Daily Money - Active Trading: Is it Worth it?

Elizabeth O'Brien is a senior writer at Money

I can barely go 10 minutes without checking Twitter, but I can ignore my portfolio for months on end. That’s not a bad thing (the portfolio neglect, I mean, not my Twitter addiction). You’re not supposed to pay too much attention to your stocks and bonds — the favored strategy is called “buy and hold” for a reason. Even so, I made a New Year’s resolution to stay more on top of my holdings. On the other end of the spectrum, some folks enjoy active trading. If you want to earmark a tiny percentage of your portfolio as "mad money," and you’re disciplined enough to keep it tiny, then go for it. The apps certainly make it easy. Learn what some pros say about active trading in today’s edition.

Best wishes,
Elizabeth

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TIMELY RETIREMENT NEWS, INSIGHTS, AND ADVICE

Trading Stocks Has Never Been Easier

Here’s how often experts say you should buy and sell.

When Does Tax Season Start in 2021?

The IRS hasn’t announced the official state date, but it’s coming soon.

Qualifying for a Mortgage Is Surprisingly Difficult Right Now

Lenders have tightened their standards.

RETIRE WITH MONEY COMMUNITY INSIGHTS

This week in our Retire with Money Facebook group, members discussed this story by a blogger who goes by “Dividend Growth Investor.” The author writes of reaching the “dividend crossover point,” a point where dividend income meets or exceeds expenses. The piece also includes this quote, which resonated a lot for me. I can’t vouch for its accuracy, but I love it: “At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, the late Kurt Vonnegut informs his pal, the author Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular novel Catch 22 over its whole history. Heller responds, “Yes, but I have something he will never have . . . Enough.”

RETIREMENT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB

The Social Security Retirement Age Could Change

Lawmakers are researching increasing the full retirement age for the first time in decades. CNBC

How to Get Your Homebound Parent a COVID-19 Vaccine

There’s no coordinated rollout, so you have to be proactive. NEXT AVENUE

The Lasting Effects of the Great Recession on Housing Wealth

A new study examines how boomers face lasting consequences from the Great Recession, though not all of them are bad. SQUARED AWAY BLOG

Find the Place You Love. Then Move There

It’s easier said than done, but for those who manage it the rewards can be tremendous. THE ATLANTIC

Elizabeth O'Brien is deputy editor at Money. She has covered retirement and health care for nearly a decade. A Brooklyn resident and mom of two boys, she navigates the alphabet soup of Medicare and the New York City subway system with equal ease. You can email her at elizabeth.obrien@money.com and follow her on Twitter at @elizobrien.

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Daily Money - Active Trading: Is it Worth it?

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