Fighting risk with risk: How investors are using options to protect portfolios

Lackluster performance is a top reason investors switch advisors, along with poor communication and bad advice.

Catch-22 for workers who are too young to retire, too old to rehire
Half of all older workers retire early, often unwillingly, which often devastates carefully planned retirement savings.

As Brexit fallout continues, here are 4 key ways to protect your savings
The UK is leaving the EU, so now is the time to reassess financial goals and make sure investments match priorities.

Top money managers take temperature of health stocks: ‘Genomics’ firms to soar
Sharon Epperson asks Cathie Wood of Ark Invest and Chris Retzler of Needham Asset Management about top health-care stocks.

Are reverse mortgages a very bad move or a great idea?
With baby boomers warming to reverse mortgages, regulators are debuting rules that shore up the government-backed loan program.

Think buying obsolete iPods is weird? Get a load of these oddball collectibles
From obsolete iPods to rare sneakers, offbeat collectibles attract investors as tangible assets appreciating in value.

Most retirees have no clue, get no help with Social Security: Study
A study finds only a third of retirees have a financial advisor, and 59 percent are not advised on Social Security benefits.

Investors pouring billions into passively managed funds
Cost, ease and efficiency are driving investment assets into passively managed exchange-traded funds.

The battle continues over fiduciary rules for financial advisors
Failing to get Congress to overturn the fiduciary rule for advisors, opponents are betting another lawsuit will succeed.

Nothing lasts forever: Many blue-chip stocks face mortality
Investors need to monitor holdings to make sure they aren’t hanging on to the next Circuit City or Borders.

Moving abroad if Trump or Clinton wins? Consider expat money issues first
If planning a move abroad, you should be aware of the laws and banking policies that can complicate your financial picture.

Kids graduated? If so, it’s time to focus on your retirement
Money you’ve spent on kids can now be directed elsewhere. What you do can have a dramatic impact on your future.

Here’s how the presidential election will affect your retirement plans
Emotional investing is not safe, so during this election, investors account for goals, time horizons and risk comfort.

Will liquid alternatives’ asset inflows continue?
Advisors seeking safety like liquid alternatives funds, an emerging category in the $300 billion alternatives space.

Investors could lose billions on this ‘mind-numbingly complex’ deal
Arbitration against Merrill Lynch highlights a potential hazard for other banks selling structured products.

The four steps investors should take if UK votes yes to Brexit
If you placed speculative bets or are overweighted in EU securities, reconsider your strategy before the June 23 Brexit vote.

Adding a teen to your auto policy? The states shifting premiums into overdrive
The top most- and least-expensive auto-insurance rate increases, by state, for parents adding a teen to a policy.

Do you know what a financial advisor actually does for a living … or for you?
Some 36% of Americans have no understanding of what a financial advisor does. Here’s what several are doing to get the word out.

Investors’ 401(k) dilemma: Use do-it-yourself approach or target-date funds?
Half of 401(k) investors use target-date funds, but you can also build your own portfolio out of available fund options.

Not all advisors have the knowledge or credentials to help investors reach goals
More and more people are granting themselves the title of financial advisor, yet not all have the credentials.

The value of human financial advisors comes down to a can of diet soda
Face-to-face financial advice from a human will always be in demand, because it accounts for clients’ emotional needs.

Get ready for the $30 trillion (with a T) ‘great wealth transfer’
Advisors who want to capture the trillions that boomers are passing on to heirs must embrace fintech to attract young clients.

Health savings accounts: The overlooked retirement plan
Given high health costs in retirement, workers are better off saving via health savings accounts rather than 401(k)s.

Millennials face challenges funding a new kind of retirement
Saddled with student-loan debt, stagnant wages and high living expenses, Gen Y must start to prepare now for the long term.

You’d better hope Fed raises rates — trillions depend on it
The dismal May jobs number gave the Fed the excuse it needs to hold interest rates steady, but that would be a mistake.

Don’t raid those retirement accounts to pay for Johnny’s college expenses
Digging into retirement funds early wreaks havoc on your retirement, thanks to missed compound interest and hefty fees.

Is the twilight of the much-hyped robo-advisor already at hand?
The window to access capital is closing on stand-alone robo-advisors, and without it they won’t be able to survive.

Portfolio managers spotlighting these three hot sectors
Portfolio managers David Pearl, John Maloney and Nick Galluccio reveal the best deals they see ahead in the short term.

Night of the Living Debt: Zombie obligations, and how to fight them off
Zombie debt — old debt thought dead — can come back to haunt you but there are ways to fight off a financial apocalypse.

Once indifferent, financial advisors are hopping onto ETF portfolio bandwagon
ETFs have become a linchpin for advisors, with many relying almost entirely on them when putting together client portfolios.

These four simple steps will make managing your 401(k) less complicated
The 401(k) has been Americans’ default retirement savings option for over four decades, but many still don’t understand it.

Three ways women can hammer at glass ceiling until it cracks
Underrepresented in the advisor space, women must take proactive steps to advance their standing in the profession.

Is there any opportunity in FANG investing?
If the market is going to climb again in 2016, it won’t necessarily be on the back of Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google.

The changing landscape of wealth management benefits investors over managers
Regulatory change and evolving technologies are changing thow investors access investment products and get advice.

Which media stocks should you be watching? Portfolio managers pick
CNBC’s Sharon Epperson asks portfolio managers David Pearl, John Maloney and Nick Galluccio about media stocks.

Believe it or not, buying an annuity can be a good idea for retirement plans
Given the high toll that health costs take on savings, buying an annuity for its guaranteed income stream can be a good idea.

Not so fast: Advisor industry groups challenge Washington’s fiduciary ruling
Financial advisory groups are planning a court challenge to the fiduciary rule finalized by the Labor Department.

Exposed: 7 key portfolio tips culled through extreme investments
Unusual investments can be a surprising source of classic wealth-building lessons. Here are seven important ones.

Special-needs trusts: Unexpected but often very necessary parts of estate plans
Special-needs trusts help parents pass on assets to a disabled child without jeopardizing government benefits.

Honest financial advisors should embrace new Labor Dept. fiduciary standard
Some advisors may protest the new fiduciary rule but they should aim for the most responsible, not the highest, margin.

Uncovering the investment fees you don’t know you are paying
Discover the truth about investment fees by taking matters into your own hands, finding the fees and acting accordingly.

Why traditional media firms will triumph over the cord-cutting threat
Consumers are abandoning cable TV for streaming media, but the industry has some advantages that may thwart cord-cutting.

It’s key to weigh options when picking a long-term care insurance plan
Traditional long-term care health insurance isn’t the only option for coverage. Here are three more to consider.

Tuition sticker shock? Here are good jobs you don’t need a college degree to get
A college degree eventually can result in higher wages, but some fields offer jobs that don’t require a pricey diploma.

The tech stocks that can power up your portfolio
CNBC’s Sharon Epperson interviews portfolio managers John Maloney, David Pearl and Nick Galluccio about tech picks.

Fintech lures investors with lower costs but remains a mixed bag for advisors
Advisors ponder the threat fintech poses to the industry — and their jobs.

College debt: Don’t rush to refinance your federal student loans
Before privately refinancing a federal student loan, it’s important to understand the consequences of such actions.

For investors, finding the right asset allocation is what counts
The most important investing choice is asset allocation, which explains more than 90 percent of investment variability.

If you depend on dividends, you better watch this metric