Which fund should I buy? That’s the question often asked by investors trying to select from the menu of mutual funds offered in their employer’s 401(k) plan or those seeking to diversify their portfolio across a range of financial products without having to purchase and manage a large number of individual stocks and bonds.
YouTube comes off its most-watched year yet: 1 trillion playbacks, which the company’s Rewind blog post figures, is about 140 views for every person on earth.
A financially secure retirement is a key component of achieving the American Dream, and working with a financial advisor can make a significant difference in achieving post-work peace of mind.
Retirees more closely identify with the classic version of the American Dream, but are less hopeful about the chances of obtaining it than are working Americans, according to the most recent monthly survey by Millionaire Corner.
The bulk of mutual funds owned by U.S. investors are held in retirement plans and the number of funds is growing year-by-year, according to a January survey by Millionaire Corner that reflects changing trends in how Americans plan and save for their golden years.
Case in point: Stieg Larsson, author of the phenomenally successful Girl trilogy. He died from a heart attack at the age of 50 without a will, which sparked a still unresolved lawsuit between his live-in girlfriend of 32 years and his estranged brother and father.
The Spectrem Affluent Household Outlook entered positive territory for the first time since July 2011, thanks to increased confidence in the Economy. The overall Outlook, based on investor attitudes regarding issues that impact their daily lives, increased 5.6 points to 2.68.
More Affluent investors edged away from Cash (down 1.2 points to 28.5) to invest in Stocks, which gained 3.7 points to 33.8, the highest level since July, 2011. But there is still market wariness, as the reading of those who chose Not Investing rose 2.6 points to 34.7.
Nearly half of investors surveyed by Millionaire Corner earlier this month said they rely on their advisor to do the research on what mutual funds in which they invest.
Only 7 percent believe that the recession is over. Typically, women are more skeptical than men. Just over five percent believe that the economic downturn has ended, compared to 10 percent of their male counterparts.
“The state of our union is getting stronger,” no thanks to Congress, President Barack Obama proclaimed in his third State of the Union address, and vowed to “fight obstruction with action” to build on the economic recovery.
The Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index (SAICI)SM posted a 1 point gain to a neutral -8. This is the highest reading since May 2011 and the fifth consecutive month that this index has registered an increase. The Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index (SMICI)SMalso gained 1 point to a neutral -2, its highest level in seven months.
Stock Market Conditions were cited as the one factor most affecting investment plans by 38 percent of Affluent investors. This is an increase of 5 percent since last October, the last time this question was asked, and the highest percentage in at least three years.
