| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| acquisitions | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I was surprised the other day when Cadbury’s stocks went up so much after they refused the offer ...
A: Loretta, this isn't specific to Kraft/Cadbury but in general Company A can only buy Company B if ...
|
| stick or steal? | 9/9/2009 |
Q: Have a hundred or so shares of Varian, Inc. stock and just found out they're being bought out by ...
A: this is a good topic - if you own stocks long enough eventually you have one that's taken out. I ...
|
| How many credit cards are good to keep. | 8/16/2009 |
Q: i am coming to US, i don't know any thing about credit cared, But i want to know how many credit ...
A: MK, for most people, one or two credit cards is enough. And really you only need a second if you ...
|
| Margin | 8/15/2009 |
Q: Can you buy stock on margin when dealing with a private stockbroker?
A: Frankie, I'm not sure what you mean by a "private stockbroker" (are you from outside the US?). In ...
|
| Investing 101 | 7/20/2009 |
Q: I've always had an interest in investing because I think its important to plan for the future. This ...
A: Sorry for a slow reply, been on some travel. I'll comment first on Social Security then get on to ...
|
| Looking for Delta stock | 5/26/2009 |
Q: My Mother who is 92 years old and having difficultly remembering things,has said in the past,she ...
A: Dave, that's a tough one to track down. My best suggestion is to check with the unclaimed-property ...
|
| bankruptcy | 5/10/2009 |
Q: if a company emerges from bankrupcy will i still own my shares?
A: Dan, in nearly all bankruptcies the original stock is canceled as part of the final bankruptcy ...
|
| gains on stock | 3/31/2009 |
Q: Say I have shares of company A that I've had for years with an original net price of $1000. ...
A: Rod, sorry for a slow reply - tax season. You need to confirm this for each merger/acquisition ...
|
| Selling stock as a custodian | 3/30/2009 |
Q: My children have shares of stock of which I am the custodian. Where I hate being in the position of ...
A: This question can get complicated but I'll try to point you in the right direction. Generally the ...
|
| Wash Sales | 2/18/2009 |
Q: I am trying to make sure I understand the wash sale rule correctly as the examples available always ...
A: Ron, this sounds like a tax exam question! Did you really do these purchases? Regardless here's how ...
|
| WAMU Shares Held By Mellon | 2/16/2009 |
Q: I have (had) shares in WAMU and participated in the divident reinvestment program. I have been ...
A: Jack, the IRS allows you to recognize a loss on your tax return in a year that you sell stock at a ...
|
| hello | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I want to be a stockbroker, but realize they also do things like IRA's and such. However, my main ...
A: misskitty, if you're interested in things like stock trading, commodities and hedging techniques ...
|
| Company buyout to 401k and stocks | 12/3/2008 |
Q: I have 401k and stocks in financial company that is being purchased by another. I have received ...
A: So this is the unusual case where Company B is a) your former employer b) the company being acquired ...
|
| Company buyout to 401k and stocks | 12/2/2008 |
Q: I have 401k and stocks in financial company that is being purchased by another. I have received ...
A: Tammy, it's hard to tell without knowing the specifics but in general, when Company A acquires ...
|
| proshares ETF SSO | 11/25/2008 |
Q: If The ETF SSO (which is the ProShares Ultra S&P500 which seeks daily investment results, before ...
A: Brad, there are two questions here, I'll answer your main one first and then answer one you didn't ...
|
| Stocks | 11/21/2008 |
Q: What happens to the stock that one owns if a company goes into bankruptcy? Example GM Ford
A: Don, it's like clockwork - I always get bankruptcy questions here when the possible bankruptcy of a ...
|
| Stock issued by old employer | 11/21/2008 |
Q: I have in my possession an employee stock ownership plan certificate that says I have 49.561 shares ...
A: Jeanette, this is a tough one. If this is just a record of an ESOP, rather than a stock certificate, ...
|
| Stock price | 11/20/2008 |
Q: Could you please tell me your thoughts on how price is determined for any stock in a given market. ...
A: Sorry Jim, I hadn't looked at these sites in awhile - used to be easier to find things there. Here ...
|
| GM stock | 11/20/2008 |
Q: What happens to my GM stock if they file bankruptcy?
A: Michael, each bankruptcy is different but in the typical Chapter 11 reorganization (which is more ...
|
| Stock price | 11/17/2008 |
Q: Could you please tell me your thoughts on how price is determined for any stock in a given market. ...
A: Jim, great question, it's a fascinating topic especially at times like this when the markets ...
|
| step up in basis for marital deduction trust | 11/14/2008 |
Q: From a marital deduction trust set up in the early 60's, the stocks are inherited in 2006 at the ...
A: VO, this is a question to ask a tax/estate attorney in your home state. The answer depends in part ...
|
| Purchase of Preferred Stocks | 10/27/2008 |
Q: As a retired investor seeking income I have been thinking of purchasing preferred stocks. I can keep ...
A: Mel, that's a really good question. Preferred stocks and similar securities can work well as part of ...
|
| how to change stock in a non ira to an ira | 9/30/2008 |
Q: I have a few shares of alcoa stock... I would like to take my ira allowable contribution using my ...
A: Dorothea, IRA contributions need to be in cash, so you'll either need to sell that stock or find ...
|
| Wamu and Stocks. | 9/16/2008 |
Q: I have my stocks in an IRA account at Wamu Investments Inc. My stocks are a combination of Mutual ...
A: Bankruptcy of an IRA custodian should not result in losses for IRA owners, but you should read a bit ...
|
| When or, how to buy? | 8/28/2008 |
Q: Let's say you see every indication that a large company will be closing part of it's facility and ...
A: Dave, if I understand correctly you believe a large company is going to relocate some of its ...
|
| % drop on value stocks | 8/2/2008 |
Q: I remember hearing about a formula to consider when deciding to sell value stocks. The advice was ...
A: A sell rule based on "stock dropped X%" is entirely specific to the trading system or strategy, so I ...
|
| Coca Cola Stock | 7/15/2008 |
Q: In the 80's my high school accounting class was learning about stock and our teacher helped us ...
A: That's a tough one. I'm going to guess that the way your teacher had you purchase stock was through ...
|
| crude oil futures | 6/17/2008 |
Q: One of the concerns I have, about the high cost of gasoline, is its relationship to the cost of ...
A: The Economist had a good piece on this in the May 29 issue, you may be able to get it online for ...
|
| Borden Stocks | 6/12/2008 |
Q: After my dad passed away, I found some stock certificates from Borden Dairy. Where do I go to find ...
A: I believe Borden Dairy became a privately held company in the 1990's. If so, your father should have ...
|
| Stocks | 6/11/2008 |
Q: I am new to the stock market. I know at some point I will sell some stock. What percentage does the ...
A: Joey, I'll give an overview and point you to some info from the IRS that describes it in gory ...
|
| tax on stock merging | 6/7/2008 |
Q: I desperately need your help! I forgot to file a merge in my 2006 return. In 2006 Company B ...
A: By way of background...those figures on your 1099B, the gross proceeds from sales, are reported to ...
|
| $ vs Re | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I'm from India.Does the value of the Rupee go up each time the Dollar depreciates,and ...
A: Yes, that's true by definition..."dollar depreciates" would mean "rupee appreciates." But that's ...
|
| SEP and 401(k) | 5/7/2008 |
Q: I have a full time job that offers 401k plan. I also have 1099 income. I'm planning on setting up ...
A: Magdalena, There's a general concept with retirement plans called the "separate employer" principle; ...
|
| LLC Stock Certificates | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I had a quick question, if you know the answer or could tell me how to find it I would appreciate ...
A: Holly, I don't think seals are required with LLCs, but you need to confirm that by researching the ...
|
| Stock Split | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I was looking into a stock, and was wondering if I'm doing the right calculations. I wanted to make ...
A: The answer depends on what you're using for a data source. Two examples: If you're looking it up in ...
|
| Stocks | 5/4/2008 |
Q: Can you please explain to me how stocks work? I know it is a broad question, but I expect a broad ...
A: OK, I'll take a stab at a broad answer: Stocks are ownership stakes in "publicly held" companies. ...
|
| U S Airways Group | 4/23/2008 |
Q: I'm administering my mother's will, she has a TDAmeritrade account that contains 500 of UAWGQ that ...
A: Thomas, the "Q" at the end of the ticker is an indicator the company was in bankruptcy. If it was ...
|
| Reviewing Private Investments Financials | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I own shares in a Private Nevada Corp which I believe is not providing accurate financial ...
A: This is actually a pretty complicated legal question. The answer varies depending on the state, the ...
|
| stockbroker-investment advisor difference | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I am a finance grad BBA trying to decide what to do. What is the difference between being a ...
A: That's a good question. It's impossible to summarize all the applicable securities law in a quick ...
|
| American motors corp | 4/12/2008 |
Q: When i was born I was given 1 share of AMC in 1975. In 1987 AMC was bought out by Chrysler. the NY ...
A: If as you've indicated AMC was bought by Chrysler at $4.00/share, meaning it was a cash merger (not ...
|
| Valuation | 3/26/2008 |
Q: I am a value investor. My level of investment knowledge is MBA finance and Investments graduate. I ...
A: That's a good question but a tough one to answer in a quick post -- it goes to the essence of why a ...
|
| Long term | 3/19/2008 |
Q: I would like to know in your opinion a few stocks to invest in for long term (2-3) years. With the ...
A: Sorry for the slow reply, I've been traveling the past week. I don't (and can't) give out any ...
|
| CIL | 3/17/2008 |
Q: If I receive cash in lieu of a fractional share but do not receive a 1099-b is it safe to assume the ...
A: Lanny, I've found that custodians don't always report CIL on 1099B and I'm not sure why the ...
|
| wash rule | 2/29/2008 |
Q: Does the 30 day "wash " rule apply to options or short sells? Is it strictly applied only to equity ...
A: Bill, that's a tricky question, because there are multiple scenarios where the wash rule comes into ...
|
| earnings play | 2/29/2008 |
Q: Ok I am registered, but my question is getting bland answers all over the board. hours or minutes ...
A: The problem is that you can never identify the stocks that are going to move 20-30% around the ...
|
| earnings play | 2/27/2008 |
Q: Ok I am registered, but my question is getting bland answers all over the board. hours or minutes ...
A: I think I need a little more info here...what's your thesis about stock price movements around ...
|
| 401(K) to IRA to ETF? | 2/27/2008 |
Q: My husband changed jobs in 2006, leaving his 401(K) acct at his old company.There is a sizable amt ...
A: Yes, it makes a difference, because your trade sizes are that much bigger for a $360k account, so ...
|
| 401(K) to IRA to ETF? | 2/22/2008 |
Q: My husband changed jobs in 2006, leaving his 401(K) acct at his old company.There is a sizable amt ...
A: Good question, you're hitting on a lot of good topics about retirement accounts. Yes, after you ...
|
| preferred stock | 2/22/2008 |
Q: Tad, Would like your thoughts on GM or Ford preferred stocks that yield around 7.5% for safety. I ...
A: I can't give specific securities recommendations here but let me give some general info that I hope ...
|
| More CALPINE | 2/15/2008 |
Q: I'm not an investor...but have a few extra bucks to dabble with. I see ordinary shares of CALPINE ...
A: When a ticker ends in a "Q" it means the company is in bankrutpcy proceedings. That usually, but not ...
|
| question about Calpine | 2/4/2008 |
Q: i bough a lot of Calpine stock and recently the company file for bankruptcy , do you know anything ...
A: In most, but not all, bankruptcies, the original stock is canceled so it becomes worthless. You'll ...
|
| Where is my stock? | 1/29/2008 |
Q: My mother wants to sell her shares of stock she owns in a particular company but she doesn’t know ...
A: That's a tough one. If the last brokerage firm she held the stock through was that one that failed, ...
|
| IRA | 1/29/2008 |
Q: Could you please tell me if there is a difference in a mutual fund investment opposed to an ...
A: Dividend reinvestment for stocks (at no cost) has become pretty common, but check with your ...
|
| hedge fund | 1/18/2008 |
Q: I am 22 years old, for the past couple months during my college break I have been investing in ...
A: From your research you've probably learned that "hedge fund" describes an investment pool's legal ...
|
| Social Funds | 1/3/2008 |
Q: I am a recent college grad looking to put my bonus income into a mutual fund that targets companies ...
A: You are going to get a very cynical answer from me, so you might want to ask some other people for ...
|
| stocks | 12/27/2007 |
Q: how do i buy stocks at an early age (is it feasible)like at the age 17.and am interested in the ...
A: Sorry for the delay, I didn't see your follow-up question until today. I'd start with the Tobias ...
|
| SEP vs. self employed 401K | 12/27/2007 |
Q: I am not clear about whether I should do a SEP IRA or self employed 401K. I estimate that I will ...
A: That's a great question and very timely, I've been setting up a lot of solo-ks lately. It really ...
|
| stocks | 12/18/2007 |
Q: how do i buy stocks at an early age (is it feasible)like at the age 17.and am interested in the ...
A: I don't think you'll be able to do that until you're at least 18 - as a minor you probably won't be ...
|
| Stocks | 11/11/2007 |
Q: how are you doing? There a few stocks I would like to get more information on. I have went to the ...
A: There are dozens of free web sites that provide historical charts longer than a year. Yahoo Finance, ...
|
| invested with financial advisor. | 10/5/2007 |
Q: I invested a total of 50,000.00 with my financial advisor for 2 businesses. 25,000 went to CUWorld ...
A: A lot isn't adding up here. What type of advisor is this, what company does he work for? Did you ...
|
| TWA Stock | 9/17/2007 |
Q: I owned stock in TWA before it went bankrupt. Now my account shows a stock called TWAIQ. What is ...
A: When a company files for bankruptcy the stock is assigned a ticker with "Q" at the end which is ...
|
| stock | 9/2/2007 |
Q: Okay i am going to be 18 on the 4th of September. My cousin told me that my grandmother has had ...
A: Well it's up to your grandmother to tell you about it! She probably wants to wait for the right time ...
|
| Stock Analyst | 8/27/2007 |
Q: Borek, I believe that my question may be concerning becoming a stock analyst, but I am not for ...
A: As I'm sure you know that's a big question but let me get you pointed in the right direction. First ...
|
| stocks | 8/26/2007 |
Q: I have been looking at stocks like Yahoo, Walmart, Coca Cola etc. And it seems to good to be ...
A: A useful concept to learn about is "survivorship bias" and it relates to your question. You've ...
|
| general investment questions | 7/30/2007 |
Q: I came across a seminar being taught in New York that claims to give people strategies to turn $3000 ...
A: Always beware the fast-buck stories! Total nonsense. Look, if there was a way to turn $3k into $80k ...
|
| Rule 405 and Customer Risk Level | 7/21/2007 |
Q: I have read a number of articles about Rule 405 or Suitibility Rules for investing. All say ...
A: I'm assuming you're "the client" here? If you're the registered rep, my answer is "ask your ...
|
| Lucent stocks | 7/18/2007 |
Q: My aunt moved in with me and we found a certificate for 94 shares of Lucent stock. She doesn't ...
A: Yes, it's worth something but it'll be a bit of a hassle to cash it in. Lucent merged with a ...
|
| Stock Custodian | 7/6/2007 |
Q: My husband has 80K in stock at BB&T in NC, which his grandfather gave him for his collage. He is ...
A: I don't know what state your in but this should be uniform across the US...if it was an UGMA/UTMA ...
|
| Custodian | 6/12/2007 |
Q: I'm a recent RIA looking for a new custodian with a low minimum ($2MM-more soon, I hope). I'm with ...
A: Hey Ferris- I'm with Fidelity these days, I don't know what their minimums are but I read recently ...
|
| investing strategies | 5/31/2007 |
Q: I am writing to see if you know of independent research or case studies that compare different ...
A: I'll hit on the high points and you can re-post with any follow-ups. Generally, yes - there have ...
|
| purchasing | 5/27/2007 |
Q: I am an American trying to purchase several Asian stocks. They are only listed on their own ...
A: As you've found it's difficult to trade stocks that aren't listed on the US exchanges and that don't ...
|
| Market all-time highs and inflation | 5/5/2007 |
Q: I remember that years ago I would be bothered by claims of the market hitting an "all-time high" ...
A: That's a great point and good for you for catching it. Index values are always reported in "nominal" ...
|
| personal portfolio | 4/27/2007 |
Q: I recently began accruing funds in a bank account. It has grown to about 20k, thanks to some gifts, ...
A: Sorry for the delay, it's my busy time of the year. Sounds like you've done the hardest step which ...
|
| Wash Sale rule | 3/25/2007 |
Q: I have a hard time understanding the wash sale rule for the following situation. I buy 100 shares of ...
A: Hey Toby- What you described is technically a wash sale but should not have any tax effect. Your ...
|
| stocks & taxes | 3/9/2007 |
Q: I have been buying small amounts of ONEOK stock since 1998. In today's market that investment is ...
A: There are two issues here...knowing your cost for the purpose of seeing whether an investment has ...
|
| Custodial Accounts, Taxes and Withdrawls | 3/5/2007 |
Q: My parents set up custodial accounts for my three children who are 10, 7 and 5 years old. Now I am ...
A: I don't know what state you're in but the general rule for custodial accounts is that withdrawals ...
|
| Different Stock Exchanges & Stock Trading | 2/13/2007 |
Q: Why do the stocks of some companies trade on two different stock markets, New York Stock Exchange ...
A: I haven't followed this too closely. A few years ago several companies decided to dual-list. I think ...
|
| Investment Adviser | 2/8/2007 |
Q: I am looking for the classes and the legal steps that need to be taken to start getting involved ...
A: The way I practice is as a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor, and it's my own business. This ...
|
| Investment Adviser | 2/6/2007 |
Q: I would like to know what I need to do to become an investment adviser. Thank you for you time. ...
A: That's a big question...just to clarify, are you wondering about the background/education that's ...
|
| Stock certificates, splits | 1/25/2007 |
Q: Greetings. I have two mysteries to solve for my aunt (who has some memory problems). (1) - What ...
A: I'd suggest contacting Sprint's investor relations department and posing the question. Just dig ...
|
| Stockbrokers | 12/31/2006 |
Q: Im currently studying Business at University in the hope of fulfilling my ambitions of being a ...
A: Where are you? US, Canada, or UK, or somewhere else? I'm asking because you said "at University" ...
|
| Lucent merger | 12/14/2006 |
Q: but I'm a bit confused. Seems like I lost money. I bought 610 shares of Lucent at $1.61 a share ...
A: Hope you're enjoying the holidays. It sounds like you've made some money on this one. You should ...
|
| Lucent merger | 12/6/2006 |
Q: I own 610 shares of stock in Lucent (LU) which recently merged and became Alcatel-LucentADS (ALU0. ...
A: Sorry for the delay. You received shares of the ADS in the merger but it wasn't 1:1. From the Lucent ...
|
| Getting started | 11/30/2006 |
Q: You have been very helpful. I have one more question in regards to Life Insurance policies. How ...
A: Linecia, OK so I blew it on replying quickly again, sorry! Insurance is a complicated topic...many ...
|
| dividends | 10/20/2006 |
Q: If I own a stock beyond the div ex-date but sell it prior to the div pay-date; what becomes of the ...
A: Sorry for not answering sooner, I just saw this question. You'll receive dividends even if you've ...
|
| DELTA | 10/13/2006 |
Q: I own stocks from Delta, what should I do, should I sell them now or wait after the restructure. Can ...
A: I don't follow Delta so don't know what their bankruptcy reorganization plan leaves for current ...
|
| where to start | 10/3/2006 |
Q: I want to get a better return than a money market. My mutual funds have lost so much I am leary of ...
A: It sounds like you might want to use different mutual funds! When you say you've lost money - when ...
|
| 1 million to invest | 8/25/2006 |
Q: I will have a winfall of around 1 million due to a sale of a business. I am 41 now, and have never ...
A: As I'm sure you'll understand, that's much too complicated a question to have answered on an ...
|
| Return Percentage | 8/19/2006 |
Q: Here is a link to a Q/A with Buffet and a Jayhawk Finance Club. Apparently he once made a guarantee ...
A: Well there you go, Warren Buffett saying he guarantees he could hit 50% returns. He certainly ...
|
| Stock Buy backs | 8/18/2006 |
Q: After reading your article about 'why companies buy back shares', I would like to know where do I ...
A: I don't know of a single source that would list companies and their buy-back plans. I typically come ...
|
| Return Percentage | 8/17/2006 |
Q: The expert in question was Warren Buffet, although there have been others claiming the same I did ...
A: Well even oracle-of-Omaha Warren Buffett hasn't put in 50% annualized returns! The last summary I ...
|
| Return Percentage | 8/8/2006 |
Q: Mnay experts claim to be able to achieve at or around 50% annual return on stock investments as ...
A: Sorry for the slow reply, I was on vacation. What experts are you speaking of? I'd be highly ...
|
| Rate of Return | 7/26/2006 |
Q: I'm looking for both individual stocks and a portfolio of bonds and stocks (ETF's mostly). It's my ...
A: OK, few things to get on a piece of paper, then it's pretty easy in Excel. First take your starting ...
|
| Which is better for me: individual stocks or mutual funds? | 7/25/2006 |
Q: I will soon start investing very small amounts of money. For purchasing small ...
A: When you're starting with smaller amounts like that, a mutual fund provides a great deal of ...
|
| Rate of Return | 7/21/2006 |
Q: what is the formula for determining the rate of return I'm getting on my stocks? Thanks.
A: Before I spout off a bunch of unnecessary math - just to clarify - are you trying to figure out your ...
|
| Delta Stock | 7/14/2006 |
Q: Delta (DALRQ)currently sells for .63 a share. I understand the "Q" means they filed for bankrupcy. ...
A: You're correct that the "Q" means Delta is in bankruptcy, and you're also correct that Delta stock ...
|
| Efficient Market and Hedge Funds | 7/8/2006 |
Q: It seems to me that most who have studied the issue find that the Efficient Market (Random Walk) ...
A: I think you hit the nail on the head. A hedge fund manager is able to invest using some strategies ...
|
| Investing a windfall | 7/4/2006 |
Q: I am selling a rental home and should have about 20k after capital gains and paying off some debt. I ...
A: First, it sounds like you may be under the impression that you're required to put in $4k/year - ...
|
| Commissions on stock purchases with a full service broker | 6/24/2006 |
Q: What is a reasonable rate of commission to pay for a stock sale with a full service brokerage ...
A: There's a pretty wide range on that, and the price of the stock can factor into it also. I haven't ...
|
| Establishing value of an old stock certificate | 6/22/2006 |
Q: Mr. Borek, My wife located an old stock certificate in her deceased father's files. The ...
A: Sorry for the late reply, I've been on vacation. I went to the Simmons web site and clicked on ...
|
| starting a stock?? | 6/19/2006 |
Q: you may not be able to help me here, and im only 18 but anyways... what is a stock? and like where ...
A: Sorry for the late reply, I've been on vacation. Stock is a share of ownership in a company. There ...
|
| Stock Factors. | 6/6/2006 |
Q: I want to know what are the things that really determine the actual value of certain stocks. I don't ...
A: That's a great question. When you step back and think about it, stock markets exist (and have high ...
|
| stock | 4/30/2006 |
Q: We have 230 shares in Western Company of North America is it worth anything?
A: I have no idea, I'm not familiar with the company. I just searched on google for "WESTERN COMPANY OF ...
|
| finding my stocks | 4/27/2006 |
Q: I used to work for walt disney world about six years ago, and while there, i took part in their ...
A: Eric, Your best bet is to call the HR department at your old employer Disney and ask where the ...
|
| Inheritance Step-Up | 4/12/2006 |
Q: Tad I have just become aware of a disturbing rumor. Currently, when stocks are transferred through ...
A: I think the best way to put it is that it's "in the air" because the estate tax scheme is most ...
|
| need to sell | 4/10/2006 |
Q: I own 2 mutual funds. One has about $12,000 in it and the other has about $16,000 in it. The one ...
A: When I make this kind of decision for a client, what I look at first is the basic asset-allocation ...
|
| inverse yield curve trading strategy | 3/29/2006 |
Q: Is there a trading strategy that takes advantage of the inverted bond yield curve?
A: The inversion of the yield curve is very small, it's more of a flat curve (oxymoron alert!). In a ...
|
| Personal Info to Brokerage Firm(s) | 3/24/2006 |
Q: I've been reading your answers and the questions and I hope I can word my question intelligently and ...
A: That's a good question (does rule 405 require updating that info?) and I don't know the specific ...
|
| Sectors | 3/14/2006 |
Q: I have been reading and listening to podcasts about investing and I understand the basics of ...
A: That's a good question. The answer varies a little depending on whose sector definitions you want to ...
|
| how to buy stock? | 3/3/2006 |
Q: I am a high school student wanting to start investing my money from part time job on stock. I want ...
A: The best way to get started is to use mutual funds instead of buying stocks individually. A mutual ...
|
| Limit Orders | 2/20/2006 |
Q: Tad: Good Morning! Jim "Mad Money" Cramer is always talking about how investors should use limit ...
A: I go back and forth on that. There's certainly some sense to it. On the buy side of things, putting ...
|
| stock information for school report | 2/16/2006 |
Q: 1. If the stock market would to crash again, what do you think would happen? 2. Have you ever been ...
A: ..OK I'll take a stab at this: 1. If the market were to crash, it would eventually rise again. ...
|
| Wash Sale Further Insight | 2/15/2006 |
Q: Does the wash sale rule extend "backwards in time" as well as to future purchase after taking a ...
A: Yes, the rule actually describes a 61 day period during which you could potentially have a wash ...
|
| Broker Viability | 1/31/2006 |
Q: Tad: I have a brokerage account with a low cost broker....Scottrade. Apparently the firm is ...
A: That's a good question, I get it here from time to time. Every brokerage firm is heavily regulated ...
|
| Getting started in stocks | 1/30/2006 |
Q: At the time of my retirement 4 years ago, I was heavily invested in company owned stock. Shortly ...
A: That's a pretty complicated question! It'd help if you gave me some follow-up info... First - ...
|
| class action paperwork | 1/12/2006 |
Q: Mr. Borek: My portfolios (biz and personal) used to be with two major full-service brokerage ...
A: I don't know the answer to that. As an investment advisor I can submit things on my clients' behalf, ...
|
| Inverted Yield Curve | 1/8/2006 |
Q: Tad: It's been awhile. Hope you're well. Econ is back in session, so I'll probably have a few ...
A: Inverted yield curve...this is one where I think the common-sense explanation is the best...let's ...
|
| Gold stock investment | 1/6/2006 |
Q: I have a question regarding an investment in a gold stock. Will gold continue to rise? And will PCFG ...
A: I truly wish I knew whether gold was going to continue rising because I could make a killing with ...
|
| General stock question... | 1/5/2006 |
Q: Mr. Borek: My father recently passed away, and in going through his papers we found a stock ...
A: Few possibilities here...easiest is to call your broker, if you have one, and ask him to look it up. ...
|
| Timing of Selling Stock | 11/4/2005 |
Q: I want to sell some of my Microsoft stock, held in a taxable brokerage account before the end of the ...
A: To avoid too many scenarios I'll assume you've held MSFT more than one year, and that it's worth ...
|
| Need help | 10/26/2005 |
Q: Borek, I know very little about stocks. I have a problem. My mother is in a nursing home (84 yrs ...
A: Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been laid up with the flu. It should be relatively simple to ...
|
| Forecasting Free Cash Flow | 9/28/2005 |
Q: Tad, I'm a beginning investor and I've recently been studying valuation methods put forth by various ...
A: You know, some of the best questions come from beginners - you haven't gotten worn down by years of ...
|
| Military stocks | 9/25/2005 |
Q: I am planning to make an investment in military stocks. I'm a beginner but I have an idea that it ...
A: It's always riskier to invest in a single industrial sector, regardless of whether it's defense ...
|
| related securities on acquisition | 9/24/2005 |
Q: What happens when a stock has several issues that trade in various countries is merged/acquired? ...
A: Did you research those two examples? This is something that varies depending on the deal. I've seen ...
|
| tax break on dividends | 9/9/2005 |
Q: I've been considering buying a Vanguard mutual fund which invests in dividend paying stocks. This ...
A: Wish I knew the answer to that one. You're correct that the special "qualified dividend" tax rate ...
|
| wash sales | 9/7/2005 |
Q: i understand that if one sells a security at a loss it cannot be rebought for thirty days, or it ...
A: In figuring out whether there's a gain or loss, yes, you count commissions in the transactions, both ...
|
| penny stocks | 8/14/2005 |
Q: So what do you recommend to a person that knows little about the stockmarket?I know nothing about ...
A: Sorry for the delay, I've been traveling. I really think reading a lot is the best way to learn. ...
|
| penny stocks | 8/9/2005 |
Q: I know nothing about the stock market but Im thinking of investing in peeny stocks. I dont know ...
A: My advice is...I strongly encourage you to avoid penny stocks entirely! Investing in stocks is ...
|
| Stock splits | 8/3/2005 |
Q: When a company does a stock split, what happens if you are not a "stockholder of record" when the ...
A: I agree, the descriptions of the key dates around stock distributions and dividends can be ...
|
| NTA | 7/25/2005 |
Q: What exactly is Net TANGIBLE Assets? Why are they "tangible"? Does it mean "if the company had to ...
A: That's a pretty complicated question, so here's a long answer. First, keep in mind that all of ...
|
| Pixar stock | 7/19/2005 |
Q: You answered a question for me about Pixar stock a few months ago. I'm still interested in ...
A: First, I don't give any specific investment advice through this site (and it's not a stock I ...
|
| Roth IRA Conversion | 7/4/2005 |
Q: Tad: Thanks for the response on the royalty trusts. My question today deals with Roth IRA ...
A: Yes, you can convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA even after age 70 1/2, in whole or in part. You ...
|
| Royalty Trusts | 6/29/2005 |
Q: Tad: Hope your summer is going well! What do you think of royalty trusts as an investment, both ...
A: Is it summer vacation for you? I don't remember what kind of school you teach at. I think a lot of ...
|
| company info | 6/26/2005 |
Q: I was wondering if you know of any free websites that offer information on a company's earnings, ...
A: Paul, There are plenty out there...try for example http://finance.yahoo.com Type in any stock ...
|
| need some direction | 6/23/2005 |
Q: I was married for 13 years and my husband did all the financials. I have been divorced now for a ...
A: That 6-month rule of thumb isn't written in stone, it's very general. The point is that you don't ...
|
| After Hours Trading | 6/7/2005 |
Q: Can you explain how after hours trading works? I'm just wondering, it seems to me that a lot of ...
A: Institutional investors (eg mutual fund and pension fund managers) have for a long time been able to ...
|
| stocks insurance demutualization | 5/25/2005 |
Q: I hope you can answer my question. Blue Cross Blue Shield was bought by either anthem or trigon and ...
A: I'm not familiar with the specifics of the demutualization you're talking about, but when it happens ...
|
| Brokerage Accounts | 5/23/2005 |
Q: Which would cost more annually for an investor with an IRA if he had the account with a full-service ...
A: This lends itself to an "essay question" answer not an a-or-b answer, there are too many variables. ...
|
| Financial Market | 5/13/2005 |
Q: I apologize in advance for such a short notice. I am helping my child on a paper that I was made ...
A: I don't give out homework answers here, but I'd be happy to give some suggestions so your child can ...
|
| US economy in trouble? | 5/11/2005 |
Q: I am writing to get your take on the fiscal stability of the US in the next 5 years given the high ...
A: Erik! How have you been? I'm assuming there's only one Erik Heerlein out there. Hope all's well. ...
|
| Pixar stock | 4/19/2005 |
Q: OK, this is probably going to be a really stupid question, but why does Pixar's stock suddenly seem ...
A: You may have read about this by now, but Pixar just had a stock split. These are common when a stock ...
|
| Oil | 4/15/2005 |
Q: I'm wondering about investing some money in Exxon. I have not tried to buy stocks before but ...
A: As a general rule I think it's too risky to buy a single stock, regardless of the stock. From a ...
|
| Increasing Interest Rates and Banks | 3/28/2005 |
Q: Tad: Thanks for the answer about rebalancing the portfolio. My question for your today is about ...
A: Boy I blew this one! Totally forgot about it, got busy, etc. I follow some bank stocks and I don't ...
|
| Elliot Wave | 3/28/2005 |
Q: "Sir ... I am doing a study on the "Elliot Wave" as a technical indicator and want to know as ...
A: I'm probably the wrong person to ask this because I just don't believe in these kind of indicators. ...
|
| Rebalancing | 3/24/2005 |
Q: Tad: How are you? As I begin to discuss investing with my Economics students, I was wondering ...
A: Good to hear from you, all's well here in SF. There are a few different approaches to rebalancing. ...
|
| stocks in companies bought out | 3/14/2005 |
Q: Great information, thanks NOW one more quick question...can one buy stock in any increment or do you ...
A: Sorry for the delay, just saw your follow-up Q. In case you didn't find out some other way by ...
|
| stocks in companies bought out | 3/14/2005 |
Q: We're considering buying some K-mart stock but have heard rumors that they are being or are going to ...
A: Certainly, you shouldn't buy K-mart without understanding what's going on with them and Sears, it's ...
|
| Updating Rule 405 Information | 2/25/2005 |
Q: Tad This may not be exactly the kind of question you normally get, but I cannot find any AllExpert ...
A: The rule itself may be hard to read...try this, go here: http://www.sec.gov/rules/final/34-44992.htm ...
|
| Updating Rule 405 Information | 2/21/2005 |
Q: Tad This may not be exactly the kind of question you normally get, but I cannot find any AllExpert ...
A: That's a good question and I don't think there's an easy answer. I'll say in advance the usual ...
|
| beginner | 1/20/2005 |
Q: Yes, here is my info: Age: 30 Occupation: MD Level: Yes, regrettably zero, Money 101 is still new ...
A: I think the responsible thing for me to say is: as a doctor you're going to be much better off ...
|
| beginner | 1/20/2005 |
Q: I want to learn about the Stock Market and how to trade and buy and sell. I heard that this can ...
A: Asad, The easy part is opening an online brokerage account, you can do that with five minutes and a ...
|
| discount brokers | 1/20/2005 |
Q: Tad, I am going to try to manage more of my money myself because I am tired of paying the high fees ...
A: Depends what you're looking for - I'll run through a couple I have some experience with. A lot of ...
|
| Stratergy | 1/19/2005 |
Q: Borek, I am a 3rd yr. commerce student at university of toronto. we have a investment challenge ...
A: It cracks me up - I get questions like this every few months - how in the universities they run ...
|
| Utility Stocks | 1/17/2005 |
Q: Tad. What do you think of REITs as an investment: 1) in general? and 2) in the current environment? ...
A: Good questions, long answers! I use REITs to some extent in most of my clients' portfolios, ...
|
| Utility Stocks | 1/13/2005 |
Q: Tad: How are you? I'm starting stock market investing a little earlier this year with my Econ ...
A: I think there are two big factors at work. First, keep in mind that it wasn't just Enron that was ...
|
| Newbie | 12/23/2004 |
Q: As someone just begining, I have read that I should open a "C" corp. to provide myself with a ...
A: Where on earth did you read that? You create a C corp if you want to start a business, and you ...
|
| Class B Stock | 12/18/2004 |
Q: Tad Due to a recent spin-off, I have become the owner of a number of shares of "Class B" Common ...
A: Usually different common-stock share classes have different voting rights. Perhaps the Class B can't ...
|
| investing in mutual funds | 12/12/2004 |
Q: I have recently started investing in an investment company Edward jones. I see in my statements that ...
A: Few things to clear up here... First, Edward Jones is a brokerage firm that sells all sorts of ...
|
| An Idea about my 401K | 12/12/2004 |
Q: I hope you can answer this. I work for Fidelity National Title. The symbol for my company is FNF. ...
A: I don't follow your company but it sounds like your idea is to buy the stock for the purposes of ...
|
| Investing for young people | 12/6/2004 |
Q: Mr. Borek: What do you think are some important investment strategies for new college graduates as ...
A: The thing to keep in the back of you mind is that getting financially secure relies on a very simple ...
|
| short selling | 11/14/2004 |
Q: I have been warned over and over about the dangers inherent in short selling.My idea is to short ...
A: ...you asked... "Follow UpThanks for your response. Why do you say"you need to be right about the ...
|
| Social Security & Private Accounts | 11/11/2004 |
Q: Is it a wise investment decision to invest part of the Social Security contributions into private ...
A: Well this isn't a question anyone will need to address for awhile, it's just a proposal at this ...
|
| short selling | 11/10/2004 |
Q: I have been warned over and over about the dangers inherent in short selling.My idea is to short ...
A: As you've learned a risk factor of shorting any security is that in theory its potential gains are ...
|
| KMart | 10/13/2004 |
Q: since the re-structuring of Kmart, will the Old Kmart stock ever possibly be worth anything?
A: No, I believe the old Kmart stock was cancelled in 2003 as part of the final bankruptcy proceeding. ...
|
| personal invesrment firms | 10/5/2004 |
Q: I am getting to old {80} to spend hours each day on my computer checking stocks etc for investing. ...
A: Sorry for the delay, I was having trouble logging into the site for a few days. Fee-based ...
|
| How to be a stock broker | 10/4/2004 |
Q: I would like to become a stock broker, but first I need to know what classes I should take. Do I ...
A: Are you in school right now and if so, what year? You become a stock broker (the legal term is ...
|
| short term investing | 10/3/2004 |
Q: What stocks do would you recommend for short term investing? I have a stock project for a class and ...
A: When you do a short-term stock picking project for a class, where the point is to make a lot of ...
|
| Buy-back Follow-up and Splits | 9/3/2004 |
Q: Tad: Thanks for the repsonse about buy-back programs. I was just curious because I hear Larry ...
A: I don't know what Kudlow's beef is but there are some down sides to a buy-back. Basically, take the ...
|
| Stocks | 8/30/2004 |
Q: Hopefully you can help me out. I have a small amount of money around $1,000 - $1,500 I want to ...
A: Yes, whenever you trade a stock you pay a commission and at the discount brokers that'll range from ...
|
| Stock Buy backs | 8/25/2004 |
Q: Tad: How are you? How is everything San Fran.? My question today is about companies buying back ...
A: SF's great, we're starting the best time of year, when the fog clears and the sun shines. Our summer ...
|
| How to buy stocks | 8/6/2004 |
Q: Since you're a fellow SF resident I thought I would ask you this question. I'm afraid it's very ...
A: Sorry for the delay, I'm pretty sure I answered this before but it looks like the server dropped ...
|
| Beginning to invest in shares | 8/3/2004 |
Q: Hey, I am a TOTAL beginner who wishes to start investing in shares that I'm interested in. I have ...
A: Well you don't typically buy shares FROM a company, you buy them though a brokerage firm. So to buy ...
|
| self funded 401k | 7/17/2004 |
Q: I currently work as a union employee(Ihave a pension), I also contribute weekly to a self funded ...
A: I definitely don't think 401k plans are a waste of time, even if they don't have employer match for ...
|
| Investment Strategies | 7/16/2004 |
Q: I need your assistance in identifying a notable investment strategy or investment model in the ...
A: Steven, Thank you for your question, that's an interesting one. I looked at your site and have been ...
|
| splitting stock | 6/24/2004 |
Q: I bought GTech stoch (GTK) a while back at 29.00/share. It is now worth about 50.00/share. There ...
A: Stock splits are non-events from an accounting perspective. They're simply a decision by the company ...
|
| Stock spinoffs | 6/16/2004 |
Q: The one thing I am still not sure of is with regard to your response: "Now the hard part, basis ...
A: Do you not work the allocation based on the original cost instead of the values of the parent and ...
|
| Buying many stocks | 5/25/2004 |
Q: I'm a complete novice and finding learning quite daunting. I have about 20+ stocks that are all ...
A: There are some services that do something like what you're describing, like Folio and Sharebuilder. ...
|
| Mutual Fund Investing | 4/24/2004 |
Q: Is it better to invest in one mutual fund, something like a fund-of-funds mutual fund, than to ...
A: It's important to keep your eye on total costs but for smaller investments (less than say ...
|
| A little confused by MSFT's earnings report. | 4/24/2004 |
Q: Mr. Borek, I am an amature investor. I have had a position in MSFT for about 6 months. Could you ...
A: I'll try to answer this in general terms rather than anything specific to MSFT. It took me a long ...
|
| Young Investors | 4/23/2004 |
Q: Tad: I apologize for asking another questions so soon after the previous. I am wrapping up ECON ...
A: Yes I think the best track to send someone on is a broad-market mutual fund, preferably a low-fee ...
|
| Spreads and Interest Rate Hedging | 4/23/2004 |
Q: Tad: How are you? Two questions if I may. 1) Can you explain the spread in stock prices to me - ...
A: 1) yes, that's right - there's a different price for buying and selling. The exact market mechanics ...
|
| Funding an investment | 4/13/2004 |
Q: There is a major online company has tentative plans to offer an IPO. Possibly sometime this year ...
A: Matthew, If you work at Google (my guess) then you may have opportunities to participate in the IPO. ...
|
| How will the impending split affect EXC? | 4/12/2004 |
Q: I am a young, amatuer investor. I do have a strategy which is loosely based on O'neil's CANSLIM ...
A: I don't follow Exelon but if you Google around a bit you'll find several studies of the effect of ...
|
| Deflation | 4/12/2004 |
Q: Tad: How are you? Can you help me answer a question that a student asked me recently? I answered ...
A: Quick break from the tax returns...I think the main reason deflation is bad is because of the effect ...
|
| first time to buy a stock | 4/10/2004 |
Q: I a college student and I thinking of buying one or two stocks of a company that I've chosen. I'm ...
A: You should check around at the different online discount brokerage firms to see which would suit ...
|
| online brokerage firms/taxes | 3/18/2004 |
Q: Could you refer me to some resources to learn more about stocks, and investments. Also, how do most ...
A: Big question there! And the answer depends on what kind of course work you've had already and how ...
|
| stock | 2/22/2004 |
Q: I have a stock that the PE ratio was -45. Is this a bad stock because its such a high minus instead ...
A: If the P/E is negative then the concept of P/E doesn't really have any meaning. That just means that ...
|
| College Savings | 2/22/2004 |
Q: Tad: How are you? A colleague of mine is about to have her first child and has been hitting me up ...
A: Sorry but that's getting way too specific and it's a pretty complicated question. Not surprisingly I ...
|
| After Hours Trading & Mutual Funds | 2/20/2004 |
Q: I want to thank you for your reply. With all of the current controversy pertaining to mutual funds, ...
A: Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. For funds involved in the scandals, where it seems they ...
|
| After Hours Trading & Mutual Funds | 2/19/2004 |
Q: Why is it discouraged for mutual fund companies to trade after hours, and how does this activity ...
A: I'm assuming you're talking about the late-trading problems that the regulators are investigating. ...
|
| Why is (Nasdaq:BAMM) dropping? | 2/12/2004 |
Q: I'm a novice investor long on BAMM for about 4 weeks - it is currently down almost 20%. My research ...
A: I don't follow BAMM but I my answer doesn't really depend on the specific stock. I suspect not many ...
|
| Roth vs. 403(b) | 2/7/2004 |
Q: Tad: I was engaged in a conversation with a colleague of mine yesterday. He was asking me about ...
A: Yes I'm getting caught up on my AllExperts questions today! I'm a big fan of Roths, and think ...
|
| Tad:
How are you? It is... | 2/6/2004 |
Q: Tad: How are you? It is back to teaching Economics this semester, so I may be a more frequent ...
A: I'm not much of a currencies expert but I think some broad forces are clearly part of the effect. ...
|
| Investment Strategy | 2/1/2004 |
Q: I will give you a little information about myself and maybe this will be of use to you in possiblly ...
A: I think my best advice is to visit the web site www.vanguard.com and read their information about ...
|
| dividends & capital gains | 1/26/2004 |
Q: How do you account for reinvested dividends & capital gains,that you have paid taxes on over the ...
A: Do you mean mutual funds, rather than stocks? Either way, in a taxable account the reinvestments ...
|
| Stocks | 12/11/2003 |
Q: I have like $200 and I'm saving to buy a car. I still have about a year before I get my license and ...
A: This one's easy...if you've got $200 right now and you're saving up for a car, stocks don't figure ...
|
| Company filed Chap 11/No info | 9/11/2003 |
Q: I own stock in a company called Com21 (cmto). From what I heard, that company filled for Chap 11. ...
A: I know nothing about Com21, but here's the approach to use on stock in bankrupt companies... First, ...
|
| mutual fund company or the local bank | 9/1/2003 |
Q: I have some money that I have set aside that I wanted to invest for the long term(10 yrs), in an us ...
A: When indexing it's important to focus on costs...the funds, otherwise, by definition should be the ...
|
