Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, are the most efficient vehicle yet devised to harness the returns of stock and bond indexes. They capture nearly all of the underlying assets' returns with little or no leaks of taxes, expenses, or under-performance.

You've no doubt heard the quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it." You understand that time can be your greatest ally or your greatest enemy depending on how much or how little you have to save. Finally, you've heard that younger people can be more aggressive than older ones when investing in stocks because they have more time to recover from setbacks incurred during significant market downturns. Today we'll share some fascinating aspects of compounding that will surprise and perhaps frighten you.