Investor IQ

Investor IQ: Date: 01/09/2010

Part 1 : Listen Investing Investing for yield? Don't be short-sighted.
Part 2 : Listen Investing Investing for yield? Understand "payout ratios."
Part 3 : Listen Money Saving Tips A few money-saving tips...

Investor IQ: Date: 12/26/2009

Part 1 : Listen Investing Trust preferred securities ... high yields ... with a bunch of potential drawbacks
Part 2 : Listen Investing More about trust preferred securities and the associated risks / Royalty trusts ... what they are...
Part 3 : Listen Investing Royalty Trusts ... what you ought to know about them before you take the plunge

Investor IQ: Date: 12/19/2009

Part 1 : Listen Credit Reports, ID Theft & Junk Mail How to protect yourself ...
Part 2 : Listen Credit Reports, ID Theft & Junk Mail Tips about Web surfing, ATM use, "free" credit reports that aren't, and opting out of junk mail.
Part 3 : Listen Credit Reports, ID Theft & Junk Mail Opt out of junk mail and "freeze" your credit profile instead of wasting money on credit monitoring services.

Investor IQ: Date: 12/12/2009

Part 1 : Listen Social Security Survivors' benefits
Part 2 : Listen Talking Heads & Dangerous Advice Beware the "blanket recommendation" (& a bit about Fed policy tools).
Part 3 : Listen Fed Policy The Fed drops clues about unwinding the stimulus.

Investor IQ: Date: 12/05/2009

Part 1 : Listen Tricky Investment Products Is your broker charging you twice? Learn how to figure it out.
Part 2 : Listen Social Security Need more money? Consider a retirement benefit "do over!"
Part 3 : Listen Social Security Spousal benefits, divorcee benefits, & cost-of-living adjustments

Investor IQ: Date: 11/28/2009

Part 1 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Universal life ... a complex solution to a simple problem
Part 2 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Universal life ... beware the policy "illustration"
Part 3 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Universal life ... that flexibility may work against you and your insurance agent does NOT represent you! / A bit about a major investment risk that gets no press: Sequence of Return Risk

Investor IQ: Date: 11/21/2009

Part 1 : Listen Social Security Civil servants may have reduced SS benefits (& a cautionary word about advisor credentials)
Part 2 : Listen Advisor Credentials / Ethics Stockbrokers are licensed to SELL securities, not render investment ADVICE. They're often referred to as "producers" because they're judged by how much they sell. Stockbrokers' and insurance agents' licenses are obtainable after a short period of study and are in no comparable to professional credentials. Also beware that brokers and agents represent their employers, not you!
Part 3 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Problems with "whole life" insurance.

Investor IQ: Date: 11/14/2009

Part 1 : Listen Bonds Even "safe" bonds may be loaded with risks. Credit risk may be obvious, but beware of reinvestment rate risk and interest rate risk.
Part 2 : Listen Bonds Understand how changes in interest rates affect bond prices. Persistent federal budget deficits may point to rising interest rates.
Part 3 : Listen Economics & Investing Rising deficits, the falling Dollar & some of the implications to investors.

Investor IQ: Date: 11/07/2009

Part 1 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Life Insurance on Children? Probably not!
Part 2 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities Cash Value Life Insurance … the myths
Part 3 : Listen Life Insurance & Annuities More life insuance myths... Impaired risk annuities … for the ill ...

Investor IQ: Date: 10/31/2009

Part 1 : Listen Estate Planning Joint tenancy ... some pitfalls...
Part 2 : Listen Investing Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) versus traditional mutual funds
Part 3 : Listen Investing ETFs versus traditional mutual funds. Ever wonder why your broker-sold fund has an "A," "B," or "C" appended to the end of its name? It provides a clue as to how your broker gets paid!