Karen Wallace

Meat prices, cable bills, and medical costs are taking a bite out of budgets, say retirees.

High-yield bonds are looking more attractive to some investors today, but they also have their share of drawbacks.

Retired readers discuss their current allocations and the considerations behind them.

These favorites deserve more attention than they're getting, says Morningstar.com readers.

Mid-caps offer great risk/reward potential, but check your existing weightings before buying a dedicated fund.

Our readers share their advice for putting market volatility in perspective and sticking to your long-term plan.

These funds were among the best performers during the recent stock-market plunge--but there are other ways to play defense.

Our readers discuss how they budget for travel and share their advice for making travel budget-friendly.

A guide to understanding Morningstar analyst-driven stock ratings and how they work together.

Some Morningstar readers are intrigued by alternative investments, but high fees and lack of understanding remain barriers to adoption.

Higher yields than cash, with low volatility and principal protection.

Morningstar readers distill their investing approaches into just a few sentences.

If rates are set rise, some investors wonder if cash is a better bet than bonds in a balanced portfolio.

From shunning bonds to staying the course, our readers discuss what they're doing to prepare for rate hikes.

Six considerations for those considering an investment in municipal bonds.

Our readers discuss their biggest investing regrets.

These moaty firms all have stable or growing competitive advantages, and are trading near our buying range.

Finding the right share class for you depends on a mix of factors, including your time horizon and investable assets.

Our readers weigh in on their most successful pick.

Trying to time your portfolio's currency exposure could cost you money.

Their opportunistic picks run the gamut from fairly staid to pretty daring.

How we calculate flows and ways you can use the data.

Our readers tell us what's keeping them up at night.

Stocks eked out gains amid Fed-watching, continued mergers and acquisitions, and the ongoing Greek debt crisis.

These funds can play a role in a portfolio, but investors need to be aware of their risks.

Our readers weigh in on which shareholder letters or market commentary they regularly read.

Our fund analysts discuss their highest-conviction bond, dividend, and other equity fund picks amid a challenging investment landscape.

Though not a perfect measure, duration can help you get a handle on bonds' interest-rate sensitivity.

Panelists from Vanguard, American Funds, and Dodge & Cox reframe the debate.

Learn whether the market is cheap or expensive--and what you can do about it.