Funds offer plenty of benefits to busy investors. Here's everything you need to know to make them work for you.
For investors without much experience or time to devote to building a portfolio, mutual funds offer advantages that simply aren't available anywhere else.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Learn about the expenses funds charge and which ones you can avoid.
A fund's performance depends on what it buys. Each category carries its own level of risk ... and reward.
A balanced collection of funds will serve you better than a collection of the latest high fliers.
You'll get stability and the probability that at least one of your funds will be up no matter what the market's doing.
From first choice to final check, here's how to find the best funds for you.
What paperwork to keep, how to track your investments and when to say "sell."
Keeping careful records, and understanding cost-basis rules will prevent you from overpaying your taxes.
Learn to tell the difference between a fund that's hit a speedbump and one that's dropped out of the race completely.
-
How to Avoid the Financial Quicksand of Early Retirement LossesSequence of returns — experiencing losses early on — can quickly deplete your savings, highlighting the need for strategies that prioritize income stability.
-
How an Elder Law Attorney Can Help Protect Your Aging ParentsIf you are worried about older family members or friends whose financial judgment is raising red flags, help is out there — from an elder law attorney.
-
Q4 Post-Mortem From an Investment Adviser: Year of ResilienceFinancial pro Prem Patel shares his take on how markets performed in the fourth quarter of 2025, with an eye toward what investors should keep in mind for 2026.
-
Special Report: The Future of American PoliticsThe Kiplinger Letter The Political Trends and Challenges that Will Define the Next Decade
-
What to Expect from the Global Economy in 2026The Kiplinger Letter Economic growth across the globe will be highly uneven, with some major economies accelerating while others hit the brakes.
-
Shoppers Hit the Brakes on EV Purchases After Tax Credits ExpireThe Letter Electric cars are here to stay, but they'll have to compete harder to get shoppers interested without the federal tax credit.
-
The Economy on a Knife's EdgeThe Letter GDP is growing, but employers have all but stopped hiring as they watch how the trade war plays out.
-
Banks Are Sounding the Alarm About StablecoinsThe Kiplinger Letter The banking industry says stablecoins could have a negative impact on lending.
-
Japan Enters a New Era of Risk and ReformThe Kiplinger Letter Japan has entered a pivotal moment in its economic history, undertaking ambitious policy and structural reforms to escape from decades of stagnation.
-
After Years of Stagnant Growth, Hope Emerges for EU EconomyThe Kiplinger Letter Can a German fiscal push outweigh French political peril?
-
The Most Tax-Friendly States for Investing in 2025 (Hint: There Are Two)State Taxes Living in one of these places could lower your 2025 investment taxes — especially if you invest in real estate.
