Alexander Green

If the present is bad - and the future even worse - why take the risk? Because things aren't that bad. We live in a golden age... yet most people don't realize it.

Listen to the typical perma-bear - if you must - and you'll find that they are generally wrong 5 ways at once.

Really smart investors tend to have their own unique style. But dumb ones are all the same. They tend to be ignorant of stock market history. And they act - or, more to the point, react - not rationally but emotionally.

The market has teetered in recent weeks. And the volatility has caused some investors to head for the sidelines. They are almost certainly making a mistake. To time the market correctly, you have to make not one great call but two.

Wealth is freedom, security and peace of mind. You can do what you want, help the people and causes you love, follow your dreams, and live life on your own terms. But despite the many advantages of money, there are some downsides too.

The dollar just logged its longest winning streak in more than 17 years, rising against a broad basket of currencies for nine straight weeks. It is up over 3% this year and nearly 18% since hitting its 2011 low.

Investment success doesn't come from following the right predictions. It comes from following the right principles. But which ones?

If you want to own the asset class that's likely to go up the most, you might start by evaluating the ones that are currently liked the least.

Today's investors have a lot to be thankful for, and not just because stocks are up 135% over the last 5-and-a-half years.

If you are not using a proven investment system, then you are not likely to beat the market. A complete system should cover these 6 foundations.

What every investor should really seek first and foremost is an all-encompassing investment system, one that will generate above-average returns in good times and protect capital when things go off the rails.

Investors generally have a bad habit of being too optimistic when the market is high and too pessimistic when share prices are low.

Beating the market is possible, but it is harder than it looks, takes years of study, and requires a great deal of due diligence. However, the payoff is worth it.

With stocks looking boring, many investors are selling for alternative investments. This is almost certainly a mistake.

Imagine someone giving one single piece of investment advice in his lifetime and absolutely nailing it. Although it's not widely recognized, that's exactly what President Barack Obama did on March 4, 2009.

More than a few investors are scratching their heads over the Dow's performance so far in 2014. But even when the market is flat, companies with these same 10 qualities are good investments.

Despite the investment industry's minefield of conflicting interests, in many ways the landscape has never been tilted more favorably toward the individual investor.

High-frequency trading has been a hot topic of discussion as people claim these traders are using a technology advantage to cheat ordinary investors. The technology advantage is real. The harm done is more imaginary.

If you are wealthy-or even aspire to be-listen up. There is a growing movement in the US that believes some people's economic success comes at someone else's expense.

Five years is an eon in the investment world, especially for income investors. So where does such an investor put his or her money to work for the next 5 years?

Those who claim the US budget deficit has placed us on the verge of national bankruptcy are misinformed. Debt is meaningless except in relation to income and assets.

This bull market just turned 5 years old and insiders are celebrating by selling their company stocks at a ratio of 6:1. What does that mean for the average investor?

Trading breaking news is almost always a bad idea. And yet the same investors who panicked and ran to the sidelines after one news event are always the first to do it the next time, too.

Bond investors today fall into one of three categories: smart, scared or oblivious. You don't need to avoid bonds right now as long as you know this one thing.

The market has teetered in recent weeks. And the volatility has caused some investors to head for the sidelines. They are almost certainly making a mistake. Let's consider how things could go awry.

Unfortunately, politics can no longer be separated out from investing considering the unprecedented degree of intervention in the financial markets.

President Obama is turning his attention to economic inequality. In Obama's view, your portfolio is unfair, unjust and diminishes others and he's going to stick it to investors and the affluent.

Want to make a lot of money in the stock market? Then ignore conventional wisdom. Or better yet, do the opposite… Instead of investing your money based on economic forecasts or market call, use proven principles.

Bear markets are a gift. Yet too many investors are reluctant to act. Most investors just don't understand the incredible resilience of equities.

This is the time of year for making New Year's resolutions. And there are four that are guaranteed to make your portfolio bigger, fatter and wider a year from now.