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We help you make good financial decisions by tuning out the noise and focusing on just a handful of simple, core principles that have proved successful over time. Although they are simple, following them is not always easy.
If this is your first visit, begin at "Getting started" below.
Regular visitors may want to look at our new articles.
Getting started
For US investors:
- Getting started - Start here.
- Investment philosophy - Our investment principles.
- Investing start-up kit - A top-down approach to start investing.
- Investment policy statement - Identify your investment objectives and how you plan to meet them.
- Prioritizing investments - Choosing where to save your investing money, such as an employer's retirement plan or a savings account.
For non-US investors:
- Getting started for non-US investors - Start here.
- Investment philosophy for non-US investors - Our investment principles.
- Investing start-up kit for non-US investors - A top-down approach to start investing.
- Outline of non-US domiciles - Overview of topics specifically for non-US investors.
Personal finance
Personal finance covers not only investing, but day-to-day finances, budgeting, insurance, taxes, estate planning, and retirement.
For US investors:
- Personal finance planning start-up kit - Start here.
- Financial planning - The first thing you should do.
- Household budgeting - Understand how much you make and how much you spend.
- Emergency fund - Have cash on-hand for life's unexpected events.
- Insurance - Auto, home, medical
- Estate planning - Be prepared when bad things happen.
Retirement
Retirement is a major event in many people's lives. It is not only a lifestyle change, but a change in income and spending.
Planning for this life-changing event is important.
- Retirement planning start-up kit - Start here.
- Preparing for retirement - Steps you should take before retiring.
- Retirement policy statement - Lay-out your retirement plans and strategies.
From today's featured article
An Investment policy statement (IPS) is a statement that defines your general investment goals and objectives. It describes the strategies that you will use to meet these objectives, and contains specific information on subjects such as asset allocation, risk tolerance, and liquidity requirements.
Alternatively, you could consider using a simpler investing plan (see below):
- If you find creating a full Investment Policy Statement too complex
- If your investment objectives do not justify the effort needed to create an Investment Policy Statement (more...)
This week in financial history
- 1992 - The modern Prague Stock Market was formed after a sixty year hiatus. Source: History of the Exchange
- 1999 - The Tracker Fund of Hong Kong ("TraHK"), tracking the Hang Seng Index, was the first exchange-traded fund to trade in Asia. Source: The Tracker Fund
November 13:
- 1865 - To counter the effects of loose money-printing and counterfeit notes, the US issued its first 'gold certificates' - a form of paper currency backed by gold. Source: 3 November 1865: US issues its first gold certificates
November 14:
- 1972 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 1,000 points for the first time. Source: Closing milestones of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
- 2014 - The Wilshire 5000 index closed above 19,000 for the first time. Source: Wilshire 5000
November 15:
- 1867 -Stock tickers were first introduced to the New York Stock Exchange. Source: Chronology of New York Stock Exchange (1792-1929)
- 1971 -The first US money market fund, the Reserve Fund, began operations on November 15, 1971.Source:Fund Prospectus,p.5.
November 17:
- 1995 - The Standard & Poors 500 index closed over 600 for the first time in history on November 17, 1995. Source: Closing milestones of the S&P 500 Index
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Sister projects
Our Canadian sister site, Financial Wisdom Forum, and its wiki, finiki, the Canadian financial wiki, has a similar focus with many like-minded members, and you might also find this site interesting.
We also have a sister site in Spain, Bogleheads® España (en español).
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