I’ve mentioned in several previous posts that the anxiety about 401(k) balances has been largely overstated, in part because of the beneficial effects of ongoing contributions and diversified portfolios. This point has come across as Pollyanna-ish to some of you, …

Paul A. Samuelson, who died December 13 at age 94, was rightly remembered as a brilliant educator, as author of the best-selling economics textbook ever, and as the second recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Professor Samuelson, the …

I’ve written about financial fraud involving seniors before, and it remains a serious concern. Unfortunately, there’s not much we in the investment industry can do beyond warning our clients to be vigilant and working through issues when they arise. As …

The idea of holding a portion of your portfolio in non-U.S. stocks has been around for quite some time, but the ways in and reasons for which it’s put into practice have evolved.

At first, the addition of non-U.S. stocks …

I elicited some grief from certain Vanguard Blog readers by talking about a recovery in 401(k) accounts earlier this year. Allow me to provide an update on the issue.

Recall my basic premise: As a result of ongoing contributions, …

Every year, many investors find themselves “buying a distribution” and incurring liabilities that could have been avoided or at least deferred.

Tax law requires that realized gains in a portfolio be distributed at least annually, typically in December. If you’re …