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Monetary Influence

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Joan Goldwasser, senior reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance discusses how the current economy is affecting major decisions consumers are having to make every day.


Comments

  • [1] Andy from Williamsburg October 07, 2008 - 10:49AM

    Mort Zuckerman says he has all his money in treasuries. Is this a smart move for someone with a fairly modest (~100k) IRA?


  • [2] rae from flatbush October 07, 2008 - 10:50AM

    Q: I "drip" money into a mutual fund, every other week. Seeing the fund's value plummet over the past several weeks, it seems counter-intuitive to continue to invest. But I should continue to drip into this fund, yes, b/c I'm buying low now and looking for long-term growth?

    2nd Q: I need to roll over a 401(k). What should I roll it into???

    TX!


  • [3] Lenny from Kew Gardens October 07, 2008 - 10:50AM

    As a young professional in my mid-twenties, I am watching my 401k and IRA fund shrink and shrink (mind you, it's a pretty shallow bucket). Do I have to worry too much about this for my long term retirement?


  • [4] Isa Gouverneur from brooklyn October 07, 2008 - 10:52AM

    My husband and I have 130.000 Euros save and we would like to know if it is a good idea to bring the money here, buy an apto now.

    What is the best way to invest the money.

    thank you


  • [5] Ed from westchester October 07, 2008 - 10:54AM

    1 month treasury bills are yielding .43% this morning. you can put your cash in a NY State tax free municipal money market fund at almost 5% yield. thats the equivalent of a 7.5% yield on a taxable basis. no brainer.


  • [6] hjs from 11211 October 07, 2008 - 10:54AM

    if u want to gamble go to atlantic city


  • [7] Chris from Manhattan October 07, 2008 - 10:55AM

    Did Ms. Goldwasser say the FDIC is now ensuring all deposits up to $250,000? or just retirement accounts, as it always has? In either case, how does one know how well-insured one's bank is? Some banks buy insurance beyond what the FDIC offers. How would I know if mine does?


  • [8] Graham from Paris October 07, 2008 - 10:56AM

    How about the Republican conservatives' former urgings that the only way to secure our Social Security system is to privatize it and allow everyone to invest for their retirement in such safe growth placements as the stock market?

    Would this be a good time to put all the retirement funds in the stock market as the conservative economic geniuses (such as R. Reagan and John McCain) have called for?


  • [9] Guy from Bangkok October 07, 2008 - 11:11AM

    Money market mutual funds are not insured.


  • [10] Alvin from Manhattan October 07, 2008 - 11:13AM

    Joan Goldwasser made an error regarding FDIC insurance of money market funds. Only those funds that participate (i.e., pay the insurance premium) will be covered. Last I read, Vanguard and Fidelity are NOT participating. (Charles Schwab, among others, IS.) Some of their funds invest mostly in Fed paper, so they're quite safe. However, some do not. Check whether your money market fund is insured. If not, read the prospectus. The funds have until Oct. 8 to sign up for FDIC coverage.


  • [11] hjs from 11211 October 07, 2008 - 11:21AM

    [7] Chris from Manhattan

    "the FDIC is now ensuring all deposits up to $250,000? or just retirement accounts, as it always has?"

    that changed with the bail out bill last week.


  • [12] Alvin from Manhattan October 07, 2008 - 11:32AM

    BULLETIN: Vanguard has now decided to participate in the Treasury Temporary Guarantee Program for its money market mutual funds. (This came across the wire 2 minutes after my prior post.) Vanguard money market mutual funds WILL be covered under the program. Fidelity still has not announced participation. They have until tomorrow. (I erroneously referred to this as FDIC coverage. It's a separate Treasury program.)


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