In the second half of July, the U.S. stock market dropped 5.9 percent, the international market by 5.6 percent (measured by the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Morgan Stanley Europe Australia Far East Index known as EAFE). The drop wasn’t enough to qualify as either a crash or a correction. But it was swift enough to prompt many startled investors to call us asking if their money was still safe.

What just happened is called a drawdown, an inevitable part of the market’s normal cycle. After a big drawdown early last year, Paul Merriman wrote what has become one of the most important articles in our educational library. It’s full of things that every savvy investor should know.

Click here to read this article. 

Exchange-traded funds have become a major product in the investment world. In the following article, Paul Merriman tells what they are and helps you decide whether they are right for you.

Despite all the choices available today, successful investing is more difficult and challenging than ever. In this article, Paul Merriman discusses the important decisions investors must make as they come to two fundamental forks in the road.

Making money often appears to be a daunting task. Too many options cause us to either throw up our hands in frustration or seek the help of those we believe know more.

But, in reality, the essence of making money is easy to understand.