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John Bogle
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.
For US investors:
- 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
Mutual funds are registered investment companies that pool investors' capital to invest in securities. Professional money managers manage mutual funds, and the corporate contributory retirement system in the U.S. uses them extensively. As of 2021, a total of 8,877 U.S. mutual funds held over 27 trillion dollars of assets, owned by forty-eight percent of American households and an estimated 108.1 million individuals.
Mutual funds offer you diversification, professional management, liquidity, and convenience. These advantages are offset by factors such as costs, fund turnover, and the consequences of organizational structure. (more...)
This week in financial history
- 1585 - In an assembly Frankfurt’s merchants established uniform exchange rates for the first time, marking the birth of the Frankfurt exchange. Over time, the Frankfurt exchange handled bond and stock trading. Source: History of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
- 1997 - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange introduced S&P E-mini futures, which soon became the most heavily traded futures contract on the exchange. Source: Key dates and milestones in the S&P 500's history
- 2012 - The Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) launched indexes that provide coverage of various style sectors of the US stock market. The indexes include growth and value indexes for U.S. mega cap, large cap, mid cap, and small cap stocks. Source: CRSP Indexes Quick Reference Guide
September 10:
- 2001 - The Japan real estate investment trust (J-REIT) market was launched when two J-REITs began trading on the Tokyo Exchange. Sources: Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc.; About J-REITS
September 14:
- 1960 - The US real estate investment trust (REIT) was created in the REIT act, contained in the Cigar Excise Tax Extension of 1960. Source: Public Law 86-779
September 15:
- 2008 - Investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, the largest in U.S. history. The bankruptcy initiated events that produced the 2008 - 2009 global economic crisis. Source: The Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy
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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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