--- title: "Column Archive" url: https://fundfreebies.com/other/archive description: "Every weekly mutual fund column published in Dian’s Fund Freebies, 1199 columns from 1999 through 2016." --- # Column Archive Every weekly column, newest first. 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 ## 2015 (77 columns) - [Palm Beach puts philanthropic twist in 'Shark Tank'-like event for kids](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110215.html)If you're like millions of Americans, watching Shark Tank has become a regular family event. And if you're lucky enough to have a child or two…November 2, 2015 - [This is my last Palm Beach Money blog](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100815.html)When I first began writing this blog in the fall of 2008, Wall Street was a very different place. The DJIA closed that year down over 34 percent.…October 8, 2015 - [So you want to be on Shark Tank...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100715.html)If it weren’t for the hopes and dreams of entrepreneurs and small business owners, there wouldn’t be much money talk going on in America, business…October 7, 2015 - [Budget deficit is down; many stocks, too, so take a trip](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100615.html)There’s so much going on in the world of money that it’s hard to make heads or tails of what’s really happening. Or, whether or not we should be…October 6, 2015 - [When fear and money rule gun control, lives don’t matter much](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100415.html)After the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that killed 20 children and six adults, I like thousands of others thought for sure…October 4, 2015 - [Rich guys and their pricey shoes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100215.html)Women with plenty to spend aren’t the only ones who have a love of high-priced shoes—when guys make it big they shop for shoes, too. One…October 2, 2015 - [Scary October kicks off fourth quarter](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100115.html)It’s not just ghosts and goblins twirling around Halloween that can scare us, the reality of a year-end rally to clean up the market mess from the…October 1, 2015 - [Wall Street, Fiat and papal power](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092615.html)They played hooky, took time off from work and came by planes, trains, buses, mini-vans, cars and on foot in hopes of getting a nano-second…September 26, 2015 - [What I learned at my 50th](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092315.html)If you think that headline refers to my 50th birthday, you’d be mistaken. Nope, the 50 here has to do with my 50th high school reunion. In…September 23, 2015 - [Big time dreamers, winners, and losers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092115.html)Received one of those Publishers Clearing House “urgent, time is running out” packets in the mail last week. Not sure how I got on their mailing…September 21, 2015 - [Give it up on Fed interest rate concerns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091615.html)More psychically powerful than spaghetti charts warning of the possibility of a coming hurricane, talking heads have been having a heyday…September 16, 2015 - [Laboring Labor Day and the U-6](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090715.html)I’m old enough to remember when most stores and shops were closed on Labor Day. It was part of the deal. Then again, I’m also old enough to…September 7, 2015 - [Sailing into the global future?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090315.html)Given that our investing world does indeed span the globe, keeping an eye out on all sorts of economic events that are happening here at home and…September 3, 2015 - [Yikes! It’s September.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090115.html)Two things to absolutely positively know about September? First and foremost, it’s my birth month. Go ahead, send me happy wishes. And second,…September 1, 2015 - [It’s National Dog Day. No, not Dow Dogs, ours.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082615.html)My Gracie. The most wonderful dog in the world and head of my household.August 26, 2015 - [Market declines and market reminders](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082415.html)Over the past few months I’ve thought that Apple would be a terrific buy at $95. Turns out, the stock dipped as low as $92-something for a…August 24, 2015 - [Down and down and out for now](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082015.html)Daily market watchers are probably having three-martini lunches these days. But that’s the kind of high that can be enjoyed no matter what trend…August 20, 2015 - [Edward Jones’ muni bad and FINRA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081715.html)If there’s one thing wealthy Palm Beacher’s have in common it’s an affinity for tax-free municipal bond investing. Tax-free anything seems to…August 17, 2015 - [Gold, income and a weighty decision](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081415.html)So much to point out. So little space. So below is a quick look at a tiny bit of what’s going on.August 14, 2015 - [Yuan-durings](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081115.html)No matter how you feel about buying products from China, or selling products to that country, when China fiddles with its currency the whole world…August 11, 2015 - [Legal vows: Married couples entering postnuptial agreements](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081015.html)Marriage isn't easy, no matter your income level.August 10, 2015 - [World markets, CEFs and gas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080615.html)A few days into August and Wall Street’s downward spiriling performance can be unsettling. But stressing over market performance is pretty much a…August 6, 2015 - [July, August and Oil](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080315.html)The first trading day of August was nothing to crow about. Then again it’s only one day.August 3, 2015 - [Buying, spending, countries where billionaire women live](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073115.html)Next week I’ll write about how the markets performed in July and what the expectations are for August. But right now, let’s pretend we all have…July 31, 2015 - [Luxury vacations, cars and private foundations](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072915.html)When it comes to money, the wealthy do have the upper hand.July 29, 2015 - [Round and round she goes, where she stops, nobody knows](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072715.html)Well, no sun shining on Wall Street today. Or in China. As for the what’s up for tomorrow, nobody knows. But, as always, there are tidbits of news…July 27, 2015 - [Guns, money and the enemy in our hands](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072415.html)The figures are horribly startling: In the past 12 years there have been roughly 360,000 gun deaths in the U.S., according to gunpolicy.org. On…July 24, 2015 - [Gold is a drag, healthcare not so, then there’s Apple](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072115.html)For everyone who has been hoping gold would be the golden egg in their investment portfolios the news isn’t good: The precious metal’s price has…July 21, 2015 - [Wanna be a millionaire? You probably already are](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071915.html)When CBS’s reality show, The Briefcase, premiered in May, I couldn’t believe what a big deal was being made about the possibility of being awarded…July 19, 2015 - [Life’s many expenses and wealthy rewards](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071615.html)These days it takes more money to raise a child and to die than it ever has. Throw in the cost of living and your life style between those two…July 16, 2015 - [Where we stand today](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071115.html)Now that we’ve entered the second half of 2015, two words that represent the market’s performance during the first half of this year that will…July 11, 2015 - [Greece: it’s really all about money management](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070715.html)Greece’s economic problems continue to baffle everyone from those trying to find a way to correct that country’s economic woes to those trying to…July 7, 2015 - [More to July 3rd than you might think](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070315.html)Funny thing about the day preceding our 4th of July celebrations— it’s packed with historic events too.July 3, 2015 - [Looking beyond daily market gyrations](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063015.html)Getting caught up in the daily swings within the stock markets world-wide is enough to make you reach for jug of Retsina. One swig of that Greek…June 30, 2015 - [Money has been made ala ObamaCare stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062815.html)When it comes down to money, it really doesn’t matter whether you are a fan of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or not. Money is money and making it…June 28, 2015 - [Short takes: Investment ideas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062215.html)There’s no way of knowing which way the markets will swing after the opening bells ring. But there are tidbits of information that might help…June 22, 2015 - [Our waistlines may be heftier but not necessarily our stock portfolios](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061015.html)Funny thing about Americans: We love to eat, hate to save and aren’t necessarily so hot at picking investments.June 10, 2015 - [Managing family wealth, TV style](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060815.html)When the 2015 TIGER 21 Annual Conference gathered at The Breakers earlier this year, this high-net-worth group of investors made an offbeat…June 8, 2015 - [Anniversary: U.S. now off gold standard for 82 years](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060515.html)Every now and again there’s talk about nothing much backing our currency ever since Congress took us off the gold standard in 1933. And every now…June 5, 2015 - [Suzy Welch on tough choices women in the workforce face](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060315.html)Suzy Welch, and her husband Jack, appeared in April for a breakfast and book signing of “The Real Life MBA” at the Palm Beach County Convention…June 3, 2015 - [A peek inside some hotshot portfolios](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053015.html)Snooping is big on Wall Street. I’m not talking criminal snooping here but the what’s-inside-someone’s-portfolio type.May 30, 2015 - [Memorial Day, poppies, parades and new cars](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052315.html)When it comes to memories relating to Memorial Day, clearly a day for remembering, three things come to mind: First, when I was a kid it was…May 23, 2015 - [Hedge funds not so hot, mutual funds looking better](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051815.html)Funny thing about hedge funds, when their performance is hot, everyone laughs all the way to the bank. When it’s not, their doors are closing.May 18, 2015 - [Market tidbits from pros in the know](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051315.html)With crystal balls in light supply, reading how the stock market will perform going forward is anybody’s guess. A look at the past, however, makes…May 13, 2015 - [On Mother’s Day don’t forget mom likes money too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050915.html)Sure flowers and cards and orchids from Costco are really nice thoughts for mom on Mother’s Day. And yes, I know there are plenty of mom’s who…May 9, 2015 - [Selling in May maybe](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050715.html)Okay, one week into the month of May and most investors probably didn’t follow that old Wall Street adage “Sell in May and go away” last week and…May 7, 2015 - [The best charge cards are cash](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042915.html)Even if you have a seven-figure bank account and typically prefer debit cards to carrying cash, having a credit card or two handy isn’t a method…April 29, 2015 - [Getting the most out of mutual funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042415.html)Mutual funds have been around for about 90 years. Throughout that time span, investors who practiced a buy-and-hold investment philosophy —and if…April 24, 2015 - [Maslow, our basic needs and saving](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042115.html)Three incredible challenges the wealthy aren’t faced with on a daily basis center around shouldering the burden of how to pay for our life…April 21, 2015 - [Stock prices down; pet ownership up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041715.html)No matter what you’ve heard about this bull market, the number of individuals owning shares of stock has been on a downward slide since the bull…April 17, 2015 - [Tax Day and tidbits to lighten the load](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041515.html)No matter how you slice it, Tax Day comes with pluses and minuses. The biggest plus is living in a great nation run by a representative…April 15, 2015 - [Financial literacy begins in Washington](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040915.html)Don’t be too surprised if, in the not so distant future, an all out wage war breaks out in our fine country. Unlike the war on drugs, this one…April 9, 2015 - [Instead of an Apple Watch there's always Schwarzenegger's](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040615.html)I still have my first Apple computer purchased back in the early 1980s for 2,500 and something dollars. It's the brand I learned how to use a…April 6, 2015 - [The Easter (Bunny) Effect](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040415.html)It’s clearly the last holiday weekend of the season and the roads and restaurants are jammed beyond belief. Even the valets at Publix are going…April 4, 2015 - [No-Load Honors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033115.html)For nearly a dozen years I wrote a weekly column for The Miami Herald about mutual funds. That was in the decades surrounding and including the…March 31, 2015 - [Gold’s magic not guaranteed](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032815.html)Once upon a time gold was the go-to investment pick for portfolio protection when markets were sloppy and the direction of the economy was in…March 28, 2015 - [Instead of an Apple Watch there’s always Schwarzenegger’s](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032515.html)I still have my first Apple computer purchased back in the early 1980s for 2,500 and something dollars. It’s the brand I learned how to use a…March 25, 2015 - [Will female face on $20 be worth less?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032115.html)The other night during his show’s intro, Comedy Central’s Larry Wilmore, host of “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore”, asked if a woman’s face…March 21, 2015 - [St. Patrick’s market luck not so hot but wisdom good](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031815.html)I’ve always been a sucker for Irish guys. Clearly I find their brand of blarney attractive. But when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day and the stock…March 18, 2015 - [Size matters when it comes to bonuses: Work not so much](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031415.html)I spoke to someone in New England who had just had her company review. The boss said she was the only one who received any compliments from their…March 14, 2015 - [Monday: Bullish market birthday and Barbie’s too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030915.html)March 9 is a big day for birthdays if you’re counting index bulls on Wall Street and are a fan of Barbie. I’m not sure which one is more important…March 9, 2015 - [Ultra-high net worth and DYI investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030615.html)Apple seems to have hit a snag with its Apple Pay that’s unlikely to be sorted out before the stock officially becomes the newest DJIA component…March 6, 2015 - [Chances of becoming a millionaire? 100%](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030315.html)By now you’ve probably heard that there are over 1,800 billionaires roaming around and that Bill Gates is the richest man on Earth with well over…March 3, 2015 - [Our aging population, money and sharing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022715.html)I recently asked a retired CEO friend of mine what he thought life in America is all about these days. He said, “It’s all about the money.” And…February 27, 2015 - [Get your Roth IRA ducks in a row](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022315.html)Given that we’re still in the first quarter of the year–a time when Uncle Sam and retirement planning can reach their zenith in garnering…February 23, 2015 - [A new crop of millionaires](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021815.html)My rule of thumb regarding how much money someone would need if he or she wanted to retire at 65 and live comfortably for the next 30 years was…February 18, 2015 - [The deal with corporate taxes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021115.html)Paying taxes is a subject that seems to usher a response out of everybody–individuals and corporations.February 11, 2015 - [Market and investing bits and pieces](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020515.html)As always, the markets are off to a who-knows-where it’s all going to end start. To that end, here’s a look at a few market/investment…February 5, 2015 - [3 Investing Tips from Super Bowl XLIX](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020315.html)You can learn a lot about investing from a football game. Particularly when it’s a game between champions aggressively pursuing stuff. The stuff…February 3, 2015 - [Black gold: As oil price dips, what investors should consider](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020215.html)Oil. It's one of Mother Nature's treasures that has made fortunes for many, while decimating the wealth of others.February 2, 2015 - [Even with small rate increase savers will still earn peanuts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012915.html)On Wednesday of this week, comments from two billionaires caught my attention.January 29, 2015 - [Oil and natural gas both have investment potential](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012515.html)Whenever I think oil, Jeb Clampett, of the popular TV show that debuted in the 1960s, The Beverly Hillbillies, comes to mind. Jeb, according to…January 25, 2015 - [How about those billionaires...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012315.html)One of Palm Beach’s very own billionaires, Jeff Greene, certainly has gotten his mug plastered all over thanks to his point of view regarding how…January 23, 2015 - [PNC Bank and “Women of Vision”](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012015.html)I was fortunate enough to attend a media sneak peek of the “Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment” exhibition at the…January 20, 2015 - [People partied while Santa did his thing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011515.html)Calling all merchants: If your shop’s coffers weren’t cha-ching cha-chinging during the holiday season, odds are it wasn’t personal. In short,…January 15, 2015 - [Mutual fund performances and cheap Dow stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011015.html)If the first week is any indication of what direction stocks are headed during the year, making money in equities could be tougher than it has…January 10, 2015 - [A New Year and new Dow Dogs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010515.html)Sorry that I’m a few days late in getting this year’s listing of Dogs of the Dow stocks to you, but that’s okay: Given that the first two trading…January 5, 2015 ## 2014 (75 columns) - [Hours to go before New Year changes come our way](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123014.html)Let’s forget about the markets for a moment as there are literally hours to go before 2015 rolls around. And with it come changes likely to impact…December 30, 2014 - [Santa’s got a brand new bag, sort of](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122314.html)Once upon a time, long long ago, Santa’s face could be found nearly everywhere–including on our greenbacks.December 23, 2014 - [Hola Cuba](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121814.html)It was fictional character Ricky Ricardo who introduced me to the also fictional Tropicana nightclub in the television series I Love Lucy .…December 18, 2014 - [Common sense New Year investing advice for everybody](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121514.html)The best gift I can think of to give the investors on your holiday list is a little bit of investing wisdom to help them weather the markets in…December 15, 2014 - [Giving when you’ve got a lot to give](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121114.html)Wealth-X published its 2014 who-gave-away-the-most-money-to-one-source list this week. Sadly, there were no Palm Beachers on it. Nonetheless, the…December 11, 2014 - [Digital assets: Another reason to see your estate planner](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120714.html)Digital assets. If you haven't heard about them, you aren't alone.December 7, 2014 - [Forget Santa, 2014 has been good to some investors, not so for others](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120314.html)Each year brings with it so many market expectations it’s impossible to make everyone happy. And surprise surprise, 2014 has been no different.December 3, 2014 - [Short and dumb passwords a hackers delight](https://fundfreebies.com/other/113014.html)Anyone who happens to believe that changing passwords often on their numerous online accounts is enough to keep nasty hackers from getting at…November 30, 2014 - [Bears, bulls, turkeys and change](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112014.html)I’ve had to laugh about the comments made after the mid-term elections regarding how voters loudly and clearly voted for change. Although no one…November 20, 2014 - [Happy Birthday Stock Tickers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111514.html)November 15 turns out to be a really big day for stocks for it was on this day in 1867 that the first stock ticker machine was used in NYC.November 15, 2014 - [It’s the 11th day of the 11th month](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111114.html)If it were up to me, Veterans Day would be a national holiday that required the stock market to be closed all day. The bond market is closed. But…November 11, 2014 - [Wages up 3 pennies an hour](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110814.html)That old Great Depression song, “Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?”, seems to be coming around again.November 8, 2014 - [Gold dropping like a rock with who knows where to go](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110614.html)Remember when gold nugget jewelry was all the rage? People were adorning themselves with all sorts of chunky rings, earrings and bobbles. That,…November 6, 2014 - [REITs offer income, but come with high tax burdens](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110314.html)Investing in real estate investment trusts (REITs) when income is the primary goal comes with consequences. Namely, taxes.November 3, 2014 - [Nothing too scary about October except...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110114.html)Well, so much for investor concerns over a scary October. As the month came to a close, all major indices were up for the month. Better yet,…November 1, 2014 - [Another view of the bears and the bulls](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102814.html)Stocks started the week on a high note and with more earnings reports coming in, perhaps that trend will continue. Until the week comes to close,…October 28, 2014 - [If you liked IBM at $199 then...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102114.html)An old-time stockbroker once told me that if you liked a stock after it had reached a new high, then you’ve got to love it after its price falls.…October 21, 2014 - [Ebola-related investment opportunities highs and lows](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101314.html)Ebola. The deadly virus everyone is talking about carries the same name as the river in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the outbreak of the…October 13, 2014 - [Worried about the market? Check your closets.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101114.html)At a small dinner party Friday night, it didn’t take long for the conversation to turn from the opening of Nordstrom’s Rack at the Palm Beach…October 11, 2014 - [How about those Walton’s and that Wal-Mart](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100814.html)It’s no secret that Sam Walton and his family have amassed billions by being cheap. You know, selling everything from bananas to sports equipment…October 8, 2014 - [Spooky October begins often rewarding 4th quarter](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100514.html)In addition to the ghouls, ghosts and goblins that Halloween brings with it, the stock markets performance during this month has— every now and…October 5, 2014 - [When you’ve got it, spend it.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100214.html)Now that the Forbes 400 list has reminded us of the richie-richies in Palm Beach, and the size of their bounties, I can’t help but think that…October 2, 2014 - [Defense stocks can be rewarding](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092414.html)I am no fan of war. Nor of profits made from war-related industries. Given that not everyone thinks like me, and, that wars are a reality of the…September 24, 2014 - [Floridians must be registered to vote in the Nov. election by Oct.6](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092214.html)While this isn’t a political blog, the thinking is that people vote with their wallets. And that’s where the money comes in. So if you have a son…September 22, 2014 - [Cabbage Patch Dolls, iPhones and Alibaba](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092014.html)There appears to be something really amiss in the way ordinary folks and investors are thinking these days and that the disconnect between reality…September 20, 2014 - [The other ISISs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091214.html)There is nothing more important—and valuable—to an individual or a company than their name. Parents spend hours selecting the right name for their…September 12, 2014 - [Airline passengers go postal and for good reason](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090614.html)I’m a little surprised that it has taken so long for there to be turbulence among passengers given the cattle car travel conditions airline coach…September 6, 2014 - [Happy Birthday to Warren Buffett and cheers to his money making prowess](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082914.html)America’s favorite and oh-so affable master of money-making, Warren Buffett, turns 84 on Saturday, August 30. I don’t know what you’d give this…August 29, 2014 - [How about that hashtag](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082614.html)The other day, a funny thing happened to me after shopping at Target.August 26, 2014 - [Events move markets but the big questions are when and which ones](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081914.html)The stock market’s seemingly non-stop bullish trend is a little unsettling. In this day of spooky high- frequency trading where computer programs…August 19, 2014 - [The low end of the top 1 percent aren’t all that rich](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081314.html)With all the talk about the top 1 percent you would think they all were mega-richies. And you’d be wrong. The bottom of that top has annual…August 13, 2014 - [Succession planning key to keep business humming](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080414.html)Most businesses do not have one, which, experts say, is a mistake.August 4, 2014 - [For those who didn’t sell in May, now what?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073114.html)If you’re an index-oriented investor and live by the wisdom of investment adages, had you sold in May, well, you’d be poorer today.July 31, 2014 - [DJIA components with double-digit performances](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071314.html)When the stock market crashed five-plus years ago, I was fond of tracking stocks in the DJIA that were selling under 10 bucks a share. As the…July 13, 2014 - [Lowdown on financial downloads: Professionals share favorite apps](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070714.html)Robert Harvey of Robert Harvey Capital Management uses apps but he recommends company websites as the best place to do stock research. (Photo by…July 7, 2014 - [Financial App Review: OANDA Currency Converter](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063014.html)Once upon a time, and way before ATMs, traveling the globe meant either traveling with traveler’s checks or a wad of cash. Then, exchanging that…June 30, 2014 - [Summer Solstice means millions not played](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062414.html)Twice a year the sun provides us with a solstice—one beckons in summer and the other winter. Each bring with it either the longest or shortest day…June 24, 2014 - [Financial App Review: CNBC](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062014.html)Free. It’s something I’m a fan of. Consequently, all of the financial apps I’ve reviewed thus far have been free for the user and are iPhone and…June 20, 2014 - [Governor Scott: About your blind trust](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061814.html)We should all be so financially fortunate as Governor Rick Scott—- his net worth grew by over 50 percent last year. That’s remarkable given that…June 18, 2014 - [Financial App Review: StockTwits](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061414.html)I’m of the mind that once a stock decision has been made the choice remains in place for an extended amount of time.June 14, 2014 - [Millionaires top 5 investments mistakes to learn from](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061114.html)Millionaires aren’t that different than the average investor. Except, of course, they’ve got oodles of more money to play around with. But the…June 11, 2014 - [Wedding bliss and buzz kills](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060914.html)June. Even though it’s the month many associate with weddings, it’s not the only month when plenty of “I do’s” are said. Turns out August,…June 9, 2014 - [Financial App Review: Zillow Mortgage App](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060514.html)Once a week I’ll be reviewing financial apps. Financial, in this case, will cover all types of investment apps from stock and fixed-income ones,…June 5, 2014 - [Florida dodges financial literacy dumbest state status](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060314.html)If you know what the picture included with this blog is, I’m going to guess you’re not financially illiterate. You’re also likely to remember when…June 3, 2014 - [Steve Ballmer’s most incredible buy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053114.html)Two billion dollars. Most people have no idea of how much power that kind of money wields. Or, how many zeros are in it. FYI, two billion dollars…May 31, 2014 - [When squirreling money away investors have to take risks to realize rewards](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052314.html)Too bad investing doesn’t come with guarantees. But even if it did, the way most of us thinkMay 23, 2014 - [Entertainers and capitalists laughing all the way to the bank](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052114.html)There’s nothing like a good laugh.In addition toMay 21, 2014 - [Dividend paying stocks a perfect no-brainer gift for high school grads](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051614.html)My neighbor’s son, Nicolas, is graduating from high school this week. He’s a good kid and I’ve watched him grow from a skinny, nothing-much-to-say…May 16, 2014 - [Selling in May not necessarily the only way](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050714.html)One week into the month of May and there clearly are a number of reasons why the ole “Sell in May and go away” adage holds water beginning with…May 7, 2014 - [Investing and betting on the Kentucky Derby](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050314.html)There’s nothing quite like the Kentucky Derby. Big hats and mint juleps aside, the winner of this race sets the whole entire horse world…May 3, 2014 - [Dogs of Dow howling more than DJIA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042514.html)They’re not seriously howling—maybe barking would be a better descriptive—but this year’s Dogs of the Dow are outperforming the Dow Jones…April 25, 2014 - [Don’t expect recession to end anytime soon](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042114.html)While driving up to Jensen Beach this morning, I noticed a sign at a Walgreen’s advertising a gallon of milk for $3.49 and across the street a gas…April 21, 2014 - [Playing with the billionaires](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041714.html)If you’ve ever wanted to play around with all of the world’s billionaires, there’s a Bloomberg site to let you do just that.April 17, 2014 - [My eye doc is worth over $3 million a year](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041414.html)My eye doc is an ophthalmologist. One of the guys who billed Medicare over $3 million in 2012. I know there is a lot of fraud in Medicare billing,…April 14, 2014 - [Could your bank get a mortgage?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041014.html)In an effort to shore up the notion that a bank is “too big to fail”— which is in and of itself a ridiculous concept that anyone with half a brain…April 10, 2014 - [Keys to keeping an estate great: Education, teamwork](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040714.html)Tom Rogerson knows quite a bit about the transferring of wealth within a family and about how even the best-laid estate plans can go horribly awry.April 7, 2014 - [Keys to keeping an estate great: Education, teamwork](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040614.html)Tom Rogerson knows quite a bit about the transferring of wealth within a family and about how even the best-laid estate plans can go horribly awry.April 6, 2014 - [First quarter mutual fund and stock results not so stellar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040314.html)With the first three months of 2014 now behind us, investors might want to check their portfolios to see how their money-making efforts have paid off.April 3, 2014 - [Part 2: Assorted Bitcoin bits and pieces](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032914.html)I need to go back and make a correction in yesterday’s Bitcoin blog. It seems I way underestimated the size of the cryptocurrency world. Instead…March 29, 2014 - [Part 1 of 2: Assorted Bitcoin bits and prices](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032814.html)One of my neighbors thinks that Bitcoin is a fantastic idea and that it will be around 100 years from now. Warren Buffet has called it a “mirage”…March 28, 2014 - [Boat show was big on yachts and little on discounts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032414.html)Being a value shopper, I figured by going to the boat show a few hours before it closed on Sunday would yield some attractive pricing on a…March 24, 2014 - [When Fed Chair Janet Yellen speaks Wall Street shutters](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032014.html)You’ve got to wonder who is really in charge when prices on Wall Street hit the skids during and after Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen’s Wednesday…March 20, 2014 - [Where’s my Wall Street bonus?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031714.html)Every now and then, usually around bonus season, I wish I had stayed in the brokerage business. It was great fun —and challenging—selling…March 17, 2014 - [ETFs show their stuff with impressive 5-year returns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031214.html)These five-year birthday celebrations for a bull stock market really get to me. Why? Well, if I’m celebrating my 5 th birthday, there is more than…March 12, 2014 - [Keeping the money that could be coming your way](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030814.html)Rich or poor, we sure are goofy about our money. I mean, given the importance of the subject, it’s amazing how people can somehow forget about the…March 8, 2014 - [Inevitable correction: Wall Street expert considers market, the Fed and investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030314.html)After a year when stocks handsomely rewarded investors, it's not surprising that equities would correct, says one well-respected Wall Street…March 3, 2014 - [We are half way through America Saves Week](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022614.html)I’m a little late in getting this blog about America Saves Week posted. But, when you consider the subject—saving money—a little late is better…February 26, 2014 - [A sneak peek at Palm Beach tax returns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022414.html)It’s one of those things everybody wants to know but is afraid to ask. Yup. I’m talking about how much money somebody makes. That’s one of those…February 24, 2014 - [Straight from the CBO’s mouth about ACA and job loss](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021114.html)No matter what you think of the Affordable Care Act, the mere mention of it ignites fiery responses. Most recently the hoopla has been about the…February 11, 2014 - [Chinese Year of the Horse off to a rough start](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020414a.html)If the characteristics of those born in the Year of the Horse could be translated into some kind of market forecast, it’s clear that things are…February 4, 2014 - [Tapping the 'Family Bank'](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020414.html)Study finds 62 percent of adults 50 and over help family members, but rich were likely to stop if someone's behavior was out of line.February 4, 2014 - [Dear Kelly: Can the sleeveless look— it’s not for female financial reporters](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012814.html)I’m a CNBC news junky. I have that channel on from before the markets open in the morning until around 6ish each day. While today’s financial…January 28, 2014 - [Love, marriage and the markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012614.html)Before getting too nervous and jumpy about how stocks are performing so far this year, long-term equity investors would be wise to take a few…January 26, 2014 - [TIGER 21 looks back at 2013 and out to 2014](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011614.html)TIGER 21 members were pretty much pleased with the growth in their portfolios last year. Looking ahead, however, this group of peer-to-peer ultra…January 16, 2014 - [New Year’s Dow dogs revealed](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010914.html)I’m a fan of the Dogs of the Dow investment strategy. It’s simple and been known to reward investors no matter how much money they have to invest…January 9, 2014 ## 2013 (105 columns) - [Year-end investment realities and Dian’s Stock Pickers Rule No. 1](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123013.html)Funny thing about stocks— each one performs in its own unique way each year no matter how the markets in general have performed. That means,…December 30, 2013 - [There’s still time for PB entrepreneurs to get a tax break](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122613.html)With Santa behind us, it’s time for every entrepreneur and small business owner in Palm Beach to make sure they’ve taken advantage of all possible…December 26, 2013 - [Three Christmas shopping ideas for the multi-millionaire or billionaire on your list](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122213.html)The market has rewarded stock investors with almost unimaginable results this year. But if you’ve been too caught up in it and forgotten to do any…December 22, 2013 - [Of course the minimum wage needs to be raised](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121913.html)There’s been a lot of discussions lately in Washington regarding the minimum wage and whether or not it ought to be raised. Some say yes, others…December 19, 2013 - [Having 'the talk' with your family about money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120913.html)Ask any Boomer-aged parent what conversation their parent’s dreaded most having with them and they will probably say it was about sex. No doubt…December 9, 2013 - [Dear Santa please bring me a billionaire](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120613.html)Of all the trinkets, electronics and fine art collectibles the world has to offer someone this holiday season, there’s nothing like love. And at…December 6, 2013 - [3D printing is here to stay](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120313.html)It’s hard for me to phantom how a printer can actually make a gun that criminals can actually use, ears for humans to wear and toys for kids to…December 3, 2013 - [Proxy -- it's all in the voting](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120213.html)Shareholders' yea or nay sends performance message to companies.December 2, 2013 - [Bits and pieces about our rip-roaring stock markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/113013.html)The performance tear the stock markets have been on thus far this year has truly been rewarding. So if you’re experiencing more zing in your step…November 30, 2013 - [Thanksgiving started as a day of thanksgiving and praise not shop round the clock](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112513.html)I am a huge fan of Thanksgiving. It’s that one day of the calendar year when everyone in America, what ever their age, gender, skin color, faith,…November 25, 2013 - [It’s a taxing time of year for mutual fund shareholders](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112213.html)It’s that time of year again. No, not the pre- holidays but the pre-tax days.November 22, 2013 - [Home for the holidays when you live on one of world's ritziest streets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112013.html)With the market providing stunning returns to stock investors, it’s that time of year when inviting guests into your home to share some holiday…November 20, 2013 - [Call it a market boom or bubble but not a bust just yet](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111613.html)How about that Janet Yellen? The likely-to-be new chairwoman of the Federal Reserve said she doesn’t see any bubbles in equities or the real…November 16, 2013 - [Tips for anyone who wants to be a day trader](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111313.html)Stocks are hot and have been the place for investors to be for the past five years. Of course there’s a correction coming but until then, if…November 13, 2013 - [Twitter Rich](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110813.html)Wall Street’s talking heads had one heck of day yesterday as Twitter, (TWTR), the negative cash flow and so far unprofitable social media darling,…November 8, 2013 - [November can be a month of extra Thanksgivings for investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110513.html)Along with the cooler weather, a Thanksgiving holiday, and way too much pressure to spend for the upcoming year-end holiday season, November has…November 5, 2013 - [Managing mega-wealth, family style](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110413.html)Family offices to manage fortunes are on the upswing, requiring deep pockets, experts -- and honesty.November 4, 2013 - [Fees and 401(k) s make ugly bedfellows](https://fundfreebies.com/other/103113.html)If you happen to have missed PBS’s Frontline presentation of “The Retirement Gamble” seek it out. The info in it about how fees can eat up so much…October 31, 2013 - [Welcome to Black Tuesday](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102913.html)Black Tuesday is always October 29 but you’d never know it this year. The S&P500 is having the best performance month it has inthe past two years…October 29, 2013 - [Don’t forget: The coming tax season could prove taxing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102713.html)Before you begin spending this holiday season be mindful that Uncle Sam will be picking your pockets for more when it comes time to pay your 2013…October 27, 2013 - [If Costco ruled corporate America we’d be richer—and happier](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102113.html)You know that I’m a fan of Costco. Wish I had purchased the stock years ago, but didn’t even though I shop there too many times a week to not see…October 21, 2013 - [Some of earnings season’s top and bottom stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101913.html)Seems like there’s always a season of one kind or another going on whether you’re an investor or not. The holiday season is right around the…October 19, 2013 - [Palladium: One precious metal that’s making investors money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101413.html)In times of financial stress the common thinking has been that a position in precious metals—namely gold—would help sustain a portfolio. Gold,…October 14, 2013 - [Mutual fund president addresses realities of default](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101013.html)The list of problems the shutdown of the government has caused grows day by day. In addition to the no-pay-until-later that the hundreds of…October 10, 2013 - [Tea Party a Me Party of bullies and brats still getting paid](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100713a.html)Wanting a job is one thing. Finding a job quite another. Being furloughed from a job opens a big can of worms for the vast majority of employees…October 7, 2013 - [Hedge funds now can advertise](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100713.html)Federal regulators recently voted to lift 80-year ban against it.October 7, 2013 - [Trusting someone to manage your money not easy.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100313.html)Everyone is a money manager to one degree or another. Whether you’ve got one million dollars or one million pennies to manage, sooner or later the…October 3, 2013 - [It’s coming. No, not the government shut down but the $100 bill.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/093013.html)My plans for today’s blog were to write about the brand spanking newly redesigned $100 bill. The C-note was originally supposed to be at banks on…September 30, 2013 - [New DJIA tells us the market is a rich man’s game.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092813.html)It’s been a week since the DJIA has traded with its new components.September 28, 2013 - [The wealthy shouldn’t pay taxes because people ought to be beholden to them. Really?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092513.html)Harry Binswanger, an Ayn Rand aficionado, has written a piece for Forbes and in it states that anyone making $1 million or more a year ought not…September 25, 2013 - [Three great parts of Obamacare for the wealthy and the poor](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092213.html)It’s easy to get all caught up in the political nonsense going on in Washington re ObamaCare. I get all caught up with spelling the word. Is it…September 22, 2013 - [ObamaCare brings additional Medicare tax if income over $200,000 or $250,000](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091613.html)Even though not everyone seems to know it yet, ObamaCare has been in place and working just fine for millions for the past three and one-half…September 16, 2013 - [As rich get richer numbers of poor grow](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091413.html)A recent report shows how the ultra-high-net-worth folks have accomplished that financial feat. And then there are the numbers of food-stamp poor.…September 14, 2013 - [Happy Birthday: Uncle Sam turns 200](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090713.html)With uncertainty about what –if any– U.S involvement there will be in Syria, Wall Street isn’t quite sure which way to turn.September 7, 2013 - [Welcome to September the loveliest time of year - except in the markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090313.html)September is my birth month so naturally I think it’s the greatest month of them all. Wall Street history, however, sees it differently.September 3, 2013 - [Where Uncle Sam gets his money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082713.html)Funny thing about money and our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Read only the total dollar amounts and you’ll get a sense of how much comes from…August 27, 2013 - [Legalizing pot doesn't make everyone happy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082513.html)CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta has changed his mind about the effects of medical marijuana with respect to one’s health. Over the past four years he’s…August 25, 2013 - [Should your kid become a comedian or a member of Congress? Neither requires a college degree](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082113.html)The dream of many parents whose little darlings are heading off to college is that their kids will learn enough to earn a good living. The other…August 21, 2013 - [Bits and pieces about the S&P 500 and Merrill Lynch](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081913.html)August has a history of not being very exciting on Wall Street. This year, however, could be the exception.August 19, 2013 - [Detroit's bankruptcy impacts municipal bond investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081413.html)Municipal bonds have been a favorite investment choice for individuals in the higher tax brackets forever. In addition to providing their…August 14, 2013 - [Let’s not privatize Freddie and Fannie](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080813.html)I’m not sure why President Obama is hot on the U.S. government getting out of the mortgage-finance business. Yah sure we had to bail out Freddie…August 8, 2013 - [Are you sure you're ready to retire?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080513.html)While the study revealed that the most important goal of the affluent is to have "financial piece of mind," 43 percent of those interviewed also…August 5, 2013 - [Investors found July hot hot hot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080113.html)Well you can stand up and cheer for the heck of a great year stocks on Wall Street are having. Who would have ever thought that given America’s…August 1, 2013 - [Happy Birthday Medicare! You'll be 48 on July 30](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072913.html)July 30 is a big birthday day for many. Henry Ford and Casey Stengel were born on this day but, as you know, are among the departed. However, on…July 29, 2013 - [Real Estate Investment Trusts: The good, bad and realistic](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072613.html)I ran across a story about REITS at YahooFinance this morning. The piece had a catchy title, ” Investing in Real Estate Without Buying Property “,…July 26, 2013 - [Tips for the nouveau rich—and the rest of us— about daily habits of the wealthy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072213.html)There aren’t too many people in the U.S. who don’t worry about money. Even those with billions. So whether there is an abundance of money…July 22, 2013 - [Wealthy retirees see cost of health care as the Wild Card in retirement](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072013.html)Funny thing about money, retirement and health care: Even when there is plenty of money around it can’t buy good health. Or, a worry-free retirement.July 20, 2013 - [Florida’s not so hot when it comes to teaching kids financial literacy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071613.html)Oh dear. On the one hand there are numerous places in the Sunshine State where opulence and wealth are the way of the day. Then again, there are…July 16, 2013 - [Investing in one fine ride](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071413.html)Investors love their rides. While today’s new convertibles have lost their appeal as sales of these sun snazzy topless rides have dropped…July 14, 2013 - [Money, markets and affluent women](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071213.html)Whoa, what a day on Wall Street. New record highs have no doubt plumped up many 401(k), IRA and ROTH IRAs, trust funds, personal portfolios and…July 12, 2013 - [Primer on Federal Home Loan Banks unveiled](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070813.html)If you don't know much about the Federal Home Loan Banks, you're not alone. This government-sponsored agency has a penchant for privacy even…July 8, 2013 - [Big bling shows well and rewards too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070613.html)Diamonds. There is nothing quite like them. Along with all of their sparkle comes a cost that speaks volumes about those wearing and purchasing…July 6, 2013 - [A whoppingly good but volatile first-half of 2013](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070213.html)Well, what’s an investor to do? Gold has hit its lowest levels in what feels like forever, both bond yields and equity performance promises are as…July 2, 2013 - [Women execs in PB and local counties not even close to earning what guys do](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062713.html)A few weeks ago The Palm Beach Post ran an op-ed comic that was oh-so sadly true. It was the drawing of the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin that…June 27, 2013 - [Kids and summer jobs: IRS lessons for a lifetime](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062513.html)It’s summer and what better time to send your kid to work. Yes, work. Really.June 25, 2013 - [The market: It is what it is](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062313.html)If you’re at all like me, you’ve heard that “It is what it is” phrase more times than you’d like. It seems to be a blanket response for everything…June 23, 2013 - [Sales charges, fund fees and performance matter except when they don't](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061813.html)When I first got into the brokerage business the front-end load, i.e. sales charge, on stock funds was roughly 8.50 percent. Now that’s all…June 18, 2013 - [How Floridians become multimillionaires](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061313.html)I’ve a number of friends who figure that their road to riches will come via the Florida Lottery or Powerball. Odds aren’t so hot for either…June 13, 2013 - [Good News: You’re richer now than you’ve been in years](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061013.html)Forget weeping about the market losses of the past few years as the tide continues to turn and U.S. households—and nonprofit organizations—are…June 10, 2013 - [Emerging and world markets aren’t sleepy investments](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060613.html)Thanks to the high-tech computer world we all now live in, investing around the globe isn’t merely for savvy institutional investors anymore. It’s…June 6, 2013 - [Closed-end funds enjoying resurgence, expert says](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060313.html)Thomas Herzfeld opens up about closed-end fundsJune 3, 2013 - [Three hot off the presses money issues about millionaires, Social Security and Medicare](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053113.html)Three just got’em today reports show that times sure are a changin’ when it comes to the number of millionaires roaming around and the status of…May 31, 2013 - [Summer traveling in class with money and style](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052913.html)It’s that time of year again when school is almost out, vacation almost in and the stock market on a tear or one sort or another. I’ll begin with…May 29, 2013 - [A Memorial Day 'Thank You' to the 40+ million who have served in the military](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052713.html)On today’s to-do list, make sure to say a “Thank You” to the 1.5 million individuals now serving in various branches of the U.S. military. And a…May 27, 2013 - [Choppy waters surrounding Japan?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052513.html)Having a country component added to your portfolio can be rewarding. Take Japan, for instance. Their market has been on a tear with some funds up…May 25, 2013 - [The IRS, loopholes for the rich and be glad you don’t live in France](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052013.html)Well, if there were ever a time to be thankful that you’re wealthy and not living in France this is it: France’s newspaper Les Echos has reported…May 20, 2013 - [The S&P is sizzling hot and some indicate that there’s more steam to come](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051713.html)I ran across a great line in a recent blog from respected financial journalist Anatole Kaletsky: “New highs on Wall Street are much more likely to…May 17, 2013 - [Four discriminating stocks for Mom on her special day](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051113.html)If you’ve made reservations for Mother’s Day at your Mom’s favorite restaurant and plan on showing up with the expected bouquet of her favorite…May 11, 2013 - [BMO’s Jack Ablin says Canadians love Florida’s real estate market](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050613a.html)Funny thing about the real estate market in Palm Beach—it doesn’t follow the norm. In addition to pricey sales happening while the rest of the US…May 6, 2013 - [PB Business Group brings in investment interpreters for wealth management forum](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050613.html)The risk, reward and volatility in choosing among investments often can feel like a roller-coaster ride.May 6, 2013 - [Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting is a 3-day hoopla](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050313.html)The only way to get to the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. is to be a shareholder. So incase you’re not, let me tell you that there’s…May 3, 2013 - [End of Financial Literacy Month marks the beginning of more financial education](https://fundfreebies.com/other/043013.html)April 30 marks the end of Financially Literacy Month but don’t let that stop you from learning as much as possible as soon as possible about…April 30, 2013 - [Fin Lit: What women want? Money and more info on how to get and manage it](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042413.html)I’m a fan of money. The more the merrier, if you ask me. The trouble with the stuff is, some people have too much of it and others not enough. But…April 24, 2013 - [Kids, the DOL and financial literacy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042013.html)Keeping in the April is Financial Literacy Month theme, here is some good news for parents who hire their under 18-aged kids plus info on a free…April 20, 2013 - [14 stocks in Russell 3000 up over 100 percent](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041413.html)Lucky you if Orbitz or Best Buy were new additions to your portfolio at the beginning of this year. Better yet, Keryx Biopharma. All three are top…April 14, 2013 - [Mutual fund expenses are down a tad; performance up a whole lot more](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041213.html)Mutual funds have plenty to crow about this year. Along with posting double-digit total returns for equity funds, fund expenses have also…April 12, 2013 - [Video football and soccer games with financial literacy tossed in too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040913.html)There us bothing like a good game to people all fired up. Heck, you don’t have to dial back any further than last night’s championship basketball…April 9, 2013 - [Richard Abramson offers some uncomfortable truths about investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040813.html)Bernstein Wealth management director Richard Abramson presents some uncomfortable truths about investingApril 8, 2013 - [Financial Literacy Month Fact: The grandparents are coming. The grandparents are coming.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040513.html)In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a big surge in the number of grandparents roaming around America these days. And it’s not just Baby…April 5, 2013 - [Got money? One in 13 U.S households has assets of at least $1 million](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040313.html)April is Financial Literacy Month so throughout the next four weeks I’ll be focusing on all things money-dream related. Like, becoming hugely wealthy.April 3, 2013 - [On Easter, as on Wall Street, one needs plenty of eggs in their basket](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033013.html)I love springtime, Easter and all the happy trappings and implications the season brings with it. Leaving any discussion about these religious…March 30, 2013 - [Finding a top business school and then paying for it](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032713.html)Last month I wrote about the universities around the globe that graduated individuals who later became billionaires. While that’s all very nice,…March 27, 2013 - [In today’s Money Market accounts it takes 72 years for money to double](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032613.html)There are plenty of reasons not to like financial institutions these days. In addition to taking little responsibility for pushing products not…March 26, 2013 - [Couples and their different money minds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032213.html)Women and men are different when it comes to money. We don’t need an MIT study to prove it. All it takes is listening to a his and her discussion…March 22, 2013 - [Absolute-return bond funds might still hold promise](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031713.html)One of the panelist’s in the Palm Beach Business Group’s Wealth Forum breakfast meeting in early March talked about absolute-return bond funds.…March 17, 2013 - [More lending and higher salaries could help get the U.S. out from under](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031313.html)In 2007, back when W was president, he predicted that by fiscal year 2012, the budget deficit– that basically because of his tax policies and…March 13, 2013 - [Dian’s market prediction: A correction is coming](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030813.html)I’ve always thought it would be great fun to go out and make a market prediction. After all, Wall Street talking heads do it all the time. Even…March 8, 2013 - [Rubbing shoulders with billionaires](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030613.html)That Forbes list of billionaires has everybody talking. So does the Dow’s recent regaining of its all time high mark. Do they have anything to do…March 6, 2013 - [What recession? There are more billionaires now than ever before.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030513.html)The good news: Forbes reported today that there are 200 more billionaires roaming the world this year than were last. The bad news: I’m not one of…March 5, 2013 - [Vietnam: A frontier market for investors with an appetite for risk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030413.html)Investment professional: 'Vietnam is sort of a mini-China.March 4, 2013 - [Go for it: It’s America Saves Week](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022613.html)It seems as though we all need reminders when it comes to money. Whether it’s don’t forget to diversify your holdings, save for retirement or make…February 26, 2013 - [Universities where billionaires are made](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022113.html)Once upon a time, a very very long time ago, when televisions had yet to make it into every home and John Beresford Tipton was the millionaire on…February 21, 2013 - [Learning about money from the Canadians, eh](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021813.html)Sometimes it’s just so obvious but nobody comes out and says it. But now, thanks to a couplr og recent surveyd, all of us south of the border can…February 18, 2013 - [MONEYLETTER's fund suggestions paid off](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021613.html)I’ve been receiving the MONEYLETTER newsletter every month for years. They’ve been around since 1980. That’s 34 years. The 12-page letter focuses…February 16, 2013 - [Part 2: Amazing facts about us and and our incomes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021213.html)In a previous blog I listed a few of the factoids about the economy and investing habits. All were a part of The Motley Fool list of “100…February 12, 2013 - [Part 1 of 2: Amazing facts about the us and equity investing results](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020813.html)Every now and again The Motley Fools publishes a list of factoids that say oh-so much about us and the realities of the investing world.February 8, 2013 - [With market highs followed by pullbacks Sir John Templeton’s Rules reign](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020413.html)Okay. So the DJIA returned to a high not seen in five years–the S&P 500 did the same a few days ago—and today stocks are retreating. No big deal…February 4, 2013 - [Forget betting on the Super Bowl: Save your seat ticket stub instead](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013013.html)With the Super Bowl Sunday days away, bets about who is going to win and lose are flying around right along with talk about which commercials will…January 30, 2013 - [After a 5-year bull run comes what?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012213.html)The stock market has been on a tear. But with a five-year bull run in tow it may be time for a reversal of fortunes. Then again…January 22, 2013 - [Yes, thanks to FICA there really is less in your paycheck](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011813.html)If you haven’t received a paycheck from your employer yet, when you do expect some sticker-shock: Unless you’ve gotten an increase in your salary…January 18, 2013 - [Jack Ablin, BMOs CIO talks fiscal cliff results and the economy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011413.html)Earlier this month I had a chance to speak with Jack Ablin, executive vice president, CIO and a CFP at BMO Private Bank.January 14, 2013 - [What Uncle Sam’s IRS has in store for you in 2013](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011213.html)If you’ve been holding your breathe in anticipation of how the new tax laws will impact everything from your income to any inheritance that may…January 12, 2013 - [Loving those muni bonds but don’t overlook their risks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010913.html)Municipal bonds have always been a hit with those in the appropriate tax brackets. And with the current changes in taxes, munis are set to become…January 9, 2013 - [With Santa Claus rally over here come the Dogs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010613.html)It’s official: The Santa Claus rally has come, gone and scored well. Now it’s time to identify what companies are included in the 2013 Dogs of the…January 6, 2013 - [2012s best performing ETFs and stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010213.html)Before the New Year gets out of hand and 2012s market performances are all but forgotten, here’s a look back at the top performing exchange traded…January 2, 2013 ## 2012 (114 columns) - [Kissing goodbye to 2012 knowing 2013 will cost more](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123112.html)With the New Year only hours away, I’m very happy to see this year come to an end. One reason: I didn’t turn out to be one of the newly minted…December 31, 2012 - [Keep a lookout for a Santa Claus rally](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122612.html)Santa Claus may have finished his journey around the world and slid down everyone’s chimney delivering all sorts of wanted and unexpected goodies…December 26, 2012 - [Gun manufacturers: Making money and killing us](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122312.html)Every day 34 people are shot and killed by firearms across these United States of America, according to various news sources. After the Sandy Hook…December 23, 2012 - [Last minute plans for a Mayan prophesy holiday and a fiscal cliff cookbook](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121712.html)Okay. Crazy as it sounds if the world doesn’t come to an end on the 21 st , you might want to rethink your life philosophy and let the 22 nd be…December 17, 2012 - [Multi-million dollar gifts for you and yours from Santa Obama and Sugar Mama’s and Daddy’s everywhere](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121412.html)For a day or two, how about forgetting any of the negative news you’re hearing about the market, the cliff, and next year’s economic outlook. All…December 14, 2012 - [John Browne sees the world through bear-colored glasses](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121012.html)I’ve put off selling my old gold jewelry. According to one authority, the price on that precious metal is likely to soar. If he’s right, I’ve got…December 10, 2012 - [American’s are richer now than a few years ago. Really.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120612.html)Pick up a newspaper and read the business pages or listen to the economic reports on radio and TV and one might construe that American’s are…December 6, 2012 - [Online results of Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday holiday shopping daze](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120312.html)If the online shopping habits of late last month are any indication, retailers might be close to enjoying a sleigh full of holiday sales receipts…December 3, 2012 - [Better buy now if you want any special dividends](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120112.html)Nothing like the news of a company giving out a special dividend to make investors think twice. Although the one-time declaration doesn’t come…December 1, 2012 - [Cyber Monday is hours away although some sales have already begun](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112512.html)Assuming you’ve not shopped ’till you’ve dropped and still have plenty of disposable plastic cash available, Cyber Monday sales might likely draw…November 25, 2012 - [An Investor's Thanksgiving Reminder](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112112.html)Thanksgiving happens to be one of my favorite holidays. It’s a day that requires no special affiliation with respect to religion, race, gender,…November 21, 2012 - [Living will be more expensive in 2013 fiscal cliff or not](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111512.html)If you’ve become nervous and jerky about what falling off a fiscal means for you, quit stressing over it. Seems like every year the cost of living…November 15, 2012 - [Today is the Federal Holiday for Veterans Day. Too bad markets aren’t closed in honor of it.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111212.html)If I were queen, the markets would all be closed today. The money world wouldn’t come to an end if that were the case. In fact, if they were…November 12, 2012 - [Look for good market buys off the highs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110812.html)With the election behind us and the end of the year in front, how the market is going to deal with these next few weeks is anybody’s guess.November 8, 2012 - [Some things won’t change no matter who occupies the White House](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110612.html)I must have voted at the only poll in Palm Beach County that didn’t have a long waiting line. While that pleased me, I had prepared for the worst…November 6, 2012 - [Help for the undecided voter, maybe...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110212.html)I’m not one of those three people who haven’t made up their minds about which candidate to vote for for president. I’ve known for months and…November 2, 2012 - [Sandy shakes all sorts of money-related things up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/103012.html)There’s no messing with Mother Nature. She’s strong willed, enormously powerful and can wreak unimaginable havoc in minutes when her heralding…October 30, 2012 - [In case you’ve forgotten, it’s National Save for Retirement Week](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102512.html)If you’re at all like me, you may have forgotten that the third week of October is National Save for Retirement Week. It extends from October 21st…October 25, 2012 - [Economic bits and pieces worth knowing before voting](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102312.html)Every week Princor Financial Services Corporation publishes the Weekly Market Review, an email newsletter Principal registered reps may send to…October 23, 2012 - [2013 money goodies no matter who wins the election](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102012.html)With all the talk of fiscal cliffs, financial responsibilities, debt solutions, tax increases or decreases, etc. etc., there is some good, and…October 20, 2012 - [U.S. 18th in economic freedom](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101812.html)Oh my. If you’re a believer in studies then what’s in the Economic Freedom of the World Report of 2012 from the CATO Institute might be surprising.October 18, 2012 - [ETNs not without risks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101612.html)Last week, Barclays introduced a new ETN into the market place — the Barclays ETN+Shiller CAPE ETN (CAPE)—whatever that is.October 16, 2012 - [Kids can't get enough of Apple's iPads and iPhones](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101012.html)The world is talking –and worrying– about Apple. Maybe they ought to be. Maybe not. One thing is for sure, no matter what happens with the stock’s…October 10, 2012 - [Donating illiquid assets can translate to sweet tax breaks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100812.html)Just as the investment arena has changed in the past five years, so have the kinds of gifts many charities will accept.October 8, 2012 - [Dogs of the Dow fetch some fine bones for investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100712.html)As you know, I’m a fan of dogs. All sorts of dogs from the four-legged to three-legged, as well as corporate bow-wow’s and those found in the…October 7, 2012 - [Tax-free municipal bonds might not be so free if Romney becomes presidents](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100412.html)One of the subjects discussed at the 4 th Annual SIFMA Municipal Bond Summit in New York this week was the fate of tax-fee bonds.October 4, 2012 - [Tax-free municipal bonds might not be so free if Romney becomes presidents](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100212.html)The whole world seems to be talking about fiscal cliffs and with good reason—economies around the world aren’t in such hot shape. Even so, when it…October 2, 2012 - [Finding an advisor and trusting those in the world of finance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092812.html)The toughest question I’m ever asked is this: Who would you recommend as a financial adviser for me? It’s a question that’s nearly impossible to…September 28, 2012 - [Components of DJIA change as Kraft is out and UnitedHealth in](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092312.html)Change happens all the time particularly within the investment arena. For instance, beginning tomorrow, Monday, September 23rd, Wall Street begins…September 23, 2012 - [The wealthy still enjoy reading the old-fashioned way: Hard copy magazines and newspapers.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092012.html)It made my heart sing after learning the results of a recent poll revealed that those with big bucks still like the touch and feel of reading…September 20, 2012 - [Before taking Zuckerberg’s FB advice better think twice or thrice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091512.html)I’ve always thought Facebook’s IPO of $38 per share was absolutely ridiculous. So much so that it had to have been decided upon by those suffering…September 15, 2012 - [Some Certified Financial Planners not hot at managing their own money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/083112.html)In the 1980’s, when I was selling tax-free muni bonds in Palm Beach, management encouraged those of us new to this sales biz to get into debt. Really.August 31, 2012 - [Q: Does your charitable giving measure up? A: It all depends where you live and your gender.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082812.html)Two new studies about who among us is the most generous are out. What each reveal might surprise you.August 28, 2012 - [Romney: Both tax savvy and tax not so smart](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082612.html)I know more than one person who believes that because Mitt Romney is running for president, he ought not have any offshore accounts, like Swiss…August 26, 2012 - [A market gone mad in a bad way. Or, What Wall Street pros really think about the market](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082312.html)Word is, Wall Street market pros aren’t jumping up and down when it comes to their feelings about investing these days. Especially, since the…August 23, 2012 - [Companies not likely to last but is J.C. Penny one of them?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081412.html)Every year reports from different sources predict which companies are likely to bite the bullet in the coming year. In June of 2010, for instance,…August 14, 2012 - [Believe it: ETFs do shut down](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081212.html)Investors have taken to exchange traded funds (ETFs) like ducks to water. And for good reason: Like mutual funds they are regulated and fall under…August 12, 2012 - [10 of the most generous corporations in 2011](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080812.html)Giving is a great thing whether you are an individual or a corporation. In fact, I can’t think of anything more rewarding than the act of giving…August 8, 2012 - [Hewlett-Packard and other DJIA stocks under $20](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080512.html)With only five months left in this trading year, thought it was time to take another look at which stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average are…August 5, 2012 - [Dodd-Frank’s Wall Street Reform Act’s birthday not much to celebrate](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080212.html)You’d think that five years after America’s worst financial disaster ever the powers that be would have made some significant strides in…August 2, 2012 - [Tidbits about the economy for Did-You-Know fans](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072212.html)Every now and then a list comes along that’s worth a read through for any number of reasons. Like, for instance, the one from The Motley Fool that…July 22, 2012 - [All that glitters might be gold’s volatile price](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072012.html)Tough markets make for buying opportunities—both in equities and that one precious metal so many love to wear and talk about: Gold.July 20, 2012 - [Social Security More Secure Than You Might Believe](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071712.html)Fear. When it comes to money, anyone looking for a way to manipulate or motivate only has to push a person’s fear button. We’ve all got that…July 17, 2012 - [Money and lying seen to make a loving Wall Street couple](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071412.html)You don’t have to look any further than recent headlines to see that there is plenty of corruption within the financial industry on both sides of…July 14, 2012 - [The CBO’s look at tax rates and income levels for everyone—even the 1 percenter’s](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071012.html)The Congressional Business Office (CBO) has just published data about the federal tax and income rates for the years 2008 through 2009. Plus,…July 10, 2012 - [The heat is oppressive on Wall Street and Main Street](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070912.html)It’s some kind of hot summer most of us living in the U.S. are going through. Too bad that heat hasn’t done much for Wall Street or Main Street…July 9, 2012 - [It’s a debtor’s life for better or worse](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070512.html)When it comes to money, debts count. If you don’t have any you’re up the creek —no debt repayment pattern means no credit rating. If you have too…July 5, 2012 - [CAP program helps advisers help clients explore reasons for giving](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070412.html)Palm Beach County's first CAP class will conclude July 24. Class members include accountants and tax advisers, lawyers, trust officers, money…July 4, 2012 - [More on Affordable Care Act and did you know Congress-folk will participate in exchanges too?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070312.html)Last week I looked at the timeline for the Affordable Care Act and focused only on the year in which the Act became law: 2010. Now here’s a look…July 3, 2012 - [Sometimes it pays big time to take a little risk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063012.html)I’m thinking the title of this blog ought to be “Read ’em and weep” . That’s because if you’d been a player in one of the following 44 companies,…June 30, 2012 - [Stuff you probably never knew about The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062912.html)In case you’ve forgotten, which is really easy to do since the kerfuffle about the Affordable Care Act became law in March 2010 hasn’t stopped;…June 29, 2012 - [Don’t let the Federal Reserve’s rose-colored glasses fool you](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062612.html)No doubt about it, it’s been a plop plop fizz fizz Alka-Seltzer kind of year. Between market volatility at home and around the globe, debt…June 26, 2012 - [Afraid of the market means emotions are ruling your investment sense](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062212.html)No matter how you slice it, investing is risky business. Always has been. Always will be. That’s the nature of the beast. And for the past few…June 22, 2012 - [Four Palm Beach advisers make list of 'Barron's' top 1,000](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061812.html)What do a man raised on a cattle ranch in Montana, another on a farm in western Pennsylvania and a third from a seacoast community near Cape Cod,…June 18, 2012 - [Father’s Day investment advice for everyone including non-investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061712.html)My father wasn’t an investor. Nope. Not at all. Oh sure, there were the 100 shares of Dayton Hudson stock my mother purchased when she began…June 17, 2012 - [How about those hedge funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061612.html)It’s no secret that hedge funds have an appeal. In addition to being an alternative investment fit for the high and mighty and wealthy too, you’ll…June 16, 2012 - [Customers aren’t too fond of banks but investors may be](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061112.html)It’s real easy to dislike banks these days. For openers, these financial institutions have made it financially challenging to use many of their…June 11, 2012 - [Robert Frank tells American Express audience that 1982 marked beginning of market's 'manic ride'](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060412.html)Not that long ago, being very wealthy meant a life of coupon-clipping and quiet security. Now that's changed, and today's 1 percenters might not…June 4, 2012 - [Where stocks and bond yields stand](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052912.html)As we begin this shortened market week, and the last one in May, looking back at how the year has progressed shows super gains for some stocks and…May 29, 2012 - [Poppies then and now and remembering our Vets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052712.html)I haven’t noticed many Vets standing outside stores offering poppies to passerbyers this year. To me their presence has long been a part of…May 27, 2012 - [When it comes to luxury brands the whole world drools over, Louis Vuitton is tops](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052512.html)Whether you’re buying or not, a stroll along Worth Avenue and into any of it many via’s takes you by shops representing the world’s most…May 25, 2012 - [Airline ticket cost rise, perks disappear while flying with the president has "Who-knew? " perks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052212.html)Flying pretty much anywhere these days can cost an arm and a leg and a buck or two when using the toilet or requesting a blanket. Never mind the…May 22, 2012 - [Here's a four-letter word that can change the value of your net worth when retirement time rolls around](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052012.html)It was great to see Mr. Zuckerberg smiling after FaceBook (FB) went public on Friday. His smile seemed even broader in photos taken after his…May 20, 2012 - [Stocks not so hot neither is being a FaceBook brand new I'm-gonna-retire-now millionaire](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051812.html)I’ve always admired investors who have enough common sense to take money off of the table when they’ve made some from their stock investments.But…May 18, 2012 - [It's Mother's Day and cheers to these wonderful risk takers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051312.html)When writing about money and investing, it’s never prudent to overlook the risks related to investing. Risks, whether large or small, are…May 13, 2012 - [I almost forgot, May is Older Americans Month](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051112.html)Among the many things the month of May brings with it, like Mother’s Day and a well-defined spring, it’s also “Older Americans Month.” And that’s…May 11, 2012 - [No guarantee how long big-time sales in luxury brands will continue](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050712a.html)The first quarter of this year has been a whopping good one for a number of companies selling luxury brand goods of all sorts. But with a world…May 7, 2012 - [Four Palm Beach advisers make list of 'Barron's' top 1,000](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050712.html)What do a man raised on a cattle ranch in Montana, another on a farm in western Pennsylvania and a third from a seacoast community near Cape Cod,…May 7, 2012 - [Facebook's IPO dog and pony show is online. Watch it and wonder.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050612.html)If you’re dying to get a piece of Facebook’s IPO and kinda sorta know you won’t but still want some inside sales scoops about…May 6, 2012 - [Rich guys are big online spenders](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050312.html)Calling all Palm Beach merchants: If it’s the guy earning over $100,000 a year that you’re wanting to sell goods to, the best way to reach them is…May 3, 2012 - [Mutual fund fees have lowered but still count a lot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/043012.html)Here’s a great quote from John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, that pretty much says it all with respect to making money when investing in mutual…April 30, 2012 - [Three reasons NOT to buy AAPL](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042612.html)How about that Apple stock? Up. Down. Where it stops, nobody knows.April 26, 2012 - [Measuring your portfolio's value with billionaires](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042412.html)Billionaires, they’re everywhere. Even in Palm Beach. But even for the big guns wealth building–or at the very least, keeping the wealth already…April 24, 2012 - [Everybody is talking green so let's talk greenbacks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042112.html)The greening of America begins with money. It ends there, too. But, given that surveys show the majority of folks don’t feel comfortable teaching…April 21, 2012 - [It's not "financial literacy" it's "financial capability"](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041912.html)Oops. Looks as though I wasn’t in class the day that President Obama signed Executive Order 13530 creating the President’s Advisory Council on…April 19, 2012 - [Palm Beach Strategic Forum aims to be mini-Davos, with high-powered leaders on roster](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041612.html)If you didn't make it to Davos in late January to slog through the snow and rub shoulders with dozens of the world's brightest and smartest…April 16, 2012 - [Where is the sex in bond funds?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041512.html)I don’t write much about bonds. That’s not because I don’t think they make wise and smart investments—fixed-income always has a place in one’s…April 15, 2012 - [Find out if you've got any practical money smarts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041312.html)One of the amazing things about money is that there are always lessons to be learned about it. Always. No matter what our age, how long we live,…April 13, 2012 - [Solid investing insights from kids who won InvestWrite essay contests](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040912.html)Kids can be wonderful teachers—especially when it comes to how-to make money in the stock market.April 9, 2012 - [It's tough to beat a 5th grader with investment smarts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040612.html)If you ever watched the TV program ” Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” you probably noticed that nearly all of the program’s contestants were…April 6, 2012 - [What it takes to have a financially stable frame of mind](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040412.html)If there is one sure-fire way to insure that me, you and everyone else on the planet can acquire wealth, I haven’t run across it. And I’ve read…April 4, 2012 - [Election discourse skirting talk of national sales tax, economist Sherry Cooper says](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040212.html)North America will lead the global economy this year and in 2013, with the United States outperforming all other countries by 2.4 percent and 2.7,…April 2, 2012 - [It's been a money making first quarter at home and around the world but...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033112.html)Odds are, if you’ve been participating in the stock market your portfolio is plumper today than it was at the end of last year. Unless, that is,…March 31, 2012 - [Some of Nasdaq 100's biggest winning and losing stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032212.html)Everybody loves a winner. Particularly when it comes to making money from their stock holdings. So with the close of the first quarter of this…March 22, 2012 - [What economists think about the economy is one thing but how financial journalists see things is quite another](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032012.html)Anyone who regularly reads about what’s happening in the markets and on Wall Street knows only too well financial journalists write the words they…March 20, 2012 - [Part 3: Along with a lot or a little bit of money come management responsibilities](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031712.html)Having bank accounts filled with money can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is no day-to-day or month-to-month financial worries. The…March 17, 2012 - [Mutual fund returns show where money is being made and that benchmarks are hard to beat](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031412.html)Plenty of money has continued to flow into bond funds. Stock funds, on the other hand are having a tougher go of it even though their returns have…March 14, 2012 - [Wall Street reform makes sense to grown-ups](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031112.html)Turns out, a lot of folks over the age of 50 think that the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act makes good sense. Perhaps that’s because Aunt Ruth…March 11, 2012 - [Don't worry about Rush, he's got plenty of money and is a fan of Christmas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030812.html)It’s no secret that Rush Limbaugh is a media hound who, I’m guessing, doesn’t really give a hoot whether the ink and media coverage he gets is…March 8, 2012 - [A BMO economist looks into the future and sees, well, read on...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030612.html)If you’re looking for economic forecasts, Sherry Cooper, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief economist with the BMO Financial Group, offered…March 6, 2012 - [How to avoid a rice paddy to rice paddy mess in your family](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030412a.html)Communities where there are a large number of families who have passed their wealth down from one generation to the next know only too well how…March 4, 2012 - [Are diamonds a brilliant investment?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030412.html)It's Blingtime. What better way to show your intention or your heart's affection than to dazzle a loved one with a rock? After all, Richard Burton…March 4, 2012 - [Some numbers matter more than the DJIA closing over 13,000](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022912.html)Traders, investors and talking heads have been anticipating the day the DJIA closed over 13,000 for days. But there are far more important numbers…February 29, 2012 - [Part 1: Book about wealth makes good sense since it's all in our head](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022612.html)Charles Richards, Ph.D. recently published a book titled “The Psychology of Wealth” (McGraw-Hill, January 2012) that has landed in the #1…February 26, 2012 - [Taking too many money risks? Don't blame yourself blame your brain](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022312.html)Anyone who remembers Flip Wilson probably recalls his “The devil made me do it” line. The comedian used it time and time again to explain behavior…February 23, 2012 - [America's richest presidents not always rich](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022012.html)Having money can certainly make life less stressful but it’s no guarantee that you won’t have money woes to face—even if you’re president.February 20, 2012 - [Road to White House takes big bucks and Grammy Award winners have more than most candidates](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021912.html)If all it takes is money to get into the White House, heaven knows Grammy winners have plenty of it. A lot more when you compare their incomes…February 19, 2012 - [The IRS has given us time and now a "Dirty Dozen" list](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021612.html)The IRS cares about us. Really. In addition to a two-day filing date extension for everyone—the deadline is Tuesday, April 17th—they’ve just…February 16, 2012 - [New economic indicator: Ugly High Heels and Platform Shoe Index](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021412.html)I’m adding a brand new, made-it-up-all-myself market indicator to the list of goofy ways that we use to predict the market’s unpredictable future—…February 14, 2012 - [With a robust January behind us, the big question is if the rest of the year will follow that lead](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021112.html)Okay, now that all of January’s numbers have been sliced and diced, the big concern is whether or not the rest of 2012 will be as kind to equity…February 11, 2012 - [Instead of roses or bling, how about candy stocks for your Valentine sweetie](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020612.html)Stuck for what to get that very special someone this Valentine’s Day? You could show your love by making an investment or two into confectionary…February 6, 2012 - [What you need to know about Facebook before its debut](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020312.html)My, oh my, wouldn’t it be sweet to be one of the thousands who are either working for or have worked for Facebook and lucky enough to have some…February 3, 2012 - [Some stocks have soared now that the US is doing better](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013112.html)A few days ago I pointed out how stocks in the DJIA have performed so far this year. Taking a broader view, here’s a far more dazzling snapshot.…January 31, 2012 - [In case you haven't heard, there was plenty of lending going on in 2011](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013012.html)Listen to all the negative campaigning that’s going on this election year and it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that the state of business in the…January 30, 2012 - [With the first three weeks of the trading year behind us, the news is we're up even though we're down](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012712.html)On the radio the other day I heard some investment pro say that there are 253 trading days in this year. Can’t verify that as I haven’t counted…January 27, 2012 - [Obama's time in office scores really big with the stock market. Really.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012412.html)Depending upon which side of the political fence you prefer—right, left or sitting on top of it—one thing you can’t deny about President O’s first…January 24, 2012 - [Following the money in this market might lead nowhere](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012012.html)Anyone with a modicum of experience under their investing belts knows that deciding where to invest comes with some challenges. Especially when…January 20, 2012 - [We made it through Friday the 13th and now what?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011512.html)Although it doesn’t come along all that often, Friday the 13th can be a spooky day for those who believe the day together with that number…January 15, 2012 - [Presidents with business experience not necessarily a good choice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011312.html)Lots has been said about electing a president with business experience. For some the thinking is if a person has been a seasoned and successful…January 13, 2012 - [Rolls-Royce's are hot. Got one?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011112.html)The U.S. automobile industry enjoyed some strong sales last year. But for those who really love a fine ride, Rolls-Royce experienced its best…January 11, 2012 - [Well how about that: Banks have more money than ever before](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010912a.html)The word to read again and again in that headline is “ever” because for the first time in history, there’s so much money in U.S. banks that if a…January 9, 2012 - [Doug Kass predicts uneven growth, John Browne looks to gold](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010912.html)Two years ago, the Palm Beach Business Group invited Doug Kass and John Browne to be guest speakers at the group's Bear vs. Bull debate. On…January 9, 2012 - [Sticking with the Dogs in 2012 even though 2011's return depends upon whom you ask](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010612.html)Anyone looking for a bone in this year’s market might look to the Dogs of the Dow. The group gave investors something to howl about last year:…January 6, 2012 - [In 2012 what investors need the most of can be summed up in one word](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010312.html)Every new year brings with it new hopes and dreams. I was hoping to come up with a whopper of a get-wealthier list for this New Year but lists are…January 3, 2012 ## 2011 (136 columns) - [Part 4 and lastly: Making money has more to do with how we think than we think](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123011.html)The other day I came across this quote from Woodrow Wilson, our 28th president: “Golf is a game in which one endeavors to control a ball with…December 30, 2011 - [Part 3: Whether richer or poorer, in good times and bad, investors soldier on](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122711.html)As 2011 gets closer to the last trading day of the year, no matter what the tally is on their various accounts, investors keep on keeping on. And…December 27, 2011 - [My holiday gift to all investors isn't wrapped in dollars and cents but comes in a single word: Hop](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122411.html)Now that the season is in full swing with Christmas upon us, Kwanzaa to be celebrated on the26th and the 28th the last day of Hanukkah, I’d like…December 24, 2011 - [Part 2: Last minute tips for finding cash to spend today and to save you some tomorrow](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122111.html)I don’t know about you but any unexpected cash coming my way makes me very very merry. If the same is true for you here are couple of green stuff…December 21, 2011 - [Part 1: It's that time of year again when investors look back and forward at the same time](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121911.html)There are nothing like beginnings and endings. They are life’s most natural acts, after all. And since living requires oodles of money, it’s that…December 19, 2011 - [Some shopping, investing and giving things to consider before 2011 ends](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121611.html)With not that many days until 2011 comes to an end, and even fewer ones for Christmas shopping, the following might add some “Ho Ho Ho” to your…December 16, 2011 - [Better load up on big fat holiday diamond and gold jewelry while it's still cheap](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121311.html)Okay, cheap might not be the right word to use when referring to terrific jewelry gifts like 5-carat diamond rings or golden bangles. But, if…December 13, 2011 - [Don't see many shoppers carrying bags? Not to worry as online shopping is bigger than ever](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120711.html)Just because mall parking lots aren’t overflowing with cars these days, or Worth Avenue isn’t packed with shoppers carrying bags from Neiman’s,…December 7, 2011 - [Unemployment rate falls to 8.6. Oh really...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120511a.html)I shook my head after reading that unemployment figures for November had fallen from the October figure of 9 percent down to 8.6 percent. Anyone…December 5, 2011 - [Black Friday's close create Cyber Monday Wall Street buys](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112811.html)Of the 3.1 billion shares on the NYSE that traded hands on Friday, it was almost an even split between the number of declining and advancing…November 28, 2011 - [If W's tax cuts taught us anything it's cuts come with consequences](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112611.html)Everybody is yipping about taxes. Yes, it’s that time of year but given the economic mess America is in, and the upcoming election, the noise on…November 26, 2011 - [Being thankful is the richest gift of all](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112311.html)I happen to love Thanksgiving. The word speaks to me about what’s really important in life: Giving thanks for the bounty of all that we have even…November 23, 2011 - [The turkeys are running wild so is it time to gobble up stocks?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112111.html)Historically, Thanksgiving week has been a pretty good one for stocks thanks to Black Friday sales. This year, there will be Thankless Thursday…November 21, 2011 - [If surveys are right, we're likely to die before we can afford to retire](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111711.html)The more I learn about how people manage, handle and invest their money the more I think we human beings aren’t all wired for making the big deal…November 17, 2011 - [We all know right from wrong except when money is involved](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111411.html)Sooner or later it always comes down to money. And the way it looks to me, money is the real reason why way too many individuals— who knew for…November 14, 2011 - [In volatile markets and crazy times Louie calms fears and suggests investors go with quality](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111011.html)Yesterday my friend Steve and I were discussing the market’s downturn. He said the volatile he’s seen in the markets lately is the worst he has…November 10, 2011 - [The span in what big corporations paid in taxes yesterday](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110711a.html)There is nothing very equal or fair about a lot of things in life. Take corporate taxes, for instance: Some companies reap the benefits of…November 7, 2011 - [Winning at money games varies unless you've got a gambling problem](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110211.html)Lots of people consider investing in stocks on Wall Street the same as gambling— but it’s not. Sure investing requires taking a chance. A chance…November 2, 2011 - [S&P 500's best October ever? Maybe yes. Maybe no](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102911.html)You’d better wait until the market closes on Monday before popping the cork on that bottle of Dom Pérignon in celebration of the S&P 500s rip…October 29, 2011 - [Like it or not Uncle Sam isn't getting what he used to](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102611.html)Okay, we all know people like to bellyache about taxes. The subject can be an oh-so emotional one yet it always seems to be a major theme come…October 26, 2011 - [Calling the near-term future of the markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102411.html)The S&P 500 is up a whopping 15 percent since its low earlier this month. But whether or not that upward trend continues through year-end depends…October 24, 2011 - [Christmas shopping and what the wealthy really want](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102011.html)I was in Bloomingdale’s at The Gardens Mall earlier this month and surprised to see their Christmas shop all set up. More surprising, however, was…October 20, 2011 - [Dividends continue to be oh-so attractive to the income orientated](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101711.html)I figure the look-at-dividend-paying-stock story is probably beginning to sound like a broken record but until interest rates start soaring—which…October 17, 2011 - [Recovery for too few makes troubled times for the majority](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101511.html)I know many of The Suit people on Wall Street, in politics and around the country don’t care much for the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators. I…October 15, 2011 - [More on banks, debt card fees and help from FindABetterBank](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101211.html)A reader emailed me the other day and pointed out that ING didn’t charge for debit card usage. That’s great to know. I wanted to learn more and…October 12, 2011 - [A simple investment test most Floridians don't do well on](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101011.html)There were five questions in FINRAs investor quiz published last year and when all was said and done, Floridians answered only three out of the…October 10, 2011 - [For the love of Apple](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100711.html)I’ve been a fan of Apple and the computers that company makes since the mid- 1980s. Don’t have the first Macintosh computer I bought but do have…October 7, 2011 - [How's that IRA and 401(k) working for you?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100511.html)At the end of my last blog I suggested readers ask what I consider to be the first and likely the most important question anyone can ask you…October 5, 2011 - [By the end of the third year of one's presidency stocks usually end higher](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100311.html)Too bad usually doesn’t come with a guarantee.October 3, 2011 - [All you need to know about BofA's debit card fees: They don't apply to the wealthy.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100111.html)How about that Bank of America. The stink that’s come as a result of this bank announcing it’s going to charge their poorer customers $5 a month…October 1, 2011 - [Time to consider the HENRYs. They're the ones with the money---almost](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092811.html)Luxury retailers, and all sellers of big ticket items be they vehicles, yachts or hedge funds, listen up: If you haven’t already heard of the…September 28, 2011 - [Consider the consequences when balking at possible tax hikes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092611.html)There’s got to be at least one multi-millionaire on every block in Palm Beach. If that block is filled with condos you can multiply that one by,…September 26, 2011 - [Thank the Fed chairman for cluing us in to the future--now we can invest confidently](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092311.html)Well, thanks to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke’s report Wednesday, we can breath a shy of relief and put all the crisis of confidence concerns…September 23, 2011 - [Where way too many jobs have gone](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092111.html)No matter what you think about China, our U.S trade agreement with that country has translated into numerous job losses and an increase our debt.…September 21, 2011 - [Mindfully touch a woman's heart and she's likely to buy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091611.html)It’s no secret that woman have all the money. Yes, not all have total control over all of the greenbacks in the world but odds are that every…September 16, 2011 - [How to focus business on the ultra-high net worth crowd](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091511.html)There are nearly 55,000 ultra high net worth individuals in the United States. Of those, according to the new report, more than half keep their…September 15, 2011 - [It's so easy for some to overlook but U.S. poverty rate hugely high](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091311.html)Wander along Worth Avenue, Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue and you’d be hard-pressed to even think America has a soaring poverty rate. But it does.September 13, 2011 - [Ten years later and the economic effects of 9/11 still stunning](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090911.html)It has been a decade since the devastation of 9/11 rocked our world. For many this past decade has been a horrible one filled with losses of one…September 9, 2011 - [Iconic brands retain advantage in luxury markets amid shifts in consumer sentiment](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090611.html)Depending which end of the luxury market your business serves, the U.S. economy has posed unique challenges for those offering their luxurious…September 6, 2011 - [It's Labor Day but you'd sure never know it](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090511.html)Hey, people! It’s Labor Day. But from what I can tell, nobody seems to much care. I haven’t seen any newspaper headlines making a big to-do over…September 5, 2011 - [Four months remain in 2011 and who knows where we're going from here](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090111.html)Heading into the long Labor Day weekend, if kids around the country aren’t already back in school they will be shortly. And since it’s already…September 1, 2011 - [Hurricanes and the stock markets soar, roar and disappoint too but one thing is certain ---you just never know](https://fundfreebies.com/other/083011.html)My heart goes out to all along the East Coast who experienced Hurricane Irene. Especially those first-timer’s who never before have lived through…August 30, 2011 - [Tale of two Ben's, or, I'm back from London and here's what I've learned](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082811.html)America’s Big Ben Bernanke spoke for about as long as it takes London’s Big Ben to chime 12 in his much anticipated Jackson Hole presentation…August 28, 2011 - [Here's how the wealthy prepare their children for the financial world facing them](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082311.html)If you happen to think that rich kids only inherit money and their parents didn’t give a hoot about teaching them anything about money management…August 23, 2011 - [Will debt ceiling be raised? Palm Beachers ring in](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082211.html)With Congress still bickering, and given the tenor of the arguments, you'd think the debt ceiling had never been raised.August 22, 2011 - [Getting through tough markets takes sense](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082011.html)If you happen to think that rich kids only inherit money andAugust 20, 2011 - [Who is going to buy gold jewelry if the price of Au keeps going up?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081811.html)I got a call this afternoon (8/18/11) from Tobina Kahn. Like her parents who own the House of Kahn Estate Jewelers in Palm Beach, she is vice…August 18, 2011 - [Well last week sure was one heck of a ride](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081511.html)Although last week’s stock markets seemed an awful lot like a serious roller coaster ride at a State Fair, ya gotta throw in Disney’s It’s a Small…August 15, 2011 - [The Chinese can teach us a thing or two about saving money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081211.html)If you’ve ever wondered why the Chinese seem to have made so many great strides economically lately, one reason might be because people in that…August 12, 2011 - [Everybody loves a bargain and the markets are full of them](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081011.html)Time to start looking at that stock wish list. After all, that’s what the smart money does when markets tank.August 10, 2011 - [S&P on a downgrading tear that seems more about politics than economics](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080811a.html)I had to scratch my head and wonder what was really behind S&P’s downgrading of America’s debt on August 5th when we—and all the world—have been…August 8, 2011 - [Palm Beach Money: Investors need to know their REITs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080811.html)Around for more than a half century, real estate investment trusts have gone from relatively unknown investments to an estimated $389 billion market.August 8, 2011 - [Making cents of the DJIA that's now at 2006 levels](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080511.html)I had to scratch my head and wonder what was really behind S&P’sAugust 5, 2011 - [That crazy ole relationship between debt and deficit](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080211.html)Litman Gregory is a California-based asset management company. Its founders,August 2, 2011 - [America's AAA-rating and our crappy credit score](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072911.html)According to Standard & Poor’s, there are 17 countries on Earth with a AAA -rating. The United States is still one of them, as of today. But if…July 29, 2011 - [T. Rowe Price teaching kids good stuff about saving, investing and goal setting](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072511.html)T. Rowe Price recently added a downloadable kids activity book “Journey to your Dream Goal” to their The Great Piggy Bank Adventure world. From…July 25, 2011 - [A few community banks have new money to lend...get it while it's there](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072211.html)Anybody who has tried to get a loan in this low interest rate environment knows getting one isn’t necessarily easy—even if you’re wealthy and/or…July 22, 2011 - [Debt ceiling: A game of political foolsball](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071811.html)I haven’t written anything about the debt ceiling before because instead of a basically not odd event, the subject has become like a game of…July 18, 2011 - [A stock's return to you can soar over time when reinvesting dividends](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071611.html)By now you’re well aware that I’m a huge fan of dividend-paying stocks. Not just any dividend-paying stock but ones from companies that have a…July 16, 2011 - [Mid-way through 2011 and BlackRock looks back and forward](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071211.html)It’s been a decent year for BlackRock’s seer Bob Doll.July 12, 2011 - [Luxury retailers learn in the world of social media fingers do the talking](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071011.html)As the impact of the social media world explodes, even the Pope is tweeting. But just as the pontiff’s brief messages may inspire and impact…July 10, 2011 - [Is cash the RIP currency?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070711.html)I had an uncle who used to carry around a big fat wad of money in his pocket. It would have been great if that had-to-be three-inch roll were made…July 7, 2011 - [Wishes of the deceased over the division of assets must run legal gauntlet before reaching beneficiaries](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070511.html)Ask someone who has inherited a tidy sum from a friend, family member or loved one how they feel about their inheritance and there's a good chance…July 5, 2011 - [4th of July is a dandy day for all of us](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070411.html)I love the 4th of July. I love what it stands for. I love the parades, celebrations, fireworks, picnics and all of the hoopla surrounding it. I…July 4, 2011 - [Asset allocation ideas gleaned from the portfolios of world's wealthiest](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070211.html)Results of the World Wealth Report are out and the big news? The rich were richer at the close of 2010 than they ever have been.July 2, 2011 - [As the chasm between wages widen, most Americans become poorer and poorer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062811.html)If you heard a big “Well, duh!” from seemingly out of nowhere the other day that was from me. After reading this headline in the Washington Post…June 28, 2011 - [Plenty of rich folk around the world and many seek investment discipline and guidance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062511.html)The good thing about having loads of money is that you’ve got loads of money. Beyond that the differences between how you invest, why you invest,…June 25, 2011 - [Stock prices are jumpy. So are investors even though many are making money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062311.html)With the close of the second quarter right around the corner, it’s time for one of my DJIA what’s-trading-for-under-$20 reviews. And, market thoughts.June 23, 2011 - [J.P. Morgan has to pay $153.6 million for misleading investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062111.html)At last, hoodwinked investors have a chance of getting their money back.June 21, 2011 - [Father's Day and money lessons learned](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061811.html)Without a father, we wouldn’t be here. Of course, that’s what I said on Mother’s Day too. But the simple truth is both are true.June 18, 2011 - [Who's in charge? The bulls or the bears?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061611.html)It’s easy to become addicted to what’s happening in the market. Watching every move of the indices and prices on stocks used to mean schlepping…June 16, 2011 - [Mutual Funds performance histories not so hot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061311.html)It’s not easy selecting a mutual fund to plunk your dollars into. In addition to the thousands available and dozens of investment categories to…June 13, 2011 - [Money smarts after that divorce](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061011.html)If I were Mr. Weiner’s wife, I’d be calling my divorce attorney. Married less than a year and to a guy who prefers snapping crotch shots then…June 10, 2011 - [Wealthy kids and philanthropy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060611a.html)I’m going to guess that nearly every parent reading this– no matter what their income level— has at one time or another told his or her kids that…June 6, 2011 - [Barclays' Financial Personality Assessment determines your investing behavior](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060611.html)Getting out of the market at just the wrong time or selling your winners while holding on to losing investments are two very simple yet effective…June 6, 2011 - [Afraid of the stock market? You're not alone.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060311.html)Funny thing about the stock market, when it’s soaring everybody loves equities and can’t wait to chat about its bounty even if they’re not…June 3, 2011 - [Good dividend paying stocks are everybody's friend](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060111.html)Everybody is talking dividends these days. I’ve been talking about them for decades.June 1, 2011 - [Remembering what Memorial Day is really all about](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052911.html)Growing up, I remember Memorial Day with fondness and respect. Back then nearly every home on my block displayed the family’s American flag, Vets…May 29, 2011 - [Graduation and deciding whether college is worth it?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052611.html)Tis the season of graduations when thousands of young people will soon be throwing their caps into the air and getting out of high school. I…May 26, 2011 - [Wells Fargo Bank and knuckleheads](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052411.html)I like the word “knuckleheads”. It says so much on so many different levels. The Click and Clack guys of “Car Talk” use it often. Hearing it…May 24, 2011 - [The President earns about $46 an hour. Here's how he invests](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051911.html)Getting the scoop on how the leader of the free world invests his money might sound juicy but if the reports are correct, there’s nothing too…May 19, 2011 - [How's "Sell in May and go away" working for you?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051811.html)Gotta love Wall Street adages. Play the markets long enough and you’ll see that these investment tips/notions come with a “sometimes” caveat and…May 18, 2011 - [Harris Private Bank's wealth series targets savvy women](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051611.html)Harris Private Bank's "Wealth & Fashion I.Q. for Women" program isn't your typical Finance 101. It's much more, designed for savvy women who…May 16, 2011 - [In America debts are nothing new and neither are debt ceilings](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051511.html)Monday, as in tomorrow, is a big day for debt. That’s the day our government debt will hit $14,294 trillion— the debt ceiling cap set by Congress…May 15, 2011 - [ETFs are hot but can be confusing. Unclog your ETF brain here](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051311.html)Investors appear to love ETFs. There are now about 1200 of them around and not all worth investing in, mind you. Nonetheless, in April assets into…May 13, 2011 - [A doozie of an e-mail investment opportunity filled with red flags](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051011.html)Florida is a state ripe with scams. In addition to leading the nation in the number of mortgage frauds, the Sunshine State’s number of investment…May 10, 2011 - [A Mother's worth](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050811.html)How do you measure a mother’s worth? By the number of days she works, the hours she dedicates to raising children and tending to her family or the…May 8, 2011 - [Owning a horse in any race—Kentucky Derby or otherwise—is not a smart long-term investment plan.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050411.html)I love the Kentucky Derby. In addition to the mint juleps and big brimmed hats there’s nothing quite like the thundering sound hooves racing round…May 4, 2011 - [Yes, we’re all a little bit crazy when it comes to money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050211a.html)Well, looks like our emotions got the best of us once again.May 2, 2011 - [Aiming to live past 100? It's a rosy world](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050211.html)Living is expensive. Living to a ripe old age of 95, 100 or 105+ is really costly. But, as is often the case, human nature can keep us from facing…May 2, 2011 - [Kate’s wedding is 2 days away and they’re betting on which tiara she’ll be wearing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042711.html)When it comes to royal weddings, it’s the jewels that count the most baby, the jewels. And weren’t not just talking his but hers.April 27, 2011 - [Part-time commish job pays $30,000](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042511.html)Hey! Need a job and live in West Palm Beach’s District 1? If so, you’ve got until 5 p.m. today to apply to be the city commissioner representing…April 25, 2011 - [Happy Holiday. Happy Sunday.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042411.html)It’s Easter and the 6th day of Passover. It’s also Sunday and one need not be of any particular faith to celebrate this day. Once upon a time…April 24, 2011 - [Stocks are hot. Investors are not.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042211.html)Yahoo! The stock market is closed today. Whether the close is based around something religious, like Good Friday, or political, like Independence…April 22, 2011 - [How your tax bracket matches up with America's biggest companies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041711.html)By now you’re probably keenly aware of the 2010 tax bracket your adjusted gross income fell into. What you might not know is the rate America’s…April 17, 2011 - [Why IRS deadline is April 18 and cheap tax relief related eat opportunities](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041511.html)We’ve got honest Abe Lincoln and Mayor Anthony Williams to thank for giving us a few extra days to file our taxes.April 15, 2011 - [Wal-Mart's not so cheap but old saving slogan is still rich](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041311.html)Saturday night I was talking with a friend and mentioned I’d been to Wal-Mart that day and it seemed to me as though their prices weren’t as cheap…April 13, 2011 - [What do ya know-- April is Financial Literacy Month](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041011.html)It’s here! That one month a year that focuses on how much we know about our finances and money. Ask me and one month isn’t enough. It takes a…April 10, 2011 - [Making money during the first quarter of 2011](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040611.html)Whether there is a government shutdown or not, the first quarter of 2011 rewarded many investors.April 6, 2011 - [Medical expenses during retirement likely to cost a fortune](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040411a.html)The first Baby Boomers to retire are learning about the high cost of living. If they didn’t stash enough away into their three-legged retirement…April 4, 2011 - [Space tourism finally lifting off, but prices can be sky high](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040411.html)When Ralph Kramden got steamed at his wife in The Honeymooners, Jackie Gleason's television character was known for shaking his fist and making an…April 4, 2011 - [No foolin: It's time to pay more in taxes and fix America's broken tax code](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040111.html)Let’s see here, if I have to choose between cutting teacher pay and increasing the size of classrooms in a country where the level of our kids’…April 1, 2011 - [Follow Siebert's lead: Help victims in Japan via stock donations](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032511.html)One look at pictures after the horrible natural disasters suffered in Japan and you know putting people back into homes, reconstructing villages,…March 25, 2011 - [How one billionaire handles market catastrophes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032111.html)Only a few weeks ago investor sentiment was running high with research showing the little guy and gal plowing money back into the stock market.…March 21, 2011 - [March Madness has begun: Beware of your mood](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031711.html)The March Madness I’m referring to here has nothing to do with Japan’s devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear mess. Nope, I’m talking good…March 17, 2011 - [Time, timing, markets and opportunities](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031511.html)I’ve been glued to the TV over the past few days watching videos and listening to the news surrounding Japan’s 9.0 earthquake and the tsunami that…March 15, 2011 - [Turns out money does buy love--- for the ladies, that is](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031111.html)When I was a young woman, my mother often reminded me that it was just as easy to fall in love with a rich guy as it was a poor one. I remember…March 11, 2011 - [Space exploration equals money well spent always](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030911.html)Today, I’m wearing my Star Trek The Next Generation Communicator Pin in honor of the Shuttle Discovery’s final touch down. It’s a replica of the…March 9, 2011 - [Florida banks may be dangerous to your money's health](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030811.html)There are so many things to love about Florida— the sun, the sea and no need for mittens or snow shovels. But there’s a lot to not be so crazy…March 8, 2011 - [Corporate Income Tax: To Cut or Not](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030711.html)Some say it is time to give the corporate income tax the hook, but revenue loss would add to budget crisisMarch 7, 2011 - [Got brains? Check your federal deficit IQ](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030411.html)We all know Uncle Sam needs a financial makeover. One way to remedy that is to make changes in the federal budget. Raising taxes is another, but…March 4, 2011 - [DINKs and the rich crossing bridges for cheap eats](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030311.html)Well, the word is finally out: The Great Recession has caused those with plenty of disposable cash to turn to quick-pick food establishments where…March 3, 2011 - [Money, investing and our future](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030111.html)With the oh-so boring Oscar’s behind us, it’s time to get back to the task of making money. Unlike the pre-Oscar winner’s expectations, there is…March 1, 2011 - [The government may shut down but not SS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022511.html)If you’re worried about getting the ever-so-reliable Social Security check next month, stop fretting. You’ll still get that income even if the…February 25, 2011 - [IRS adds to TAP and increases interest rates 2 U](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022211.html)On the better side, earlier this month 70 new people were selected to join the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). The group now totals 102 volunteers…February 22, 2011 - [How does health care reform hit home?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022111.html)(This is Part 2 of a 2-part story about The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama last year. Read Part 1…February 21, 2011 - [And just when you thought you need an app for trading....](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021711.html)Well, golly gee. Lest you feel you’d like to be trade-savvy and thus require an app to make your trades with, forgetaboutit. Most investors prefer…February 17, 2011 - [NYSE for sale means what?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021411.html)For anyone not paying attention, our economic world is changing as the once mighty New York Stock Exchange, that began when two dozen merchants…February 14, 2011 - [It's not too late for gold](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021211.html)Okay, so there are only a few hours left until Valentine’s Day, right? And you’ve got zilch in your hand for your honey. Well, fear not. Help is…February 12, 2011 - [The Gipper's 100th something to celebrate but Reaganomics? Nah](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020911.html)It always amazes me when, after someone dies, that individual always somehow turns into a Saint of some sort by those who loved him or her. Guess…February 9, 2011 - [How does health care reform hit home?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020811.html)(This is Part 1 of a 2-part story about The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama last year. Read Part 2…February 8, 2011 - [Charitable givers have fish hooks in their pockets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020711.html)Oh my. It seems last year wasn’t such a hot one for givers. Big time charitable givers, that is. The total dollar amount donated in 2010 was the…February 7, 2011 - [Super Bowl tickets average over $4800](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020411.html)Read somewhere online yesterday that the average price of a Super Bowl ticket was over $4800 this year. That’s about the cost of 13 shares of…February 4, 2011 - [Take the "Asset Allocation for Dummies" quiz](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020211.html)It never hurts to check your investing IQ. To that end, Jerry Miccolis, co-author of “Asset Allocation For Dummies” and CIO of the wealth…February 2, 2011 - [Two points of view about Egypt's unrest and our markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013111a.html)Before the markets opened today, I couldn’t help but think about how the political unrest in Egypt would impact prices. Along with concerns about…January 31, 2011 - [Experts: 2011 to be better year for stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013111.html)Part 2 of a 2-part storyJanuary 31, 2011 - [Any DJIA stocks left selling under $20?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012711.html)With the Dow Jones Industrial Averages briefly sneaking past, but closing slightly under, the 12,000 marker yesterday, I decided to take my…January 27, 2011 - [With a windfall what comes first: Building a rainy day fund or paying off debts?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012511.html)What we do with the money we have is pretty much our own business. That said, it’s a business everybody wants to get into the act of participating…January 25, 2011 - [Changes happening with Social Security](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012111.html)Everybody loves his or her Social Security checks, right? But if your preference is to receive yours through the mail, forget about it. That won’t…January 21, 2011 - [Dividends don't matter to everyone](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011911.html)I happen to be a big fan of stocks that pay dividends. Perhaps that’s because I’m not as young as I used to be and clearly remember the…January 19, 2011 - [Experts: 2011 to be better year for stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011711.html)Part 1 of a 2-part storyJanuary 17, 2011 - [Get the beneficiary thing right on your IRAs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011611.html)Inheriting money isn’t always a smooth deal. In addition to dealing with the often very personal loss of the person who has bequeath you a gift…January 16, 2011 - [Plenty of sole proprietors around but they're not racking in much](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011311.html)For many, the thought of working for yourself and not having to answer to anybody, working any time of day or night or dealing with annoying…January 13, 2011 - [Gas up means lots of other prices go up too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010911.html)While getting gas at Costco in Lantana the other day I said to the attendant that I’d heard gas was going up to five bucks a gallon. He thought…January 9, 2011 - [Dogs of the Dow are beckoning bow-WOW's](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010311a.html)If you’ve never looked at the often over-looked stocks labeled the Dogs of the Dow, there’s no better time than now. These puppies could return…January 3, 2011 - [Entrepreneurs speaking in Palm Beach upbeat about luxury market for 2011](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010311.html)If the past few months are an indication of the future, 2011 is on its way to being a more prosperous year than the past few for those whose focus…January 3, 2011 ## 2010 (159 columns) - [Goodbye to a decade that wasn’t so hot, a year that was and now we’re back to even | Palm Beach Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123110.html)No doubt about it 2010 was a great year for the markets. As for the first 10 full years in this century, for many the lot has been more…December 31, 2010 - [Lumps of coal a plenty for bad money-related behavior](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122910.html)Yes, there truly are many many more positive business dealings we experience each year than negative ones. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t…December 29, 2010 - [Only a few days left to do the tax dance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122710.html)By the time I got to the Gardens Mall yesterday, there wasn’t a parking space to be had. Never have seen all the lots so jammed. Why you would…December 27, 2010 - [Is a Santa Claus rally in stocks coming or is it already over?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122410.html)How about that Santa. He’s everywhere these days from malls to rooftops.Why the guy simply rocks.December 24, 2010 - [With only a few shopping days left, give to those less fortunate](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122110.html)This holiday season probably comes with more stresses and strains than any have carried with them in decades. No matter what your take on the…December 21, 2010 - [Whether Willie Sutton said it or not, banks are where the money is](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122010.html)Most of us have a bank account. At least one. So it makes sense to know which banks are the best around. Right? That must be what Forbes’ editors…December 20, 2010 - [Gold in Boca, Abu Dhabi too and if Santa charged Christmas, oh my](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121810.html)By now we’ve all heard that there’s a gold vending machine in Boca’s Town Center Mall. Something, no doubt, everyone has been holding their…December 18, 2010 - [Interest rates creeping up on the long end--not so on the short](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121610.html)For quite a while, cash investors have been complaining about the piddley returns they’ve seen on short-maturing Certificates of Deposit and in…December 16, 2010 - [IRS is into tweeting big-time](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121310.html)How about that social media. It’s everywhere. And everybody’s doing it. Even our Uncle Sam’s own IRS has expanded its services into the land of…December 13, 2010 - [Looks as though President O will extend President W's tax rates at a cost](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120810.html)I happened to like President Obama’s speech on Dec. 12th. In it he indicated that all of the Bush tax rates would be extended for another two…December 8, 2010 - [If tax rates expire Palm Beacher's won't have nearly as much to complain about as their servants](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120510.html)Let me see if I’ve got this right: On Saturday, the Senate blocked a vote to extend the Bush-era income tax rates. Apparently, the primary reason…December 5, 2010 - [There'd be no Christmas in Palm Beach without Rush](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120310.html)I’ve never met Rush Limbaugh. Probably wouldn’t know him if I was standing next to him at Main Street News. Particularly now that he’s dropped a…December 3, 2010 - [Stats say to kiss these high-paying jobs good-bye](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120210.html)I remember my dad harping at me to get a job with good benefits. Of course, that was decades ago when things like good pensions handsomely…December 2, 2010 - [It's never too soon to look at year-end tax write-offs or to find some](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112910.html)So what if Congress can’t make up its mind about what to do regarding the expiring Bush tax code? Just because they are dilly-dalliers doesn’t…November 29, 2010 - [Plenty to be thankful for right here on Palm Beach](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112510.html)There is no shortage of things to be thankful for in anyone’s life when you really take the time to think about it. Rich or poor, weak or strong,…November 25, 2010 - [Stock and bond funds' double-digit 2-year returns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112110.html)Stepping back when looking at the mutual fund financial landscape shows a much different picture than day-to-day snapshots produce.November 21, 2010 - [How not created equally we are](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111910.html)The one thing about equally that many folks forget is while we might be created equally, no two of us are the same. And when it comes to money,…November 19, 2010 - [Could it be--are prices on stocks headed south? Maybe not.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111710.html)Oh, if only there were an investment crystal ball that really could see into the future instead of all those ball-shaped talking heads that think…November 17, 2010 - [So how's that salary of yours measure up?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111510.html)Amazing things about salaries in this mighty USA of ours. Some are flying high, other’s barely allowing for individuals to scrimp by.November 15, 2010 - [In shaky markets words of wisdom rule](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111310.html)Over the past few days we’ve see the DJIA go from hitting 2008 highs to falling back from them. By the close of business on Friday, that index…November 13, 2010 - [A Veterans' Day, i.e. Armistice Day, reminder](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111110.html)When I was a little girl, November 11th was Armistice Day. A day when it seemed everyone in town hung their flags out and waved those little ones…November 11, 2010 - [The same thing that keeps us from change keeps many from making money in stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110910.html)If there’s a four-letter word that loses investors more money than bad advice, it’s f-e-a-r. Yes, that dastardly word has likely done more damage…November 9, 2010 - [Confusion abounds, even among advisers, regarding fiduciary duty](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110810.html)Even J.R. didn't get it. Larry Hagman, who played that greedy oil baron J.R. Ewing Jr. on the TV drama Dallas, recently won an arbitration case…November 8, 2010 - [The Fed's buying bonds like we've got money. TIPS are returning less than nothing. Huh?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110510.html)Two news items have puzzled me recently. One, yields on TIPS fell into negative territory, so who would even want them. And second, the Fed’s…November 5, 2010 - [Merrill Lynch report finds affluent feeling conservative and kinda stingy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110310.html)Even though affluent investors acknowledge that they’re richer now then they were last year, they’re not big fans of taking on much risk.November 3, 2010 - [Black Monday today? I'm already sick of sales](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110110.html)Don’t know about you, but I’ve become sick and tired of opening the newspaper and day after day after day reading about sales advertising…November 1, 2010 - [A Double-headed Halloween treat](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102810.html)Every now and then I discover great deals right around here. This one is in an area that’s become a favorite haunt of Palm Beachers even though…October 28, 2010 - [Scary: Sink and Scott on cable TV last night](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102710.html)There they were—Florida’s two gubernatorial candidates on national cable television. CNN no less. Showing the cable-viewing world what a couple of…October 27, 2010 - [Sorta scary 2011 market predictions](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102510.html)Now that it’s Halloween week, I thought I’d focus on the stuff that some ghouls and goblins think are coming our way. This blog will focus on the…October 25, 2010 - [Survey findings: Wealthy still dining out but not likely to holiday shop much. I say: Forget that---shop now](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102210.html)Wednesday I took a ride down Worth Avenue. Construction is almost complete on the street and the clock near the sea. I know Avenue retailers are…October 22, 2010 - [World not coming to an end; you'll need more retirement money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102010.html)If you were one of the I-don’t-know-how-many who have believed that theMayan’s had the inside scoop of when our world would end, sorry. Seems…October 20, 2010 - [Apple soared yesterday, other stocks too, so where's Newton in all of this](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101910.html)If you’d bought Apple when it was trading around $7 a share in the 1990’s and sold it yesterday at $318, you’d be one lucky and happy investor.…October 19, 2010 - [No COLA increase because no inflation. R they kidding?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101510.html)I don’t know who the knuckleheads are in Washington who do the cost of living calculating but one thing is for sure—they aren’t people who go…October 15, 2010 - [Got money? Sleep like a Republican President on a $33,000 mattress](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101210.html)To me, there’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. Nothing. In fact, I think that the person who invented the mattress ought to get some kind of…October 12, 2010 - [Got Gold? It's hot, shrouded in conspiracy and some think its price could continue to soar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100910.html)Right around this time last year, an ounce of gold had just passed the $1000 threshold. It seemed like everyone then was on a gold high. After…October 9, 2010 - [Part 2: Whether the market goes to 1000 or 20,000, PB investment pros focus on clients' needs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100710.html)Click here for Part 1: Whether the market goes to 1000 or 20,000, PB investment pros focus on clients' needs.October 7, 2010 - [Everything your ever wanted to know about TARP and then some](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100510.html)I was not in favor of TARP. Didn’t think it was the individual taxpayer’s role to cover the buffoonery and antics of those in charge of major…October 5, 2010 - [And what a September it was...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100410.html)The record books have a lot to write about when it comes to September 2010. For openers, I’ve heard it was the hottest one on record weather-wise…October 4, 2010 - [Palm Beach's ZIP not that hot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/093010.html)Man, I thought 33480 was one of the toniest ZIP codes in the country and representative of a place where real estate prices were tops. Turns out…September 30, 2010 - [Six months to the day of the signing, there's health care for some](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092410.html)Well, you’ve got to hand to the Prez as portions of his health care legislation have begun. And not a minute to soon for many in need.September 24, 2010 - [Improving our roads, rails and airports makes common sense and puts people back to work](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092110.html)I’m a big fan of infrastructure improvements. The collapse of a bridge in Minnesota revealed a need to do so a few years ago. Add to that the…September 21, 2010 - [The market's direction brings out different points of view---as always](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092010.html)Like weather forecasters, those who predict the markets say all sorts of things with rare 100 percent accuracy. In two stories I read this…September 20, 2010 - [Two old and ordinary year-end tax ideas that will help no matter what Congress decides](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091710.html)Nothing like wanting to do a little year-end tax planning and not knowing which way to turn thanks to the fact that no one knows for sure what’s…September 17, 2010 - [4 Reasons why the sky is not falling](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091410.html)In my previous blog I wrote that no matter what is being said about the current state of our economy the sky is not falling. Here are four simple…September 14, 2010 - [The sky isn't falling](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091210.html)Given the market, job situation and economic environment I’m often asked how I think President Obama is doing at his job. Each time I’ve answered…September 12, 2010 - [Global market retirement returns supposed to have okay cumulative returns in next 10 years](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091010.html)They say that time heals all wounds. Guess that’s true for financial ones too as anyone who has looked back at the history of stock market prices…September 10, 2010 - [Bits and pieces of interesting money stuff](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090810.html)While going through one of my many piles of clippings from newspapers, and newsletters that I’ve saved figuring one day each might be worth a blog…September 8, 2010 - [Labor Day a day to celebrate with or without a job](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090610a.html)My mother took Labor Day seriously. It was the day on which I was born.September 6, 2010 - [Part 1: Whether the market goes to 1000 or 20,000, PB investment pros focus on clients' needs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090610.html)It's easy for the markets to rattle us. Whether it's seeing the value of your portfolio rise, then fall and rise then fall again, or your home's…September 6, 2010 - [Winning lottery brings money and often bad decisions](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090310.html)Well, I’ve just looked at my two losing lottery tickets. Both bought Wednesday at Main Street News. Told the gal behind the counter that I only…September 3, 2010 - [Breaking News: Republicans & Democrats Quit Bickering, Realize the Economy More Important than Party Politics](https://fundfreebies.com/other/083110.html)Okay, that headline is all made up. It’s a lie. But wouldn’t it be delightful if it were true. Imagine what a great day it would be if, in these…August 31, 2010 - [Blood in the streets - no matter who's- signal good time for contrarians to buy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/083010.html)No matter what your feelings are regarding the direction of the stock market these days, there’s no denying the profitability behind Baron…August 30, 2010 - [How come a Mercedes is so cheap?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082710.html)Used to be, owning a Mercedes-Benz was something people aspired to drive one day. It was the car for the elite. For those who had arrived. For…August 27, 2010 - [Corporate America changes direction and begins hiring, (I wish)](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082610.html)I am quite sick and tired of hearing about what a horrible job President Obama is doing and how he’s a socialist and not a fan of capitalism. The…August 26, 2010 - [Forget CD's and Treasuries, Dow stocks have handsome yields](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082510.html)While it’s not the hap-hap-happiest of economic times, there still are investors in the marketplace, some willing to put new money into the stock…August 25, 2010 - [I know why Jeff Greene hasn't signed the pledge yet](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082110.html)Wait a while and the answers to things that have puzzled you always seem to reveal themselves. Take the case of Jeff Greene and why he hasn’t…August 21, 2010 - [Here's how the economy can recover](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081810.html)Somewhere around 10 years ago, I pitched my contact at a book publisher about a book I wanted to write titled, “It’s not about the money”. Her…August 18, 2010 - [Unemployed need not apply, those with bad credit either. What's next, chubbies stay away?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081610.html)I was talking with a friend in Minnesota today who relayed a story about how Target stores gets tons and tons of work applications then separates…August 16, 2010 - [It's Friday the 13th. Are you scared of the market?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081310.html)No doubt about it, today is Friday the 13th and what kind of trading day on Wall Street it will be is anybody’s guess. Given that this week stocks…August 13, 2010 - [Help on how to find the right financial advisor](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081010.html)Of the handful of review books on my desk that need reading, two offer help in finding a financial advisor. And while as different as night and…August 10, 2010 - [No Palm Beacher's have taken the billionaire Giving Pledge yet](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080710.html)Well, how do you like that! When I read through the list of billionaires who accepted Warren Buffett’s and Bill Gates’ invitation asking America’s…August 7, 2010 - [August not necessarily the best month for stocks, then again...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080610.html)I happen to really enjoy Gary Alexander’s columns about history and the stock market. He writes them for Louie Navellier’s company and the most…August 6, 2010 - [Well how do you like that, the check really was in the mail--- just not all of it](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080410.html)Yippee skippy. My friend in the Keys told me yesterday that the long-awaited check for tar ball training from the company with a name that sounds…August 4, 2010 - [Can't understand your credit card agreements? You are not alone.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080210a.html)Things in the world of credit cards keep getting goofier and goofier. The latest tidbit? Research shows that the credit card agreement you’ve…August 2, 2010 - [Buyer beware: A primer on equity-indexed annuities and life settlements](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080210.html)Insurance products can be a great, and often necessary, expenditure for individuals and investors, never mind some lucky beneficiaries.August 2, 2010 - [Living longer takes lots of money -- prepare by knowing your maybe life expectancy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073110.html)The Social Security Administration has done their homework and come up with a spanky new calculator to help us get an approximation of our life…July 31, 2010 - [Tar ball pick'en, good pay, jobs hard to find, getting paid even harder](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072810.html)It seems as though the personal stories about the horrible oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the financial ruin it has caused literally tens of…July 28, 2010 - [Widow-and-orphan stocks making more cents now](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072610.html)Once upon a time widow-and-orphan stocks were typically gas, electric and phone company stocks. Today these stocks—thought of as less volatile…July 26, 2010 - [CEOs aren't lasting as long as they once did--hubris part of the reason why](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072210.html)A friend of mine is retiring from a company that he’s been CEO of since 2000. He started with the firm in 1975 and worked his way up from sales…July 22, 2010 - [Luxury stocks doing well as one might expect](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072110.html)Having loads of money to spend is an awfully nice thing. Especially in these troubled times when few are walking Worth Avenue because it’s all…July 21, 2010 - [His and hers are fine for bathrooms but not so hot for money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071910.html)I know two men who’ve run a hugely successful restaurant on Cape Cod for more than 40 years. They are as different as night and day, both married…July 19, 2010 - [Past five years DJIA in mid-10,000 but years not so hot for making money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071810.html)Looking back there’s not a huge difference between the level the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at on Friday, July 16, 2010 and its closing…July 18, 2010 - [Having and raising kids is really expensive---no kidding](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071410.html)Oh how my mother wanted a grandchild. During a visit home one year, I was snooping through one of her dresser drawers and came across a couple of…July 14, 2010 - [Could LeBron be a loser?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071310.html)I am a basketball fan. Love the sport. More than loving the sport, though, I believe in teams. I also believe in a quote my father, a one-time…July 13, 2010 - [Fraud, sub-prime mortgages, return on S&P 500...it's only money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071110.html)Having a life as a stock broker once, I still receive and read a magazine called Registered Rep . And every now and again on one of the last pages…July 11, 2010 - [Luxury brand cars selling well even this year.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070810.html)By now you know that I’m a car fan. And the snazzier the luxury brand vehicle the better. Seems like there are plenty of others who enjoy a fine…July 8, 2010 - [American travelers can cash in on €uro turmoil](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070610.html)It's summer and definitely time to pack those bags and head for Europe, where the euro's exchange rate makes shopping on the continent a…July 6, 2010 - [A bunch of stuff has happened on the 4th of July](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070410.html)While it’s a great day for a gathering and watching fireworks, historically there’s more to today’s 4th of July celebration than honoring…July 4, 2010 - [We've got 4th of July fireworks. Ooh. Ahh.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070310.html)While a number of cities and towns around the country have canceled their 4th of July fireworks not us. We’re lucky enough to live in a place…July 3, 2010 - [The wealthy like to buy snazzy ---and boring--- goods](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063010.html)Those who design retail store interiors spend a lot of time figuring out traffic flow, where and how to merchandise everything from cosmetics to…June 30, 2010 - [Monthly stock review and Benjamin Graham advice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062510.html)Over the past few weeks I’ve read some investment pros who think the stock market is doing just fine, in a slowish kind of way. Others who think…June 25, 2010 - [Another Ponzi scheme in Palm Beach County](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062210.html)Sometimes ya gotta wonder what in the world goes on in people’s minds when it comes to money. Today, June 22, 2010, the SEC issued a press release…June 22, 2010 - [Pension plans really are the best plan for employees and their retirements](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062110a.html)I wrote a book about retirement more than a dozen years ago and my feelings then—and today—have favored defined-benefit plans (DB) over…June 21, 2010 - [Municipal bonds still popular, despite investment's evolution](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062110.html)Anyone who has lived in Palm Beach for 30-plus years probably remembers J.B. Hanauer, the municipal bond house on Royal Poinciana Way. Back then,…June 21, 2010 - [The president's slow-to-act policy resulted in big bucks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061710.html)President Obama has been under attack for being a slow reactor. Yeah, I’d say he ought to have visited the Gulf Coast sooner than he did. And he…June 17, 2010 - [We're richer and poorer and a lot of millionaires don't live here](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061410.html)Well, it appears as though folks are richer now than they were a couple of years ago, but not as rich as they once were. And the real richies…June 14, 2010 - [Elvis is in the building, still making plenty and he's there waiting for you](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061010.html)Yes, it’s true. I’m an Elvis fan. Always have been and always will be. Saw him on the Ed Sullivan show a thousand years ago. Saw the movie “Love…June 10, 2010 - [The BP mess is awful but prices on oil stocks not nearly as tragic](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060810.html)I know people who think that BP’s oil spill will kill all the fish in the ocean. All the fish. I know others who think that all the underwater…June 8, 2010 - [Dividends ought to be appealing to investors even in 2010](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060610a.html)Last year, 2009, turned out to be the worst year for investors seeking income from dividend-paying stocks since, get this…1955. That plop in…June 6, 2010 - [Dividends ought to be appealing to many investors even in 2010](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060610.html)Last year, 2009, turned out to be the worst year for investors seeking income from dividend-paying stocks since, get this...1955. That plop in…June 6, 2010 - [Stock prices down, but pros say not out](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060510.html)There's no pussyfooting around it any longer: It's a high-speed global marketplace investors are playing in. With that comes the good, the bad,…June 5, 2010 - [How about that financial reform. Yah, right.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060410.html)Something that’s surfaced over the last couple of years— thanks to our continuing multi-level financial crisis and the 24/7/365/60-second…June 4, 2010 - [Everyday market watchers can be forgetful and less than optimistic](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060110.html)I talked with more than one person over the holiday weekend whining in their beer about how horrible the performance of the stock market has been.…June 1, 2010 - [Make sure to honor all Vets this Memorial Day and the day after, and the day after...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053110.html)I’m big on America. Think it’s a great country, warts and all. I’m also a big believer in giving credit where credit is due particularly when it…May 31, 2010 - [Gold bugs beware](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052710.html)I see them everyday—the folks at various corners in West Palm Beach holding pointy-shaped signs with words directly those driving by where they…May 27, 2010 - [Volatility shows how rough it can be on stock prices](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052410.html)What a heck a week last week was for anyone who can’t get enough of watching what’s happening on Wall Street. Thank heavens for weekends. As we…May 24, 2010 - [As the market falls Glenn Beck apparently says the end is near](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052010.html)A friend called last night to tell me that she’d just heard Glenn Beck say that the stock market was pretty much going to fall off a cliff either…May 20, 2010 - [Who's responsible for the financial mess we're in?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051910.html)Jeremy J. Siegel is a professor of finance at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania. Often referred to as “The Wizard of Wharton” in addition…May 19, 2010 - [Financial literacy series for Gratitude House clients offers common-sense tips](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051710.html)April is so many things to so many people. This fourth month of every year brings with it all the glories of spring along with a host of other…May 17, 2010 - [Who is going to get your money?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051510.html)May is National Make A Will month, according to LegalZoom.com . A quick Google search revealed that so was April and will be August. But hey, it’s…May 15, 2010 - [Not all luxury hotels doing things over the top](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051410.html)Nothing like the pampering one gets when staying at a high-end luxury hotel. The sheets, pillows and duvets so soft and cozy you want to stay…May 14, 2010 - [The worst paying jobs are the best for our souls](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051110.html)We live in a really goofy country. One that doesn’t make a lot of sense when it comes to dolling out salaries for professional services rendered.…May 11, 2010 - [Happy Mother's Day to all moms and non-moms](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050810.html)Well, I wouldn’t be writing this blog if it weren’t for my mom. You wouldn’t be reading it either. Oh the things we often take for granted—until…May 8, 2010 - [I don't always believe how old men think about investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050510.html)Warren Buffett is considered one of America’s premier investing masters. From his down-home folksy ways and unpretentious Omaha life style, his…May 5, 2010 - [Financial trailblazer Muriel Siebert ignores glass ceiling](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050310.html)Anyone in need of a female role model ought to take a look at Muriel Siebert's life. Ever since she accepted her first job as an analyst on Wall…May 3, 2010 - [When you know right from wrong, good from bad and don't pay attention](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050210.html)People are funny. People like me and you and well, everybody. All around us are examples of what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s good and what’s…May 2, 2010 - [Step Up: Make another Understanding Money Promise](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042910.html)Earlier this week I posted the first of two Understanding Money Promise lists, as April is officially financial literacy month. As I wrote in that…April 29, 2010 - [Behind Goldman Sach's mess are juicy revealing e-mails](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042610.html)Sometimes truths are revealed in the strangest of places. Take the Goldman Sacks financial subprime product mess. A lot of what happened within…April 26, 2010 - [Really stupid business practices. Or, how to shoot yourself in the seat.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042310.html)Ya gotta wonder who is in charge at Spirit Airlines. Are they trying to put themselves out of business?April 23, 2010 - [Go ahead and sing it: It's not easy being green](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042210.html)Of all the things that Earth Day can stand for, green comes to mind for me.April 22, 2010 - [Volcanic Ash Makes A Money Mess](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042010.html)Well I really lucked out— big time. I was supposed to be at The Ritz in London last week. Scheduled to fly back to Miami the day after the…April 20, 2010 - [Don't take Florida's miserable job market personally](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041910.html)Depending upon the news source you read, unemployment in Florida is north of 12 percent and the number of job offerings around the state is…April 19, 2010 - [When "I'm Sorry" Really Means Ignorance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041710.html)In an attempt to try and figure out how Wall Street’s huge banks and insurance companies messed up the financial world, CEO’s grilled by Congress…April 17, 2010 - [Why We Pay Taxes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041610.html)Here’s an idea: Instead of griping about the taxes we pay, maybe we ought to think about what they pay for. We do, after all, live in a terrific–…April 16, 2010 - [Big Money in Collectible Cars](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041410.html)Jay Leno loves cars—all types of them I’ve heard. A friend of mine in South Dakota loves cars, too. He’s got one of those really fancy Italian…April 14, 2010 - [Income Taxing 1099s](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041210.html)If you’re waiting until the last day to file your tax return, make sure you don’t overlook any of the those pesky income-related 1099 forms. There…April 12, 2010 - [What Fund Managers Have Learned from the Rally](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041010.html)Okay, the DJIA is flirting with the number 11,000. As a result, if you’ve been a participator over the last 12 months, you’ve seen prices on many…April 10, 2010 - [The Easter Economy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040610.html)In the 30-something years of my off-and-on attendance at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, I’ve never seen a bigger crowd than the one that gathered for the 11…April 6, 2010 - [Stocks and Funds and Making Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040310.html)Whatever you think about the state of our U.S. economy, the scandals on Wall Street, the over-the-top incomes of hedge fund managers, bankers or…April 3, 2010 - [No Foolin: Retirement is Hugely Expensive](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040110.html)If you thought sending your little darlings to Harvard or Yale was pricey, that ain’t nothin compared with the high cost of living 30 or 40 years…April 1, 2010 - [Good Biz Rule #1: Know Your Customer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032910.html)It doesn’t matter what you’re selling—clothes, stocks, cars, wine, etc.—the first rule of successful selling is to know your customer. From there…March 29, 2010 - [Dividend-Income Info and Ideas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032410.html)Income. It’s what we all want and need forever and ever. One way to satisfy that desire is by investing in dividend-paying stocks.March 24, 2010 - [How Could You Not Vote for Affordable Health Care?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032210.html)It troubles me that not one Republican voted “yah” in last night’s historic health care reform bill. Don’t Republics get sick? Haven’t any of them…March 22, 2010 - [Picking Winners, March Madness and Gambling](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031910.html)Picking a winner isn’t exactly easy. Nor does it seem to matter much whether you’re looking for a couple of stocks or mutual funds that will be…March 19, 2010 - [Where the Millionaires Live](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031810.html)Okay, Palm Beach is filled with millionaires to one degree or another. While we might not know the size of their personal bank and trust accounts,…March 18, 2010 - [Florida's Insurers Slight-of-Hand Money Moves](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031510.html)Personally, I think insurance companies and credit card companies are run by a bunch of greedy crooks. Feel free to quote me on that. This blog…March 15, 2010 - [Farmers Hate Daylight Saving Time and Me Too](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031310.html)The pitch I’d always heard about daylight saving time was that it was a move that somehow helped out farmers. Now I’m all for farmers and growing…March 13, 2010 - [A Madoff-Related Scam](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031110.html)Just when you think it’s safe to get back into the water out comes another scam. This one, however, is not from Bernie Madoff nor does it dangle…March 11, 2010 - [Florida's Congress-folk and Spending](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030910.html)If you’ve done any thinking at all about money, spending and the government lately, it’s not difficult to conclude that money management isn’t our…March 9, 2010 - [Hey, You Making Any Money?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030510a.html)I always got a kick out of it whenever I heard Joey Tribbiani, say in his very sexy half-smile way, “Hey, how YOU doin?” So in the spirit of that…March 5, 2010 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030510.html)Prenuptial agreements and marital trusts are unromantic, but importantMarch 5, 2010 - [Asset Allocation Plans Flawed](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030310.html)For years investors have heard that all they have to do each and every year is rebalance their portfolios to the asset allocation plan they’ve had…March 3, 2010 - [Making Money the Grateful Dead Way](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022810.html)Who ever thought a band formed in the mid-1960s in San Francisco could become a model for building a solid, profitable business. But it has. The…February 28, 2010 - [If Banks Were Just Banks and Volker Ruled](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022510.html)I lived in Stowe, VT in the early 1970s and ran a day care center for skiers’ kids. When I needed a loan I saw the local banker. Can’t remember…February 25, 2010 - [New credit card Act went into effect today; ramifications already seen](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022210.html)Geez. Every newspaper, radio and TV news show– and who knows how many Web site stories— are writing about the new credit card Act that went into…February 22, 2010 - [Wall Street Helps Haiti and Investing Advice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021810.html)In an attempt to find an inch of clear space on my desk, I ran across a bunch of ideas that weren’t turned into blogs but have nuggets of interest…February 18, 2010 - [Dividend Income and the Dogs of the Dow](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021710.html)Income is every investor’s dream no matter where it comes from—a rise in a stock price and hence money made when shares are sold. Or better yet,…February 17, 2010 - [President's Day and the Dollar Bill](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021510.html)It’s President’s Day so why not drag out a greenback and take a good look at what’s written and drawn on one.February 15, 2010 - [Prenuptial Agreements are Private Agreements Even Tiger Woods'](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021410.html)Believe everything you read in the tabloids, see on TV or hear on the radio about Tiger Woods regarding the prenuptial agreement between he and…February 14, 2010 - [Banks Wooing New Customers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021210.html)Have to admit, the customer service reps at the banks I do business with have certainly gotten more attentive over the last few months. At the…February 12, 2010 - [Ultra-Wealthy's Financial Forecast](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021010.html)Everybody has a crystal ball when it comes to predicting the future of our suffering economy. And from what I can see, the stock peddlers are far…February 10, 2010 - [Newsletters Optimistic About February's Market](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020810.html)I always get a little bit nervous when so many Wall Street pundits and newsletter writers are gung-ho about the market. It reminds me of the day…February 8, 2010 - [Super Bowl Stats and Stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020610a.html)Hey, time for the Big Game so place those bets. But make sure you don’t confuse that Super Bowl game bet with the one you’ve got on Wall Street.…February 6, 2010 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020610.html)Financial guru Louis Navellier proffers assessment of market, jobs, inflationFebruary 6, 2010 - [Commissions Cut for Fidelity's Online Investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020310.html)Well, that didn’t take long. When Charles Schwab Corp. recently announced they were going to cut the commission costs for online stock trades, the…February 3, 2010 - [Personal Tax Tips](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013110.html)Received a great simple overview of things not to overlook and new news with respect to our personal taxes. It came from The Gardener Group, Inc.,…January 31, 2010 - [Jan 29th](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012810.html)Tomorrow, January 29th is supposed to be a really big day. At 8:30 a.m. 4th quarter GDP numbers are to be released. Wall Street statisticians are…January 28, 2010 - [City Place Art](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012510.html)If you missed the City Place Art Fair over the weekend, you missed a terrific outing. It was reminiscent of the good ole days when SunFest was…January 25, 2010 - [Hubby Slugs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012210.html)Yippee. Yahoo! Who knew? And what’s so great about it, anyway?January 22, 2010 - [Mutual Funds Now?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012010.html)After a terrific performance year in 2009, will mutual funds continue on their performance run?January 20, 2010 - [The Year Begins With Four](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011810.html)There are 2010 market optimists, pessimists, middle-of-the-roader’s and those who look only at the numbers and don’t say much either way. Would…January 18, 2010 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011610.html)Money manager optimistic for 2010 investingJanuary 16, 2010 - [Donating Miles and Points](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011510.html)How about that Rush? Guess his think-I’m-having-a-heart-attack scare in Hawaii last month didn’t do much to develop his spiritual or enlightenment…January 15, 2010 - [Give Carefully](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011410.html)The aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti is staggering. Trying to figure out how to help via donations to various non-profit organizations can be too.January 14, 2010 - [Credit Card's Big Day](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011210.html)Circle your calendar: February 23 is the date the new Credit Card Act of 2009 becomes official.January 12, 2010 - [Money Making 2/10 Tools](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010910.html)Nothing like practical or cost-savings ideas to add some fat to your savings accounts.January 9, 2010 - [Taxing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010710.html)All that money you made last year could come with consequences, as in taxes due.January 7, 2010 - [100 Bucks Did This](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010510.html)The past decade has been a puny one when it comes to looking back at returns. In the mutual fund arena,January 5, 2010 - [Happy New Year!](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010110.html)It’s the beginning of a new year, a new decade and I’m hoping one that brings with it a new outlook. Oh, plus market returns in 010 equal to those…January 1, 2010 ## 2009 (158 columns) - [Gifting the Government](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122909.html)There’s still time to capture some tax-deductible write-offs this year. If you’re stuck for ideas, how about helping out the Uncle or any of his…December 29, 2009 - [A Big Cha-Ching for Retailers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122709.html)I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that the day after Christmas will turn out to be the best shopping day of the season—and perhaps…December 27, 2009 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122609.html)The decade: Sorting out financial winners, losersDecember 26, 2009 - [Santa Requests](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122509.html)I realize that you’re awfully busy but I’ve got a request: Would you mind sprinkling a little wisdom dust to all investors around the world as you…December 25, 2009 - [Happy Holiday Checks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122309.html)There’s still time to stroke that holiday check and if you ask me, nothing says “Happy Holidays” better than a big fat check. Or two. Or three.December 23, 2009 - [2010: The Year to Die?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122009.html)Oh those estate tax laws. If there must be a tax on our estates, why there isn’t something simple in place, like an exemption amount that gets…December 20, 2009 - [My Monthly Dow Review](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121509.html)This will be the last stocks-selling-under-20-bucks-a-share DJIA review blog this year. When I began my look, it was on March 4th and the DJIA…December 15, 2009 - [The Balls Take It](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121209.html)If you remember Flip Wilson, you’ll probably remember his character Geraldine and her famous line, “The devil made me do it.” It was Geraldine’s…December 12, 2009 - [Nothing Wrong with Being Underbanked](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121009.html)I received a call the other day from a friend who was almost in shock at the number of people in the U.S. who didn’t have bank accounts. Recent…December 10, 2009 - [December's Cheers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120809.html)Here are we well into December and if you’ve wondered what the trading history of this 12th month has been like, it’s basically okay. Mostly.December 8, 2009 - [Delightful Dividends](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120509.html)I’ve always thought investing in dividend-paying companies was a no-brainer. Similar to getting a bonus each year from your employer, companies…December 5, 2009 - [It's Not Madoff](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120209.html)Yesterday, the Global Language Monitor announced the results of the most used English words in 2009. Being money-minded, I was expecting it to be…December 2, 2009 - [Cyber Monday](https://fundfreebies.com/other/113009.html)I did go out shopping on Black Friday. Not my usual drill. But couldn’t pass up the poinsettias advertised on sale at Home Depot and Lowe’s for 99…November 30, 2009 - [Grateful for our Losses](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112609.html)For years the various churches and synagogues in Palm Beach have come together for an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service. This year, Temple Emanu-El…November 26, 2009 - [Ready Set Shop](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112509.html)I know that there are a few of you ramping up for Black Friday’s sales.November 25, 2009 - [Old Aging](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112309.html)I’ve been known to complain about how today’s young people have little respect for their elders. They seem to look at people over say the ages of…November 23, 2009 - [Current Standing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112109.html)The talking heads were out in full force on Thursday claiming the market was going to crash again. One saw the Dow dipping to levels under 7000,…November 21, 2009 - [Two Charitable Ideas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111909.html)A couple of ideas here to consider when pondering charitable giving.November 19, 2009 - [Mutual Fund Trends](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111709.html)Although the stock market has been good to equity funds this year, look at investor behavior and you’ll find fund investors moving their money…November 17, 2009 - [Year-End Tax Smarts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111609.html)Next year is only seven weeks away. OMG. That means it’s time to think tax strategies and take advantage of whatever ones you can.November 16, 2009 - [Women's Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111409.html)Locally, UBS has been offering a series of investment programs specifically targeted at women. Why financial institutions don’t focus more on that…November 14, 2009 - [Holiday Shopping and In-Store Credit Cards](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111209.html)I was reminded the other day that there’s nothing cheery about the interest rates shoppers are charged when using their credit cards if they don’t…November 12, 2009 - [Back to 5](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111009.html)What a curious market we’re in. From its close on October 9, through yesterday’s close, (November 10), the DJIA has gone from scoring in the high…November 10, 2009 - [It's All About Math](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110809.html)A curious thing about making money in the financial arena, or any other one for that matter, is: if you don’t know how to add, subtract, multiply…November 8, 2009 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110709.html)Autograph collectors share their passion for the pen strokes of the famousNovember 7, 2009 - [Buy a House](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110309.html)Lately, I’ve spoken with more than one unhappy wife who says she’d love to get a divorce but that that isn’t in the cards right now because of the…November 3, 2009 - [Robert's Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/103109.html)The funny thing about money is it makes everybody crazy.October 31, 2009 - [Economic Realities](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102909.html)Word today from the number keepers in Washington is that the economy grew faster in the third quarter of this year than it has in the past two…October 29, 2009 - [IMPT: FDIC E-Mail Scam](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102709.html)Since I posted yesterday’s blog, I’ve gotten five fraudulent e-mails in my home computer mail account representing their source as the FDIC. This…October 27, 2009 - [9 Banks Down and 1 Web Forgery](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102609.html)The banking business sure isn’t what it used to be. Here in the Sunshine State almost as many banks have failed this year as we have fingers on…October 26, 2009 - [Bulls, bears debate value of gold investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102409.html)Americans are beginning to wake up to grandma's valued assetOctober 24, 2009 - [The Euro and Me](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102009.html)Earlier this month I was lucky enough to be in Italy. Great country. Great food. Great everything—almost.October 20, 2009 - [Our Unconscious Investing Brains](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101709.html)Jason Zweig is an author, Wall Street Journal columnist and behavioral finance expert. His latest book is about neuroeconomics, i.e., how our…October 17, 2009 - [Money and Mustaches](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101509.html)This blog is based on what appears to be a survey by a ficticious firm .October 15, 2009 - [An Even Better Month?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101109.html)Another month gone by another rise in the market, pretty much.October 11, 2009 - [ETF Guides](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100809.html)Around for less than two decades, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have made quite a splash in the sea of investment choices.October 8, 2009 - [Medicare Part D](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100609.html)A neighbor, who happens to have a very conservative bent, stopped me the other day to make his point that if the government were to create and be…October 6, 2009 - [Financial Literacy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100309a.html)I’m a big proponent of financial literacy. Tried to present a program to the State of Florida about it a few years back. Couldn’t get to first…October 3, 2009 - [Bankruptcy provides safety net for failed ventures](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100309.html)What's Donald Trump done more often than most other Palm Beachers?October 3, 2009 - [Billionaire Thoughts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100209.html)By now we’ve all read Forbes’ most recent list of the richest 400 Americans, know a few of them have homes right here and that most are poorer…October 2, 2009 - [Going Up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100109.html)Whatever your feelings are for or against health care reform, new numbers show the costs of health care insurance is expected to increase more for…October 1, 2009 - [Uppity Credit Card Rates](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092909.html)Not that long ago the average percentage rate on credit cards wasn’t a double-digit figure. But that was before bailouts. Now they’re up and I’m…September 29, 2009 - [A U, V, W Recovery](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092609.html)The suggested ways in how our economy will recovery reads like an end of the alphabet soup of letters. There are U-, V- and W-shaped recovery…September 26, 2009 - [Poor Mr. Whipple](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092409.html)If Mr. Whipple were around today, he’d probably be out of work if the environmentalists have their way.September 24, 2009 - [Florida On Top](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092209.html)No doubt about it, Palm Beach is one of the prettiest places on Earth. Anyone who doesn’t think so might want to get on down to the beach one…September 22, 2009 - [Calculators](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092109.html)Every six months, when my car insurance policy is due to be renewed, I always shop around. A penny saved, you know.September 21, 2009 - [If Only....](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091909.html)If only our forefathers had the foresight to include a fourth inalienable right in the Declaration of Independence we might not be in health care…September 19, 2009 - [Who's Paying for Your Shoes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091709.html)The cost of health care in this country is astounding. Why coverage costs so much and premiums increase the older and/or sicker one gets is like a…September 17, 2009 - [One Health Care Experience](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091509.html)Ten years ago my appendix ruptured during a visit to London. I was staying at The Dorchester and when I knew I wasn’t feeling well, phoned for the…September 15, 2009 - [Monthly Dow Check-up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091309.html)Diversification is one of the main tenets behind the building of a sound investment portfolio. Ideally, the right diversification minimizes risk.…September 13, 2009 - [We've Come a Long Way Maybe](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091109.html)I was standing in Magic Image Photo on Forest Hill Blvd. picking up some photos on September 11, 2001 when the first plane struck one of the Twin…September 11, 2009 - [Ready. Set. Shop.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090909.html)Walking down South County Road the other day, and past all those vacant storefronts, made me feel a little unsettling. How, in a town with this…September 9, 2009 - [Laboring Birth Orders](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090609.html)I was born on Labor Day. Guess my mom got hit with a Labor Day experience she’d never forget.September 6, 2009 - [Richer, Poorer and Richer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090209a.html)If you’ve always had a bundle and aren’t feeling quite as bundle-full lately, you’re not alone. The pros say that the rich started getting richer…September 2, 2009 - [How Will Charities Fare This Palm Beach Season?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090209.html)If you haven't noticed, the Social Calendar is filling fast. And the bulk of the listings are philanthropic in nature.September 2, 2009 - [Free Checking Possibilities](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090109.html)It’s no secret that in their effort to make more money banks have ramped up everything from the interest rates they charge their credit card…September 1, 2009 - [Underwear as a sign of the economy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/083109.html)My mom always stressed the importance of wearing fresh undies each day just in case I got into an accident and had to be taken to the hospital.…August 31, 2009 - [Mutual Funds Are Hot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082809.html)If the Dow Jones Industrial Average were to stay at the level of yesterday’s close,(8/27), 2009 would turn out to be one prosperous year for…August 28, 2009 - [Hey, Who Stole Xmas?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082609.html)I’m confused, befuddled and saddened. It’s August 26th and I haven’t gotten one, not one, Christmas catalogue in the mail yet. For that matter,…August 26, 2009 - [Taking stock of online brokerages](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082209.html)Recently I received a letter from E*Trade stating it was going to charge me $2 every time a statement was sent to me via snail-mail. So I started…August 22, 2009 - [ROTH's Reward](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082009.html)I’ve always been a fan of Roth IRAs. Even before it was fashionable. My reasoning was based on the fact that to me, paying taxes on my money…August 20, 2009 - [Cheap Rides](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081909.html)Palm Beacher’s love their cars. Sitting outside Testa’s having lunch and watching the parade of Rolls’, Mercedes’, and BMWs go by is a testament…August 19, 2009 - [Landlines](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081709.html)Here we are in the middle of hurricane season and nary a Cat anything in our sight. That worries me. But if history is any kind of hurricane…August 17, 2009 - [Debit Cards Rule](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081409.html)Cash has always been king. Got loads of it combined with little debt and life doesn’t carry the stresses others with too much of one and not…August 14, 2009 - [Got Taphephobia?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081309.html)Ever hear of taphephobia? It’s the fear of being buried alive and something crystal ball market commentators have a base fear of should their…August 13, 2009 - [Banking on Fees](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081009.html)Banks aren’t about to let this recession get them down. While government stimulus programs have helped plenty, looks like those billions weren’t…August 10, 2009 - [How About That Dow](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080809.html)The DJIA closed Friday’s session at the nine-month high of 9370 or roughly 4800 points off its all time high reached in October 2007. That means…August 8, 2009 - [Good Returns Maybe](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080709.html)I’m still in touch with few of my clients from my days as a stockbroker. The one thing they question me most about is where to get some decent…August 7, 2009 - [Sound Advice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080509.html)Every now and then I run across some really simple yet wise investing advice. The latest comes from a recent Litman/Gregory “No-Load Fund Analyst”…August 5, 2009 - [This Troubles Me](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080309.html)Calling all mutual fund investors—and that’s most of you!August 3, 2009 - [I Slept Close to Walter Cronkite](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073109.html)Okay, now that I’ve gotten your attention, the truth is my suite was next to his on a world cruise we both were on two years ago. And from what I…July 31, 2009 - [The Naked Short-Selling Truth](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072809.html)There’s something decidedly sexy about naked short-selling. I mean, how can you not think that it is risky? And it is. So risky that when markets…July 28, 2009 - [Top Brokerage Firms](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072509.html)Ask 4500 investors which brokerage firms they like working with the best and their answers may surprise you.July 25, 2009 - [Visa Healthcare Card Not for Everyone](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072309.html)No matter what your stand on health care reform, a recent article in The Miami Herald could leave you fuming.July 23, 2009 - [Integrity on Wall Street? Ha!](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072109.html)Trust counts in the financial world big time. But is it alive and well on Wall Street today? Not really if you believe the results of one survey.July 21, 2009 - [A Big Mac Financial Education](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071809.html)I don’t know many parents who feel comfortable teaching their kids the ins and outs of money management. Their biggest gripe, whether they are…July 18, 2009 - [A Safe Night's Sleep](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071509.html)ZZZs. Gotta get ’em and gotta have at least seven to nine hours each night, according to the pros. But if worrying about your portfolio is keeping…July 15, 2009 - [Junk Bonds In Treasury Bonds Out?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071309.html)Everybody’s talking about bonds from issuing municipals to get states out of debt to high-yield corporate’s for their yields. The dog in the group…July 13, 2009 - [Transparency in investing: Looking through yesterday's rosy returns and into tomorrow's](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071109.html)There's nothing like a bull market to lull investors into thinking all is right within the financial world, their personal fortunes and choice of…July 11, 2009 - [Buying the Dow Stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071009.html)Another month has flown by and with it some of our money.July 10, 2009 - [Spending vs. Saving](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070709.html)If you’ve been squirreling away your money over the last few months, bully for you–there’s nothing like a plump savings account to add a little…July 7, 2009 - [2nd Quarter Stock Funds Soar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070309.html)The last three months have been good to shareholders of many stock funds. The best returns were over 100 percent and the worst, down 78 percent.July 3, 2009 - [Research Trumps Illusions](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070209.html)Things aren’t always as they appear. Take the price on shares of AIG, for instance.July 2, 2009 - [First Half Down; Second Half Up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063009.html)It’s been quite a ride in the investment arena this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 2008 at 8776.34. Around 2:50 today it was…June 30, 2009 - [Lessons From Bernie](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062709a.html)With Bernie Madoff about to learn his sentence for pulling off the biggest Ponzi scheme in American history, his future isn’t bright but his past…June 27, 2009 - [More women take charge of their finances](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062709.html)Susan Markin knows a thing or two about managing a fortune. When the dust finally settled after the divorce from her husband David in 2002, she…June 27, 2009 - [Bank Robbing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062509.html)Okay. By now we know that the infamous Willie Sutton didn’t really admit to saying he robbed banks “because that’s where the money is.” But word…June 25, 2009 - [A Money Hole](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062009.html)Joy Morris is one of the very well-trained and delightful servers at the Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana. I met her during my way-too-short…June 20, 2009 - [Our World's Economies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061909.html)Charts have a way of helping me see things. Then again, I like many of us am a visual person. And, one who finds those great big…June 19, 2009 - [Brainiacs Score](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061709.html)Let’s see, when it comes to earning power over one’s lifetime, what’s more important: Beauty, brains or self-confidence?June 17, 2009 - [Parking Limits](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061109.html)Stopped by The Breakers the other day to meet a guest staying there. I’d forgotten that there was no place to park along their entrance road so…June 11, 2009 - [Sell in May? Maybe Not](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060909.html)There’s an old Wall Street saying, “Sell in May and go away.” The concept is based upon the performance of the S&P 500 and looking at those…June 9, 2009 - [Old Dow New Dow<](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060709.html)For the past three months I’ve been running a summary of how the Dow Jones Industrial Average has performed in one-month increments. I began with…June 7, 2009 - [A Widows and Orphans Retirement](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060409.html)I’ve never been a 100 percent fan of defined contribution plans like 401(k)s. It’s not that they’re not a good idea. It’s just that so many of us…June 4, 2009 - [Fortune Cookies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053109.html)It’s graduation time. A time like no other in a young person’s life when high school graduates typically leave their homes to join the work force,…May 31, 2009 - [Love those Benefits](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052909.html)A monthly Social Security check could be coming my way later this year. That’s a scary thought given I can’t figure out how 62 got here so…May 29, 2009 - [Economic Forecast: Flurries Ahead](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052709.html)Surveys say investor confidence is soaring. Tuesday’s market rally was a testament to that. Today stocks were down. What’s it all mean? Confidence…May 27, 2009 - [The Donald's Fuzzy Math](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052309.html)The Donald is really something. Just ask him. He’ll tell you flat out. But when it comes to his net worth, calculator beware: If you don’t get it…May 23, 2009 - [Costco's Corporate Lunchs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052109.html)Every month or two financial writers Alan Lavine, his wife, Gail Lieberman, and I used to meet for a “corporate lunch” at Costco to discuss…May 21, 2009 - [Good News For Next Year](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051909.html)Earlier this afternoon, the Associated Press reported that the Senate passed— by a whopping bipartisan vote of 90-5—to stop credit card companies…May 19, 2009 - [A Pouch's Pricey Ticket](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051809.html)I was hoping to take my most wonderful companion, Gracie, with me on a trip to Minnesota this weekend. I wanted her to meet the relatives. That…May 18, 2009 - [A Martini with Dividends Please...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051609.html)Over the last few months we’ve seen all sorts of things soar like the country’s personal savings rate, company layoffs and the prices on many…May 16, 2009 - [What Women of Wealth Want](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051409.html)Hot off the press from Wilmington Trust is research regarding uber-wealthy women and their relationships with money. Uber here refers to those…May 14, 2009 - [A Lump of Coal](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051209.html)Once upon a time only bad kids got a lump of coal as gifts. Today, some are seeing a good side in that black messy stuff.May 12, 2009 - [Mommy's Worth](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050909.html)Oh, mom’s. Where would we be without them? More complicated a question: What to get yours for Mother’s Day?May 9, 2009 - [Hey Money Boss...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050809.html)Believe it or not, when it comes to teaching your kids all the ins and outs of money, like how to invest, spend, save and give, it’s not the…May 8, 2009 - [How YOU Doin?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050409.html)I loved how Joey Tribbiani’s character in the Friends sitcom used to ask, “How you doin?” He did it with such a sexy lilt in his voice and a…May 4, 2009 - [Don't Leave Home This Summer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050109.html)I’m going to be a guest on Peter Greenberg’s radio program tomorrow morning. You probably know him as the travel maven seen and heard around the…May 1, 2009 - [A Couple of Things](https://fundfreebies.com/other/043009.html)Just got off the phone with my aunt in McAllen, Texas. It’s a city that borders Mexico and a number of its residents work in Mexico during the day…April 30, 2009 - [Leave it to the Pigs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042709.html)Well, looks like the pigs are out to get us one way or another.April 27, 2009 - [Oil's Changing Prices](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042309.html)Every time I go to the gas station the cost per gallon of gas has changed. Sometimes up. Sometimes down. Rarely the same. With summer on its way,…April 23, 2009 - [Investing like a Saudi Prince](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042209.html)Hey, just because you’re a Saudi Prince doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be on the right side of the market. Oil in the neighborhood or not, when…April 22, 2009 - [Cheeky Savings](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042109.html)While backpacking through Turkey in the early 1970s, I learned first hand about one of the many luxuries I’d taken for granted here at home in…April 21, 2009 - [The More Things Change](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041809.html)There’s a cool Web site that let’s you guess the salary of four high-power execs. But before going there, I’ve gone through some of my stash of…April 18, 2009 - [Gold Jewelry in Your Drawers? Pass It On](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041709.html)In the first section of The Palm Beach Post on April 13, 2009 were three full-page color ads from various companies all wanting you to sell your…April 17, 2009 - [Tax Day Deals](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041509.html)The late, great American ukulele playing Arthur Godfrey had a saying about taxes: “I’m proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only…April 15, 2009 - [Yahoo! It's Tax Freedom Day](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041309.html)Whew. You can wipe that brow now. Tax Freedom Day is officially here and only two days before that long arm of The Uncle demands you pay up or pay…April 13, 2009 - [Hope Your Kid's an Engineer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041009.html)With spring break, Passover and the Easter holidays nearly behind us, figure it’s back to college for those of you with college-aged little…April 10, 2009 - [Muni Buying](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040809.html)Municipal bonds. The higher your tax bracket the more you’ve got to love these almost-always-totally tax-free fixed-income investments.April 8, 2009 - [As Safe As Safes Can Be](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040609.html)Most savvy women know that it’s smart to have a little stash of cash tucked away somewhere out of the reach—and knowledge—of their loved ones.…April 6, 2009 - [Funds Up Funds Down](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040409.html)The past four weeks along with the month of March have been good for mutual fund investors. The first quarter, well, not so hot.April 4, 2009 - [Money Money Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040309.html)By now you’ve probably realized that one of my big gripes is the huge disparity in incomes between those who roost at the top and those considered…April 3, 2009 - [No Joke: Funds Up Funds Down](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040109.html)There’s no fool like an April fool but no kidding, things are getting a little bit better out there. Really. Honest.April 1, 2009 - [Making Lemonade](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033009.html)From where I sit, it’s people like you and me who are going to get our economy moving in a sustained positive direction again. Not the government…March 30, 2009 - [A Dead Cat Bounce](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032709.html)Through yesterday, March 26, 2009, the DJIA had gained over 21 percent from its recent bottom. That percentage move is enough to qualify for it…March 27, 2009 - [What Stock Risks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032609.html)If only I had a crystal ball and knew when the market was going to recover and start zig-zagging upward I would have purchased 10,000 shares of…March 26, 2009 - [When Buying Haggling is Hot](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032409.html)Research now shows that people are choosing to spend via cash, debit cards and check writing rather than pulling out their credit cards. They’re…March 24, 2009 - [Making Nice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032109.html)Times are tough. Business is off. Customers are hard to come by. So what’s an employer or company owner to do? Looks as though doing something…March 21, 2009 - [Something Stinky](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032009.html)I’ve always thought that at the bottom of this current economic crisis was the wide spread in salaries between those at the top and the average…March 20, 2009 - [Trump and Vices](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031809.html)When I first read about The Donald’s casinos filing for bankruptcy, I was surprised. I’d always thought tough times were good for casinos and…March 18, 2009 - [Mickey's Great Piggy Bank Adventure](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031609.html)So glad Mickey Mouse isn’t a pig. If he were, no way could this get off the ground.March 16, 2009 - [A Rising Tide: A Falling Market](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031309.html)With Mr. Madoff in the slammer, one can almost hear a collective sigh of “at last” in the air. And while the Ponzi Master has made minced meat out…March 13, 2009 - [Our Humpty Dumpty Economies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031109.html)Looks as though we’re living in Humpty Dumpty economic times, again. You remember him— he’;s that egg-shaped character who took such a bad tumble…March 11, 2009 - [It's Not How Low But For How Long](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030609.html)Last Friday, Marc Shinbrood was standing around a craps table in Las Vegas when talk turned to not if—but when—the DJIA would close below 7000.March 6, 2009 - [Got 20 bucks?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030509.html)If you’re a fan of the 30 stocks that currently make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average, purchasing one share of five of the cheapest won’t take…March 5, 2009 - [March 4, 1933: The Only Thing to Fear...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030409.html)Even Warren Buffett’s company’s stock is deep in dodo too.March 4, 2009 - [The Oracle of Omaha Speaks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022609.html)Big crowd at the 12:05 Ash Wednesday service at Bethesda-by-the-Sea yesterday. With almost all the pews filled. It looked like a Sunday attendance.February 26, 2009 - [Almost Forgot: It's America Saves Week](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022509.html)You’d think saving money would be first and foremost on my mind given the times. But what can I say–somehow I forgot that February 22 -March 1,…February 25, 2009 - [What's the Emperor Wearing?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022309.html)When Dana Thomas, author of “Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster”, spoke to The Luxury Marketing Council earlier this month, the coverage of her…February 23, 2009 - [Bonds: Check 'em Out](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021909.html)Yippee! People are investing. And investing in everything from equity funds, to money market and bond funds.February 19, 2009 - [A Couple of Laughs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021609.html)Whether or not the new stimulus plan will stimulate anything other than debt is unknown. The same is true of last year’s TARP bonanza. Most of…February 16, 2009 - [Friday the 13th. Yikes.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021309.html)Spooked by the number 13 particularly when it falls on a Friday? Superstitions of both have been around for centuries and if you believe each to…February 13, 2009 - [My Feng Shui Forecast: Let's Go to Disney World](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021109a.html)On the front page of The Wall Street Journal today, a story about feng shui and investing caught my eye. Forget Nancy Reagan and the astrology…February 11, 2009 - [Market Valentines Anyone?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021109.html)Stuck for a Valentine’s gift? You could pass on the flowers and diamonds and buy your sweetie a company—as in shares of the companies that sell…February 11, 2009 - [Quit Whining, You're Still Rich](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020909.html)There’s no denying that between the big-time slides in the stock and real estate markets along with the recent investment scandals a lot of…February 9, 2009 - [A Big Day for Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020309.html)Did you know that paper money was first used in America on Feb. 3, 1690? Apparently rocks, paper and scissors got too heavy to carry around as…February 3, 2009 - [Double Whammy Remedies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020209.html)Q: What do the following companies all have in common?February 2, 2009 - [Hope, Hope and Hope Some More](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013109.html)Funny thing about hope. It seems to be something we—or at least I– keep doing again and again no matter what the outcome.January 31, 2009 - [Cash: A Very Good Thing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012809.html)I’ve never been one to believe the advice from most money pros suggesting that everyone have enough money to cover three- to six-months of living…January 28, 2009 - [Oh Those Credit Card Companies: Part 1](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012609.html)Hardly a day goes by without someone telling me a credit card horror story. The two that follow are doozies.January 26, 2009 - [Dear Mr. President: Letter #1](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012509.html)More than once, President Obama has said that he’s open to hearing ideas from citizens about ways to improve our country’s economic woes along…January 25, 2009 - [Less Debt Equals More Freedom](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011909.html)With the inauguration of a new president hours away, let’s hope that President Obama continues to inspire hope in those he has already touched,…January 19, 2009 - [Two Big Fund Pluses](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011709.html)Mutual fund shareholders need to let out a big “whew” for missing Bernie’s Bad.January 17, 2009 - [Yields a Plenty](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011309.html)Yesterday, when I got an email advertising a 6 percent yield on a bank checking account, my first thought was, “Yah, right.” Ever since Bernie…January 13, 2009 - [The Stock Market's Biggest Crashes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011209.html)There are plenty of pundits out there who feel that this year will be a good performance one for stocks. I hope so.January 12, 2009 - [Investment Strategies? Keep'em Simple](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010909.html)The longer one lives the more they realize the truth behind that simple KISS philosophy, i.e., “Keep It Simple Stupid.” That kind of down-home…January 9, 2009 - [Investment Resolution: Double-Check Fund Fees](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010609.html)Even though mutual funds have been around since the 1920s and there appear to be zillions of them to choose from, don’t let their popularity blind…January 6, 2009 - [January's Effect](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010209.html)There is no way of sugarcoating it—last year’s markets were the worst we’ve seen in decades. But, last year has been put to bed. Now it’s the…January 2, 2009 ## 2008 (38 columns) - [A Paper Roses Year](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123008.html)Only one more trading day left in 2008 and for some that’s more than enough.December 30, 2008 - [The Stuff That Counts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122808.html)I got home from a holiday party the other night and flipped on TV. Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” was on. Can’t tell you how many times…December 28, 2008 - [The Stuff That Counts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122108.html)If all the allegations about Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme prove true, the $64 billion dollar question is, “Why?”December 21, 2008 - [Florida's Biggest Crooks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121808.html)I’m not sure what there is about living in Florida that makes residents ripe for the picken when it comes to fraudulent money schemes. Maybe it’s…December 18, 2008 - [White Collar Lies](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121608.html)Like one of the songs from Cabaret reminds us, “Money makes the world go around. “And indeed it does. But why do we lie so much about it?December 16, 2008 - [Sophisticated What?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121408.html)If all of the allegations about Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme that apparently bilked $50 billion from millionaire investors prove true, shame on…December 14, 2008 - [Giving and Getting](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120808.html)Whether you’re a tight wad or a generous Jenny, opening up your hearts and wallets is what year-end is all about.December 8, 2008 - [Eleven Down, One To Go](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120108.html)With the bulk of the year behind us, 2008 will likely go down in investing history as one that couldn’t end soon enough.December 1, 2008 - [Civilized Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112908.html)You’ve got to hand it to advertisers and merchandisers. All across America they’ve done a terrific job of selling shoppers on the notion that the…November 29, 2008 - [A list of 10](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112608.html)Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. Standing as a reminder to take some time to stop and think about all that one has been…November 26, 2008 - [Buy And Hold Forever? Maybe Not](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112308.html)When I was a broker back in the very early 1980s, investors enjoyed double-digit returns on both taxable and tax-free bond investments, most…November 23, 2008 - [Things To Think About](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112108.html)My circle of friends is a wide one. I know people whose fortunes have been substantially diminished by the market’s fall this year; others who…November 21, 2008 - [Up And Down And Back To The Future](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112008.html)Trying to figure out the hows and whys and when-is-it-gonna-change-upwards behind the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s (DJIA) performance lately…November 20, 2008 - [Bailout Schmailout](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111708.html)I thought the first $700 billion sought by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to buy back troubled assets was a whacked-out plan when I heard it and…November 17, 2008 - [Lost Your Broker? You're Not Alone](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111408.html)Opportunities abound in turmoil markets, particularly for those with eyes to see beyond the pale. Take your broker, for instance. If you’ve phoned…November 14, 2008 - [Bogle Says,"Buy"; Schwab Says,"Save"](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111308.html)Now that it’s clear— for the umpteenth time— that stock prices don’t always soar skywards and market bottoms aren’t identifiable until after…November 13, 2008 - [Some Thoughts on Greed](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111008.html)Oliver Stone has a long history of being one heck of a director. From movies with titles like "W", "J.F.K." and "Wall Street" he's shown an…November 10, 2008 - [It's ugly out there and could get uglier](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110308.html)It's ugly out there and could get uglier.November 3, 2008 - [Across my Desk: "Don't try to catch a falling knife"](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100508.html)There's an old Wall Street saying worth considering: "Don't try to catch a falling knife." Oh my, how very true.October 5, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Gen X Investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090808.html)Although millions upon millions of Americans are suffering financially these days, many others are doing just fine.September 8, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Roth IRA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082508.html)I'm been a big fan of Roth IRAs and have been since their inception. Why? Because I think that there's value in paying taxes before you invest…August 25, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Managing Personal Finance In College](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081108.html)To that end, here's some solid information I received last week from the American Institute of CPAs press release:August 11, 2008 - [Across My Desk: 401(k) Cash-Out Calculator](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080408.html)One of the mysteries of life guaranteed to confuse anyone who has been able to amass a small fortune for their retirement years is trying to…August 4, 2008 - [Across My Desk: "Buy Low, Sell High"](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072008.html)If you're buying individual stocks, or would like to know some of Sir John Templeton's investing ideas, here's part of a story written on June 19,…July 20, 2008 - [Across My Desk: First-Half Facts and Figures](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070608.html)It has not been a pretty year for investors. I've read all sorts of things from it being the worst start of a year in decades to the some of the…July 6, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Playing Retirement Catch-Up](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061608.html)Many of us haven't saved enough for retirement and while the thought of playing catch-up is often daunting, there are things you can do.June 16, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Wise Words From Thomas Kostigen](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060208.html)In his final Sophisticated Investor column on MarketWatch, Thomas Kostigen wrote about the lessons he's learned while writing his columns. What…June 2, 2008 - [Across My Desk: What to do with your economic stimulus check](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051208.html)Hey, if you haven't already spent that stimulus check coming your way in your mind, decide to toss it into a retirement account and you could save…May 12, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Index Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050508.html)Index funds have their place in one's portfolio. For some investors it's their only investment product; for others it's part of the mix. Whatever…May 5, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Do's and Don'ts of IRAs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040708.html)For those who have waited until now to do their taxes, make sure you don't forget about the benefits of IRAs, Roth IRAs or non-deductible IRAs.April 7, 2008 - [Across My Desk: National Financial Education Network](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033108.html)When it comes to investing, the more you know the better the odds are of becoming a savvy, successful investor.March 31, 2008 - [Across My Desk: What's in a name?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032408.html)What's in a name? Plenty. Sometimes.March 24, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Don't know what to do in this market?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031808.html)Don't know what to do in this market? One seasoned money manager suggests doing nothing.March 18, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Sin Stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031008.html)If you love smoking, drinking, gambling and shooting at stuff, you'll love this fund.March 10, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Capital Gains Payouts](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030308.html)If you haven't done your taxes yet, keep in mind that capital gains payouts on mutual funds rose for the fourth straight year in 2007.March 3, 2008 - [Across My Desk: Stocks You Have To Trade Today](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020808.html)Read this now. It's full of good advice and mayinclude an investment idea or two for you. For example, Apple sure looks good at this level,…February 8, 2008 - [Across My Desk: The Can-of-Tuna Market Strategy](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020408.html)Every now and then I run across a market newsletter that both makes sense and is filled with solid information. At the end of January, Harold…February 4, 2008 - [Across My Desk: How The Major Indices Ended 2007](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010708.html)One of last year's biggest lessons: One, don't count your eggs before the year's end.January 7, 2008 ## 2007 (32 columns) - [Across My Desk: Hedge Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121007.html)Hedge funds are hot but not for everyone. To learn more about them, there's a free brochure titled "Investing in Hedge Funds -- Information for…December 10, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Roth IRAs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120307.html)I'm a huge fan of Roth IRAs. Why? Because it just makes good sense to me to pay taxes sooner rather than later. What follows below are pieces…December 3, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Social Security Taxes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110407.html)If you're retired, here's a way that could save some Social Security taxes.November 4, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Louis Navellier's Weekly Marketmail](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100707.html)Louis Navellier always has an interesting point of view. What follows are some tidbits from this seasoned money pro's Oct.5, 2007, Weekly…October 7, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Points 5 through 10 of the Top 10 Wealth-Management Pitfalls](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091007.html)What follows are the rest of the 10 Wealth-Management Pitfalls that Morningstar's Sue Stevens, a CFA, CFP, CPA, wrote about earlier this year.September 10, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Top 10 Wealth-Management Pitfalls](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090407.html)Morningstar's Sue Stevens, a CFA, CFP, CPA, is one wise lady. The piece appeared in Sue's Monthly Newsletter on August 30, 2007.( A version of…September 4, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Target-date funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082707.html)While target-date funds have been super popular with the buy-it-and-forget-about-it crowd, expecting them to be the best performers could be a…August 27, 2007 - [Across My Desk: What happened last week?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082007.html)If you found yourself all worked up and uncertain about what all the recent market hoopla was about, not to worry. Louis Navellier, in his latest…August 20, 2007 - [Across My Desk: For those who love long and short](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081307.html)Can't decide whether or not the market is going up or down? One of the latest investments to hit Wall Street is a fund called the 130/30 fund.August 13, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Insurance companies licking their chops](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080607.html)When it comes to making money, insurance companies sure know what they're doing. Take, for instance, the Baby Boomers. Here's a crowd that wants a…August 6, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Dividend Growth Slows During Second Quarter](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073007.html)For fans of dividend income - once an important reason for buying stocks in the first place - the news is not so hot.July 30, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Retirement Portfolios and Diversification](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072307.html)Sinning. It can be so much fun. It can so very very bad. But it can also pay off.July 23, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Outlooks from the pros](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071607.html)With half of 07 behind us, how does the future look for investors?What follows below are a bunch of points of view for a number of investment…July 16, 2007 - [Across My Desk: What Today's Woman Needs to Know](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070907.html)Women. There are more of us then men, we live longer then men and earn less. To help us through this no-it-isn't-fair-but-that's-okay life,…July 9, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Midyear Portfolio Checkup](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070207.html)With half of this year behind us, some words of wisdom from Morningstar about performance and a midyear portfolio checkup.July 2, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Retirement Portfolios and Diversification](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062507.html)Why not take a few minutes to look at how diversified your retirement portfolios are. Why? Because if they don't have some international…June 25, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Janus Pays Back What?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061807.html)If you happen to one of the Janus shareholders who were affected by that firm's market timing problems a few years back it's repayment time.June 18, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Graduation Time](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061107.html)Need some sound financial advice to give the grad in your family? Christine Benz, Morningstar's director of mutual fund analysis, has some.June 11, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Baby Boomers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060407.html)Believe the statistics and Boomers love to spend. So, if you're a BB who loves to spend the big question is: Have you saved enough to play, travel…June 4, 2007 - [Across My Desk: S&Ps Birthday](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052107.html)Okay, I'm a little late but just in case you missed it, last month was the 50th anniversary of the S&P500.May 21, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Return Reality](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050707.html)With all the hoopla about the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) going hog-wild this year and closing over 13,000 for the first time ever last…May 7, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Louis Navellier's Newsletter](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041607.html)I found Louis Navellier's Newsletter dated March 30, 2007, to be of interest. Hope you do too.April 16, 2007 - [Across My Desk: S&Ps Birthday](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040207.html)Okay, I'm a little late but just in case you missed it, last month was the 50th anniversary of the S&P500.April 2, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Gen-X'ers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031907.html)Hey Gen-X'ers. Yes, that would be you if you're between the ages of 25 and 40. Better get your planning for retirement act in order as living…March 19, 2007 - [Across My Desk: S&P 500](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030507.html)The S&P 500 has been around for 50 years, now. And if you're one of the millions who keeps an eye on that index or has invested in it, what…March 5, 2007 - [Dipping into your IRA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021207.html)Tapping your IRA can be tempting if you're in need of cash. But most of the time that comes along with a tax penalty if you're under age 59 1/2.…February 12, 2007 - [Uncle Sam Season](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020607.html)It's Uncle Sam season and if you've not contributed to a traditional IRA yet, below are some points to ponder gleaned from editor and columnist…February 6, 2007 - [Factors Driving Markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020107.html)Each month, the MFS Investment Management research team analyzes the most significant factors driving markets worldwide and summarizes its…February 1, 2007 - [Across My Desk: 2006 Fund Results](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012507.html)So, have you tallied up your fund results for 2006 yet?January 25, 2007 - [Across My Desk: The Hottest-selling Mutual Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011507.html)Morningstar came out with its list of the 10 hottest-selling mutual funds in 2006 earlier this month and guess what? They're the same funds they…January 15, 2007 - [Across My Desk: 2006 Market Performance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010807.html)It was a whopper of a year for equity fund holders. Here's a sweeping overview about their performance from Lipper. Plus, a historical look at…January 8, 2007 - [Across My Desk: Common sense tips](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010207.html)With the New Year here, what better time for a brief refresher course in what to expect from your investments than today.January 2, 2007 ## 2006 (27 columns) - [Across My Desk: Have you saved enough for retirement?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121806.html)If you're one of the many worried about not having enough money saved for retirement, you're not alone.December 18, 2006 - [Across My Desk: End of Year Advice](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120406.html)This time of year, the standard advice is not to purchase shares of a mutual fund until after the fund's capital gains distributions have been…December 4, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Hedge Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112706.html)Hedge fund headaches. For those enamored by the lure of the tasty returns hedge funds often boast about, consider this: Those high returns ain't…November 27, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Spending Money](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112006.html)Okay, this isn't about mutual fund investing but is it about spending money and hence, important. So, if you're a credit card user who doesn't pay…November 20, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Value of the Dollar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111306.html)If you've traveled to Europe lately you've experienced first-hand how little the US dollar buys. I returned from Scotland last month and was…November 13, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Look Beyond DJIA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110606.html)Only paying attention to the Dow Jones Industrial Average could be misleading.November 6, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Social Security](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101606.html)According to a recent poll, younger people don't expect much from Social Security.October 16, 2006 - [Across My Desk: International Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100206.html)Ever wonder what kinds of funds investors are finding appealing this year? According to Financial Research Corporation (FRC) it's international ones.October 2, 2006 - [Across My Desk: 401(k) vs. Defined Benefit Plans](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091806.html)A recent poll found that most working Americans like 401(k) plans better than the do defined benefit plans. Poll researchers say that that's a…September 18, 2006 - [Across My Desk: If you haven't had your fill 9/11 comments, I think you might find highlights of this special report interesting:](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091106.html)Earlier this month Merrill Lynch released this special report titled, September 11 -- Five Years Later: An Investment Perspective, by Bob Doll,…September 11, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Medical Expenses](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090306.html)Research shows that we are all living longer. (Doh!). And, that the cost of this living is going up. (Double doh!) But what was interesting in…September 3, 2006 - [Across My Desk: The Pensions Protection Act](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082106.html)Mutual fund companies are licking their chops at the prospects of the new Pensions Protection Act---and so ought you.August 21, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Diversifying Your Portfolio](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080706.html)A diversified portfolio including both US and international companies is what the pros say is the way to go. Since we all know that our home…August 7, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Index Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073106.html)While it's true that the first half of '06 provided investors with some whopping returns, index funds topped most.July 31, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Retirement](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071706.html)Retirement has its costs and according to a recent study, one-third of Americans will be poverty stricken during their golden years.July 17, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Interest Rates](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070206.html)he Fed has raised interest rates again. That makes the 17th consecutive move upward over the past two years. While the intent is to keep inflation…July 2, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Funds for the 50+](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052206.html)AARP Financial recently introduced three-asset allocation funds designed for the 50-plus individual. By making the investment process easier, AARP…May 22, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Stay-At-Home Moms](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050706.html)We all know that stay-at-home moms don't get the credit they deserve for the work they do 24/7. And, if they received a paycheck for that work it…May 7, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Using Past Performance](https://fundfreebies.com/other/043006.html)We all know the primary reason to invest in mutual funds is for the money. But, with over 10,000 equity funds to select from, picking out a few…April 30, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Alternative Investments](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041706.html)Ever feel left in the dark when it comes to understanding alternative investments?April 17, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Beneficiaries](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040306.html)Making sure the ones you care for inherit your financial treasures begins with making sure that you know a thing or two about beneficiaries.April 3, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Retirement](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032006.html)You may get tired of hearing about it, but, if you don't have a concise, well-defined and practiced savings plan, better get serious about it and…March 20, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Taxes](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030306.html)If you've not done your taxes yet,and want to make sure you don't make any mistakes in the process, Sue Stevens, CPA and director of Financial…March 3, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Baby Boomers & Retirement](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022006.html)Sticking with this month's earlier topic of debt, many baby boomers haven't saved much for retirement.February 20, 2006 - [Across My Desk: New survey report reveals truth behind credit card debt explosion in the United States](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020606.html)Most folks I know use credit cards to pay for all sorts of things from groceries to exotic trips and gifts. What I don't know is how many of them…February 6, 2006 - [Across My Desk: Baby Boomers and Retiring](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012306.html)"Conventional wisdom says that the United States nears a retirement crisis, as the giant Baby Boomer generation retires en masse and a smaller…January 23, 2006 - [Across My Desk: 2006 Predictions](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010306.html)Now that 2006 has begun, here's a look at how some of pros think the year will unfold:January 3, 2006 ## 2005 (17 columns) - [Across My Desk: New Resources for Consumers and Advisors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121905.html)At the end of every quarter, DALBAR, a Boston-based investment company research firm, publishes a list of the best mutual fund web sites based…December 19, 2005 - [Across My Desk: Year-end Tax Planning](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120505.html)Right along with the holiday season comes year-end tax planning. If you need some direction in that regard, the following tips from Wealth…December 5, 2005 - [Across My Desk: Year-end Spending](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112105.html)Now that 2005s holiday season is just a few weeks away, it's time to get smart about your year-end spending.November 21, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110705.html)There's a rival brewing between the nation's largest fund families and it's all about attracting your money.November 7, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101705.html)In a recently released Putnam study titled "The Secret for Successful 401 (k) Investing", you won't learn any secrets but will be reminded of what…October 17, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100305.html)As any experienced investor knows, the markets moves in cycles. Remember when large-cap growth stocks were hot then went cold and small-cap and…October 3, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091905.html)There are two pieces in this Across My Desk report. Both are capsule summaries fro Money Management Executive, an on-line mutual fund industry…September 19, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090405.html)Wonder how Hurricane Katrina will impact the Fed? Below is how Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab sees it.September 4, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082205.html)All Mutual Funds Aren't Created Equal, ICI SaysAugust 22, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080805.html)One of the big concerns today's maturing American's face is having enough money to live through the 10, 20, 30 or more years of retirement.…August 8, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071805.html)Now that you've got a sense of what types of mistakes fund investors make, what follows are some things to watch out for when it comes to…July 18, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070505.html)With the kids out of school, it's never too late for the adults in a family to learn a thing or two about investing.July 5, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062005.html)Ask most adults where they learned about saving, investing and money management and they're likely to say at home. Talk with today's teens and…June 20, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060605.html)There's nothing like a good cup of coffee to start the day. But while this steamy brew may add a jolt to life, one socially responsible mutual…June 6, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050205.html)Ever wonder which web sites best meet their shareholders needs? Well,May 2, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040105.html)With the first quarter behind us, and the average stock fund off nearly 2.7 percent, a mid-March Schwab newsletter has some info in it that's…April 1, 2005 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020705.html)Okay. Yes, it's the beginning of the second month of a New Year and market outlook reports might be considered old news. Then again, what others…February 7, 2005 ## 2004 (20 columns) - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122104.html)WIth this year almost behind us, America's economic landscape going forward looks to be dotted with some majorly high hills and deep valleys.December 21, 2004 - [Across My Desk](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120204.html)It's been a great year for the stock market, enough though it may not seem like it.December 2, 2004 - [Across My Desk: Closed-end Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110804.html)Closed-end funds provide one way for folks to invest into a basket of securities at a per share price that trades like stocks do---all day long on…November 8, 2004 - [Across My Desk: The Schwab Report's special election edition](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110104.html)With the election closer than ever, thought you might enjoy thisNovember 1, 2004 - [Across My Desk: Short-Term Election Year Gains and Losses](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101804.html)If you've ever wondered how the S & P has performed during election years, wonder no more. In the July 2, 2004 issue of " InvesTech Research," a…October 18, 2004 - [Across My Desk: Vanguard's Rules For Financial Success](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100404.html)Weeding through my many stacks of mail, I ran across this piece from "In the Vanguard" (Vanguard's newsletter), and thought it might be of value…October 4, 2004 - [Golfers Tee Off On Investing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071204.html)If you're like most golfers, you're about evenly split between what worries you the most---improving your investment portfolio or your golf game.…July 12, 2004 - [Got enough to retire? Survey says: Maybe Not](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061004.html)The notion of spending your retirement years lollygagging on the beaches in South Florida or on the links in Arizona could go the way of the dinosaur.June 10, 2004 - [Scandal? What Scandal?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042604.html)One of the challenges mutual fund investors are always faced with is being able to see the forest from the trees.April 26, 2004 - [The Naughty Fund Family List](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032904.html)If you think most fund families have been involved in late-trading orMarch 29, 2004 - [MFS Taking Care of Business](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031504.html)MFS, home of the oldest fund in America, Massachusetts Investors Trust, and one of a number of fund families caught in the recent fund scandal,…March 15, 2004 - [Investment Advice for 2004: Diversify](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030104.html)With all the hoopla going on within the fund industry, many fund families seem to have their heads in the sand.They're not talking about their…March 1, 2004 - [Marriage, Money and Real Expectations](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022304.html)Everybody says that marriage and money go hand-in-hand, but a new self-help manual out about marriage may actually offer some points fund…February 23, 2004 - [Investment Advice For 2004: Diversify](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021604.html)With all the hoopla going on within the fund industry, many fund families seem to have their heads in the sand.They're not talking about their…February 16, 2004 - [Sierra Club Stock Fund: Sierra Club's Stock Fund Seeing Green](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020904.html)Calling all environmentalists: If you're a fan of the Sierra Club-- America's oldest influential grassroots environmental organization---here's a…February 9, 2004 - [Fund's Performance In 03: 2003 A Great Year For Equity Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020204.html)Even though New York's Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's fund industry allegations of late trading and market timing got plenty of ink, (and…February 2, 2004 - [New Year Investment Ideas: Investment Advice for 2004](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012604.html)It's a new year and along with all of the personal hopes and expectations it brings come some financial dreams as well.January 26, 2004 - [Know What You Want: Mutual Funds Not A Risk-Free Ride](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011904.html)It's that time of year again when experienced fund investors get to take a look at how their funds have performed over the past 12 months and…January 19, 2004 - [T. Rowe Price Media & Telecom Fund: Spanning The Globe For Telecom Holdings Pays Off](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011204.html)Sector funds are always dicey. When they are hot, they soar. When they're not, they can sour investors to the very opportunities they offer. After…January 12, 2004 - [Thornburg Income Builder: New Fund Goes For Both Income And Growth](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010404.html)Two of the sweetest words to many an investor's ear are "growth" and "income." If you're a fan of both, here's a new fund with an inviting story.January 4, 2004 ## 2003 (49 columns) - [Along With Fund Performances Come Tax Consequences](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122903.html)If performance is any guide, Wall Street doesn't seem to care much about the problems the mutual fund industry has had. A quick look through how…December 29, 2003 - [Fund Problems: Funds Doing Well In Spite Of Industry Problems](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122203.html)Whenever I'm invited to a dinner party these days, I know that somewhere between the hors d'oeuvres and dessert the topic will switch to mutual…December 22, 2003 - [Emotions And Fund Problems: Keeping A Cool Head During Troubling Fund Times](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121503.html)Marc Shinbrood doesn't like what he's been hearing about mutual funds lately. Along with daily news about fund industry problems, one recent TV…December 15, 2003 - [Funds Doing Well In Spite Of Industry Problems](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120803.html)Whenever I'm invited to a dinner party these days, I know that somewhere between the hors d'oeuvres and dessert the topic will switch to mutual…December 8, 2003 - [Gabelli Utility Fund Likes Old-Fashioned Utility Stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112403.html)Once upon a time, utility stocks were widow and orphan kinds of investments providing investors with a steady income stream. And, an investment…November 24, 2003 - [A Weak Dollar Makes International Funds Appealing](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111703.html)I couldn't have picked a more expensive time to travel throughout Europe. With the dollar weak--compared with the euro--- everything from post…November 17, 2003 - [The Patriot Act And Mutual Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111003.html)As of October 1, those opening a mutual fund account -f or the very first time - will need proper identification thanks to the USA Patriot Act.November 10, 2003 - [Fund Minimums And More: It Doesn't Take Much To Invest In Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110303.html)With the market's strong performance this year, investors are starting to think about putting money back into funds again. Those sitting on the…November 3, 2003 - [Recent Fund Problems Need Correcting](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102703.html)In the grand scheme of things, the mutual fund industry has had a squeaky-clean reputation. That is, recently.October 27, 2003 - [When Gold Shines, It's Best Held In Dribs And Drabs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102003.html)Gold is hot again and if you'd like to cash in on some of its glitter, here's a top performing fund worth taking a look into.October 20, 2003 - [SPDRs: Sector SPDRs Getting Popular With Investors](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101303.html)If you're a long time fund investor, you've noticed that sector funds can be stellar performers. But finding the right sector to invest in,…October 13, 2003 - [Long-term Savings Ideas](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100603.html)Most of us need some direction and advice when it comes to our long-term financial goals like saving for our children's college education and our…October 6, 2003 - [Leuthold Core Investment: A Flexible Fund With Muscle](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092903.html)If investing during recent years has left you confused about how much to put into stock funds and how much to invest in bond funds, here's an…September 29, 2003 - [Little Things: Little Expenses Can Make Big Differences](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092203.html)Talk with a group of investors about mutual fund expenses and you'll often hear two schools of thought from them: When the market is roaring…September 22, 2003 - [Polaris Fund: Opportunities Abound Worldwide](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091503.html)Before the great bull markets of the 1980s and 1990s, long-term investors in global and international stock funds reaped some handsome rewards.September 15, 2003 - [529 Plans: Getting to the Bottom of 529s](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090803.html)The rising costs of college educations are never so evident as when the fall term begins. But there are ways to soften the high-cost blow,…September 8, 2003 - [Delaware Select Growth: Growth Funds Looking Good](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090103.html)No matter what size company they've invested in---small, medium, orSeptember 1, 2003 - [Dalbar Study: Fund Returns Often Depend Upon You](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082503.html)Q: In a recent Wall Street Journal editorial by John Bogle, founderAugust 25, 2003 - [T. Rowe Price Mid Cap Value: Mid-cap and Value Rolled Into One](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081803.html)If you're into value investing and enjoy owning a portfolio of stocks made up of companies that aren't too big--- or too small---here's a mid-cap…August 18, 2003 - [Survey Says: Golfers, Like Investors, Go By The Numbers](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081103.html)It's summertime, and for golf lovers, there's no better way to spend time than on the links. As for how the game is played, a recent study shows…August 11, 2003 - [How to Make a Million](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080403.html)In the 1950s, one of the TV shows my family watched faithfully was "The Millionaire." During the weekly program, someone would get a knock on…August 4, 2003 - [Investing Mistakes - We All Make Them](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072803.html)Like it or not, the road to building wealth is curvy one and fraught with pot-holes---many of them due to our own making.July 28, 2003 - [Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072103.html)Short-term Treasury Funds Also Have RisksJuly 21, 2003 - [Bonds: There's more to understand](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071403.html)Bonds: They have a spot in most portfolios, but recent changes in the markets and tax laws mean you've got to think more about fixed-income…July 14, 2003 - [John Hancock Numbers: Stocks are Volatile and That's OK](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070703.html)The first three years of this century have shown investors the nasty down-side to investing, particularly when it comes to buying individual…July 7, 2003 - [Lipper Leaders](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063003.html)I recently ran into an old friend who said that she was finally interested in fund investing and asked how to research them on the Web. "I've…June 30, 2003 - [A Bond Fund Alternative](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062303.html)Bonds have always had a place in a diversified portfolio. But for those concerned about interest rates---and who want to be positioned to take…June 23, 2003 - [Phoenix-Duff & Phelps Real Estate Securities Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061603.html)Real Estate Can Be Rewarding Provided Know Where To LookJune 16, 2003 - [Morningstar's New Categories](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060903.html)Morningstar Dishes Up New Fund CategoriesJune 9, 2003 - [>Bonds and Other Things: Stocks Tend to Cool off in the Summer](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060203.html)If you were hoping for a summer rally in your stock funds, don't hold your breath. History shows that stocks tend to languish during the months of…June 2, 2003 - [Forester Discovery Fund:](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052603.html)A little fund that could, maybe.May 26, 2003 - [Returns Down But Not Out](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051903.html)The numbers are in and despite of a few rallies, the average U.S stock fund lost money during the first quarter of 2003.May 19, 2003 - [First Quarter Returns Down But Not Out](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050503.html)The numbers are in and despite of a few rallies, the average U.S stock fund lost money during the first quarter of 2003.May 5, 2003 - [The Market Rallies, but Will it Last?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042003.html)Investors were psyched about Wall Street's recent eight-day rally. It marked the best performance in nearly six years for the S & P 500, and the…April 20, 2003 - [In War or in Peace, Diversification Shines](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041303.html)By the time you read this, war with Iraq may have already begun, been averted, avoided or even ended. In any case, odds are something will have…April 13, 2003 - [John Hancock Strategic Income Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040603.html)Break Points Can Save You MoneyApril 6, 2003 - [John Hancock Strategic Income Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/033103.html)Flexibility a Plus for this Bond FundMarch 31, 2003 - [Scudder Balanced Target Maturity Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032403.html)Zero-coupon bonds and stocks can equal a good mixMarch 24, 2003 - [What's Best: Value or Growth?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031703.html)Deciding what type of stock fund you'd like to invest in---those whose portfolio managers prefer value stocks or those liking growth stocks ---can…March 17, 2003 - [Wall Street and Wars](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031003.html)Trying to figure out who wins on Wall Street before or after a war has been fought is dicey. While it's true that over the long-haul post-war…March 10, 2003 - [What's Best: Value or Growth?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030303.html)Deciding what type of stock fund you'd like to invest in---those whose portfolio managers prefer value stocks or those liking growth stocks ---can…March 3, 2003 - [Half of US Households own Mutual Fund Shares](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022403.html)Since we've all heard the President's State of the Union Address,February 24, 2003 - [Financial Services: Where the money is](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021703.html)There will come a time when the stock market turns around. And when it does, financial services funds could be poised to reap some rewards.February 17, 2003 - [Investing during War Time: Vietnam and Today](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021003.html)When Charlie Mayer was 15, he knew he wanted to work on Wall Street. After graduating from college in 1969, this New Yorker started his career…February 10, 2003 - [Survey Says: Investors Optimistic About '03](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020303.html)Eaton Vance recently published the findings from its fourth- annual investor survey. If those interviewed have any inkling as to what the future…February 3, 2003 - [Bridgeway Ultra-Small Tax Advantage Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012703.html)Really small companies can have really big returnsJanuary 27, 2003 - [Planning for the New Year](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012003.html)With 2003 in front of us, make sure you've got your ducks in aJanuary 20, 2003 - [IInvesting During Wartime: (Part I of An Occasional Series)](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011303.html)With the possibility of war on investor's minds, talking with seasoned mutual fund portfolio managers about how past wars have impacted the…January 13, 2003 - [Investing Advice from Santa](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010603.html)Dear Santa: You've got to help me out. My stock funds are all down and as a result, it looks like I'll be working until I'm as old as you are and…January 6, 2003 ## 2002 (50 columns) - [UGMA/UTMA](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123002.html)Grandma, Here's a Great Gift Idea for the KidsDecember 30, 2002 - [More Plain Talk from Vanguard](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122302.html)The Vanguard Group recently added two new brochures to their Plain Talk Guide library. One addresses the market and aims to help quell the fears…December 23, 2002 - [Growth & Value Stocks](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121602.html)Growth and value stocks do have their differencesDecember 16, 2002 - [Yacktman Focused fund: Value investing paying off for this focused fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120902.html)While there's no shortage of value stocks to pick from in this market, most value portfolio managers have found their fund's performance in the…December 9, 2002 - [Maybe the Worm is Beginning to Turn](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120202.html)If this current bear market did hit bottom last month, fund investors ought to be looking for the new opportunities it affords.December 2, 2002 - [Rip Van Winkle's investment story](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112502.html)If you're looking for guidance about how to invest for your financial future ask around---families and folk lore have some good stories to tell.November 25, 2002 - [How one savvy female built a sweet nest egg](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111802.html)Here's one smart female investor who didn't let the bull or bear market drag her down.November 18, 2002 - [Mutual Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111102.html)Companies that make weapons, ammunitions and war-related anything aren't the kinds of picks you'll find in the portfolios of socially responsible…November 11, 2002 - [Third quarter of '02 a rough one for stock funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110402.html)There's no way to sugar-coat it, the third-quarter of 2002 was an ugly one. How ugly was it? The worst since 1987.November 4, 2002 - [Vice Fund - A fund for those who love drinking, smoking and gambling](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102802.html)Just when you think there are more than enough funds around, along comes one that plays off of our vices.October 28, 2002 - [Hedge funds now come in registered form](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102002.html)When markets are volatile, wealthy investors often turn to hedge funds to manage risk. Now more popular than ever, these alternative investments…October 20, 2002 - [Looking back at the market's future](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101302.html)On a recent flight from Newark to Frankfurt, my seat mate asked me when the market going to turn around. A long-time 401 (k) investor, she ---like…October 13, 2002 - [Reading annual and semi-annual reports](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100602.html)Fund reports are worth the readOctober 6, 2002 - [Don't be afraid to open those monthly statements](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092902.html)With the market in an extended slump, investing seems to be the last thing on investors minds. But one day, things are going to change--they…September 29, 2002 - [Real estate funds still holding their own](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092202.html)Real estate funds have been one of this year's few bright performance spots. While the investment objective and portfolio holdings of each may…September 22, 2002 - [Investing for the long-term](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091502.html)What's great about today's market environment are the investment opportunities if affords. But before you jump in, have a plan if you're a…September 15, 2002 - [Something new: bond ETFs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090902.html)Exchange traded funds---first introduced in equity-index form--- now come in fixed-income form.September 9, 2002 - [When the worm turns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090202.html)Once this current bear market storm is over and the tide turns it will be time to dig out from under. How long will it take for your stock funds…September 2, 2002 - [Need diversification? How about an emerging markets fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082602.html)No doubt about it, emerging markets funds have been a roller-coaster ride investment over the past few years. But maybe ---just maybe---that's…August 26, 2002 - [Out-of-favor companies can pay off](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081902.html)Even in down markets there are always investment styles that outperform the averages. Here's a small-cap value fund that's holding its own.August 19, 2002 - [Bear Claws](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081202.html)Knowing that the bear market has its claws well-entrenched in the markets is one thing, living with it for the novice investor is another.August 12, 2002 - [Mutual Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080502.html)Dark quarter for equity fundsAugust 5, 2002 - [Johnson Intl. Value](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072802.html)Going international the quant and value wayJuly 28, 2002 - [Even though the market's down, it will turn around](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072102.html)Q: I'm a small business owner. Over the last year or so, I've watched the bottom line on my retirement accounts go down the drain, my business…July 21, 2002 - [Morningstar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071402.html)In high-yielding bond funds, where's the beef?July 14, 2002 - [Morningstar](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070802.html)Morningstar's style boxes updatedJuly 8, 2002 - [Hennessy Cornerstone Growth Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/063002.html)The numbers have been working for this quant fundJune 30, 2002 - [Hedge Funds, they're hot and garnering interest](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062302.html)Hedge funds. Odds are, you've heard those words a million times and always figured that they were the kind of investment only the very wealthy…June 23, 2002 - [John Hancock Technology Fund](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061702.html)Tech stock strategies from a proJune 17, 2002 - [Mutual Funds Assortment](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061002.html)A quiz, retirement info and a videoJune 10, 2002 - [Mutual Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060302.html)Who says growth funds can't pay off?June 3, 2002 - [Closed-end Funds](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052702.html)Closed-end funds can pay-off, tooMay 27, 2002 - [ETFs: Exchange traded funds gaining attention](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052002.html)Exchange traded funds are becoming more popular providing fund investors with another investment choice and fund families with a run for the money.May 20, 2002 - [Guarantees may be good but so can the markets](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051302.html)Every so often I'm asked whether there are mutual funds that come with guarantees. My first response is that there are no performance guarantees…May 13, 2002 - [Not much particularly rosy in first quarter returns](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050602.html)The fund performance numbers are out and the picture they paint is a pretty bland one.May 6, 2002 - [State Street Research Aurora](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042902.html)Patience has paid off for this big, small-cap value fundApril 29, 2002 - [Oakmark Equity & Income](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042202.html)Balanced funds provide a little bit of both stocks and bondsApril 22, 2002 - [ASSORTMENT](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041502.html)Post 9/11 stocks make sweet strides upwardsApril 15, 2002 - [INVESTEC ASIA FOCUS FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040802.html)Pacific Ex-Japan fund has risks and rewards, tooApril 8, 2002 - [PAST PERFORMANCE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040102.html)Fund's history not a crystal ballApril 1, 2002 - [TAXES/EATON VANCE STUDY](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032502.html)Investors prefer visiting dentist to paying taxes on investmentsMarch 25, 2002 - [OppenheimerFunds DEVELOPING MARKETS FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031802.html)There can be money in the world's developing marketsMarch 18, 2002 - [SALOMON BROTHERS CAPITAL FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031102.html)A Go-Anywhere Fund That DoesMarch 11, 2002 - [FEDERATED MARKET OPPORTUNITY FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030402.html)Valuations are Key in this FundMarch 4, 2002 - [PIONEER'S UNI-K](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022402.html)Owner-only Businesses Can Now Save Big-time for RetirementFebruary 24, 2002 - [PERRITT MICRO CAP](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021702.html)Micro-cap companies' big returnsFebruary 17, 2002 - [FIRST EAGLE SO GEN](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020302.html)One fund's value approach pays offFebruary 3, 2002 - [THE NEW YEAR](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012702.html)New Year's bring new marketsJanuary 27, 2002 - [2001 OUTLOOK](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011302.html)With 2000 behind us, this year brings???January 13, 2002 - [MUTUAL FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010602.html)A year-end checklist for savvy investorsJanuary 6, 2002 ## 2001 (49 columns) - [MUTUAL FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123001.html)Beware of fund rumorsDecember 30, 2001 - [TREASURY BONDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122301.html)No more 30-year Treasury Bonds, so...December 23, 2001 - [THORNBURG LIMITED MATURITY NATL. FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121601.html)Thornburg's Limited Maturity Muni Fund DeliversDecember 16, 2001 - [BOND FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120901.html)A Good Buy Today or Yesterday?December 9, 2001 - [ROCKHAVEN PREMIER DIVIDEND FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120201.html)Convertible Funds Offer Yield And Sometimes MoreDecember 2, 2001 - [EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS: A COMBO OF FUNDS AND STOCKS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112601.html)Q: I've heard that exchange traded funds are the way to invest. Any truth to that? And, are they mutual funds or stocks?November 26, 2001 - [STEIN ROE'S YOUNG INVESTORS 6TH ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111801.html)A Kids Investment Contest Parents Can Learn From.November 18, 2001 - [Q & A](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110401.html)Managing fund investments when the chips are down.November 4, 2001 - [QTR. RETURNS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102801.html)Ugly markets can spell o-p-p-o-r-t-u-n-i-t-yOctober 28, 2001 - [GOLD AND MORE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102101.html)Amidst the market's downturn, gold funds glitterOctober 21, 2001 - [LISTENING TO YOUR GUTS TODAY CAN PAY OFF TOMORROW](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100701.html)There's a Lord & Taylor store in West Palm Beach, Florida that's closing its doors and relocating. Over the past few weeks newspaper ads boast…October 7, 2001 - [GOOD READS...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/093001.html)A couple of good mutual fund readsSeptember 30, 2001 - [JP MORGAN MID CAP VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092301.html)JP Morgan fund finding profits in mid-cap valueSeptember 23, 2001 - [ATTACK STRIKES HEART OF FUND FAMILY](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091601.html)One of the money management companies suffering deadly blows from theSeptember 16, 2001 - [JOHN HANCOCK REAL ESTATE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090901.html)Real Estate Funds Still Holding Their OwnSeptember 9, 2001 - [IT'S ALWAYS SMART TO SAVE AND INVEST](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090201.html)In these times of down markets and corporate layoffs, investors new toSeptember 2, 2001 - [IDEAS ON WHERE TO INVEST](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082601.html)Trying to figure out the best types of funds to invest in for positiveAugust 26, 2001 - [PHOENIX-SENECA BOND FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082001.html)Here's a bond fund with a diversified income streamAugust 20, 2001 - [BRIDGEWAY ULTRA-SMALL CO. TAX ADVANTAGE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081201.html)What's smaller than small-cap funds? Ultra-small ones.August 12, 2001 - [GRANUM VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080501.html)A little hedging adds pizzazz to this value fundAugust 5, 2001 - [1st HALF RESULTS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072901.html)Half of the year is gone and fund performance figures are nothingJuly 29, 2001 - [FEDERATED MARKET OPPORTUNITY FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072201.html)When Steve Lehman, portfolio manager of the Federated Market Opportunity Fund, looks for securities to invest in he prefers a contrarian value…July 22, 2001 - [OppenheimerFunds QUEST BALANCED VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071501.html)Finding a fund that hasn't had a down performance year since its inception isn't easy. Then, add a portfolio manager who has been at the helm for…July 15, 2001 - [WIRED INDEX](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070801.html)Wired Index combines Old Economy, high-tech stocksJuly 8, 2001 - [THE JANUS 2 FUND DOES ITS HOMEWORK](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070101.html)You've seen their slick commercials and heard all about how Janus' portfolio managers are always out on the road visiting companies to get the…July 1, 2001 - [BARON iOPPORTUNITY FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062401.html)No matter how you slice it, technology and the Internet are here toJune 24, 2001 - [THE FBR FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061701.html)Some small banks can offer big-time returnsJune 17, 2001 - [CALVERT'S BOND FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061001.html)Bonds---they're not stodgy anymore. The top performing ones even comeJune 10, 2001 - [A COUPLE OF THINGS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060301.html)When Lisa McCarthy pays her bills each month, there's barely enough toJune 3, 2001 - [FIDELITY/RETIREMENT: GETTING YOUR MONEY OUT OF AN IRA JUST GOT EASIER](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052701.html)IRAs have been a wonderful tool for building retirement nest eggs for fund investors . But until recently, getting money out of them came with…May 27, 2001 - [MOSAIC](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052001.html)Remember GARP investing? Lately, some funds have been making headway with its investment strategy which is based on buying growth stocks at…May 20, 2001 - [RYDEX FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051301.html)Take a look at the top performing mutual funds last quarter and the winners were bear market funds, which are funds that bet the market is going…May 13, 2001 - [AMERICAN CENTURY GLOBAL GOLD FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050601.html)The gold story has pretty much been a downward spiraling one ever since hitting its $850 per ounce high in the 1980s. Today, that precious metal…May 6, 2001 - ["A" QUARTERLY REVIEW](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042901.html)For the most part, mutual funds got hammered during the first 13 weeks of this year and that's the good news. The bad news is, if you're a…April 29, 2001 - [SMITH BARNEY AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042301.html)Once the market settles down and fund investors regain their confidence, investing in funds with solid long-term track records could be more…April 23, 2001 - [THE ROLLING BEAUTY OF THE MARKET](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041501.html)The crazy thing about an extended bull market is that it can make inexperienced investors think they are geniuses and those who didn't have any…April 15, 2001 - [BUFFALO USA GLOBAL FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040801.html)Global funds can make a lot of sense.They are able to invest in companies located anywhere on the globe, allowing them to take advantage of…April 8, 2001 - [JOHN HANCOCK FOCUSED RELATIVE VALUE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032501.html)Even though the indices are having a tough time finding their way into positive territory this year, some mutual funds haven't. Take the John…March 25, 2001 - [NEEDHAM GROWTH FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031801.html)In sloppy to bearish markets, where stocks are up one day and down the next, a little bit of hedging and selling short can make a big difference…March 18, 2001 - [3 Q & A'S](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031101.html)From my e-mail box:March 11, 2001 - [FRANKLIN CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030401.html)If there is an asset class that continually gets overlooked and really ought not to it's convertible securities. Convertibles, which are a snap to…March 4, 2001 - [ALPHA ANALYTICS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022501.html)Sometimes when you're investigating a fund, the portfolio managers can prove as interesting as the fund itself is.February 25, 2001 - [TIAA-CREFF](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021801.html)Year-in and year-out portfolio managers face a couple of heavy duty challenges---outperforming like funds plus the index that is their benchmark.…February 18, 2001 - [ASSET MANAGEMENT STOCKS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021101.html)If milling through the 15,000 plus open-end mutual funds--- and their alphabet of share classes--- leaves you hankering for help when trying to…February 11, 2001 - [TECH FUND Q & A](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020401.html)Q: I bought my first tech fund in June 2000. I figured the market had fallen enough and would correct so thought I was buying in at a good time. I…February 4, 2001 - [NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012801.html)While The Grinch may have tapped into mutual fund total returns in 2000, some New Year's resolutions might help to keep him at bay in aught one.January 28, 2001 - [YEAR-END COMMENTS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012101.html)It's the holidays and one thing is certain, this year the markets have left many in a holi-daze. But not to worry, another year is right around…January 21, 2001 - [MRDs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011401.html)In spite of the wobbling market environment this year, plenty of folks have thousands of dollars stashed in their IRAs. And for those turning 70…January 14, 2001 - [HEDGE FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010701.html)Even with the market in the doldrums, there are more multi-millionaires around today than there have been in decades. And with the proliferation…January 7, 2001 ## 2000 (52 columns) - [LORD ABBETT MID-CAP VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/123100.html)With all the volatility in the market place, it's not surprising to find value funds doing well. After all, bargain hunting in times of…December 31, 2000 - [CENTURY SMALL CAP SELECT FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122400.html)Pros at the Century Funds in Boston have coined the term "Super Sector". And, based on this year's performance of their Small Cap Select…December 24, 2000 - [GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121800.html)Don't know what to give your honey, the kids, in-laws or your friends this holiday season? How about a little education.December 18, 2000 - [MONTGOMERY](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121000.html)If you like keeping tabs on what's in your fund's portfolio and why its portfolio manager picks and sells the stocks he does, here's a transparent…December 10, 2000 - [STATE STREET RESEARCH MID-CAP GROWTH FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120300.html)When Catherine Dudley joined State Street Research in 1998, the fund was undergoing big changes. In March, the fund was renamed the Mid-Cap Growth…December 3, 2000 - [DRESDNER RCM BIOTECHNOLOGY](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112700.html)Who says a fund can't stay hot one year to the next? Not those watching this bio/tech fund.November 27, 2000 - [MUTUAL FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112000.html)Trying to call the types of funds that are going to have high performance scores from quarter to quarter or year to year is almost an impossible…November 20, 2000 - [BABSON'S ENTERPRISE FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111200.html)Some folks hear "small-" and "micro-cap funds" and automatically think these types of funds only invest in "new "and "emerging" companies but…November 12, 2000 - [Q & A ADDITIONS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110500.html)Q: I'm interested in a mutual fund that is balanced and diversified andNovember 5, 2000 - [QUARTERLY ROUNDUP](https://fundfreebies.com/other/103000.html)Trying to call the types of funds that are going to have highOctober 30, 2000 - [MFS EQUITY INCOME FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/102300.html)The average equity income fund is barely up a couple of percent thisOctober 23, 2000 - [COLLEGE EDUCATION Q & A](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101600.html)Q: I've got a 5-year old son and would like to begin a college savingsOctober 16, 2000 - [TCW GALILEO LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100800.html)While the experts would agree that tech stocks are here to stay, notOctober 8, 2000 - [EXCELLENT FREE STUFF FROM TWO MUTUAL FUND FAMILIES](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100100.html)Mutual fund families often offer some great pieces of educationalOctober 1, 2000 - [FIRSTHAND TECHNOLOGY VALUE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092400.html)One of last year's top performing tech funds is hanging in there in this year's choppy market. Perhaps that's because it's portfolio manager…September 24, 2000 - [EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091800.html)In the investment arena, a hybrid is an investment vehicle that combines two different kinds of underlying securities, like say a stock and a…September 18, 2000 - [WADDELL & REED'S ADVISOR VANGUARD FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091100.html)What's an easy way to get an inkling of how great a stock picker a fund manager is? Look at the date the portfolio manager began managing the fund…September 11, 2000 - [MOSAIC INVESTORS FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090300.html)Not every investor is looking for the hottest fastest growing aggressive stock fund around. Many don't care about sizzle and prefer investing in…September 3, 2000 - [PIMCO REAL RETURN BOND FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082700.html)If you've noticed the prices on goods and services creeping up over the past few months, here's a bond fund that might help ease inflation's pain.August 27, 2000 - [ASSORTMENT/INVESTMENT STYLES](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082000.html)Thanks to the great bull market, more and more people are mutual fund investors now than ever before. But today's investor is a different breed…August 20, 2000 - [THE IVY INTERNATIONAL FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081300.html)When mutual fund portfolio managers are interested in researching a company, they've got all sorts of tools available to them that the average…August 13, 2000 - [SECOND QTR. ROUNDUP](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080400.html)etsy Conklin considers herself more of a saver than investor. But, after watching the stock markets soar to exciting new levels over the past…August 4, 2000 - [IPS'S MILLENNIUM FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/073000.html)Drive through the Everglades or down to the Florida Keys and along with being surrounded by some incredible natural beauty, without digging very…July 30, 2000 - [A PIONEERING FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072300.html)There's something to said for a fund that's been around since 1928.July 23, 2000 - [TRANSAMERICA'S PREMIER FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071600.html)Some portfolio managers let the numbers do the talking and move in and out of companies quickly. Others take a different approach preferring to…July 16, 2000 - [STRONG'S SMALL CAP VALUE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070900.html)The market might not look so hot this year, but that doesn't mean all mutual funds are performing poorly. Take the Strong Small Cap Value Fund,…July 9, 2000 - [GREAT FREE INFORMATION](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070200.html)Over 50 and wanting to learn more about investing? AARP has created a Financial Library with more than 60 single-topic titles in it all designed…July 2, 2000 - [StockJungle.com](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062500.html)Think you know a thing or two about stock picking? Here's a fund that gives you a chance to have a say in the companies that wind up it's…June 25, 2000 - [THE GRAND PRIX](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061900.html)Race car drivers are accustomed to high speed chases, rapid laneJune 19, 2000 - [MARKET ADVICE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061200.html)Lately, the market has knocked the stuffing out of an number of individual stocks and even mutual funds---and that's good news.June 12, 2000 - [MONEY MARKET Q & AS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060400.html)Q: I've received approximately $50,000 from the sale of my house and don't anticipate buying a house for another year. Can you please identify…June 4, 2000 - [AFTER TAX](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052800.html)Now that the tax season is behind us, don't file those records until you've done a little planning for next year.May 28, 2000 - [Q & A WITH MARTY WHITMAN, CEO OF THE THIRD AVENUE FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052200.html)When it's tough to make sense out of the market, sometimes the best thing to do is get another perspective.May 22, 2000 - [BITS & PIECES](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051500.html)Investors are loving the stock market these days as net sales into equity mutual funds had their best month ever in February. But, just because…May 15, 2000 - [BITS AND PIECES FROM FEBRUARY AND MARCH](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050100.html)Investors are loving the stock market these days as net sales into equity mutual funds had their best month ever in February. But, just because…May 1, 2000 - [MUTUAL FUNDS: ASSET ALLOCATION](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042400.html)In a choppy market that's divided by interest rates moving up and Old and New Economy thinking, plain old asset allocation funds might not be so…April 24, 2000 - [WIRELESS WORLD FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041600.html)The Investec Guinness Flight fund family is positioning themselves as the fund family of the future. Beginning in 1994 and first introducing Asia…April 16, 2000 - [USING BOND FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040900.html)With money flowing into stock funds and interest rates expected to move up a bit more this year, fixed-income funds might not be the sexy choice…April 9, 2000 - [HEALTH/BIOTECH](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040200.html)The biggest performance winners so far this year have been the health and biotechnology funds as genes-- rather then chips --are where the action…April 2, 2000 - [REITs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032600.html)Real estate funds have been in the dog house lately. As under performers in a market in which technology reigns and interest rates are moving…March 26, 2000 - [TAX STUFF](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031900.html)It's that time of year again when taxes are due and making retirement contributions typically a very smart move for everyone.March 19, 2000 - [FUND PROFILE: FRANKLIN GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031200.html)Look at the portfolio of this top-performing utility fund and what you won't find are your father's favorite phone and electric stocks.March 12, 2000 - [ONLINE STUFF](https://fundfreebies.com/other/030500.html)Q: I don't have much investing experience but would like to buy shares of a mutual fund online. What do you think? From a reader via e-mail.March 5, 2000 - [B2B FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022700.html)Gerald Greene knows his way around the market. After a 32-year career as a stock broker, the now retired Coral Gables, Fl. resident has plenty of…February 27, 2000 - [PROFIT VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/022100.html)Good defensive cornerback's need to move fast, know how to tackle, plus, have a keen sense of what's going on around them. Take those pro-football…February 21, 2000 - [WHAT TO DO WITH LAST YEAR'S HOT FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/021400.html)Deciding whether or not to sell shares of last year's hottest stock funds can cause big-time headaches. One side of your brain is saying, "Keep…February 14, 2000 - [NEW YEAR OUTLOOK](https://fundfreebies.com/other/020700.html)Welcome to the year 2000, where the abbreviation '00 not only represents the year but the starting point of every fund's total return.February 7, 2000 - [YEAR-END EQUITY RETURNS BASED ON MID-DECEMBER 1999 NUMBERS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/013100.html)Peruse the list of winning fund types for 1999 and it looks like Santa's got a brand new bag.January 31, 2000 - [FUND FAMILY GIVING](https://fundfreebies.com/other/012300.html)Mutual fund companies are in the business of making money. Plain and simple. But these complexes are often charitable givers too.January 23, 2000 - [ASSORTMENT](https://fundfreebies.com/other/011600.html)Q: Is there a NASDAQ Index fund?January 16, 2000 - [STRETCH IRAs](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010900.html)Here's a great way to give a gift that keeps on giving: The stretch IRA.January 9, 2000 - [TRADITIONAL VALUE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/010300.html)Maybe, just maybe, value funds will hit the big time in the coming century.January 3, 2000 ## 1999 (41 columns) - [INDEX FUNDS AND ACTIVE MANAGERS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/122699.html)You don't have to be a business school graduate to realize that index funds can be great performers. But thinking they are the only funds worth…December 26, 1999 - [HIGH-YIELD BOND FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121999.html)High-yielding bond funds and risk-taking go hand-in-hand. Just ask the women who manage them.December 19, 1999 - [MULTI-MANAGED OUTSIDE THE FUND FAMILY](https://fundfreebies.com/other/121299.html)The money in most large pensions funds has typically been multi-managed. That is, doled out to the best money handlers in the business in hopes of…December 12, 1999 - [MUTUAL FUND Q & A](https://fundfreebies.com/other/120599.html)Qs. I will be 70 1/2 in December of this year. My IRA is with the Vanguard family. Is it better to take the required minimum distribution before…December 5, 1999 - [Taxes.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112899.html)Like it or not, taxes are a way of life in the mutual fund arena. Even if all of your fund investments are chucked into qualified retirement…November 28, 1999 - [INVESTING ONLINE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/112199.html)If you like the idea of investing on line, INVESCO is the first fund family to allow folks to open a mutual fund account and make fund investment…November 21, 1999 - [THIRD QUARTER COMMENTS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/111499.html)Trying to get your arms around which fund type to invest in these days is like trying to understand the lyrics of a rock group like Korn; right…November 14, 1999 - [STOCK EXCHANGES ARE EXPANDING THEIR HOURS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/110799.html)Now that the stock exchanges are expanding their hours, what's that mean to the mutual fund investor? At this point in time, not much.November 7, 1999 - [WHERE TO FIND INCOME IN A PRICEY MARKET](https://fundfreebies.com/other/103199.html)If you're having a hard time pulling income out the equities market lately, you're not alone. Portfolio managers face that same challenge.October 31, 1999 - [INVESCO'S GROWTH & INCOME FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101799.html)Look around for relatively new growth and income funds that have come out of the box with a bang, and you're bound to notice INVESCOs Growth &…October 17, 1999 - [A COUPLE OF THINGS...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/101099.html)Just got to know what's going on with your fund? Curious about what stocks the portfolio manager buys and sells everyday? Wonder what he or she…October 10, 1999 - [DIFFERENT VALUES](https://fundfreebies.com/other/100399.html)Attention bargain hunters: If value shopping is in your blood here's a news flash---not all value fund portfolio managers think alike. So, just…October 3, 1999 - [WHAT'S IN A NAME...](https://fundfreebies.com/other/092699.html)In an all-too-rapidly changing market place, where hundreds of like-funds are competing for investor dollars, and performance more important than…September 26, 1999 - [GOLF FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091999.html)Like the wild life of birdies and eagles? Then here's a fund to tee off with.September 19, 1999 - [FUND FAMILIES HELP FEND OFF BAD HEIR DAYS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/091299.html)If you've had the good fortune of making zillions from your mutual fund investments, figuring out what to do with all that moola--- once you've…September 12, 1999 - [CHINA REGION](https://fundfreebies.com/other/090599.html)When the Asian financial markets tumbled a couple of years ago, it took more wind out of the already deflating sails on China Region funds. Now,…September 5, 1999 - [EMERGING GROWTH AND FUND TIDBITS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082999.html)Folks have been anticipating it for years, and now, those micro-, small- and mid-cap stock funds are beginning to turn around.August 29, 1999 - [2 NEW INDEX FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/082299.html)If you're into index funds, here are two that are new to the market in more ways than one.August 22, 1999 - [MONEY MARKET FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/081599.html)Money market mutual funds have always been popular parking places for investors' cash. That's because they are convenient, their yields are higher…August 15, 1999 - [STRONG ENTERPRISE FUND](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080899.html)Like new funds, young aggressive managers and big-time performance figures? Then here's a fund that fills that bill.August 8, 1999 - [THE SECOND HALF](https://fundfreebies.com/other/080199.html)With half of the year behind us, it's any body's guess as to which fund type will be the all-out winner for 1999. But if there is a trend…August 1, 1999 - [DON'T FORGET ABOUT INVESTING FOR COLLEGE OVER THE SUMMER](https://fundfreebies.com/other/072599.html)Just because school is out for the summer doesn't mean you can forget about funding Jackie and Jeremy's future college educations.July 25, 1999 - [WORRIED ABOUT OULIVING YOUR MONEY?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071899.html)If outliving your money has you worried, here's an immediate variableJuly 18, 1999 - [BOB MARKMAN, PRESIDENT OF MARKMAN MULTIFUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/071199.html)Bob Markman is a fan of the "fund of funds" mutual fund style and of large cap stocks. But when it comes to commonly preached strategies such as…July 11, 1999 - [INVESTMENT LITERATURE AVAILABLE IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH](https://fundfreebies.com/other/070499.html)State Street Research has been watching the numbers. And, if what the experts say comes true, by the year 2050 today's ethnic minorities may…July 4, 1999 - [HOW HIGH CAN THOSE INTERNET FUNDS FLY?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062799.html)The stratospheric performances of some internet stocks have provided shareholders who've invested in internet funds with some mega-returns. But…June 27, 1999 - [WHAT DO TODAY'S NURSES HAVE TO CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH THAT FLORENCE NIGHTENGALE DIDN'T? SAVING FOR RETIREMENT.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/062099.html)Calling all nurses: If you haven't begun saving for your retirement yet, here are some ways to save that can get you started.June 20, 1999 - [JAPAN. INVESTING THERE HAS BEEN HOT, COLD AND NOW.....](https://fundfreebies.com/other/061399.html)It's taken some time, but funds investing in Japan have started to reward their investors once again.June 13, 1999 - [GOT SALSA FEVER? CLOSED-END FUNDS INVEST EVERYWHERE. EVEN LATIN AMERICA.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/060699.html)If you like the idea of investing in Latin America and have a penchant for bargains, take a look at closed-end funds.June 6, 1999 - [WORLD EQUITY FUNDS ARE HEATING UP AGAIN.](https://fundfreebies.com/other/053099.html)Check the scores on funds investing around the world and you'll find that during the past 13 weeks handsome total returns have been seen in Latin…May 30, 1999 - [HAVING FAITH TAKES ON A NEW MEANING IN RELIGIOUS FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/052399.html)Some people invest in mutual funds just for the returns they hope to reap. Others base their investment decisions on portfolio style. Some are…May 23, 1999 - [ONE OF THESE DAYS FUNDS INVESTING IN SMALL-CAP COMPANIES ARE GOING TO SIZZLE AGAIN](https://fundfreebies.com/other/051699.html)Lately, many of the rewards in the stock market have gone to those investing in large-cap stocks. But since the market is fickle and cyclical,…May 16, 1999 - [IF YOU ARE NOT PARTICPATING IN THIS BULL MARKET YOU'RE NOT ALONE](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050999.html)Feel like you've missed the boat by not having any money invested in stock funds over the past few years? Not to worry---help is on the way.May 9, 1999 - [2 MUTUAL FUNDS AT 75 YEARS OLD](https://fundfreebies.com/other/050299.html)This year, two mutual funds turn 75 years old. And there are lessons one can learn from each.May 2, 1999 - [MARK GREENBERG](https://fundfreebies.com/other/042599.html)Mark Greenberg has one great job. As portfolio manager of the INVESCO Leisure Fund he gets to go fun places---like Las Vegas and Disney World---as…April 25, 1999 - [INDEX FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041899.html)If the time ever comes when Americans do have a hand in directing where a portion of their Social Security dollars are invested, index funds could…April 18, 1999 - [QUANITATIVE FUNDS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/041199.html)Quantitative funds appeal to many because the funds are purely numbers driven---it's the computers that pick the stocks the fund's manager invests…April 11, 1999 - [SOME Q AND As](https://fundfreebies.com/other/040499.html)Q. I am interested in making an investment for my children. Any suggestions?April 4, 1999 - [HOW'S YOUR FUND PERFORMING?](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032999.html)Figuring out how your funds have performed isn't always easy. Be with a little figuring, it can be done.March 29, 1999 - [TIPS ON READING MORNINGSTAR'S PAGES](https://fundfreebies.com/other/032199.html)Morningstar has carved out quite a niche in the mutual fund industry as an information source---and as earned a solid reputation, too. But even…March 21, 1999 - [TAXING TIPS](https://fundfreebies.com/other/031499.html)It's that time of year again---- when Uncle Sam asks for his share of your fund's winnings.March 14, 1999