7 Tips for Investing an Inheritance
Mull the tax consequences and the investment merits, and above all don't rush.
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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Your Financial Life Is Complicated; Your Portfolio Shouldn't Be
The more idiosyncratic your human and nonportfolio financial capital, the more 'vanilla' your portfolio should be.
Twin Terms That Can Trip Investors Up
These financial planning terms sound so similar--or are so similar conceptually--that they're ripe for misuse.
Time to Check Your Conservative Holdings
With the rally in growth stocks and high-yield bonds, investors should check their mix of riskier and more conservative assets, says Christine Benz.
Aftertax 401(k) vs. Taxable Account? Evaluating Options for High-Income Savers
Investors must weigh potential tax benefits against liquidity, other needs, when deciding where to steer extra contributions.
When's the Right Time to Take RMDs?
Where you go for required minimum distributions will usually have a bigger impact than when you go.
5 Steps to Take in Jittery Markets
Some investors have gotten complacent amid the equity runup, but it's a good time to revisit portfolio allocations.
A Better Way for Retirees to Give to Charity
IRA expert Ed Slott recommends investors with IRAs take advantage of qualified charitable distributions.
Choosing a Financial Advisor: An Investor's Checklist
Before you start researching advisors, ask yourself these five questions.
How to Decide Between a Roth or Traditional IRA
IRA expert Ed Slott says the two account types are really opposites, with the decision coming down to tax now or tax later.
A Primordial Take on Asset Allocation
To find the right use of all of your precious assets, take a step (way) back.
Options for Easing the Pain of RMDs
IRA expert Ed Slott shares a few workarounds for retirees who want to reduce their tax burden or the amount of their required minimum distributions.
Do's and Don'ts for Beneficiary Designations
What you need to know about IRAs and 401(k)s, taxable brokerage accounts, bank accounts, and more.
Advisors Need to Understand Wants, Wealth, and Well-Being
Wealth managers need to move from just being worried about beating the market to thinking about overall financial well-being, says Meir Statman.
What Happens to Your HSA in Retirement?
HSA-owning retirees need to think about asset allocation, sequence of withdrawals, and beneficiary designations.
Getting All of the Benefits of Retirement Spending
Professor Meir Statman says retirees need to figure out the utilitarian, emotional, and expressive benefits to their spending in retirement.
Why Not Dipping Into Principal Can Be Dangerous
Many investors would like to live on income alone, but that can lead to chasing yield and taking on too much risk, says professor Meir Statman.
The Why and How of Rebalancing
Reducing your portfolio's risk (and potentially enhancing its return) needn't be an arduous affair.
3 Investing Trends to Keep on Your Radar
We round up some of the most notable developments, from passives to robo-advice, and discuss their implications for investors.
Guard Against These 3 Nonfinancial Retirement Risks
Christine Benz offers ways to deal with excessive giving to adult children, long-term care expenses, and cognitive decline.
A Midyear Tax Audit for Your Portfolio
Future market returns may be muted. That makes 'small ball,' like tax-efficient investing, more important.
Trends and Takeaways From 2017's First Half
As you conduct a midyear portfolio review, a rundown of the key forces affecting its performance.
How to Raise Kids Who Are Financially Fit
Baird's Tim Steffen offers tips on allowance for young children, first paychecks, student loans, and more.
Tips for Investing at Every Life Stage
Best practices include knowing how much you'll need to save, controlling expenses, and resisting the urge to tinker too much.
How to Bridge a Retirement Shortfall
A combination of incremental, not revolutionary, changes can help bridge the gap.
How Health Savings Accounts Can Multitask
HSAs can help to cover immediate healthcare costs and can be valuable long-term investment vehicles, too, says Christine Benz.
Health-Savings Account: Spend or Invest?
Higher costs of investing in HSAs can eat into--but don't entirely erode--the tax-saving benefits of the accounts.
FAQs on HSAs
As the popularity of these accounts continues to rise, more people are digging into the details.
An Overlooked Vehicle for Retirement Savings
Health-savings accounts are the only triple tax-advantaged vehicle in the tax code.
3 Tricks for Getting the Most Out of Your HSA
Enjoy maximum tax savings while preserving flexibility.
How to Guard Against Retirement Threats
Job loss, the death of a spouse, and divorce can derail retirement, but a sound financial plan can help, says Baird's Tim Steffen.
How to Make the Most of Your 401(k)
Christine Benz suggests taking advantage of company matching, monitoring fees, and opting for simple solutions within your employer-provided retirement plan.
How to Create an Investment Policy Statement
Use this document to outline parameters for your portfolio and keep it in good shape as the years go by.
How to Develop Your Estate Plan
Choosing an attorney, designating helpful individuals, and drafting documents now can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
Why Your Investment Strategy Should Fit on an Index Card
Distilling your investment approach into a few sentences can further some important goals.
Investing Tips for New Grads
Morningstar's Christine Benz says graduates should start off with a good budget, balance loan repayment with investing, embrace risk capacity, and stay diverse.
4 Ways to De-Risk a Portfolio in Retirement
Christine Benz offers a few alternatives to lessen risk for investors who are concerned about bonds at low yields.
3 Ways to Find Money in Your Budget to Invest
Christine Benz suggests setting a savings target, adjusting that target as your salary increases, and automating your contributions.
Do You Have a Strategy for Volatility?
Christine Benz offers three strategies to employ amid volatile markets.
Christine Benz's Favorite Funds for Accumulators
Top equity, bond, and tax-efficient holdings from our Model Retirement Saver Portfolios for every life stage.
What We Know for Sure About In-Retirement Withdrawal Rates
You'll never be able to calibrate your withdrawal rate perfectly, but the body of research can point you in the right direction.
Key Questions to Ask When Choosing an Advisor
The delay of the fiduciary rule is a reminder that investors need to be their own best advocate when choosing an advisor, says Christine Benz.
How Much Cash Do You Really Need?
Answering these 8 questions can help you right-size your allocation to liquid assets.
As Retirement Nears, Customize Your Plan
Pensions, idiosyncratic risks, your legacy, and healthcare can affect investors' retirement spending rates and asset allocations.
Examining the Funding Options for First-Time Home Purchases
You may be able to skirt taxes and/or penalties when withdrawing from retirement accounts to buy a house, but some options are better than others.
How Earned Income Affects Social Security in Retirement
The SSA's Andrew Salata says full retirement age and taxes can impact benefits for retirees who continue to work.
Pulling Money From Your Roth IRA? Read This First
Roth withdrawals can be tax- and penalty-free, but not if you don't play by the rules.
Retirement Planning When There's an Age Gap
How one partner's longer life expectancy affects withdrawal rates, asset allocation, Social Security, and more.
Navigating Social Security Filing Strategies
After some recent changes, the SSA's Andrew Salata clarifies who can take what benefits when.
10 Do's and Don'ts for Last-Minute IRA Contributions
With the April 18 deadline looming, some tips and traps when choosing the right account and deciding which investments to put inside of it.