 TITLE: Investments, Retirement Plans, Personal Finance, Money Advice CONTENT: Investment Articles and Investing for Retirement\n------------------------------------------------\n###### Written by: Kristy Welsh\nA good retirement account depends on making good investments in the years prior to retirement age. Obviously, the sooner you start making these investments, the better. But whether you are in your twenties or in your fifties, it is never too early or too late to get started. It’s always a good idea to talk to a qualified financial advisor before you make any investment decisions. But this collection of articles about investment opportunities and retirement accounts is a good place to start for general information on what might work best for your financial situation and investment portfolio.\nInvesting for Retirement\n------------------------\nUsing a Self-Directed IRA When Investing — Want more control over your investments? Get the facts about a self-directed IRA, including how to select and set one up, contribution limits, prohibited transactions, and more.\nTarget Date Retirement Funds Pros and Cons — A target date retirement fund is just what it sounds like – a fund that aims to maximize your investments by a specific retirement target date. Get the facts about this one-size-fits-all approach.\nWhat Happens When Pension Plans Terminate — It’s not at all unusual for a pension plan to terminate. Find out the circumstances under which this happens, how it affects you, and what (if any) action you need to take.\nLimits When Contributing to Retirement Savings Plans — Check out this easy-to-understand breakdown of how much you can contribute to a 401(k) and IRA retirement savings account.\nTips on Finding a Good Financial Planner — Finding a competent professional to help you manage your investments is crucial to a successful portfolio. Learn how to find a financial planner and the differences among commission-based, fee-based, and fee-only compensation.\n401(k) and IRAs\n---------------\nPainless 401(k) Investing for the New Hire — Learn how to set up a 401(k) at your new job. Get the facts about automatic enrollment, automated investment management, target date funds, and more.\nHow and Why to Rollover a 401(k) — If you leave an employer, you should take your 401(k) fund with you.  Learn how and why you should roll over your 401(k) account.\nThings to Know About 60-Day Rollover IRA Loans — You can use the 60-day rollover option to borrow against your IRA, if you are in dire need of money. However, it’s important to carefully understand the IRA rollover rules and have a repayment plan in place.\nTypes of Investments\n--------------------\nStocks — Why do companies issue stock? What determines the price of a stock? How do stockholders make or lose money? What’s the difference between common and preferred stocks? Get answers to these questions and other stock basics.\nBonds — Adding bonds to your investment portfolio can be a good alternative to more risky investments. Learn the types of bonds, how to buy them, and how the bond market works.\nCDs (Certificates of Deposit) — What are your CD options? Are they federally insured? How do you open a CD account? Should you go through a deposit broker? Get answers to these and other commonly-asked questions about certificates of deposit.\nMoney Market Accounts — How do you open a money market account? Is there a minimum balance requirement? How much interest can you earn? Get answers to these and other commonly-asked questions about money market accounts.\nMutual Funds — Investing in mutual funds is the most popular investment vehicle for small investors. Find out what to look for in a mutual fund, where to find one, the minimum required investment, associated fees, and more.\nGold — What determines gold’s value? Will your money be safe if the dollar loses its value? What percentage of an investment portfolio should be in gold? How do you buy it? Get answers to these and other commonly-asked questions about investing in gold.\nCryptocurrency — Whatever your opinion of cryptocurrency, it’s hard to ignore this investment trend. Get the facts about how cryptocurrency works, buy and sell limits, how it’s taxed, and when you should think twice about this risky investment. END