washingtonpost.com - Personal Finance

Will Investors Flock Back to Financials?

Nancy Trejos — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

If you have any money in financial stocks, last week was a dizzying one for you. And this week might not be any better, analysts and investment strategists said.

Why We Buy Into the Herd, Even When It's Not Good for Us

Michael S. Rosenwald — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

After IndyMac Bancorp failed, customers waited in line for hours to collect their money. The police had to be called in to quell the mob. The scenes brought to mind dire moments from the Great Depression. This time, with satellite TV trucks parked outside the bank's branches, the world watched la...

A Must Read

Michelle Singletary — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:17:52 EDT

I'm giving you a reading assignment and I want a short report afterward. I'm serious.

Court Ruling Tightens Investors' Safety Net

Michelle Singletary — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

A recent decision by a federal appellate court goes a long way to protect investors.

A Food Stock for Your Shopping List

Thomas M. Anderson, Associate Editor, — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

People eat regardless of what the economy does. Yes, escalating commodity prices squeeze food producers. But those with well-known brands have been able to maintain earnings and sales growth despite an economic slowdown. General Mills (symbol GIS ) is a prime example. The maker of Betty Crocker,...

Seven ETFs for This Market

Steven Goldberg, Contributing Columnist, Kiplinger.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Many of the exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded notes being marketed these days make about as much sense for your finances as an all-nighter at the craps tables in Atlantic City. For example, DB Commodity Double Short ETN promises to give you twice the inverse of the daily moves in prices of a...

A Fund That Does It All

Andrew Tanzer, Senior Associate Editor, — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The investment world seems to grow more convoluted by the day. Sector funds proliferate. Sponsors of exchange-traded funds issue ETFs of increasingly narrow scope (and dubious merit). What if you could simplify things and merely make a one-investment decision?

Portfolio Doctor to the Rescue

null — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Ever wonder whether your portfolio is on track? Not sure whether your investments make sense? Each month, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine provides a reader with a financial makeover to ensure they're on track to meet their goals. Below, check out our recent Portfolio Doctor columns, each...

A Stock Fund That Rarely Loses Money

Elizabeth Ody, Staff Writer, — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

By and large, you're better off avoiding empty gimmickry of investments that overpromise, such as securities that guarantee they will never lose money (they usually don't make any, either) or funds that swear to double the market's gains (and that also happen to triple its losses).

Don't Write Off This Mortgage Insurer

Ilana Polyak, , — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

One way to empty a crowded theater: Shout the word mortgage. So imagine how hard it is for an insurer -- even one with two other business lines -- to shake the taint.

Lawsuit Threatens Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Jane Bryant Quinn — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Just when you thought that the drive toward better financial accounting couldn't be stopped, a stick may be shoved into the spokes. A decision expected soon from a federal court might throw the Sarbanes-Oxley Act into limbo. The law, also known as SOX, is essential to the movement for accurate an...

Taming Costly Vet Bills

Thomas M. Anderson — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Keeping your furry friend happy and healthy may not be as easy as you think. Medical bills and pet insurance can be expensive but necessary.

Keep the House, Especially When You Can Afford It

Knight Kiplinger — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Q The value of our family's home, bought at the peak of the housing market two years ago, has declined so much that we've lost all our equity, and it's now worth less than the mortgage. But the fixed-rate monthly payment hasn't changed, and we can comfortably afford it.

How to Side Step Some Charges When Renting or Buying a Car

Jessica L. Anderson — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Kiplinger's Personal Finance shows you how to avoid the most annoying fees and save thousands of dollars a year

Work Out a More Manageable Payment for Medical Treatment

Elizabeth Ody — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Lighting a metaphorical fire under a hospital or other medical provider could prompt it to slash a few zeroes from your bill.

How Long Can Gold Shine?

Post — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Financial crisis, slowing economy, rising inflation -- what a perfect recipe for a boost in gold prices and shares of gold-related companies.

Mortgage-Finance Flops

Post — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

How bad has it been for mortgage-finance firms and thrifts? Of 168 publicly traded companies, 95 percent suffered stock declines in the past year through Tuesday, which was before last week's bounce. Nine of the stocks were trading at less than $1. Among the worst hit: Radian, a provider of...

More Anecdotes, Fewer Numbers

Post — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

After a hectic week of economic news, it's time for a breather. This week should be far less busy than last week's combination of inflation data and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's testimony on Capitol Hill. Instead, we get a week highlighted by a report with essentially no numbers in it...

Betting Against Wall Street's Bears

Anne Kates Smith, Senior Associate Editor, — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Short sellers sometimes elicit strong opinions among investors. The practice, in a nutshell, involves selling borrowed shares, which the short seller hopes to replace later at a lower price. Because short sellers profit when stocks fall, critics often demonize them as nothing more than nattering...

Come Chat With Me

Michelle Singletary — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:34:13 EDT

Join me today at noon ET to talk about your personal finance crisis or the one imploding outside your home.

A Helping Hand for Harried Homeowners

Michelle Singletary — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America is doing something that should have been done a long time ago.

A Seasoned Fund Manager

Andrew Tanzer, Senior Associate Editor, — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

It's refreshing to hear the views of grizzled money managers, veterans who have invested money through innumerable market cycles. Jim Moffett, who has 35 years of investment-management experience under his belt, says today's situation reminds him of the early 1990s. "It took three to four years to...

Keep Your Estate Planning Out of the Dog House

null — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Penn National: A Better Bankroll

Thomas M. Anderson, Associate Editor, — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Some bets are just too good to be true. Such was the case with the failed buyout of regional casino operator Penn National Gaming (symbol PENN ) by two private equity firms for $67 per share, or $8.9 billion. The market never took the offer -- announced at the height of merger mania -- seriously,...

What to Know About Your Accounts

Post — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Consumers have lots of questions about their bank accounts in light of the troubles at IndyMac and other institutions. Staff writer Nancy Trejos sought some answers.

T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Value Reopens

Andrew Tanzer, Senior Associate Editor, — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Yet another venerable fund has reopened its doors to new investors. After being shut for six years, T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Value quietly began accepting new money in May.

Fannie and Freddie: A Run on the Bank?

Fred W. Frailey, Editor, — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not banks. But like most financial companies, they stand or fall on public trust -- and right now, fewer and fewer people are confident that the two government-chartered mortgage-finance companies can survive on their own.

Creditors Garnishing Protected Funds

Michelle Singletary — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The reports just keep coming that consumers are still having difficulty paying their debts.

Feed the Beast on the Cheap

Mark Solheim — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Here are a few simple steps to help you cut the cost of keeping a full tank.

Weak Economy Benefits Value-Minded Kroger

Ilana Polyak — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

A recession means more dinners at home in front of the TV and fewer nights on the town at the swankiest eateries. With more people trading their dinner menu for a bag of groceries, Kroger (symbol KR), the nation's largest supermarket chain, is reaping the benefits.

How to Dial Back High Cellphone Charges

Amy Bickers — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Kiplinger's Personal Finance shows you how to avoid the most annoying fees and save thousands of dollars a year.

Is It Time to Feel Upbeat About The Trampled-Down Mortgage Giants?