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ETF INVESTOR ALERT - From SEC and FINRA: Leveraged and inverse ETFs typically are designed to achieve their stated performance objectives on a daily basis. Some investors might invest in these ETFs with the expectation that the ETFs may meet their stated daily performance objectives over the long term as well. The SEC staff and FINRA have issued an Alert because they believe individual investors may be confused about the performance objectives of leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investors should be aware that performance of these ETFs over a period longer than one day can differ significantly from their sta...
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LOW-COST MUTUAL FUNDS STILL FAVORITE - From ICI Education Foundation: Low-cost mutual funds with below-average turnover continued to attract 401(k) investors' assets, according to an annual report by the Investment Company Institute. At year-end 2008, nearly half of the $2.3 trillion in 401(k) assets was invested in mutual funds. The bulk (78 percent) of mutual funds held in 401(k) accounts was invested in stock funds. The Economics of Providing 401(k) Plans: Services, Fees and Expenses, 2008 finds that in 2008, 79 percent of 401(k) assets held in mutual funds were in "no-load" funds-funds that do not have any sales charges. "Investing in mutual funds through a 401(k) plan at work represents one of the very best and most cost-effective...
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INVESTING FOR RETIREMENT - From PathToInvesting: A long-term investing strategy depends on where you are in relation to your financial goals. Whether you're starting out or retirement is around the corner, learn how to ensure you'll have the money you need. Having enough money to enjoy a secure retirement is a financial challenge that almost everybody shares. Fortunately, you can take advantage of a variety of tax-deferred savings plans to help you build the financial resources you'll need. And if - like many people - you're behind schedule, there are strategies to help you make up for lost time. PathToInvesting.org has an entire section of resources about investing for retirement, including information about IRAs, empl...
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PETROLEUM MARKET PROTECTION - From FTC: The Federal Trade Commission issued a Final Rule that will prohibit market manipulation in the petroleum industry. The Rule will prohibit fraud or deceit in wholesale petroleum markets, and omissions of material information that are likely to distort petroleum markets. The Rule prohibits fraudulent or deceptive conduct that could harm wholesale petroleum markets. Specific examples of such conduct include false public announcements of planned pricing or output decisions, false statistical or data reporting, and wash sales intended to disguise the actual liquidity of a market or the price of a particular product. The Rule also prohibits material omissions from a statement that, although true, is misleading under the circumstances. Anyone violatin...
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THE RIGHT TAX POCKET - From AAII: One big advantage of a 401(k) plan is that it is tax-advantaged-it helps minimize the amount of money Uncle Sam can grab from your pockets in the form of taxes. According to this American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) article, the best way to limit Uncle Sam's reach is to make sure you are putting the right assets in the right pocket. In this instance, the pockets are either taxable savings accounts or tax-deferred 401(k) accounts. The decision as to which account-taxable or tax-deferred-will hold your stock assets and which will hold your fixed-income assets while attaining your desired asset allocation is often referred to as the "asset location" decision. If y...
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BUILD AMERICA BONDS - Have you heard about the new Build America Bonds?  The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recently released a fact sheet about the bonds for those who want to get more information.  Build America Bonds (BABs) are taxable municipal bonds that were authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) that President Obama signed into law on February 17, 2009. Unlike municipal bonds, most of which are tax exempt, BABs are taxable bonds, which means that the interest is subject to taxation. The first BAB was issued in April of 2009. The ARRA allows state and local governments to issue BABs in 2009 and 2010 ...
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FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH - April is Financial Literacy Month, and the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, has information to help you make the most of your money whether you're a student, young adult, parent, older person, or military service member. "There's no time like the present to learn proven money-management skills," said David C. Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Information from the FTC can help people explore how advertising affects them; understand credit, credit reports, and credit scores; get tips on how to protect their personal information and minimize the risk of identity theft; shop for a home loan; learn their rights when dealing with a debt collector; explore how advertising affects them; and much more ...
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MAKING RETIREMENT SAVING EASIER - The federal government is making changes to help you save and invest for your post-work future.  The new rules are designed to help Americans save for retirement by making it more "automatic" - by having workers automatically enrolled in 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA retirement savings plans, having tax refunds directly deposited into retirement accounts or used to purchase savings bonds, and having more amount from each year's salary withheld and invested for future retirement savings.  The goal of the program is that by making retirement savings automatic you will be less likely to spend funds and instead invest them to grow into a future financial nest egg for your retirement income needs. To get more information, check out the item at TomorrowsMoney.org ...
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INVESTOR ALERT: KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR INVESTMENTS - New rules are in effect for investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission that have custody of advisory clients' funds or securities. These new rules are designed to provide additional safeguards for investors against the possibility of theft or misappropriation by SEC-registered investment advisers. Investors still have an important role to play, however, in helping to ensure the safety of their investments. Custody by investment advisers means holding client funds or securities, directly or indirectly, or having the authority to obtain possession of them.  As the SEC notes:  "The rule amendments are designed to enhance safeguards over client assets, but they are not a substitute for investor diligence and care." ...
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INVESTOR ALERT: REVERSE CONVERTIBLES - Over the past few years, brokerage firms and banks have been issuing and marketing complex investments known in the industry as "structured products" to individual investors. These include "reverse convertibles," which are popular in part because of the high yields they offer. FINRA has issued an investor alert to inform investors of the features and risks of reverse convertibles Also known as "revertible notes" or "reverse exchangeable securities," reverse convertibles are debt obligations of the issuer that are tied to the performance of an unrelated security or basket of securities. Reverse convertibles expose investors not only to risks traditionally associated with bonds and other fixed income products, but also to the additional risks of the unrelated assets ...
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