By ELEANOR LAISE We’ve seen the stock-market plunge, the foreclosures surge, the layoffs and the bankruptcies mount. Now comes the inevitable next stage of the economic downturn: a rash of personal-finance books that promise to help readers navigate their way through the rubble — and…
By Albert B. Crenshaw Special to The Washington Post Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Page H06 With the decline of traditional pensions, tax-deferred saving through 401(k) plans, IRAs and the like has become a key element of most Americans’ funding. But tax-deferred isn’t the same as…
By Barbara Kiviat Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 Traders celebrate on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the closing bell after stocks surged more than 11%, the market’s biggest point gain ever Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty It’s time for investors…
By Candice Choi Associated Press writer Posted September 29, 2008 NEW YORK — Before the turbulent economy sends you running into the arms of a financial advisor, make sure you know all your options. In addition to the various types of financial advice on the…
by Barbara Kiviat Thursday, Sep. 18, 2008 You probably have questions. And not “What does CDO mean again?” sorts of questions but more along the lines of “Is it time to hide under the covers?” Here we tackle some popular queries–while emphasizing that just because…
It was May 11, 2007 and the SEC was one day away from the deadline to appeal the March 30 decision to strike down its controversial Rule 202, known officially as the “broker/dealer exemption” and unofficially as “The Merrill Lynch Rule.” The Merrill Lynch Rule’s purpose…
By Jonathan Burton, MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — When choosing mutual funds, few aspects are within investors’ control. Future performance isn’t one of them. But expenses, risk, manager tenure and tax-efficiency are qualities that can be judged before you buy. “Look beyond performance,” said Jim…
By VICTORIA KNIGHT August 15, 2006; Page D2 Many financial firms increasingly are turning to technology to deliver the “high-touch” personal services that their well-heeled clients crave. “There’s a huge amount of talk about how advisors can deliver a quality experience and build their book of business….
The results are in from the Chu-Wall Money Makeover. And they’re nothing to bank on. Over the past few months, Jonathan and I have made far fewer changes to our financial lives than most of the five couples I’ve profiled for this series have. We’ve…
Morningstar Influence Grows; Some Concerns Remain By Arden Dale Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK — Morningstar Inc. (MORN) casts a long shadow over the mutual-fund industry. Founded in 1984, the Chicago investment-research firm went public in May and has been growing by leaps and…