Recently, we marked the first anniversary of CI going digital. A year ago, we took the bold step of transitioning from a printed quarterly publication to a monthly online-only service. The transition was not without its bumps along the way, but I firmly believe that the digital world allows us to provide a greater array of quality, compelling content. We added new regular columns, including The Spreadsheet Corner. At the same time, we introduced some new features that I hope you have taken the time to view: the Computerized Investing Blog, Market Dashboard and Analysis Templates are just a few of the new features we launched last March. Furthermore, the periodic Best of the Web segments replace the annual feature that used to run in the AAII Journal.

In the next month or so, we plan to introduce the first in a series of exciting upgrades to the analysis templates that will no longer require you to manually input the necessary data. Jaclyn McClellan has been working with our programmers to implement this change and I cannot wait to test it out myself.

While the overall response to the digital version of CI has been positive, I am not one to rest on my laurels. Undoubtedly there are things we can do better or differently (although a re-introduction of a print version of CI is highly unlikely). If there are feature articles you would like to see or software or websites we should review, we want to hear from you. My goal as editor will always be to provide the highest-quality content and experience possible. So, please, send us your thoughts and comments at ci@aaii.com.

April 15 Looming

We are now less than a month away from that annual ritual called the personal income tax filing deadline. If you are like many Americans, you may not have yet filed your taxes. In this month’s feature, Hareesh Jayanthi looks at what are arguably the top three computerized tax preparation services: H&R Block, TaxACT and TurboTax. Hareesh went through each of these services and discusses their functionality along with their strengths and weaknesses. As a longtime TurboTax user, the fallout from Intuit’s botched pricing change and subsequent backpedaling intrigued me. While undoubtedly a PR nightmare for Intuit, when considering a piece of software or an online service, you have to weigh price along with functionality and ease of use. Filing your taxes, in my opinion, is not one of those times where you try to save a few bucks. So be sure to read Hareesh’s article, and let us know your experiences with these tax prep services.

Bullish Percentage Point & Figure

In addition, this month, I examine a unique indicator in Technically Speaking: the Bullish Percentage Index, or BPI. The BPI is based on point & figure charting, which I discussed in January. The BPI for the NYSE is also one of the nine indicators we use for the CI Market Dashboard. This breadth indicator is based on the number of stocks on point & figure buy signals within an index. With it, you can confirm the bullish or bearish trend in an index, identify possible tipping points in momentum in an index, or identify corrections within a major bullish or bearish trend.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

From time to time, I mention my mom in my articles, and if you have ever heard me speak at a Local Chapter event or at an AAII Investor Conference, you have probably have heard me mention her. This month, I want to extend an early “Happy Birthday” to my mom, Eileen. This is the first time I have ever done this, so I hope you forgive sentimentality. This year is a milestone for her, however, as she turns 70 years young in early April. So, if you would, please join me in wishing her the happiest of birthdays! I wish I could be there to share it with her.