In the last two years, I've been writing columns as the Mole for CNNMoney.com and Money Magazine, with the goal of helping the consumer make informed decisions, and of making financial planning a profession rather than a sales job.

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:11:28 EST

Question: I'm 57 and planning to retire at 66. Before this year's stock market turmoil my 401(k) was balanced at 70% stock mutual funds and 30% bond funds. Now it's 59% stock and 41% bonds. To take advantage of very low stock prices I was thinking about re-balancing to 75% stocks and 25% bonds. Does this sound like a good plan or should I just re-balance to 70% and 30%?

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:55:28 EST

On a recent frosty morning, as I was reading the mail and cradling a mug of hot coffee, I noticed a beautiful envelope on my desk. It was an invitation to an all-expenses-paid course at an exclusive warm-weather resort. While there, I could learn how to earn a 9% commission by selling clients an investment that offers stock market returns without any risk of losing money.

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:15:23 EST

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.

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:55:47 EST

At a financial-planner conference earlier this year, I spotted a session called "ETFs: Are Your Clients Investing Without You?" I had to go. We advisers are well aware of the advantages of exchange-traded funds: broad diversification, low costs and a slim tax bill.

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:36:19 EST

Question: Financial advisers always know our net worth and investments, but we never know what they are invested in. What are the Mole's investments?

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:37:13 EST

Question: My wife and I are looking into getting some financial advice. Our bank says they offer free services through their financial adviser. This worries my wife because she thinks that the adviser will push the bank's agenda. Is it safer to go with an individual adviser, or is going with one with a bank just as easy? The Mole's Answer: I'm going to go with your wife on this one. But this doesn't mean that the individual unaffiliated adviser is going to do anything different. Every adviser, including yours truly, has an agenda to push.

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:13:21 EST

When new clients come to me, I ask them a few questions about risk. One is "What would you do if the value of your stocks fell by 50%?"

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:27:59 EST

I get a lot of e-mails assuming that I'm undercover out of fear that my peers will attack me. Fear has nothing to do with it. If I were afraid of scathing e-mails from other advisers, I wouldn't publish an e-mail address on this column. I can live with being unpopular.

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:05:25 EST

Question: I hear the market is a good bargain right now, but I'm still very nervous about losing my money. Is there a way to get some market returns without taking so much risk?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:22:01 EST

Question: I'm meeting with a financial planner for the first time. Can I expect to get some specific advice, or just a sales pitch? Will I need to sign an agreement?

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:07:28 EST

Question: I know market timing is a loser's game. However, I do think there is abundant evidence that the next 12-18 months are going to be very difficult for equities. Do you see any merit in trimming some equity holdings, parking the proceeds in short-term bonds or cash, and committing to immediately dollar-cost averaging back into the market on a monthly fixed schedule?

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:47:21 EDT

Question: I'm a 57-year-old dummy that had a nice nest egg of $805,000. My brokerage firm assigned a certified financial planner (CFP) to me, who made some costly mistakes, but I stayed with him. This CFP left and the replacement adviser told me the CFP had done some unethical things. He then put me into other investments that went down and have penalties. Now, no one will return my calls. Does this sound like unethical behavior? What should I do?

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:14:02 EDT

Question: Stocks always come back, until they don't! How long will an investor who invested in the NASDAQ at 5000 wait to break even, including inflation? 50 years? Or longer? Do you really think investing in stocks is a good idea?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:31:33 EDT

Question: I have had several money managers over the years from Merrill Lynch, to UBS to currently Wachovia. I am paying a fee of about 1% on average but am sure there are other fees that I don't know about. I'm not sure this is working. What should I do?

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:20:42 EDT

Question: I listen to some weekend radio shows and they confuse me. I'm not sure if I should take their advice or turn my money over to them. What are your thoughts?

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:37:23 EDT

Question: I know I am not the only one worried, but I have my money in stock mutual funds. I was wondering if I should take them and move what I have left to a regular CD getting a small percent. I am very nervous as I am sure the world is but I feel I keep getting the same answers, leave it and it will come back. But it seems like our economy is in such a mess I don't want to lose it all.

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:09:26 EDT

Question: What is your opinion of brokerage-managed accounts? Are these separately-managed accounts a good way to have your money managed?

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 04:42:38 EDT

Question: How do I view Social Security and my pension as a part of my overall financial picture?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:17:06 EDT

Question: Over the past ten years, the stock market has gone nowhere and a buy-and-hold strategy only makes advisers rich. There is plenty of money to be made by buying the dips and selling the rips. Why don't you advise others to do this?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:52:58 EDT