirement Planning Is Complicated. Your Retirement Portfolio Shouldn't Be.
Four ideas for streamlining your holdings and reducing your oversight obligations.
Hal Hershfield: People Treat Their Future Self as if It’s Another Person
A researcher and psychology professor discusses the challenge of getting people to empathize with their future selves and the implications for financial and retirement planning.
The Key to an Enriching Retirement
Your nest egg can be unrewarding without a social outlet.
Is the Door Closing on Backdoor Roth IRAs?
The 'mega-backdoor Roth IRA' is on the chopping block, too, but neither is a done deal.
Can Money Buy a Longer Life?
A noted researcher discusses the factors that contribute to--and detract from--longevity.
What High(ish) Equity Valuations Mean for Your Retirement Plan
All the consternation is around low bond yields, but high equity prices are also worth troubleshooting.
Laura Carstensen: 'I'm Suggesting We Change the Way We Work'
Americans don't just need to work longer, they need to work differently, according to a noted longevity researcher.
There's No Magic Number for Self-Funding Long-Term Care
A single asset threshold seems appealing, but it may provide a false sense of security.
Do U.S. Stocks Merit Higher Valuations?
Meb Faber, the CIO of Cambria Investments, doesn't think so.
Retirement Planning When You Have Enough
Not every retiree needs to gun for higher returns, but a conservative portfolio can court its own risks.
Meb Faber: 'To Be a Good Investor, You Have to Be a Good Loser'
The author, podcast host, and CIO of Cambria Investment Management discusses current market valuations, trend-following, and how history can make you a better investor.
For Retirement Portfolios, 'Immunize Then Optimize'
Author and investing expert Michael Falk discusses how covering baseline expenses is job one of any retirement plan.
How Do You 'Optimize' a Portfolio for the Real World?
Psychologist and author Daniel Crosby argues that portfolios that factor in how people behave are better than ones perfected on a spreadsheet.
The Language of Long-Term Care
Navigating the care maze can be overwhelming; understanding the lingo can help.
Crafting a Plan for Long-Term Care
Tackling this topic is tricky for your September to-do list but necessary.
Daniel Crosby: 'If You're Excited About It, It's Probably a Bad Idea'
The psychologist and author discusses making big financial decisions in times of emotional extremes, how risk-taking can affect asset allocation, and his thoughts on just-in-time education.
How Stretch IRA Tactics Have Tightened
Tax expert Ed Slott discusses the new rule for inherited IRAs.
An Estate-Planning Checklist
'Estate planning' evokes complexity and high costs. What you need to know to get it done.
Tips for Late-Start Retirement Savers
Working longer can’t be the only part of your plan.
Don't Neglect the Softer Side of Your Estate Plan
Document and share your wishes for end-of-life care, the care of your pets, the disposition of your tangible assets, and more.
Michael Falk: 'Retirement Planning Can Be Done More Simply'
The author and financial expert discusses what target-date funds get wrong, how investors should navigate the low-yield environment, and whether active management can add value.