Traudy F. Grande, CFP

When meeting with pre-retirees as well as current retirees, one of the most common areas of concern, apprehension, and (at times) outright fear, is whether they will run out of money during retirement.

Based on our experience over the years, we believe the rules of investing and planning for retirement that one can feel confident in have changed forever.

Whether you're in or near retirement, keeping a watchful eye on your spending can be pivotal in determining whether your funds will last at least as long as you do.

Understand exchange-traded funds and why you may want one.

Getting in and out of a mutual fund at the wrong time is generally accounted for by the psychology behind an investor's behavior.

It is extremely important to get a sense of confidence in your planning, because it not only affects your future, but has an impact on your life right now.

Ultimately, both individually managed accounts and mutual funds have their proper place among today's investment alternatives.

Managers can beat their benchmark in one of two ways: they can take on more or less risk than the benchmark (beta), or they can simply pick stocks in good sectors (alpha).