Browse by Categories

• Financial Planning
• Index & ETF Investing

• Paying Off the Mortgage Can Lower Your Tax Bill

  Q. I'm a blue collar guy who is sometimes overwhelmed by investing. So I am thinking of paying off my home mortgage. I owe $65,000 (the house is worth $125,000) and I have that amount in UPS stock. I'm uncertain about the stock market and the mortgage... Posted Jan 05 2006, 02:58 PM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Mutual Fund Investing, Q&A (from print)

• It Costs Money To Market Mutual Funds

  Q. In a recent column you discussed "screening" techniques when selecting mutual funds. One restriction you mentioned in your analysis was the exclusion of loaded funds. In the past my financial planner has almost exclusively recommended no-load funds... Posted Dec 04 2004, 10:02 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Financial Planning, Home Ownership & Mortgages, Index & ETF Investing, Mutual Fund Investing, Q&A (from print)

• Changes Horses in the Mutual Fund Derby

  Q. On January 1st 2000 I invested $140,000 in AIM Basic Value and AIM Blue Chip mutual funds. Today those funds have a value of $83,000. At the same time I invested $15,200 in the Putnam Voyager fund, now valued at $9,200. This is a total loss in value... Posted Aug 12 2004, 10:45 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Mutual Fund Investing, Q&A (from print)

• When To Dump A Mutual Fund

  Q. I have trouble deciding when to dump a mutual fund. I know that there are some guidelines for this--- comparing like funds, for example--- but over the years I have seen funds bounce back nicely after a year or two of weak performance. This has led... Posted Dec 05 2002, 01:45 PM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Mutual Fund Investing, Q&A (from print)

• Steps To Becoming a Homeowner

  Q. I am 27 years old; my income is $25,000 a year. When I was younger I was foolish with credit cards and incurred a lot of debts. I have consolidated all my debts, including car payments. I also put away $200 a month in a savings account. What I want... Posted Mar 09 2000, 09:08 AM by scottb with | with no comments Filed under: Home Ownership & Mortgages, Mutual Fund Investing, Q&A (from print)