Target Date Funds, Exchange Traded Notes, and How to Handle a Windfall: We Answer Listener Questions

We are starting the next 200 episodes with another Listener Questions episode:

Michael is 35 years old, has no debt, and $30,000 in his checking account. He contributes 3 percent of his earnings to his company's 401(k) to gets the match. Michael wants to get more aggressive with his investments. Should he contribute more or just change out of a target date fund?

John wants to understand the difference between an exchange traded note and an exchange traded fund. Also, inverse index ETFs like DXD or XQQQ, which are leveraged shorting of the NASDAQ and DOW respectively, is it not true that over time the value must degrade towards zero as markets invariably rise over long periods of time and the ETF price is designed to increase only when the index falls? Why invest in inverse ETFs?

Semone feels like she can stand the volatility of the market, but wonders if it is time to increase her position with bonds in her portfolio.

Jerry and his wife received a small windfall. His wife wants to pay off the car and mortgage, but Jerry thinks it's time to invest because they have nothing saved other than a little money in a 401(k).

Devin Carroll from Social Security Intelligence and the Big Picture Retirement podcast joins us to answer these questions.

For more information, visit the show notes at http://moneytreepodcast.com/201