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• Workers Unite!

  By Scott Burns Have you dared to look at your 401(k) statement lately? If you have, you’re probably thinking unkind thoughts about the well-paid folks who are supposed to be managing your money. I say it’s time to give ’em the boot---but let’s talk this... Posted Nov 07 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Retirement

• The Power of Attentive Spending

  By Scott Burns Yes, there is a silver lining in the gigantic cloud that surrounds us. It’s small, but it has a value far greater than most people realize. I call it the Power of Attentive Spending. Today, most people are worried about losses in the stock... Posted Aug 08 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning

• Your Broker is a Hammer, Don't be a Nail

  By Scott Burns Q: I like my broker, but she and I differ on what type of fund to be in. I prefer a low-expense fund. She says: Forget expenses if the 10-year returns bear more fruit. I have $400,000 to invest. I want to do the following: 35 percent in... Posted Jul 09 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print), Retirement

• Same Fund Family but Less Risk

  By Scott Burns Q. I'm semiretired, married, with no children. We own our home. I'm 62, have no pension. Our total savings is $95,000 in Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 fund in an IRA. I just moved it there about six months ago. In the last year... Posted Apr 30 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print)

• Fees and the Top and Bottom 25 Percent

  By Scott Burns No one wants to be at the bottom of the heap. We want to be above average at everything, including investing. That’s why we spend billions every year, hoping to find a superior investor who will, for a modest fee, invest our modest savings... Posted Mar 14 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Income Investing

• How to Manage Multiple Accounts

  By Scott Burns Q. I am nearly halfway through the process of restructuring my investments. I’m changing from a portfolio of more than 25 individual stocks to one of diversified index funds (a la your Ten Speed or Six-Way Couch Potato Building Block portfolios... Posted Feb 13 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print)

• There Is No Cure for Nest-Egg Anxiety

  By Scott Burns Q. I retired at age 60 with a package. That was 13 months ago. As the package dwindles, I wonder if I should go back to work. Ugh! I have about $ 900,000. It is about 21 percent in fixed-income, 73 percent in equities and 6 percent in cash... Posted Feb 06 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print)

• Making Commodities Part of your Portfolio

  By Scott Burns OK, we get the idea. Having commodities as part of our portfolio can reduce risk by offsetting big swings in stocks and bonds. But how do we actually do it? That was the gist of reader response to a recent column about reducing investment... Posted Jan 11 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Retirement

• Selecting an Adviser

  Q. My wife and I have been having a hard time selecting an investment counselor. We have interviewed counselors but have not found anyone in whom we can feel confident. We've heard and read stories about trusted advisers abusing their clients’ trust... Posted Jan 02 2008, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Burns at Large, Financial Planning, Q&A (from print)

• Fearless Forecasts, 2008

  As a few of you are aware, 2007 is about to end. You may be outnumbered, you may be rare, but that makes it easier for me to find you. All I have to do is look for people who don’t have white wires hanging from their ears. The others--- the people with... Posted Dec 28 2007, 03:00 PM by admin with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Uncategorized

• The Coming National Yard Sale

  by Scott Burns Every cloud has a silver lining. So it may be time to see who gets the cloud and who gets the lining. We know who gets the cloud. It’s anyone who has been making a living from building, selling or financing residential real estate. It’s... Posted Dec 21 2007, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: Burns at Large, Financial Planning

• How Much Do You Pay For Financial Services?

  by Scott Burns Today, ask this question about the financial services you receive: How much is that in dollars? The answer can be unnerving. A percentage charge like 1 percent or 2 percent of assets seems reasonable. But the actual cost in dollars can... Posted Oct 19 2007, 03:00 PM by admin with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning

• Buy Closed End Funds at a Discount

  Here’s an interesting factoid. Over the three years ending May 30, the average mutual fund that invested in domestic equities has provided an annual return of 13.30 percent. Rather nice. Until you compare it to another return. The average closed-end fund... Posted Jul 13 2007, 10:30 AM by admin with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Income Investing, Index & ETF Investing

• For Retirees, Renting Can Be Better Than Owning

  Q. Our townhome will be paid for in 2 years. My husband and I will both be 61. If we sold at that time, we would probably walk away with $400,000 to $450,000. The townhome will be about 15 years old. I am sure there will need to be some repair--- new... Posted Jun 20 2007, 10:00 PM by scottb with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Home Ownership & Mortgages, Retirement

• How to Get a Good Return on your Cash

  Q. Lately I have noticed ads for high-yield savings accounts. A couple of examples are UFBDirect.com (5.3percent) and Citicard.com (4.65 percent). There appears to be no minimum balance required, no fees, etc. After more than six years I have paid off... Posted May 09 2007, 06:00 PM by scottb with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Financial Planning, Q&A (from print), Small Change Millionaires