Selena Maranjian

22 hours ago | fool.com | Selena Maranjian

Two of the best things in the investment world are index funds and dividend-paying stocks. So an even better thing, arguably, would be a dividend-focused index fund. Here's a look at a well-regarded index exchange-traded fund (ETF) that recently boasted a yield of 4%. (ETFs are funds that trade like stocks, making it easy to get in and out of them.)I'll also offer for your consideration a more aggressive income-oriented ETF that recently sported a dividend yield of 11%.

22 hours ago | fool.com | Selena Maranjian

Getting old isn't always pleasant. Various body parts, like your knees, may start failing you, and your hearing and memory may not be what they used to be. But there are plenty of things to look forward to as you age, such as grandchildren, senior citizen discounts, Medicare, and Social Security. Social Security is a particularly wonderful thing, providing about 31% of income for those aged 65 or older. Here's a look at when you can consider yourself ready to start collecting it. 1.

1 day ago | fool.com | Selena Maranjian

Who doesn't love a monster stock? Definitions can vary, and in my mind, a monster stock is one that has one or more amazing qualities that can lead it to be a terrific grower over time for its shareholders. If your portfolio has one or more monster stocks in it, it might grow like gangbusters over time (though such growth might even be achieved with simple, low-fee index funds). Here are three such companies to consider for berths in your portfolio.

5 days ago | fool.com | Selena Maranjian

If you've ever spent any time thinking about millionaires and wondering how they got to be so rich, the answer for many of them is this: They employed a certain retirement savings hack by setting themselves up to benefit from compound growth. Here's a look at how compound growth works -- and, importantly, how you might take advantage of the phenomenon, too, perhaps becoming a millionaire in the process. What is compounding?

5 days ago | fool.com | Selena Maranjian

Last month, April, was National Social Security Month. I hope you enjoyed it and attended many Social Security parties. If not, perhaps you at least took a moment to appreciate the security it provides to tens of millions of Americans. For example, it provides 31% of the income for those older than 65. (This year is the program's 90th anniversary, too.)You may be wondering just how much income Social Security provides, though, and whether that income will be taxed. Read on for some answers.