The Motley Fool

AUGUST 17, 2024

If interest rates drop, banks and credit unions will lower rates on their accounts, too. Personally, I'm keeping my money where it is in a high-yield savings account. Growth is my goal with investments, which is why I invest heavily in the stock market through a brokerage account. I have investments for that.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 28, 2024

Image source: Getty Images HSAs (health savings accounts) are the unsung hero of personal finances. These accounts allow people with qualifying high-deductible insurance plans to set aside $4,150 for single plans and $8,300 for families out of pre-tax dollars. Once you hit age 55, you can add another $1,000 per year.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

Image source: Getty Images Your trusty savings account is an important piece of your financial puzzle. Unfortunately, many of your fellow Americans are not so fortunate -- research from The Motley Fool Ascent found that just 45% of us can afford a $400 expense with the money in our checking or savings accounts.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 30, 2024

The prospect of a sizable decline in stocks appears to be building, which could open up meaningful opportunities to buy stakes high-quality companies at a discount. While stock market plunges can be unnerving over short periods, they've historically paved the way for patient investors to buy amazing stocks at a discount.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 13, 2024

But as history has repeatedly shown, the stock market doesn't move up in a straight line. The ingredients for a stock market crash or bear market decline do exist -- and crashes have historically represented an excellent opportunity for long-term investors to open positions or increase their existing stakes in high-quality businesses.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 29, 2024

The stock market is having a good year despite headwinds from sticky inflation and high interest rates. Chipmaker Nvidia accounts for nearly one-fifth of the gains in the S&P 500, and the Magnificent Seven are collectively responsible for nearly 60% of the gains. Stocks could move higher. stock market.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 22, 2024

Falling interest rates are typically good for the stock market -- and I'll explain why in a moment -- but since a September rate cut is now widely expected, it's unlikely to have a substantial impact on the market. Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon , and Alphabet account for 20.4% of the entire value of the S&P 500 index.

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The Motley Fool

NOVEMBER 17, 2024

In September, the Federal Reserve started a new rate-cutting cycle, something the stock market has seen only five other times in the last three decades. Policymakers reduce the benchmark rate to stimulate economic growth, which could logically translate into robust stock market returns. stock market indexes.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

Despite a few hiccups, the S&P 500 bull market isn't slowing down. The stock index most often used to reference the U.S. large-cap stock market has climbed over 20% through 2024 as of this writing. But not every company has participated equally in the current market rally. According to data gathered by J.P.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 15, 2024

Anyone who looks at their 401(k) accounts or investment portfolios knows the stock market is sizzling hot. There have been stronger market performances in the past. What does history say the stock market will do in 2025? What does history say the stock market will do in 2025?

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The Motley Fool

JULY 21, 2024

Although all three indexes have increased in value over the long run -- which is what makes long-term investing such a fruitful strategy -- history also teaches us that stocks rarely move up in a straight line. With the S&P 500's Shiller P/E near 36, it looks to be only a matter of time before the stock market plunges.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 10, 2024

The company's business -- and branded credit cards -- might seem ubiquitous, but cash, check, and other forms of transactions it can eat up still account for a massive payment volume. Despite this headwind, there remains significant whitespace for Visa to grow, as odd as that might sound at first. During its fiscal 2023 (ended Sept.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

If history is any guide, such a cut could foreshadow a big move in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) stock market index, but maybe not in the direction one would expect. He commented on the declining risk posed by inflation, but also the growing risk to the employment market.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 9, 2024

When you run circles around the stock market's most-followed indexes, you tend to draw a lot of attention from the investing community. Although Buffett isn't someone who attempts to time the market with his trades, he's well aware that the U.S. Currently, the stock market is historically expensive.

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The Motley Fool

NOVEMBER 3, 2024

And there's a great way you can invest to take advantage of the next leg up in the stock market. A big flashing warning sign for investors At big tech companies have outperformed, the market has become increasingly concentrated in just a few big winners. Image source: Getty Images.

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The Motley Fool

NOVEMBER 28, 2024

Collectively, more than 5,700 companies were listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Exchange as of December 2023. stock market. companies -- a group that accounts for 80% of the value of the domestic equities market. stock market due to its scope and diversity. Microsoft: 6.3% Microsoft: 5.8%

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 18, 2024

However, Supermicro stock fell 20% in a single session following its results after it missed Wall Street's earnings expectations on account of its narrowing margins. Its revenue in the recently concluded fiscal year 2024 more than doubled year over year to $14.9 billion from $7.1 billion in the previous year. in fiscal 2024 from 18.1%

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 27, 2024

Most of us are lucky enough to be able to save for retirement via an IRA account and/or a 401(k) account. IRAs are wonderful, with many benefits, but let's take a closer look at 401(k) accounts, because they may get you to millionairehood faster. These accounts are offered by employers. Image source: Getty Images.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 20, 2024

There are two key factors to reaching $1 million in savings: Invest in the stock market, and get started as soon as possible. Don't just save -- invest One of the simplest and most effective ways to supercharge your wealth is to invest in the stock market. Here's exactly how to get there. Image source: Getty Images.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 18, 2024

credit card accounts delinquent by 90 days or more hit 10.9% US Credit Card Accounts Delinquent by 90 or More Days data by YCharts. Why a recession is bad news for the stock market To put it simply , when the U.S. economy sneezes, the stock market gets a cold. Granted , stock market volatility is unsettling.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 2, 2024

Putting money in savings accounts or CDs is important for any cash you might need in the next couple of years. It carries more risk, because markets can rise or fall and the returns are not predictable. However, historically, stock market investments generate higher returns than savings. That's where investing comes in.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 28, 2024

stock market, recently hit a fresh all-time high. If you don't currently invest in an individual retirement account, or IRA, it might seem like a bad time to start. Isn't investing when the stock market is at an all-time high literally the exact opposite? Don't have an IRA yet?

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Yes, the best CDs sometimes pay higher APYs than the best savings accounts. Most Americans only have a few thousand dollars in the bank (the typical American's bank account balance is $8,000), and therefore they likely don't have much cash for emergencies. Yes, the best CDs and savings accounts might soon have lower APYs as a result.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 27, 2024

Dividends are usually paid quarterly, and the money will go directly into your brokerage account. There's a lot of research and learning involved in picking your own stocks. And all stock market investments carry risk. There will be years when stock market investments fall or real estate performs badly.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 21, 2024

If you're looking for a way to invest in the biggest tech companies currently powering the stock market higher, you've likely considered investing in the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ: QQQ). The exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracks the Nasdaq-100 index , which consists of the 100 largest stocks listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 21, 2024

You probably know that an IRA account can help you save for retirement. A Roth IRA saves your tax break for when you withdraw money from the account, potentially decades later. Here are some possibilities: Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) 6.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 14, 2024

Investing in the stock market right now may be both exciting and nerve-racking given how well it has been performing. And amid the growth and expansion of artificial intelligence, there are also greater needs for energy, making these stocks attractive investments to hold on to for the long term.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 25, 2024

Here are the types of accounts you're better off depositing your hard-earned funds into compared with CDs. Savings accounts Savings accounts can be a really great alternative to CDs right now. A high-yield savings account can offer you rates that are similar to, or better than, the rates you would get if you invested in a CD.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Still others own investments such as stocks. Interestingly, 45% of millennials are missing out on stock market investments. For small business owners, passive income can be a good way to stay afloat while you focus on growing your company's bank account balance. The study shows 42% own dividend stocks.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 29, 2024

Now I've officially opened my first-ever retirement account. I spent more than a decade in a low-paying nonprofit career, and most of my jobs in that field didn't offer access to an employer-sponsored retirement account -- let alone matched contributions. I missed the boat on that, obviously. Not bad -- even for starting so late.

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The Motley Fool

NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Specifically, in the stock market. But many people are hesitant to put their money into stocks , don't know how to get started, or both. The most reliable millionaire maker Many people are hesitant to put their money into stocks, and that's especially true among the younger generations. First, open a brokerage account.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

There are a few factors that make CDs a compelling investment: The APYs are often better than what you get in a high-yield savings account. Sure, it's a riskier choice than a CD, since the stock market can be volatile in the short term and your money won't be FDIC insured. CDs vs. S&P 500 ETFs: How does each work?

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 3, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash Looking for a new bank account? A lot of them offer accounts that don't have monthly maintenance fees and can be opened online in a matter of minutes -- no shoes (or pants) required. I recommend looking for reviews from personal finance authorities to get the skinny on account offerings and rates.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 28, 2024

Read more: unlock best-in-class perks with one of these brokerage accounts But what if you're not in a position to save 15% of your paycheck? Start early If you give yourself a long retirement savings window, you can get away with contributing less money to an individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) each month. It's that simple.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 28, 2024

To maintain an apples-to-apples comparison, it also accounted for the drag of taxes on stock sales and dividend distributions from the S&P 1500 index. Yes, 98% of professional fund managers failed to outperform the total market index after accounting for taxes. It tracks an even broader index of over 3,600 U.S.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 8, 2024

Image source: Getty Images You're not alone if your retirement account balances are far from the $1 million mark. of Americans have $1 million or more in their retirement accounts. It's important to mention these amounts are in tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 16, 2024

Maybe $1 million will do the trick, or perhaps $400,000 in an individual retirement account will suffice, especially if I have other accounts to tap into. Needless to say, my account balance barely moved during those years. Take a look at how your account could potentially grow if you invested $7,000 annually.

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