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How to Construct a Collar Option
Covered calls are a popular way to generate income from an existing stock position, but they aren’t the best choice for every situation. For instance, covered calls have significant downside risk and don’t protect you from large losses or help you lock in profits. Fortunately, there are hundreds of different options strategies out there to […]
Covered Call Funds
Covered Call Funds vs. Do-It-Yourself Covered Calls
Covered calls can be an excellent way to generate monthly cash flow while reducing your risk investing in the stock market. While covered calls have been available to individual investors for a long time, covered call funds, (also known as buy-write funds) have become increasingly popular over the past decade. These funds enable investors to […]
Using Covered Calls to Generate Retirement Income
Using Covered Calls to Generate Retirement Income
Many retirees draw down their portfolios to finance their retirement, but generating income can help stretch your savings much longer. While dividend stocks and bonds are popular income investments, covered calls can provide an extra boost (and some downside protection). As a result, they may be a worthwhile addition to your retirement plan. In this […]
Are Covered Calls a Good Strategy in a Bear Market?
Are Covered Calls Good in a Bear Market?
You’re approaching retirement and suddenly the market moves sharply lower. More than ten percent of your portfolio has disappeared over the past month and you’re concerned that the bear market could worsen over the next couple of months. You’re starting to worry that you may have to adjust your retirement income expectations if nothing changes. […]
Calls and Puts: The Basics of Trading Options
Calls and Puts: The Basics of Trading Options
When most people think about investing, they think about trading stocks, but that’s not necessarily the only (or best) choice for those looking to generate income from an investment portfolio. The trouble with regular stock trading is that you need a significant amount of money upfront to get started, and, in addition to choosing the […]
Buying Protection with a Married Put
Buying Protection with a Married Put
The stock market is known for rising during both times of euphoria and fear. For instance, the stock market hit record highs during the COVID-19 pandemic despite extremely high levels of unemployment, a sharp contraction in gross domestic product and lofty equity valuations. Investors that continue to hold stocks during these times may worry about […]
How to Find the Right Covered Call Advisor
How to Find the Right Covered Call Advisor
Stocks, bonds, and funds are the most popular securities for investors to achieve their financial goals. For example, target-date retirement funds provide an easy way to balance growth, risk, and income as you approach retirement. Equity-listed options, calls and puts, aren’t as standard as stocks and bonds, but they provide an unprecedented amount of flexibility. […]
Best Option Trading Strategy for a Portfolio Paycheck
Best Option Trading Strategy for a Portfolio Paycheck
There’s an option trading strategy that’s practically a hidden reservoir of monthly income generation lying in your own investment portfolio’s proverbial ‘backyard.’ Becoming aware of this strategy and learning how to use it empowers you to start generating real income from your portfolio, quickly. While you may not have known about this great opportunity to put […]
How a Covered Call Advisor Can Help You Trade Options
How a Covered Call Advisor Can Help You Trade Options
Covered calls are an excellent way to generate income from a long stock portfolio, but options trading can be intimidating to those without experience. While you’re unlikely to lose your shirt trading covered calls, those looking to generate a steady income stream could benefit from a covered call advisor to help construct an optimal portfolio […]
Starting a Position with a Covered Straddle
Starting a Position with a Covered Straddle
There are many different option strategies that investors can use to generate an income. While covered calls generate an income from an existing long stock position, a covered straddle can be helpful for investors that want to initiate a long stock position and generate extra income. The trade-off is that it is a bit riskier […]
How to Screen for Options with optionDash
How to Screen for Options with optionDash
Covered calls are a popular way to generate income from an equity portfolio. But, of course, the challenge is finding stocks that offer the right balance of safety, yield, and upside potential. Fortunately, covered call screeners can simplify the process by automatically generating a list of ideas from a given set of criteria. Let’s look […]
Selling Call Options
Selling Call Options: Popular Strategies & Alternatives
Stock options may be risky and unfamiliar for many traditional investors. For example, they may be uncomfortable with the idea of losing their entire investment or be unsure of how to find opportunities in the options market. Both of these concerns are valid for many option traders, but some strategies are far less risky and […]
Can I Trade Options on an Index
Can I Trade Options on an Index
Passive investing has exploded in recent years. Investing in broad-market indexes has surged in popularity and costs less than ever before. You can take this approach to the next level by incorporating option trading in addition to index investing.  The easiest way to trade options on an index is with the use of Exchange-Traded Funds […]
Buy-Write Funds
Are Buy-Write Funds a Good Hedge Against Volatility?
There are many different ways to minimize volatility in a portfolio, including diversification into multiple asset classes, but buy-write funds have become a popular alternative for stock investors looking to reduce volatility and generate income. Most investors are concerned with two things when it comes to building a retirement portfolio, risk and return, and it’s […]
Sell Options During a Recession
How & Why to Sell Options During a Recession
Recessions often lead to a drop in stock prices, as slowing revenue lowers valuations. While some investors choose to ride it out or shift their portfolio into cash or bonds, choosing to sell options during a recession can help you stay in the market, hedge against downside risk, and generate income. In particular, covered calls […]