Mutual Funds For Dummies »

Eric Tyson is a nationally recognized personal finance counselor, writer, and lecturer. He is the bestselling author of For Dummies books on personal finance and investing.

Pick the best funds, assemble and maintain your portfolio, and evaluate your funds' performance

Looking for a trusted resource to help you add mutual funds to your investment strategy? With straightforward advice and a plethora of specific, up-to-date fund recommendations, personal finance expert Eric Tyson helps you avoid fund-investing pitfalls and maximize your chances of success.

• Meet mutual funds — get an introduction to mutual funds and follow along financial housecleaning tips to get your personal finances in order
• Know your options — discover the many fund-investing options out there and gain the know-how to decide which is right for you
• Pick a winner — find out which funds and fund companies are worth investing in and get helpful advice on the best venues and avenues for buying funds
• Fine-tune your portfolio — explore the basic strategies of portfolio construction and start building your portfolio to include mutual funds that match your specific financial goals
• Stay ahead of the pack — maintain your portfolio, evaluate your funds' performance, and keep current with the best mutual fund information sources

Open the book and find:

• Important investing concepts
• Why you should opt for mutual funds
• Where to find the best funds
• Open-end vs. closed-end funds
• Sample portfolios
• How to avoid fund-investing pitfalls
• When to enlist the services of an advisor
• Which financial "gurus" to avoid
• Common fund problems and how to fix them

Learn to:

• Plan and implement a successful investment strategy that includes mutual funds
• Find the best-managed funds that match your financial goals
• Avoid fund-investing pitfalls
• Select among mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investing options

Foreword.
Introduction.
How This Book Is Different.
Conquering Fund Confusion.
Getting the Most from This Book.
Part I: The Why and How of Mutual Funds.
Part II: Establishing a Great Fund Portfolio.
Part III: Maintaining a Great Fund Portfolio.
Part IV: Evaluating Information and Advice.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Appendix.
Icons Used in This Book.
Part I: The Why and How of Mutual Funds.
Chapter 1: Investments Primer.
Chapter 2: Mutual Funds: Advantages and Disadvantages.
Chapter 3: Alternatives to Mutual Funds.
Chapter 4: Fitting Funds into Your Financial Future.
Chapter 5: How to Pick Great Funds.
Chapter 6: Where to Buy Funds.
Part II: Establishing a Great Fund Portfolio.
Chapter 7: Constructing a Portfolio.
Chapter 8: Money Market Funds: Funds That Beat the Bank.
Chapter 9: Bond Funds: When Boring Is Beautiful.
Chapter 10: Stock Funds: Funds for Longer-Term Needs.
Chapter 11: Working It Out: Sample Portfolios.
Chapter 12: Application, Transfer, and Other Useful Forms.
Part III: Maintaining a Great Fund Portfolio.
Chapter 13: Evaluating Your Funds: Sell, Hold, or Buy More?
Chapter 14: Understanding Yucky Tax Forms for Mutual Funds.
Chapter 15: Common Fund Problems and How to Fix 'Em.
Part IV: Evaluating Information and Advice.
Chapter 16: Fund Ratings, Gurus, and Still More Funds.
Chapter 17: Computers and Mutual Funds.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 18: Ten Developments in the Mutual Fund Business.
Chapter 19: Ten Negative Fund-Investing Thoughts to Overcome.
Chapter 20: Ten Questions More Fund Investors Should Ask.
Chapter 21: Ten Issues to Consider Before Hiring a Financial Advisor.
Appendix.
Index.
Book Registration Information.