Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Investors

Why do some older investors lose big while others prosper? An AARP survey suggests a few reasons.

Those who get fleeced tend to be risk takers. They crave home runs, not singles.

Often they trade more frequently.

They're more likely to be drawn to unregulated alternative investments. "Nearly half of fraud victims," the survey finds, "compared with less than a third of general investors, agreed that 'the most profitable financial returns are often found in investments that are not regulated by the government.'”

They're more susceptible to sales pitches.

The losers surveyed were 70 or older, but the same traits can separate anyone from his or her money.