Investing requires resolve and a long-term vision, but it doesn't actually have to involve the stock market. Here's a guide to non-stock investing options:

Precious Metals

During the Great Recession, precious metal commodities like gold and silver were all the rage. As the stock market lost more than 50 percent of its value, gold and silver started a monumental rise in price. Gold went from around $600 per ounce in 2007 to peak at $1,900 per ounce in 2011.

How would you feel if the financial adviser you hired to take care of your investments had four previous instances of customers filing a complaint against them? What if they had been fired from two previous financial institutions? Hopefully it would give you the same sick feeling it gives me.

How would you feel if you learned that you could have discovered all of this if you had spent less than 10 minutes doing some online research? Don't answer that quite yet. More on that in a bit…

Navigating the choppy waters of the investing world isn't easy. You've got a multitude of account options to consider and even more investments and insurance to protect your family. Having a solid financial adviser by your side to guide your ship through to calm waters is an invaluable asset. Continue reading...

As it stands right now, there is just over $4 trillion in 401(k) plans. That's trillion with a capital "T." If you're working for a company, then you're probably one of the 67 million Americans who have a 401(k). It was included as one of those perk benefits that got you even more excited about the position.

The only problem is that your job probably didn't offer you any guidance beyond the lovely welcome packet you received during your orientation. I envision the conversation went a little something like this:

Your employer: "Congratulations, you now have a 401(k)."<

Most Americans want to save for retirement, but most don't know how to start. Putting money into a savings account is ideal for short-term goals and emergency funds. But there are better investment vehicles for long-term savings. One investment vehicle that I've grown to love almost as much as I love In-N-Out Burger (keyword: "almost") is the Roth IRA.

I know Get Rich Slowly has covered the Roth IRA a lot in the past, but new readers might not be that familiar with it. Besides, even though you might think you know everything there is to know about Roth IRAs, here are some answers to questions that might be new to you.

When meeting with a financial planner for the first time, many people are hesitant to ask questions because they don't want to sound "dumb". But dumb is not asking any questions at all.

Ultimately, you have the opportunity (and responsibility) to interview the planner to see if he is the right person to manage your investments. Before you decide if a particular financial planner is right for you, you should ask him some basic questions.

What Will I Find on Your U4?

Remember when you were younger and you could always hide your grades from your parents? That was until the report card was sent home. The U4 is the "report card" of your financial planner's background. That means if he's done anything wrong and a complaint has been filed against him, it will be shown here.