High Investment return — no risk?

Hi Terry,
I recall you being on a radio segment in November or December speaking about gaining 6 or 7 percent return with almost no risk. I did not recall the website you mentioned. I would like to investigate this option since I am not as stock savvy as I would like, and my wife will leave money in CDs earning 0.3% unless we can find a better low risk option.

Terry Says: That couldn’t have been me!  The only “no-risk” investments that I discuss are under the category of “Chicken Money” — and that’s mostly money in bank CDs which is absolutely “no-risk” — but only yielding about 1 percent, at most.   I don’t know how to define “almost no risk”!   Yes, you can buy stocks with dividend yields as high as 4% or more, but even the “best” stocks will decline in a down market.  And yes, you could buy bonds — but even good bonds have risks of price declines when interest rates rise.  And the bonds yielding 6-7percent today are VERY risky, because they add in credit risk — the fact that they may not be able to pay the promised yields.

So if you can’t afford to lose ANY money, stick with bank CDs.   But if you are under 50, and trying to make your money grow for retirement, stick to a plan of regular stock mutual fund purchases.  Stocks are going on sale these days!