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The Index · Topic 09

Investing

Investing fundamentals for pre-retirees — how stocks, bonds, and funds work, what the data says about active vs passive management, and timeless principles from Buffett, Dalio, and decades of market history.

16 articlesCurrent SSA · IRS · CMS dataUpdated 2026
Topic 09 · The Index

All Investing articles.

16 published
Investing3 min

The next industrial revolution is filing its paperwork

OpenAI and SpaceX IPO rumors point to something bigger than tech stocks. We're watching the birth of entire industries.

Investing2 min

Happy (Un)official Start of Summer

While we fire up the grill this Memorial Day, we remember those who paid the ultimate price for the American dream.

Investing5 min

Your Wealth Strategy Cannot Take a Summer Off

Memorial Day kicks off the season most investors quietly check out. Here is what we are watching, what we are doing for clients, and the boring but important work that gets done while everyone else is at the beach.

Investing4 min

What the AI Wave Means for Your Retirement Portfolio

AI is moving in 24 months what the internet took a decade to move. For retirees, the right question is not whether AI is real. It is what it does to your portfolio.

Investing3 min

Tax Loss Harvesting In Retirement, When It Helps And When It Hurts

Tax loss harvesting is one of the most misunderstood tools in retirement investing. Done well it saves you thousands. Done poorly it locks in losses you did not need to take. Here is how to tell the difference.

Investing3 min

When Bonds Stop Paying, Why Dividend Stocks Deserve A Second Look In Retirement

The old 60/40 portfolio assumes bonds will cushion your retirement income. In a world of volatile yields, war risk, and inflation shocks, that assumption is breaking. Dividend stocks are worth a serious second look.

Investing3 min

Ray Dalio's All Weather Portfolio: Does It Work for Retirees?

Ray Dalio's All Weather Portfolio was designed to perform in any economic environment. But does a strategy built by one of the world's largest hedge funds translate to the needs of everyday retirees? Here is what you should know before applying risk parity to your retirement savings.

Investing3 min

Dividend Investing in Retirement: Reliable Income or False Promise?

Dividend investing sounds like the perfect retirement strategy: buy stocks that pay you regularly and never touch your principal. But the reality is more complicated than the sales pitch. Here is what retirees need to understand before building a dividend-focused portfolio.

Investing3 min

Index Funds vs. Active Management: What the Data Actually Shows

The debate between index funds and active management has a clear winner, and it is not even close. Here is what decades of data reveal about fund performance and why the cost difference matters even more when you are investing for retirement income.

Investing3 min

Why International Diversification Matters Even in Retirement

Most American investors hold the vast majority of their stock portfolio in U.S. companies. That home country bias may feel comfortable, but it introduces a concentration risk that could cost you dearly in retirement. Here is why going global still matters after 60.

Investing3 min

Warren Buffett's Rules for Retirement Investors

Warren Buffett has spent decades building wealth with a handful of timeless principles. Here is how his buy and hold philosophy, margin of safety thinking, and circle of competence framework apply directly to investors who are 5 to 10 years from retirement.

Investing3 min

The 60/40 Portfolio Is Not Dead: Why Balanced Investing Still Works

After a brutal 2022 for both stocks and bonds, headlines declared the 60/40 portfolio dead. But decades of evidence say otherwise. Here is why balanced investing remains one of the most sensible approaches for pre-retirees building a retirement income plan.

Investing3 min

Bond Laddering: The Retirement Income Strategy Most People Overlook

Bond laddering is one of the most effective ways to create predictable retirement income, yet most investors have never heard of it. Here is how this straightforward strategy works and why it deserves a place in your retirement income plan.

Investing3 min

What Every Pre-Retiree Should Know About Sequence of Returns Risk

Two retirees can earn identical average returns over 20 years and end up with wildly different outcomes. The difference is sequence of returns risk, and it is the single biggest threat to early retirement portfolios. Here is how it works and how to protect yourself.

Investing3 min

How to Invest a Lump Sum at Age 60: Dollar Cost Averaging vs. All at Once

Whether it is a 401(k) rollover, an inheritance, or the sale of a business, investing a large sum of money at age 60 is a high stakes decision. Research shows that lump sum investing wins more often, but dollar cost averaging might still be the right choice. Here is why.

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The Investing numbers for 2026.

The thresholds that actually move this part of your plan, kept current and sourced.

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S&P 500 avg nominal return
~10.0%
Active funds underperforming (20yr)
95%
Avg index fund expense ratio
0.03–0.10%
Lump sum beats DCA (historically)
~67%
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