The Value Added Indexer Blog

The total-return approach to investing is an effective way to create a retirement "paycheck."

The first half of the year has given investors plenty to process. Diversified portfolios showed solid gains, a welcome turn from last year’s broad declines.

Do your mutual funds try to beat the markets by searching for the "needle in the haystack" stocks? Owning the haystack instead is more effective.

Since 1926, the US stock market has rewarded investors with an average annual return of about 10%. But in any given year, returns may be sky-high, extremely poor, or somewhere in between.

Markets don't wait for official announcements that a recession has begun or ended. Investors who look beyond after-the-fact headlines and stick to their plan will be better positioned for long-term success.

Here are our responses to some of the most frequently asked questions about the markets, the economy, and our portfolios.