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The Sapient Investor

QYLD:  Option Premiums are Not Dividends! Thumbnail

QYLD: Option Premiums are Not Dividends!

Up to a point, higher yield can imply attractive value. But really huge yields come with outsized risks. If you invest naively based on yield without understand or analyzing the risks, you can get burned. QYLD, with a yield of 10%-12%, is a case in point.

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The Backdoor Roth Thumbnail

The Backdoor Roth

Maybe you have heard of the backdoor Roth and wondered if you should consider one. This article will explain what it is and when to use it.

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Your Guide to Medicare Thumbnail

Your Guide to Medicare

When you turn 65, you need to sign up for Medicare. This ebooklet will help guide you through the many options you will need to choose from when the time comes.

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The Best and Worst Sectors for Rising Interest Rates Thumbnail

The Best and Worst Sectors for Rising Interest Rates

This article highlights the sectors and industries most sensitive to increases in interest rates using an objective and sophisticated statistical risk model. Some of the winners and losers are different than in past economic recoveries.

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Should I Buy Long-Term Care Insurance? Thumbnail

Should I Buy Long-Term Care Insurance?

Here is my attempt to provide unbiased advice regarding long-term care insurance and other ways you might finance your long-term care expenses. Buying insurance is not likely to be the best option.

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The Best Clean Energy ETF Thumbnail

The Best Clean Energy ETF

Clean energy stock returns led the market by a wide margin in 2020. Given their political support, that momentum seems poised to continue for the long-term. iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) is the largest and most liquid among the clean energy ETFs, it has nearly the lowest expense ratio, and it is widely diversified to include solar, wind, and other clean energy-related companies. If you are going to have representation in this niche, ICLN is a logical choice.

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The Best Homebuilding ETF Thumbnail

The Best Homebuilding ETF

Now is an excellent time to invest in a homebuilding ETF. Mortgage rates are at all-time lows. The economy is recovering. And demand for housing has surged in the wake of Covid-19. I recommend either iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) or SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) or both.

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Which Short-Term Bond Fund is Best? Thumbnail

Which Short-Term Bond Fund is Best?

Long-term bonds have a lot of interest rate risk and little yield. Here are some short-term corporate and muni bond ETFs with relatively attractive yields that are cheap to own (low expense ratios) and cheap to trade (low bid/ask spreads).

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