‘Tis the season for year-end mutual fund distributions. A quick review of how these work can help those who keep a close eye on their stockings from being caught by surprise.

Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) takes an unconventional approach to managing money. In stark contrast to the “active” money management that defines Wall Street, DFA embraces a “passive” approach rooted in academic research. But don’t confuse DFA’s funds with index funds.

The market decline from October 2007 to early March 2009—known as the Global Financial Crisis—was the worst since the late 1930s. Stocks dropped 60%, investor uncertainty skyrocketed, and trust and confidence were shattered. As we mark the 10-year anniversary of the start to the Global Financial Crisis, what have we learned?

Since the unfortunate Equifax breach in September, we’ve received many inquiries about how Vista protects client assets. In this post, we explain how Charles Schwab and Vista keep your money safe—and how you can help.

Most active investment managers don’t achieve their main objective—delivering higher returns than market averages. In fact, roughly 90% of US, international, and emerging market mutual funds underperformed their respective benchmarks over the past 15 years. But that doesn’t stop investors from trying.