Briefly Noted

Offbeat Offerings
Offbeat Offerings: Equity Index-Linked Notes
An investor reference for products that are not your typical offerings. This issue's focus is on hybrid securities linked to equity indexes.

Hot Links
How to Check Out a Broker
Broker information on the Web can be divided into two camps: Sites that provide disciplinary or background information about a broker or firm, and sites and provide customer evaluations of brokerage firms.

Stock Screens
Over There: Screening for Reasonably Priced ADRs
Direct investment in foreign-traded stocks is difficult and costly for the individual investor, but an excellent route overseas is to purchase shares of international companies in the form of ADRs. How do you screen for these kinds of stocks? A look at one approach.

Features
Discount Broker Guide 2007: How to Spot the Right Broker
AAII's annual survey can help you find the right broker on the crowded discount broker stage. This year's survey covers 56 firms that refer to themselves as discount, 47 of which offer on-line trading.

First Cut
The First Cut: Investing in Vice
A starting point for investors. This issue’s focus is on the 30 stocks with the lowest dividend-adjusted PEG ratios that are in the alcohol, tobacco, or casino/gaming industries.

AAII Model Portfolios
Model Fund Portfolio Update: A Bullish Ride Into 2007
Our Model Mutual Fund Portfolio joined the general market in having strong final months in 2006, and continues to beat the market over the longer term. A review of the Model Fund Portfolio, and an update on our newest model portfolio that focuses on exchange-traded funds.

Portfolio Strategies
Invest or Delay? Strategies for Taking Social Security Benefits
Individuals who are eligible for Social Security face a complicated question: Are you better off delaying the start of your benefits so you can receive higher benefits, or are you better off receiving earlier but lower benefits? An analysis of various strategies for taking benefits.

Departments
Briefly Noted
Current news items of interest to individual investors.

Departments
Letters to the Editor
Member questions and comments on recent AAII Journal articles.