A dividend is a payment a company makes to its shareholders, usually from profits. In the US, many companies pay quarterly, in cash per share. If a company pays $0.50 per quarter and you own 100 shares, you receive $50 four times a year. Funds that hold dividend-paying stocks pass the dividends on to you. … Read more
Investment fraud costs Americans billions of dollars a year, and the methods keep changing: social media “mentors,” fake trading apps, crypto schemes and romance scams that turn into investment pitches. The warning signs, however, have barely changed in a century. Red flags Common schemes today Check before you invest Protect your accounts Use unique passwords … Read more
Growth and value are two styles of picking stocks. They differ in what investors pay for: future expansion, or a bargain on today’s business. Growth investing Growth investors look for companies whose revenue and earnings are expanding much faster than the economy, often in technology, health care or consumer brands that are taking market share. … Read more
Buying a stock means becoming a part-owner of a business. Researching it is less about predicting next month’s price and more about understanding what you own and what you are paying for. 1. Understand the business Can you explain in two sentences how the company makes money, who its customers are and why they choose … Read more
Socially responsible investing (SRI) means choosing investments partly based on your values, not only on expected return. People use it to avoid companies they object to, to support businesses they believe in, or to push companies to behave better. The main approaches Start with your own priorities Write down two or three issues that matter … Read more
Real estate has made many families wealthy, mostly through leverage (a mortgage), rental income and decades of appreciation. It can also tie up all your savings in one building, in one town, with a tenant who stopped paying. Whether it is a good first investment depends on which form you choose. Option 1: Buying a … Read more
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether have made some early buyers rich and wiped out many others. Before putting money in, it helps to understand the specific risks, many of which do not exist with stocks or bonds. 1. Extreme volatility Bitcoin has fallen by 70% or more several times, including in 2018 and 2022, … Read more
