Innovation fuels the investment industry with a steady stream of new products. And yet many of these products are unproven, with hidden risks and consequences that even seasoned investors can’t foresee. Here we take a closer look at one of the industry’s greatest innovations of the 21^st century—Exchange Traded Funds, or “ETFs”—now grown into a multi-trillion dollar marketplace. Does this much-touted product serve your best interests? Read on.

This appealing strategy has pitfalls, too. Who doesn’t want to reduce their tax bill? At the end of the year, one popular tactic is tax loss harvesting, a strategy of selling stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investments that are worth less than what one paid for them. The idea is to use losses to offset realized capital gains on other investments. On the surface, tax loss harvesting seems attractive, but is it a good fit for the long-term investor? It depends.

Reaching For A Better Solution: Is Smart Beta Right for You? Wouldn’t it be great if you could reap equal or greater returns while lowering your risk? That’s the allure of new “smart beta” strategies. But are these strategies proven and reliable or simply the latest marketing gimmick to reel in gullible investors? Here we offer a quick primer on what smart beta investing is all about, and advice for those considering it.