Investing Insights

Jack Shannon, senior manager research analyst for Morningstar Research Services, discusses how fund companies are looking to put private assets in the hands of everyday investors. He explains the risks and opportunities in private equity and private credit, and where this trend could go in 2025.What Are Private Assets? Risks of Private Assets vs. Public Assets Why Fund Companies Want to Give Retail Investors Access to Private Assets How Investors Can Access Private Assets Today Why Funds Choose Private Credit Instead of Private Equity Why Companies Stay Private How the Lack of Liquidity in Private Assets Plays Out in Interval Funds How Funds Provide Exposure to Private Equity Do Funds with Private Equity or Private Credit Exposure Have Better Performance?  Would Holding Private Assets in an ETF Work? Opportunities for Investors in Private Asset Funds Private Asset Fund Outlook Read about topics from this episode.  Morningstar's 2025 Outlook: Future Market Investment Strategies When Will Public and Private Equ

Dominic Pappalardo, chief multi-asset strategist for Morningstar Investment Management, discusses where to find the highest bond yields this year and whether corporate bonds are still attractive.Why Cash is No Longer KingIs a 3% Interest Rate Forecast a Wake-Up Call?Why It's a Good Time for Investors to Move Out of CashWhy Investors Should Move Longer Term in Fixed IncomeAre Corporate Bonds Still Attractive?Where We Are Seeing Promising Yields From Global Bonds  What to Keep in Mind When Investing in Global BondsWhere to Invest in 2025 Read about topics from this episode.  Where to Find Returns When Interest Rates Fall Morningstar's 2025 Outlook: Future Market Investment Strategies Morningstar’s 2025 Investment Outlook for Financial Advisors Why Our Best Investment Ideas for 2025 Are Outside the US   What to watch from Morningstar. How to Diversify Your Portfolio to Handle a Market CorrectionWhat Higher Bond Yields Mean for Markets in 2025Yes, You Can Still Find Tax-Loss Harvesting Opportunities in 2024 Read

Tom Lauricella, Morningstar Inc global markets editor, explains why the market reacted poorly to the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate outlook. The Smart Investor newsletter editor also discusses some of 2024’s biggest headlines such as inflation, the broader stock market rally, and new leadership in Washington.Why the Fed Scaled Back from Four Interest-Rate Cuts to Two for 20255Did the Market Bounce Back After the Drop Following the Fed Rate Decision?Why the Fed Isn’t Saying They Are Seeing a Stronger Economy in 2025Will Trump’s Tariffs Cause Inflation to Rise?Will the Market’s Momentum Continue into 2025?High Yields in the Bond Market Are Benefitting InvestorsWill the Trump Administration Boost Bitcoin’s Growth?How Investor’s Should Approach Trump’s Second Term5 Stories Investors Should Watch for in 2025 Read about topics from this episode.  Subscribe to Morningstar’s SmartInvestor newsletter.Stocks Tumble on New Fed Rate Forecast—Here’s Why Fed Sets Stage For Fewer (or Possibly No) Rate Cuts in 2025 Forecast

Russel Kinnel, director of ratings for Morningstar Research Services, discusses large growth’s impressive run in 2024 and why it might be time to rebalance if you haven’t in a while.What is Driving Growth’s Impressive Run?Why Is it Important to Rebalance NowWhat Triggered Growth’s Largest Selloffs Since 2000What Was Unusual About the Growth Correction in 2022Top-Rated Bond Funds that Could Help with Saving for an Emergency FundBond Funds that are Defensive if Growth Gets Crushed  Small-Value Funds Out of Sync With Large Growth  Mid-Growth Funds that are Good Diversifiers Read about topics from this episode.  Subscribe to the Morningstar FundInvestor newsletter. 6 Top-Performing Large-Growth Funds Is It Time to Diversify Beyond US Large-Cap Growth Stocks? How to Rebalance Your Portfolio Before 2025 The Best Funds for Rebalancing in 2025 The Best Bond Funds   What to watch from Morningstar.What Higher Bond Yields Mean for Markets in 2025 Yes, You Can Still Find Tax-Loss Harvesting Opportunities in 2024A Simpler

Dominic Pappalardo, chief multi-asset strategist at Morningstar Investment Management, discusses why long-term yields spiked in the wake of the election, what's next for fixed-income in 2025, and how investors can take advantage of higher yields in their portfolios.Why Did Bond Yields Rise in the Wake of the Election?How Investors Are Thinking About Rising Bond YieldsWhat the Current Run-Up in Bond Yields Tells Us About the MarketsHow Do Today’s Yields Compare to History?Will the Flat Yield Curve Start to Steepen?How Bond Yields Affect the Stock Market  How Long Can the Market Withstand a Higher Interest Rate Environment?How Bond Yields Affect MortgagesHow Today’s Bond Yields Can Benefit Investors When Looking at Portfolio Construction  Economic Outlook 2025 Key Takeaways Read about topics from this episode.  Postelection Deficit Concerns Fuel Jump in Bond YieldsTrump’s Tariffs: A Wild Card for the Markets in 2025Fed Sticks to Rate Cut Plans, for Now‘Diversification Is Back’—Why 60/40 Portfolios Are Working W

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, discusses the ins and outs of tax-loss selling and where investors can look for potential opportunities to harvest losses in their portfolios.What is Tax-Loss Selling?Are There Limits to How Much You Can Offset Capital?How to Evaluate Your Cost Basis to Find Loss OpportunitiesWhat is the 30 Day Rule for Tax-Loss Selling?Why Investors Should Think About Tax-Loss Selling When Markets Are UpHow to Make Tax-Loss Selling a Part of Your Portfolio Maintenance Strategy  Why Tax-Loss Selling is a Bear Market Strategy   Read about topics from this episode.  How You Could Benefit from Tax-Loss Selling This YearAre Active ETFs Truly More Tax-Efficient?Ready for a Big Capital Gains Tax Bill?What You Need to Know About Capital Gains DistributionsWhich Investments to Keep Out of Your Taxable Account  What to watch from Morningstar.A Simpler Medicare Part D Is Coming. Here's How It Could Save You MoneyA Better Way to Use Leverage in Your ETF

David Harrell, editor of Morningstar’s DividendInvestor newsletter, makes the case for dividend investing. However, he also points out the pitfalls, like dividend fallacy, that income-focused investors should watch out for. Why Investors Are Divided About Dividend Investing The Pitfall of Dividend Fallacy Warning Signal for Dividend TrapsShould Investors Focus on Total Return Rather Than Dividends Alone?How a Dividend-Focused Investment Strategy Can Help with Safe Withdrawal RatesWhy Investors May Not Want to Create Their Own DividendWhy Long-Term Performance Matters When Looking at Dividend Stocks Versus the Broder MarketAre Share Repurchases Better Than Dividends at Returning Capital to Stock Owners? (This part of the episode includes a clarification: Taxes on qualified dividends can be avoided if your AGI is below certain levels.)Drawbacks of a Dividend-Focused Investment Strategy  Has Dividend Investing Created Bad Investor Behavior? Read about topics from this episode.  Subscribe to the Morningstar Divid

Mark Miller, Morningstar contributor, talks about the new $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for Medicare Part D coming in 2025. Plus, learn what you should know before switching between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare during open enrollment.Traditional Medicare vs. Medicare AdvantageWhy Seniors Shouldn’t Just Roll Over Their Plans in 20252025 Medicare Part D ChangesMedicare’s New Prescription Payment PlanWhat Should Seniors Do If Their Medicare Advantage Plan is Being Eliminated?What You Need to Know About Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage  Where You Can Go to Get Help Choosing a New Medicare Plan Read about topics from this episode.  Medicare Open Enrollment: What to Know as You Enroll for 2025I’m 65 and Still Working. Should I Enroll in Medicare?Are Consumers Better Off With Medicare Plus a Medigap Plan?  What to watch from Morningstar.A Better Way to Use Leverage in Your ETF PortfolioApple Earnings Are on Deck. Will Apple Intelligence Help Drive iPhone Sales?Is Your Portfolio

Bryan Armour, director of passive strategies research for North America for Morningstar Research Services, talks about the best way for most retail investors to leverage and which leveraged ETFs look promising. Travis Miller, strategist for Morningstar Research Services, discusses how tech companies are looking to nuclear energy to fuel data centers’ surging demand.Why Leverage Has a Debatable Reputation in InvestingVolatility Drag and Leveraged ETFsWhy Does Leverage Kill ETFs?What Are ETPs?A Better Way for Investors to Use Leverage in Their PortfolioHow Can Investors Add Leverage to Their Portfolio Without Volatility Drag?Costs of Leveraged ETFsHow Most Investors Should Gain Exposure to LeverageDo Leveraged ETFs Show Promise?What’s Coming Up in the Markets?How Much Energy Does a Data Center Need to Run?Why Small Modular Reactors Could Be Key to Powering Data CentersAre Carbon-Free Pledges Driving Companies Toward Nuclear Energy?Which Utilities Companies Are Next to Sign Data Center Deals?Is This Shift Toward

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine talks with author and researcher Howard Gleckman about long-term care.  How Long-Term Care Differs from Conventional HealthcareWhy Americans Need More Long-Term Care Than Ever BeforeLong-Term Care Isn’t Just in Nursing HomesDoes Medicare Cover Long-Term Care Costs?Who Should Consider Long-Term Care Insurance?The Financial Implications of Continuing Care Retirement CommunitiesHoward Gleckman’s Experience with Long-Term Care Key Takeaways Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some aspect of retirement well.If you read my work regularly, you know that I'm a little bit obsessed with the topic of long

Katie Binns, director of product management for Morningstar Indexes, discusses bank loans’ benefits even as interest rates are expected to fall. William Kerwin, equity analyst for Morningstar Research Services who covers Apple, reveals the two main things he wants to hear about on the earnings call.What Are Bank Loans?Bank Loans vs. Junk BondsThe Role of Bank Loans in Your PortfolioWhy the Market for Bank Loans Has GrownCompanies With Bank Loans TodayWhy Bank Loans Are Less Volatile Than Junk BondsHow Interest-Rate Cuts Could Affect Floating-Rate InvestmentsCould Riskier Credit Investments Default with an Economic Slowdown?What’s Coming Up in the Markets?Is Apple Intelligence Worth Upgrading Your iPhone?How Important Are iPhone 16s Holiday Sales to Apple?Why Apple Discontinued Developing Self-Driving Vehicles and Electric CarsCould Nvidia Taking the Title as the World’s Most Valuable Company Affect Apple?What to Look for in Apple EarningsApple Stock Outlook Read about topics from this episode.  The Morningsta

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine talks with financial planning expert Jeff Levine about the importance of tax planning in retirement.Why Tax Planning is Key When Withdrawing from Your Retirement PortfolioWill Your Taxes Decrease in Retirement?Key Tax Strategies for Retirees Before They Have to Take RMDsDo Rules of Thumb for Retirement Spending Make Sense?How to Lower Your RMD Tax BillsHow Qualified Charitable Distributions Can Help Lower Your Tax BillKey Takeaways Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some aspect of your retirement well.Today's episode will focus on the tricky topic of tax planning during retirement. To tackle t

Dan Lefkovitz, Morningstar Indexes strategist, discusses why it’s important to be ready for a range of outcomes during a market rotation. Nic Owens, equity analyst for Morningstar Research Services, talks about his outlook for Boeing stock ahead of earnings.Trends from the Q3 Market Rotation Extending into Q4 Key Moments Sparked Market Volatility Will Value Stocks Make a Comeback? Value and Small-Cap Stock OutlookWhat’s Fueling Dividend Stocks Outperformance Against the Broader Market?Bond Performance in Q3 and Early Q4What Investors Need to Watch Out for in Q4Will the Market Rotation Persist? What’s Coming Up in the Markets?Why Boeing’s New CEO Announced Massive LayoffsHow Boeing is Trying to Prevent a Credit DowngradeWhat Boeing is Delaying and Eliminating to Move ForwardWhere the Machinists’ Strike Stands at Boeing What to Look for in Boeing’s Q3 EarningsHow Investors Should Approach Boeing Stock Read about topics from this episode. 3 Lessons From Recent Stock Market DramaQ3 in Review and Q4 2024 Market Ou

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine sits down with Washington Post personal finance columnist and author Michelle Singletary. They talk about the difficult psychological transition from saving to spending in retirement.Transitioning from Saving to Spending in RetirementHow to Plan for Retirement When Your Spouse Doesn’t Retire at the Same TimeAre Annuities Helpful for In-Retirement Cash Needs?Delaying Social Security in RetirementHow Couples Can Approach Different Money Mindsets in RetirementKey Takeaways Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some aspect of retirement well.One of my favorite personal finance journalists is author a

Secure Act ConcernsRules for Traditional and Roth IRAs and Changes for Inherited IRAsWill Beneficiaries Need to Withdraw RMDs Every Year?Do People Who Inherit IRAs Still Need to Follow the 10-Year Rule?Why Congress Wants Inherited IRA Heirs to Follow the 10-Year RuleWhat Is Required of Non-Spouse Beneficiaries When Someone Passes After Starting RMDs?What Happens if the Original Account Owner Dies Before Taking Required Minimum Distributions?Can Non-Spouse Beneficiaries of Inherited IRAs Do a Rollover?When Should People Born in 1959 Begin RMDs?What You Should Do if You Skipped RMDs Between 2020 and 2024Key Takeaway Read about topics from this episode. IRS Finalizes RMD Regulations: Key Takeaways and the 10-Year Rule for BeneficiariesHow to Avoid Unintended Distributions from Inherited IRAs and 401(k)s4 RMD Mistakes to AvoidIRS Extends Waiver of Excise Tax for Inherited IRAs, but Not RMDsInherited IRAs: What to Know About Taxes, RMDs, and More What to watch from Morningstar.How to Find the Best Health Savings A

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine sits down with wealth manager Harold Evensky, who inspired Christine’s work in retirement portfolio bucketing.How the Bucket Approach to Retirement Planning Helps InvestorsHow the Bucket Approach Helped Keep Clients Steady During Market DownturnsBenefits of Limiting Cash in Retirement PortfoliosWhy Investors Should Avoid Too Many Retirement Buckets  Why Prioritizing Goals is Most Important for Retirement PlanningThe Most Underrated Aspect of Retirement PlanningOverrated Discussions in Retirement PlanningHarold Evensky’s Transition from Work to Retirement   Key Takeaways Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson abou

Morningstar Inc editor Margaret Giles discusses the triple-tax-benefits of HSAs, how they compare to other tax-advantaged accounts, and whether you can save too much. Greg Carlson, senior manager research analyst for Morningstar Research Services, highlights the providers that received Morningstar's top ratings.What is an HSA?Who is Eligible for an HSA?HSA vs FSAHow to Maximize the Triple-Tax Benefits of HSAsHow Do HSAs Compare to Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts?Can You Save Too Much in an HSA?How Has the HSA Landscape Evolved Over Time?HSA Adoption Growth and the Rise of High Deductible Healthcare Plans  How Does Morningstar Assess HSAs?What Makes a Good HHSA for SA for Spending?Top 3 HSA Providers for SpendingWhat Makes a Good HSA for Investing?Top 3 HSA Providers for InvestingMorningstar’s Guide to the Best HSA Providers Read about topics from this episode. The Best HSA ProvidersWhat Can My HSA Be Used For?3 Tricks for Getting the Most Out of Your HSAHSA vs. FSA: How to Choose One  What to watch from Morning

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine sits down with personal finance expert Manisha Thakor to address the question of “What is enough?” when it comes to retirement.Do You Have Enough Financial Resources to Retire?How Retirement Spending Changes as We AgePlanning for Long-Term Care in Retirement  Non-Financial Planning for RetirementHow to Establish a Sense of Identity Away From WorkHow to Take a Phased Approach to Retirement  Key Takeaways Hi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some aspect of retirement well.One big question that people often grapple with as they contemplate retirement is whether they'll have enough, financially and

Karen Andersen, biotechnology strategist for Morningstar Research Services, discusses what GLP-1 drugs’ demand means for the biopharma industry’s five-year outlook. And whether the weight-loss drugs pose a threat to snack food stocks.Why GLP-1 Drugs Are in Demand Competition Between Novo Nordisk and Eli LillyHow Expanding the Conditions GLP-1 Drugs Treats Could Influence Insurance CoverageAre Weight Loss Drugs a Threat to Snack Food Stocks?Big Pharma’s Looming Patent CliffHow Medicare Negotiations Impact the Pharmaceutical IndustryWhat is a Biologic Drug?Upcoming Innovations in the Pharmaceutical IndustryWhich BioPharma Drugs Do We Expect to Contract?Big Pharma’s Five-Year OutlookBiopharmaceutical Stock Picks Read about topics from this episode. 2024 Biopharmaceutical Industry LandscapeObesity Drugs: Can New Firms Take Market Share From Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk? Investment Opportunities in the Biopharma Industry Obesity Drug Market: The Next Wave of GLP-1 Competition  What to watch from Morningstar.Is the F

Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning, interviews financial experts about different aspects of retirement in ‘How to Retire,’ the companion podcast to her book of the same name. In this episode, Christine sits down with senior nerd at Kitces.com and assistant professor of finance Derek Tharp. They talk through how adjusting your spending throughout your retirement can enable you to spend more in the long run.  How Actual Retiree Spending Deviates from Conventional Retirement ResearchWhy Early Retirees Can Spend More Than the 4% GuidelineHow to Adjust Your Retirement Spending Over TimeHow to Get Comfortable With Variability in RetirementHow to Transition from Saving to SpendingHow to Account for Long-Term Care in Your Retirement Spending PlanKey TakeawaysHi, I'm Christine Benz from Morningstar and welcome to the How to Retire podcast. It's a companion to my book, which is also called How to Retire. Each episode will provide a bite-sized lesson about how to do some a