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A hot coffee stock that won't cool down

08.06.09

Is the daily indulgence of Starbucks and McDonald's coffee replaceable? High-flying shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters seem to indicate so.

The number of people who have created entirely new categories in retailing can probably be counted on one hand. Getting old brings a host of changes. Achy knees. Way more time to play bridge. And, occasionally, the tendency to make unwise money decisions. A few entrepreneurs are exploring a novel solution to the problem of finding affordable health care for themselves and their staff: Swap for it.



Max. It. Out. Of all the personal finance rules -- diversify your portfolio, pay down high-interest debt first -- perhaps no single piece of advice has been so widely touted as this: The key to financial security is putting as much money as you can into your 401(k). After all, what other retirement savings vehicle is portable, benefits from an employer match, provides a tax deduction, and allows the average clock puncher over the course of a career to rack up a seven-figure nest egg? Now that General Motors has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, car shoppers might figure they're about to get screaming deals on GM cars and trucks. In an era of specialization, world allocation funds take on a challenge that verges on hubris: All it requires is deep expertise in stocks, bonds, and other securities in virtually every market on the face of the earth.

Question: I believe that along with a recession comes a great opportunity to invest and make significant long-term gains. I'm under 30, I contribute to my 401(k) plan and I'm willing to take risks. What are my best options in today's market? --Lyle, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

When the kids need to support mom and dad, how should they divvy up the expenses? Money's ethicists weigh in. Health-care costs are pinching just about everyone. You feel it every time your co-pays and deductibles go up, and you feel it in your paycheck - rising employer premiums are leaving less money for salaries. Medicare is on its way to financial disaster within a decade. And 46 million Americans are without health insurance.

Our collection of five funds and five ETFs provides broad diversification and leaves the hard work to some of the savviest managers in the business. Question: I'm 49 and my wife is 50. We agree on most things, except how much of our investment portfolio we should keep in cash. She is completely risk-averse and focuses only on the "spanking" we took in the market last year. I feel that by letting so much money sit in CDs earning 1% to 2% we're missing out on better opportunities. Currently, we've got about $500,000 in cash as part of an otherwise well diversified portfolio. Can you help me convince her to take half that money and buy into some dividend-paying blue chips? --Garry, Atlanta, Georgia Question: In your article in the January issue of Money, you recommend buying total market index ETFs. But I don't find being able to trade ETFs like stocks throughout the day to be an advantage for me. For example, if I buy the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF I will have to pay commission when I buy and sell, whereas I can buy their Total Stock Index mutual fund with no fee. I don't understand why ETFs are better than mutual funds.



After a tough 2009, you may be looking for some help in getting 2010 off to the right start financially. Unfortunately, finding objective, affordable, individualized advice from a live person can be a challenge. As the 10th anniversary of the bursting of the tech bubble is upon us, you've probably read a slew of stories about what an awful decade this has been for stocks.

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