Top Funds Over Five Years: Analyzing How They Got There

Mutual Funds
Taking the Load Off of "Must Have" Fully Loaded Funds
Many mutual funds that are sold with sales charges offer discounts if you are investing larger amounts of money. The size of the discount varies, depending upon the amount of the investment and the breakpoint schedule of the fund.

Portfolio Makeover
Will Their Portfolio Last? The Rest of the Story
An analysis of "John and Mary's" retirement portfolio generated lots of inquiries. Dennis Stearns tackles your questions about portfolio sustainability, withdrawal rates, and asset allocation scenario analysis.

Insurance Products
The Potential Problems With No-Lapse Premium Guarantees
Agents selling no-lapse premium-guarantee policies rarely utter a discouraging word about them in their sales rhetoric. But there is only one planning area where they are a good option.

Mutual Funds
Top Funds Over Five Years: Analyzing How They Got There
Lists of top-performing funds can be dangerous to investors--the temptation to invest in the top funds without understanding how they got there is great.

Financial Statements
The Big Pension Plan Hole and What It Means to Investors
Stock market declines and low interest rates have taken their toll on corporate pension plans. What companies do about it could affect the market.

Portfolio Manager Interview
An Interview With Peter Spano, Portfolio Manager, Preferred International Value
A search for relative value and opportunities in the international markets.

Investment Newsletters
Just How Difficult Is It to Time the Bond Market?
Bond market timers have faced tough challenges in recent years. Have they risen to the occasion?

Stock Screens
Searching for the Upcoming Stock Market Winners
The original rules developed by Marc Reinganum to identify stock market "winners" produced returns that were significantly higher than the market.

Portfolio Strategies
Retirement Planning: Annuities and When They May Make Sense
Low-cost annuities can make sense when compared to taxable investments for bond investors and active stock investors with long investment horizons. They do not make sense for long-term buy-and-hold investors.

Mutual Funds
Taking the Load Off of "Must Have" Fully Loaded Funds
If you are investing larger amounts of money, many mutual funds that are sold with sales charges offer discounts. The size of the discount varies, depending upon the amount of the investment and the breakpoint schedule of the fund.