A thoughtful look at investing opportunities and risks beyond the market headlines, plus personal finance and retirement tips, from Morningstar.
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Will you give yourself permission to fully enjoy your nest egg? Many retirees spent years saving to enjoy this chapter of their lives, but when they finally get there, a lot of them hold back. Of course, lavish spending can be a problem in retirees' golden years. But so can not spending enough! New Morningstar research has found retirees often withdraw their money very conservatively, even when…
Picking winning stocks is just part of the battle to beat an index. Active managers make investing moves when opportunities arise or dry up. They also rely on a team of analysts and state-of-the-art tools to help them uncover the next big investment idea. Yet, an in-depth dive into the top 100 largest active US stock funds reveals most active managers earn lower returns than their index. So, what…
Guaranteed income in retirement sounds pretty nice, but what are the trade-offs to make it happen? Several big asset managers offer target-date funds with built-in annuities. However, it's difficult to compare one against another because their strategies tend to differ. And retail annuities' dubious reputation has set up a hurdle for mass adoption. But recent important developments could clear the…
It's hard to escape the artificial intelligence hype. It's everywhere. Companies are adopting AI into their processes. Many people are talking to chatbots. And investors are making bets on which firms or themes will win. But do you need to own an AI ETF to benefit from the boom? Or do you already have enough exposure? Morningstar's associate director of US passive strategies research Dan Sotiroff…
Consider getting your IRA in shape this summer instead of waiting for the calendar to flip to next year. A midyear checkup could help you optimize your retirement account to benefit from its tax advantages sooner than later. Morningstar's FundInvestor newsletter has highlighted investment ideas for folks who want to keep it simple, maximize tax advantages, or strive for capital appreciation.…
Market volatility tends to challenge investors' willpower to stick to their plan. That's understandable because it tends to be easier to say you will focus on the long-term until uncertainty emerges. Geopolitics and artificial intelligence stirred up their share of highs and lows in 2026. What lessons can you learn from past market-moving events to stay invested? And where are the opportunities in…
There's just something about dividends. The popular investing strategy attracts retirees and other investors who need regular cash payouts, as well as those who like the tangible return dividends represent, even if they are reinvesting those distributions back into their portfolio. But what are the tradeoffs, and are they worth it? It depends on who you ask. From the pages of the Q2 2026 issue of…
Bryan Armour, Morningstar’s director of ETF and passive strategies research for North America, and Dan Sotiroff, Morningstar’s associate director of US passive strategies research, explain why ETFs and collective investment trusts or CITs are challenging mutual funds. How Active ETFs Are Reshaping Fund Fees On this episode: 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:30 How ETFs and mutual funds are alike and…
2026 is the year of the mega-IPO. SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are working their way through the pipeline as anticipation builds for their blockbuster debuts. Elon Musk’s conglomerate is leading the shift from private to public markets. Demand is appearing to skyrocket to buy the companies the moment their stocks are publicly available. But is that the right move if you’re investing for the long…
Don't underestimate the benefits of portfolio diversification. A well-diversified portfolio can ride waves of market volatility, and new Morningstar research found that's what happened in 2025. When uncertainty emerged at times during the generally bullish market, the report identifies which asset classes performed well, which didn't, and how the classic 60/40 portfolio fared. So, what are the…
