Investing Insights

Becoming a 401(k) millionaire can require decades of hard work and sacrifice. Previously, a seven-figure nest egg shined as the gold standard among retirement planners. But the shine has dulled as a portfolio of that size no longer guarantees the same security. What steps should you take to protect your savings and avoid going broke in retirement? Sheryl Rowling has a list of tips. The certified public accountant is the editorial director of financial advice for Morningstar.

Your 7-Figure Retirement Fund Might Not Stretch As Far As You Think. Here’s How to Change That

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:20 Why seven-figure retirement portfolios need extra planning finesse

00:01:58 Why the retirement-to-RMD window matters

00:03:40 How taxpayers can approach the new SALT deduction

00:04:50 Building a cash bucket for market downturns

00:06:15 Retirement money missteps worth avoiding

00:09:41 Shifting asset allocation and key takeaways



Watch more from Morningstar:

New ETFs Are Launching Fast. Proceed With Caution

Why Playing It Safe in Retirement Can Backfire
Why Do Active Funds Lag Even With Winning Picks?



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New exchange-traded funds are sprouting up quickly. In 2025, more than 1,000 ETFs launched. The crop included promising funds as well as those taking on unnecessary risks. The field could expand soon to include hundreds of riskier ETFs. As investment choices evolve, how can everyday investors spot what’s a good fit for their portfolio?  Dan Sotiroff is the associate director of US passive strategies research for Morningstar. 

New ETFs with Sensible Investment Approaches Are Becoming Harder to Find

 

On this episode: 

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:11 How ETFs have evolved since the 1990s

00:02:38 New ETF trends and how providers compete

00:07:34 Risks and costs behind leveraged and inverse ETFs

00:11:04 Promising new ETFs worth a look

00:12:21 What to watch out for 

00:13:13 Key takeaways for evaluating new ETFs

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Why Playing It Safe in Retirement Can Backfire

Why Do Active Funds Lag Even With Winning Picks?

Target-Date Funds With Annuities Are Gaining Ground. Is That Good for Your Retirement Plan?

 

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Will you give yourself permission to fully enjoy your nest egg? Many retirees spent years saving to enjoy this chapter of their lives, but when they finally get there, a lot of them hold back. Of course, lavish spending can be a problem in retirees' golden years. But so can not spending enough! New Morningstar research has found retirees often withdraw their money very conservatively, even when they're not especially afraid of running out of money. As a result, they might deny themselves a dream vacation or trying new hobbies. So, what's behind it, and how can you learn to spend more in retirement and still live within your means? One of the researchers is Dr. Danielle Labotka, who's a behavioral scientist for Morningstar.

Is Your Cautious Retirement Spending Doing More Harm Than Good?

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:02 Why Morningstar researchers studied retirement underspending

00:02:28 How retirees decide how much to spend

00:03:23 Why simple withdrawal strategies generally lead to underspending

00:04:42 What typically happens to retirees' wealth over time

00:05:27 Why cautious spending persists even when retirees can afford more

00:07:37 Three ways to tell if you're underspending in retirement

Watch more from Morningstar:

Why Do Active Funds Lag Even With Winning Picks?

Target-Date Funds With Annuities Are Gaining Ground. Is That Good for Your Retirement Plan?

AI ETFs Are on the Rise. Are They Worth the Risk?

 

Follow Morningstar on social: 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/

 

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Picking winning stocks is just part of the battle to beat an index. Active managers make investing moves when opportunities arise or dry up. They also rely on a team of analysts and state-of-the-art tools to help them uncover the next big investment idea. Yet, an in-depth dive into the top 100 largest active US stock funds reveals most active managers earn lower returns than their index. So, what are the pros' missteps? And what can everyday investors like you learn from them? Jeff Ptak analyzed years of stock fund data. The managing director of manager research for Morningstar explains what he found.

The Biggest Active Stock Funds Picked the Right Stocks. They Still Lagged

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:00:55 What is a hypothetical 'do-nothing' portfolio?

00:02:54 Hits and misses during 2025's strong market

00:04:16 The do-nothing portfolio's performance during up and down years

00:05:17 Hypothetical $10K growth over a decade

00:06:27 How active managers can do a better job of beating their index

00:07:35 Overcoming the urge to make portfolio tweaks  

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Target-Date Funds With Annuities Are Gaining Ground. Is That Good for Your Retirement Plan?

AI ETFs Are on the Rise. Are They Worth the Risk?

Don’t Leave Tax Savings on the Table: How to Conduct a Midyear IRA Checkup

 

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Guaranteed income in retirement sounds pretty nice, but what are the trade-offs to make it happen? Several big asset managers offer target-date funds with built-in annuities. However, it's difficult to compare one against another because their strategies tend to differ. And retail annuities' dubious reputation has set up a hurdle for mass adoption. But recent important developments could clear the path for these funds to appear in 401(k)s and other retirement plans. New Morningstar research explores why target-date funds with annuities are gaining ground in the US. Jason Kephart has dug into the data. Morningstar's senior principal of multi-asset manager research is here to explain what he found.

As Fidelity Adds Target-Date Fund With Guaranteed Income, Here’s What You Should Watch For

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:00:59 What annuities are and why they got a bad rap

00:02:05 How in-plan annuities differ from retail versions

00:02:26 Why a proposed Department of Labor rule matters for 401(k) plans

00:03:08 Is momentum building for guaranteed income in 401(k)s?

00:04:18 Income annuities vs. guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits

00:07:09 What retirement savers should know now

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

AI ETFs Are on the Rise. Are They Worth the Risk?

Don’t Leave Tax Savings on the Table: How to Conduct a Midyear IRA Checkup

What Investors Should Watch for in the Second Half of 2026

 

Follow Morningstar on social: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/ 

X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/

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