The city of Detroit emerged from bankruptcy in 2014. Still, its previous inability to pay investors left some questioning their long-held assumption about the relative safety of municipal bonds. Without question, in the wake of Detroit’s troubles, gaining a better...
Chris Rock once remarked, “You don’t pay taxes – they take taxes.”1 That applies not only to income, but also to capital gains. Capital gains result when an individual sells an investment for an amount greater than their purchase price. Capital gains are categorized...
At first blush, the idea of a bond that doesn’t pay interest seems oxymoronic. After all, isn’t a bond a debt instrument that pays periodic interest and repays the principal at maturity?1 Zero coupon bonds are indeed debt instruments, but are issued at a discount to...
For as long as there has been a stock market, investors have sought a reliable framework to determine the future direction of prices. Success has been elusive. But thanks to the work of three American economists, we operate today with a better understanding than prior...
While nature offers four seasons, Wall Street offers only one – four times a year. It’s called “earnings season,” and it can move the markets. So, what is earnings season and why is it important? Earnings season is the month of the year that follows each calendar...
Some individuals believe that return on investment shouldn’t be the only criterion for how they invest their money. For them, the social impact of investing is just as important – perhaps more important. The history of socially responsible investing stretches as far...