The Journal
Blog
Market insights and trading education from the Alpha Sentinel team.
How to Estimate Your Retirement Number as a High Earner
Your retirement number starts with spending, not salary. Follow six steps to build a working estimate, stress-test it and know when to revisit it.
Dividend Reinvestment Plans: How DRIPs Work and Their Tax Treatment
A DRIP turns dividends into more shares automatically. Learn how reinvestment works, how it is taxed and what to track at sale time.
Dividend Yield: Why a High Number Can Point to Trouble
A high dividend yield can reflect a falling share price rather than generosity. See how yield works and how to test whether a payout is sustainable.
Dividend Payout Ratios: How to Judge Whether a Dividend Is Sustainable
The payout ratio compares dividends with earnings. Learn how to calculate it, where it misleads and what else to check about a dividend.
Stock Market Seasonality: Sell in May and Other Calendar Patterns
Does Sell in May work? A look at the January effect, year-end patterns and other calendar tendencies, and why they are weak guides for decisions.
Account Summary Terms Decoded: Settled Cash, Buying Power and Market Value
Market value, settled cash and buying power sound alike but measure different things. Learn what each means before you place your next order.
What Fiduciary Means and Why It Matters When You Hire Help
A fiduciary must put your interests first. Learn what the word means, who is held to it, and how to check before you hire financial help.
How Advisor Fees Work: AUM, Flat Fee and Hourly Compared
Advisors charge by assets, by flat fee or by the hour. See how each model works and how to compare them in real dollars before you hire anyone.
GAAP Versus Non-GAAP Earnings: Questions to Ask About Adjusted Numbers
GAAP and non-GAAP earnings can tell different stories. Learn how adjusted numbers are built and which questions to ask before trusting them.
Hiring a Financial Advisor or Going Self-Directed: How to Decide
Hire an advisor or invest on your own? Weigh your time, costs, behavior under stress and complexity to decide which approach fits your situation.
Personal Trading Compliance for Lawyers and Executives: Questions to Ask Your Firm
Before you trade on your own, learn what your employer's personal trading policy covers. These are the questions lawyers and executives should ask first.
What Is a 10b5-1 Trading Plan and Who Uses One?
A 10b5-1 trading plan sets future stock sales or purchases in writing ahead of time. Here is who uses one, how it is built and what changing it involves.