Bond ratings are an essential tool when considering fixed-income investments. While your allocation to bonds should be taken into context with your overall holdings and your unique goals, here is a refresher on bond ratings.

The old phrase "timing is everything" seems to capture the way random, chance events affect us throughout life. Of course, these sometimes life-changing events can be either negative or positive. While the way we see random events in life may lead us to believe that "timing is everything," we believe that applying this mindset to investing is, at best, unprofitable and, at worst, disastrous to one's portfolio.

Sometimes on a perfect summer afternoon when I look at the blue sparkly water I have a tough time remembering the grey color and crashing waves associated with a storm. And yet it might look like that the very next day. Similarly, when the stock market is steadily climbing, it can be hard to imagine a bear (bad) market.

Your teenager may not get rich mowing lawns or babysitting the neighborhood children, but contributing some of those weekend earnings to a Roth IRA can pave the road to a more secure financial future. Though Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible, most teens pay little or no taxes anyway, and Roth IRAs will allow their money to grow tax-free for decades.

Employing a financial planner is not an inexpensive proposition, so the obvious question is, “Are they worth it?” Morningstar and Vanguard have each undertaken studies to quantify the impact good of a good advisor from an investment standpoint, but true fee-only financial planners can add significant value above and beyond the investments. Many folks want a trusted, objective advisor to help them achieve their goals.