Markets, money, and thinking clearly about the long run.
A home equity line of credit lets you borrow against the value you've built in your home. Here's how a HELOC works, what it costs, the risks most people underestimate, and when it's a reasonable tool.
Read moreA margin loan lets you borrow against the stocks in your brokerage account. Here's how margin works, how a margin call is triggered, what it costs, and why it's riskier than it looks.
Read moreA pledged asset line is a credit line backed by your investments, and brokerages sell it under many names. Here's what's actually different about pledged asset lines, how pledging an account works, and how pledged securities can replace a down payment on a home.
Read moreA securities-backed line of credit lets you borrow against your portfolio for almost anything except buying more stock. Here's how an SBLOC works, how it differs from margin, what triggers a collateral call, and who it actually suits.
Read moreThe wealthiest investors often live on borrowed money instead of selling stock, then pass the shares to heirs with the gains wiped clean at death. Here's how buy, borrow, die works, what it costs, and what a regular investor can take from it.
Read moreEvery quarter, large investment managers have to disclose their stock holdings. Here's what a 13F shows, what it hides, and how a regular investor can get real use out of it.
Read moreThe cliche is true, but the usual explanation for why undersells how much it depends on missing a small number of specific days.
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