The year 2011 afforded many opportunities to examine and provide commentary on some pertinent – and at times divisive – issues in the realm of personal finance. The last twelve months have been tumultuous in the financial world and, as we have seen with Think’s increasingly expanding readership, people are striving to stay informed and educate themselves about issues that directly affect them, including budgeting, retirement, and social security.
As always, we appreciate our readers’ comments, both the thoughtful and the thought-provoking, and continue to welcome your constructive feedback. With the New Year upon us, we encourage you to send comments with your requests and ideas for content that you would like to see featured in 2012.
So, while you take some time to Think over this holiday season, we invite you to revisit some of the most popular articles we featured this past year.
Top 5 Articles from Think
5. Climbing a Bond Ladder – Larry Denham
Larry Denham provides a concise explanation of the bond ladder technique and outlines the risks and benefits associated with employing this strategy.
4. Heard off the Street: Mortgage Forgiveness – And an Unexpected Silver Lining – Contango Capital Advisors
In this article from mid-November, the Investment Strategy Group offers their observations of the US mortgage crisis and the potential implications of mortgage forgiveness.
3. Terms of the Trade – Alison Andersen
The first of an informative series, this article defines several terms related to stock trading, including ‘Market Order’ and ‘Limit Order.’
2. A Tale of Two Strategies: Bond Funds vs. Individual Bonds – Larry Denham
The advantages and disadvantages of investing in bond funds and individual bonds are weighed in yet another succinct article by Larry Denham.
1. Debt: Sink or Swim – Alan Westenskow
Alan Westenskow tackles the all-too-familiar matter of debt and illustrates why answering the question “Is debt good or bad?” can be more complicated than one might think.
Top 5 Articles from the Associated Press
5. 7 Common Money Moves That Can Bring Bad Luck – Dave Carpenter
Are you putting off saving for retirement or emergencies? Have you made impulsive investing decisions? Learn about these seven costly mistakes so you won’t fall victim to them in 2012.
4. With Default Looming, What Investors Should Do Now – Dave Carpenter
The threat of default for the United States was a hot issue for many people during the third quarter of this year. Dave Carpenter provided five points to take into consideration.
3. Social Security Disability on Verge of Insolvency – Stephen Ohlemacher
The fate of Social Security’s disability program is a critical and sensitive subject that hits close to home for many Americans.
2. Highlights of the Tax Package Passed by Congress – Associated Press
While actually published in 2010, this article outlining last December’s tax package generated a lot of reader interest.
1. 5 Money Myths That Can Derail the Inexperienced – Candice Choi
With countless conflicting viewpoints and experiences in a troubled economy, it is no wonder that financial misconceptions abound. Are you are guilty of buying into any of these myths?
Top Video Posts
Warren Buffet Gets Animated
The creation of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, the Secret Millionaires Club promotes children’s financial literacy through its interactive website and series of animated episodes. Check out the first episode here.
Estate Planning with Kevin Mikan
In this brief interview, Kevin Mikan of Western National Trust Company provides insight on some basic fundamentals of estate planning. Learn about his ‘Core of Four’ elements that are central to a well-planned estate.
To the ‘Cheapster’ Go the Spoils
Zions Bank’s web reality series “Cheapster” launched on November 8th and concluded with the crowning of the Cheapster champion on December 20th. All of the episodes can be found at Facebook.com/CheapsterTV.
