Mutual Funds
Found 28 Articles.
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Beware Mutual Fund Return Data
We’re in one of those periods when you have to be very careful when evaluating mutual fund performance data. Most funds report three-year and five-year data. Tha means the data won’t include the pre-crisis period and includes only returns from the bottom or near it. It also consists of returns that were influenced by the […]
Is a Target Date Fund for You?
The growing trend among mutual fund families and especially in 401(k) plans is the target date fund (TDF). These are asset allocation funds that assume the investors will reach retirement age at a certain year, hence the name Target Date. There’s an ongoing debate over whether the funds are good for investors. The idea is […]
Great Funds Closing Their Doors
Over the years we successfully found great funds early and let them deliver strong profits for us. One of the disadvantages is that after we discover them, the shareholder-friendly funds we favor deliver excellent performance and attract a lot of dollars. Because they are shareholder-friendly, they tend to close their doors to new investors when […]
The Mutual Fund Scandals and Our Portfolios
The mutual fund scandals continue to grow. What initially was malfeasance at one hedge fund and a few managers at four fund families now appear to be widespread industry practices. The SEC said a survey of major fund management companies revealed that about 25% of the fund companies admitted to regularly engaging in such behavior, […]
Carlson’s Choice Mutual Funds
I keep our portfolios streamlined with my best ideas, but some of you want more than one fund for a sector. For these readers, we’ll take a look at some other funds to consider. One of my favorite approaches to stock market investing is to invest with a good stock picker who buys only his […]
Where To Shop For Mutual Funds
There’s been a shake up in the world of mutual fund supermarkets. I’ve long believed that investors can maximize their investment returns by simplifying their financial lives. One way to simplify is to consolidate your investments at one mutual fund family or one broker that allows you to purchase mutual funds from different families – […]
Funds Outside the Recommended Portfolios
I’m one who remembers August 1982 when the bear market became a bull market. I also remember the turns from the market bottoms in 1987 and 1991 and from the stagnant market in 1994. Many of you were with me during the recoveries of 1997 and 1998. Each time, there were doubts about the future […]
Funds for Small and New Investors
Not everyone is ready to build a diversified portfolio. Some investors don’t have enough money to meet the minimum investment requirements at multiple funds. Other investors are slowly dipping their toes into the markets after letting their money compound in money market funds and CDs for years. Still others are starting portfolios for their children […]
