Contributor, U.S. News & World Report
Articles by Scott Ward in U.S. News & World Report
Scott has contributed to U.S. News & World Report since 2020, with 50+ articles on investing, retirement, taxes, and real estate.
Featured: 1031 exchanges & Delaware Statutory Trusts
How to Build Passive Income With Real Estate Investing
Uses 7-Eleven's 'item by item' retail strategy as a hook to compare three real estate income paths: direct ownership, REITs/private funds, and Delaware Statutory Trusts, weighing cash flow, liquidity, fees, and taxes.
Read on U.S. News →Oct. 12, 2026What Does a Financial Advisor Do?
Explains an advisor's day-to-day work and how planners meet client needs, including a client story of retirees who used a 1031 exchange into Delaware Statutory Trusts to exit active property management.
Read on U.S. News →Sept. 25, 20268 Smart Tax Strategies for Investors
Eight tax strategies to keep more earnings invested: tax-loss harvesting, the 1031 exchange, Delaware Statutory Trusts as a 1031 backup, Opportunity Zones, asset location, Roth conversions, gifting appreciated securities, and maxing retirement accounts.
Read on U.S. News →July 1, 202610 Strategies for Investing After Retirement
Declaration of Independence-themed list of 10 strategies for a 30-plus-year retirement: growth allocation, income bucket, tax-efficient withdrawals, diversification, dividends, bond ladders, inflation hedges, alternatives incl. Delaware Statutory Trusts, rebalancing, and longevity.
Read on U.S. News →April 28, 20265 Alternative Investments Every Investor Should Consider in 2026
Five alternatives for long-term portfolios in 2026: private credit, private equity, real assets, Delaware Statutory Trusts (as a 1031 exchange solution to the 45-day identification window) and digital assets.
Read on U.S. News →March 30, 20268 Free Investment Classes and Resources for Adults and Teens
Lists free investing education sources — workplace wellness programs, CFP Board, investment providers (mentions Compound Planning and 1031 exchange planning), SEC, DOL, FPA, online courses, and libraries.
Read on U.S. News →All articles
- How Treasury Yields Affect the Stock Market
Uses a "Dumb and Dumber" scene as a hook to explain why rising Treasury yields don't automatically mean falling stocks, covering why yields hit 24-year highs in October 2026, why the 10-year yield matters, and the 2/10 spread, with input from BlackRock's Gargi Chaudhuri.
- How to Build Passive Income With Real Estate Investing
Uses 7-Eleven's 'item by item' retail strategy as a hook to compare three real estate income paths: direct ownership, REITs/private funds, and Delaware Statutory Trusts, weighing cash flow, liquidity, fees, and taxes.
- What Does a Financial Advisor Do?
Explains an advisor's day-to-day work and how planners meet client needs, including a client story of retirees who used a 1031 exchange into Delaware Statutory Trusts to exit active property management.
- How to Save and Invest for a Long Retirement
Addresses the fear of outliving savings with three strategies: determine retirement income, calculate how much you'll need, and spend wisely over a long retirement.
- How to Invest in Real Estate as a Beginner
Beginner's roadmap to real estate investing: why now, starting with real estate ETFs, buying a rental, private real estate funds, and deferring capital gains with Opportunity Zone funds.
- 8 Smart Tax Strategies for Investors
Eight tax strategies to keep more earnings invested: tax-loss harvesting, the 1031 exchange, Delaware Statutory Trusts as a 1031 backup, Opportunity Zones, asset location, Roth conversions, gifting appreciated securities, and maxing retirement accounts.
- Target-Date Funds: Should You Put Retirement Saving on Autopilot?
Uses Van Halen's brown-M&M clause to frame five 'tripwires' for deciding whether a target-date fund in a workplace plan still fits your time frame, cash flow, and longevity needs.
- AI Isn't a Replacement for a Fiduciary Advisor. Here's Why
Explains what fiduciary duty means in practice (care and loyalty), why investors value trust over returns, and why AI is not a replacement for a fiduciary advisor. Current headline: 'AI Isn't a Replacement for a Fiduciary Advisor. Here's Why.'
- How to Use Fixed Income to Outmaneuver Inflation
George Washington-themed guide to using bonds against inflation: focus on real (after-inflation, tax, and fee) yield, manage duration, and build an adaptable bond portfolio, with input from Man Group, Manulife, and BlackRock strategists.
- ETF vs Mutual Fund: How to Choose for Your Investing Strategy
Compares ETFs and mutual funds on trading mechanics, thematic options, and tax efficiency to help investors choose the right vehicle.
- 10 Strategies for Investing After Retirement
Declaration of Independence-themed list of 10 strategies for a 30-plus-year retirement: growth allocation, income bucket, tax-efficient withdrawals, diversification, dividends, bond ladders, inflation hedges, alternatives incl. Delaware Statutory Trusts, rebalancing, and longevity.
- 5 of the Best Nasdaq ETFs That Aren't QQQ
As BlackRock and State Street plan Nasdaq-100 ETFs, looks at how investors might compare other Nasdaq-focused funds.
- After Powell: How a New Fed Chair Could Impact Stocks
Examines how new Fed leadership after Jerome Powell (Kevin Warsh's transition) could affect stock valuations via higher-for-longer rates, balance-sheet reduction, and broadening market leadership.
- Are Brokerage Accounts Taxed?
Explains how taxable brokerage accounts, traditional IRAs, and Roth IRAs are taxed and why asset location is a hidden driver of after-tax returns.
- 5 Alternative Investments Every Investor Should Consider in 2026
Five alternatives for long-term portfolios in 2026: private credit, private equity, real assets, Delaware Statutory Trusts (as a 1031 exchange solution to the 45-day identification window) and digital assets.
- How to Invest in Index Funds
Primer on index funds: common benchmarks, plain-vanilla vs. alternative indexing, cost/tax/trading considerations, and blending indexing with active management.
- 8 Free Investment Classes and Resources for Adults and Teens
Lists free investing education sources — workplace wellness programs, CFP Board, investment providers (mentions Compound Planning and 1031 exchange planning), SEC, DOL, FPA, online courses, and libraries.
- Should You Invest in Silver?
Explains what drives silver prices (precious metal and industrial commodity), ways to invest, benefits, risks, and how much to own.
- AI Stock Trading: The Future of Algorithms in Investing
Argues AI trading algorithms are tools, not replacements for human judgment, exploring convergence risk, the stabilizing value of human disagreement, and the seductive promise of prediction.
- 7 of the Best Mutual Funds With No Minimum Investment
Highlights notable mutual funds with no minimum investment and what to consider (including portfolio concentration) before buying.
- Why Diversification Is Important in Investing
Traces the origins of diversification and how owning asset classes that behave differently can smooth returns, soften losses, and support short- and long-term goals.
- 7 Types of Stocks to Buy if Interest Rates Decline
Seven types of stocks that tend to benefit when rates fall: real estate, homebuilders, utilities, technology, financials/insurers, consumer discretionary, and industrials.
- 2026 Investment Outlook: Plan for All Seasons
2026 outlook 'Plan for All Seasons': inflation, valuations, a non-linear path for rates, and positive surprises investors may not anticipate.
- Government Shutdown: In Case of 'Emergency,' Do Not Break Glass
Reviews past government shutdowns (most under 10 days) and how markets behaved during them, with strategies for investors not to panic.
- The Power of Longevity Investing: When Retirement Goes Off-Card
Makes the case for a new investing playbook as Americans live and work longer, and how investors can plan around longevity trends.
- A Look Back at How Markets Have Performed After New Tariffs
Looks back at how stocks reacted to past tariffs and to 2025's tariff turmoil, noting markets historically rebound over the long term.
- VIX vs. Fear and Greed Index as a Market Sentiment Indicator
Tours two sentiment gauges — the VIX ('panic meter') and CNN's Fear and Greed Index ('mood ring') — and which to trust.
- What Bond Investors Should Do Now
Uses the Waffle House Index to frame April 2025 Treasury volatility and recommends a 'full bond menu' of high-quality and global bonds while watching the Fed.
- Municipal Bonds' Tax-Exempt Status at a Crossroads
Mahjong-themed look at proposals threatening munis' tax-exempt status, why investors like munis, possible grandfathering, and the benefits of holding them.
- Best Investments for the Pause in Fed Rate Cuts
Advises looking beyond Fed policy during a pause in rate cuts and focusing on portfolio diversification for long-term outcomes.
- 5 Ways to Invest in a Post-Election Market
Five post-2024-election ideas: the case for bonds, REIT incentives, small caps, rebalancing allocations, and international exposure.
- Is There a Tax Deduction for Financial Advisor Fees?
Explains advisory fees are not deductible under the TCJA (2018–2025) but notes tax breaks via paying IRA fees pretax, investment-interest deductions, qualified dividends, and tax-loss harvesting.
- What the 10-Year Treasury Yield Says About Inflation
Analyzes whether rising 10-year Treasury yields signal higher inflation, looking at policy effects and inflation breakeven rates.
- Portfolio Rebalancing and Tax-Loss Harvesting Tips for Q4
Year-end guide to tax-loss harvesting (and the wash-sale rule) and tax-efficient portfolio rebalancing.
- The Sahm Rule: What It Is and What Investors Need to Know
Explains the Sahm Rule recession indicator, which was triggered in 2024, and what it means for investors.
- Bonds and Rates: Will Bonds Revive as Rates Fall?
As the Fed signaled cuts in 2024, examines the rate trajectory, how starting yields predict bond returns, and what a bond turnaround means for retirees.
- Misinformation and the Stock Market: Will AI Raise the Risk to Investors?
Explores how AI could amplify market misinformation and how the public views AI in financial planning.
- Stock Market Forecast for the Next 6 Months
Mid-2024 institutional outlook for U.S. stocks for the rest of the year, recession impact on portfolios, public vs. private equity, and wildcards.
- Why Mergers and Acquisitions Could Rebound in 2024
Explains why M&A fell and why corporate bond demand could drive a rebound in 2024, and what that means for corporate bond investors.
- Inverted Yield Curve: Is it Still a Recession Indicator?
Assesses the inverted yield curve as a good-if-imperfect recession signal amid a resilient economy, and where to invest.
- 10 Long-Term Investing Strategies Advisors Love
Ten long-term strategies advisors favor: a comprehensive plan, ETFs, alternatives, international diversification, asset location, taxes, engaging the next generation, and avoiding the herd.
- Why Bonds Make Sense for Your Portfolio Now
Explains why higher yields in 2023 changed the case for holding bonds, including the outlook for fixed income and the role of municipal bond income.
- 7 Ways to Invest for Income
Seven income strategies for retirement or sluggish markets: cash, bonds, preferred stocks, dividend stocks, REITs, multi-asset income funds, and annuities.
- What Is a Soft Landing for the Economy? Will We Have One?
Defines an economic soft landing, reviews Fed hiking history and the yield curve, and explains income strategies for uncertain periods.
- U.S. Debt-Ceiling Deal: What Investors Should Know
Explains the 2023 debt-ceiling fight and deal, its effect on investors, past debt-ceiling cycles, and long-term consequences of rising U.S. debt.
- Megatrends: The Longevity Economy
Explores the 'gray wave' — unretirement, older consumers' spending power, and healthcare demand — as an investing megatrend.
- How Secure Act 2.0 Impacts Investors
Breaks down SECURE 2.0 changes to retirement plans, 529-to-Roth rollovers, ETFs in annuities, and prohibited-transaction penalties.
- 2023 Investment Outlook: Where Are Stocks Headed in 2023?
2023 outlook from investment managers: recession risk, higher fixed-income yields, the case for patience, and diversification.
- All Eyes on Private Equity for Long-Term Returns
For advisors: expanding access to private equity and more advisors adding it to client portfolios.
- 5 Steps to Help Clients Stay on Track for Retirement
For advisors: five ways to answer 'Am I on track?' — visualize progress, focus on big-picture goals, personalize, have clients 'meet' their future retiree self, and plan for setbacks.
- A Portfolio Built for the Next Decade
For advisors: building resilient client portfolios — speak investors' language, don't ditch the 60/40 yet, and look into alternatives.
- Retirees Need a Plan to Fight Inflation. Here's What They Should Know.
After CPI hit 5% in May 2021, offers practical strategies for current and near-retirees to help portfolios keep pace with inflation. (Listed on author page as 'How Retirees Can Fight Inflation.')
- Your Retirement Could Last 8,000 Days. Here's How to Prep Your Investments
Draws on MIT AgeLab's Joseph Coughlin to plan investments for a retirement lasting 8,000+ days.
- Does Your Retirement Plan Need a Reboot?
His first U.S. News piece: three strategies to reignite workplace retirement savings during the pandemic, citing EBRI confidence data.
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