A 6% return isn't that special. Long-term investments shouldn't be zero-risk, since you get compensated for risk with a higher return. The average "real," or

A 6% return isn't that special. Long-term investments shouldn't be zero-risk, since you get compensated for risk with a higher return. The average "real," or inflation-adjusted, annual returns for U.S. stocks have been about 6% to 8%.