Are we headed for bear or bull? Growth or recession? Today it seems harder than ever to say. You can still be prepared.

Q. Why is the recommended mix of stocks and bonds any different at the beginning of my career than at the start of retirement? I don't understand why I should reduce my exposure to stocks...

I'm conflicted about whether I should invest in actively managed funds or index funds. Ideally, I'd prefer to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible. -- Rusty, Albuquerque, N.M. If you're looking to keep...

Waiting for higher yields on savings? Don't hold your breath. The Federal Reserve said in September it would buy $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities a month until the labor market rebounds. The goal: to free...

What changes do you think investors should make to their portfolios to avoid the financial meltdown that could result if we go over the "fiscal cliff"? -- Mark Anderson, Lawrenceville, Ga. If you've already set...

What is the best no-risk way to invest my $500,000? -- R.S., Las Vegas, Nevada Sorry, but neither I nor anyone else can give you a no-risk way to invest $500,000, or any other sum....