A carefully selected broker can supply you with valuable investment information and make profitable investment suggestions.
If you make the right choice, your broker can be your single most valuable source of help in making good investment decisions. By the same token, an inept or unresponsive broker can make your life miserable, as well as cost you money.
The first decision you need to make is whether you want a traditional broker, whether you’d rather do your stock research and trading for yourself, or get your advice elsewhere and use a brokerage firm only to execute your trades.
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Brokers differ in several ways. There are full-service and discount firms; national, regional, and local firms; and firms that operate only online or over the phone. All sell more than stocks: They sell municipal bonds, unit trusts, tax shelters, and annuities. But the chief distinction is between full-service and the discount firms.
If you'd rather pay someone else for stock recommendations, then pull into full-service.
If you're the self-serve type, then this is the option for you.
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Kiplinger Special: The Long-Term Future of the U.S. EconomyThe Kiplinger Letter Kiplinger's report into what it will take the U.S. to maintain a healthy economic growth rate.
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Fed Rate Cuts Still on HoldThe Kiplinger Letter With inflation stubbornly elevated, the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for now.
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A Spotlight on the Pacific States: The Kiplinger LetterThe Kiplinger Letter Most Pacific states are seeing good job growth in multiple sectors including tourism, hospitality, and construction.
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The Robots Are Coming... But Not For a WhileThe Kiplinger Letter There’s excitement in the tech sector over the potential of humanoid robots, but widespread adoption is likely to be years away.
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Farmers Face Another Tough Year As Costs Continue to Climb: The Kiplinger LetterThe Kiplinger Letter Farm income is expected to decline for a second year, while costs continue to up-end farm profitability.
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A Spotlight on the Mountain States: The Kiplinger LetterThe Kiplinger Letter Most Mountain states are seeing good job growth in multiple sectors from healthcare, energy, and semiconductor production to farming and government.
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A Spotlight on the Plains States: The Kiplinger LetterThe Kiplinger Letter The labor market is tight in the Plains states and outside of healthcare and construction most sectors are flat or down.
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Kiplinger's Commodities ForecastThe Kiplinger Letter Following a rocky few years for markets, we expect commodities to be less volatile in 2024, as a post-pandemic normal finally emerges.
