If you are fed up with early redemption charges and ever increasing mutual fund management fees on top of bad-performing fund managers, read on. There is a quiet revolution going on in the no-load mutual fund industry and you, the individual investor, may benefit from it greatly.

I am referring to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), which have been around for years, but have grown tremendously since their inception. There are currently over 100 choices with around $10 billion in assets.

In a nutshell, an ETF is a specific kind of no-load mutual fund that you might consider to be a basket of stocks. ETFs are diversified like mutual funds, only they trade like stocks. They are cheap to trade (as low as $8.00) and don?t hit you with any short-term redemption fees. And they offer investing opportunities across the board.

ETFs track every index under the sun including the S&P 500, the Nasdaq 100, The Russell 2000 and many others. Available through any discount broker, they basically fall into one of three categories: broad-based U.S. indexes, sectors and international.

The have esoteric names such as iShares, StreetTracks, HOLDRs and SPYDRs. The difference is in the index they are tracking and the company marketing them. You will see big name companies offering them, like the American Stock Exchange, Barclay?s Global Investors, Vanguard, and State Street Global Investors.

In my newsletter I track the currently most appropriate ETFs for you to consider. For more detailed information you can visit these web sites:

www.nasdaq.com

www.amex.com

www.ishares.com

In addition to inexpensive trades and no short-term redemption fees, how else can ETFs save you money vs. no load mutual funds? One way is on their annual management fees. That fee for ETFs is in the area of 0.45% vs. 1.5% on average for no load mutual funds. The fees charged by discount brokers are so low they almost can be disregarded, usually less than 0.1% of the transaction.

For example, I have used ETFs for some managed account clients during my last Buy cycle, which started on 4/29/03, and paid $27 for a $28,000 order ? and that wasn’t even with the cheapest discount broker.

So, if these ETFs are so great, why hasn?t your broker or financial planner recommended them to you? Simple! Brokers, and those advisors working on commissions, don?t make money on ETFs; no commissions up front or hidden on the back end. It’s simply not in their interest to promote them.

With all the positives for the investor, there is one disadvantage, which may not be applicable to you unless you are a hot shot no load mutual fund picker. It is that in any given economic environment really super performing mutual funds can outperform the indexes, but an ETF can never outperform the index it?s tied to. You would need to look at your own investment record to know whether this is a downside for you.

Here?s a real life example from my advisory practice. My trend tracking indicator signaled a Buy on 4/29/03. Based on my momentum indicators I chose 5 no load mutual funds and 4 ETFs. Over the following 3 months my ETFs gained anywhere from +10.02% to +22.36%, while my no load mutual funds gained from +9.15% to +36.35%. If you?re fortunate enough to make a superior selection you will outperform an ETF. Of course, that presumes you picked a very successful fund as compared to only a moderately successful ETF.

A word of caution! Just because ETFs are cheap and easy to buy doesn?t mean they will guarantee you a profit. You can lose money with them just as easily as you do with no-load mutual funds. You still need to make sure you have a disciplined methodology in place to help you get into and out of the market. If you don?t, you?re gambling no matter what you invest in.

Having gotten the disclaimer out of the way, hopefully these insights into ETFs will broaden your perspective on ways you can prosper in your investments.

If you are still in mutual funds, listen up. Because if you are a reasonable person, you will want to run to the login screen of your online brokerage and look for proof to what I am about to reveal to you. ETFs offer downside risk protection no mutual fund can match.

It is a difference that could cost you thousands in your investment or retirement portfolio.

Okay, maybe you do not HAVE thousands in your investment accounts. If you are just starting to invest your money, pay particular attention my friend. The following page should make your decision between an ETF (exchange traded fund) and a mutual fund clear enough to make an investment decision or take corrective action if necessary.

Here are some basics.

ETFs and mutual funds are similar in that they both hold baskets of securities. A balanced mutual fund can hold bonds, stocks, T-bills and some cash. An ETF is essentially derived from stocks but takes on many forms.

Before I tell you about the potential mistake that could cost you thousands, here are the important differences between ETFs and mutual funds:

* Mutual funds are actively managed by a person who gets paid by people like us usually from the money that WE give him to manage. ETFs are purchased by us and can be bought and sold all day long with few restrictions and almost no minimums.

* Mutual funds charge 2% or more between loading and maintenance, whereas ETFs typically charge between .5 and 1%. Mutual funds usually have no transaction fee. Brokerage commissions must be paid when purchasing an ETF.

* Mutual funds incur capital gains even though no distribution activity (money back to you) takes place. ETFs usually find a way to avoid these taxable events. This is a significant advantage for an ETF and worse, it is not always clear to the investor how and when it happens.

* Mutual funds mitigate risk by sometimes holding cash in anticipation of a down stock market. ETFs are not actively managed, therefore, YOU the investor and purchaser of the ETF must account for this risk when you decide to buy them. Position sizing is one important consideration with an ETF purchase to manage this particular risk.

Here we go now. The biggest mistake you can make in your decision to allocate to mutual funds or ETFs is to overlook one HUGE advantage an ETF holds over the mutual fund:

* STOP-LOSS order: This is a tool you can employ to nail-down a floor beneath which the price of your ETF cannot fall. You arrange this with your broker or click a button if you are investing with an online brokerage. NO SUCH PROTECTION IS AVAILABLE with a mutual fund. And do not expect your fund manager to point this out.

This tactic can stop the bleeding if things really go wrong with the stock market. Better yet, you can set the stop loss and put it on automatic.

This is proactive management of your money, not merely active.

Whether you are just starting your investment portfolio or are a qualified investor you will want to keep yourself informed about the risks and strategies inherent with each class of personal financial investments. It is now possible to acquire a comprehensive library of knowledge on personal finance in audio format if you know where to look.

Carefully consider the point of view of any financial adviser with whom you seek counsel: Is the person carefully considering your future plans for your job or business before advising you?

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By nature Mutual Funds are not tax saving instruments but some mutual fund investment products also offers tax saving plans. Generally income that is earned from Mutual funds is categorized under two heads dividend and capital gains. Given that the tax implications can have a significant impact on the return earned it is necessary to understand the tax for both these heads of income. Income earned through dividends is tax free in the hands of the investor. The tax on most occasions is actually paid by the Mutual Fund Company itself. Investors who fall in the highest tax bracket should opt for the dividend option in mutual fund schemes. Capital gains from mutual funds are of two types – short term (1-3year) and long term (more than 5 years). This classification is based upon the period of holding. If the investment is sold within a year 15 days from the date of purchase, any capital gain made would be treated as a short term nature. Hence the tax deducted will be normal. If the mutual fund investment is sold after a year from the date of purchase, any capital gain made during that period will be treated as a long-term capital gain. Here the tax that would be deducted will depend on how long the investment is kept after a year prior to getting it sold. The longer the fund is kept the lesser the tax to be paid.

A Good Fund that could be used to invest upon is the equity linked saving schemes fund (ELSS). They are strong favorites for investing as they provide tax concessions on investments and are also exempt from long term capital gains tax. Apart from ELSS schemes, diversified equity schemes are a good investment considering that capital gains in equity funds below one year are taxed at a rate of 10% and over a year are tax-free. This option can be best exercised using Growth Funds. The primary objective of Growth Funds is to provide investors long-term growth of the capital invested. Dividend paid in Dividend Plans

In the next few minutes, you are going to learn the steps to implement a fund raising idea that can raise significant cash within a very short time frame. As opposed to simply asking donors to dig deeper into their pockets, this fund raising idea provides tax and increased income benefits to the donor. If you are involved in any facet of nonprofit fund raising, you can use this technique, for example, to buy or pay off the church organ, add another kennel at the local animal shelter or add a room on to the private school.

Three Steps to Funding Your Project

1. Select an insurance agent

This fund raising idea involves annuities; annuities can only be placed by a licensed insurance agent. I would suggest selecting an insurance agent from outside the organization. Look for agents with the CLU, ChFC or CFP professional designations.

My experience is that you are asking for trouble if you try to use an insurance agent who is on your board or active in your cause. Chances are there are several insurance agents to choose from and you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Resist the temptation to spread the business among several agents, as you want to keep things simple.

Having been in the insurance business for 35 years, here is my rationale: If any agent within the organization expects to earn the commissions resulting from this fund raising idea, they should have brought the concept to the organization long ago.

2. Communicate the Fund Raising Idea

Prospects for this fund raising idea are senior members of your organization support group. They should be age 70 or older. The older the donor is, the greater their benefit.

Here is a simple outline of the fund raising technique.

a. A person donates cash or a highly appreciated asset.

b. If an asset is donated, your organization sells the property and pays no tax on the sale.

c. A portion of the sale proceeds purchases a single premium immediate annuity on the life of the donor.

d. Your organization keeps the difference and can immediately fund your need.

e. The donor receives an income tax deduction, which can be spread over 6 years if necessary.

f. The donor also receives a guaranteed life income. The rate of return that the income represents is normally much greater than they have been receiving.

g. The net result is that the donor receives an income tax deduction and increased income benefits. Your nonprofit receives immediate cash.

The agent can assist with presenting this fund raising idea to your constituents. That is his or her forte. Many types of media can be used to communicate the idea; for example, a mailing, a post on your web site, a seminar, or an audio CD outlining the benefits.

3. Set Up the Simple Administrative Procedure

Mechanically, this is how the entire fund raising idea flows:

a. Your organization uses the cash or the proceeds from the donated asset to buy a single premium immediate annuity on the donor. A simple letter is usually required, signed by the donor, to establish insurable interest. A one-page agreement, which complies with the laws of your state, outlines each party’s obligations.

b. Each month your organization receives a check from the insurance company for each donor.

c. Your organization could endorse these checks over to each donor or you could issues separate checks. The process is very simple. It is just a couple of new line items in your accounting system.

Summary

You may recognize this fund raising idea as a charitable gift annuity. Many national nonprofits have gift annuity programs. However, most small nonprofits do not. This is the power and simplicity of this fund raising idea. It is simple, straightforward and your organization receives funds immediately upon the completion of each transaction.

National gift annuity programs do not fund your program immediately. Furthermore, national programs do not realize any gain until the person dies and then the gain goes into their coffers, not your organization’s.

If you are involved in a charter school, a church or any nonprofit, here?s how the numbers could work out.

Let’s assume there are 500 supporters and this fund raising idea applies to just 2%, or ten individuals. Further, assume that the range of donations is between $10,000 and $50,000, with the average being $25,000.

This would bring in $250,000. The cost of the immediate annuities will vary by age, but let’s assume this cost is $125,000. That puts $125,000 in your organization’s pocket.

This fund raising idea appeals to the average person. The donor benefits financially in two ways: a tax deduction and a guaranteed life income. Moreover, they get to see the end result of their gift. Your organization receives a large influx of cash quickly to fund a pressing need. This fund raising idea is a win-win for everyone.

If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any length of time, you undoubtedly have faced the question of which is better: Load Funds or No Load Funds. If you are new to investing, “load” simply refers to the commission paid to the broker selling the fund. “No load” means there is no commission on the purchase or sale.

Most discussions in the past have centered exclusively on performance comparisons. Even rating services like Morningstar have occasionally chimed in with their opinion. However, rather than focusing only on performance, there are some other issues I consider far more important:

1. Who is selling load funds and why?

2. Who markets no load funds?

3. Which one is right for you?

Who is selling load funds and why? Most load funds are being sold through brokerage houses, financial planners and Registered Representatives. With few exceptions, most of those folks operate on the basis of selling as much product as possible. They collect their commissions up front, as a back end charge, or both (usually in the range of 5 – 6%). Whether you make money or not is not their primary concern. What matters most to those operating under this approach is how often you buy?and thereby generate new commissions for them.

Who markets no load funds? No Load funds are either marketed directly by the mutual fund companies or, more commonly these days, offered through discount houses like Schwab, Fidelity, and many others. The advantage to this is that you have an unlimited choice of funds in one place and don’t have to open separate accounts for each mutual fund family that you are considering.

Most fee based investment advisors, like myself, have independent relationships with such major discount firms and are able to offer clients just about any no load mutual fund available. They receive no compensation from the firm and only get paid by the client at a pre-determined fee arrangement. Under this arrangement, there is no hidden motivation to sell you a particular fund or to try and sell more in order to get a larger commission.

Which one is right for you? Whether you prefer dealing with someone selling load funds or an advisor getting you into no loads, let me make one thing very clear: You can make money or lose money either way! Why?

Let?s assume for the moment that there is no difference in performance between the types of funds?some of either kind will do well and some of either kind won’t. What then determines the successful outcome of you buying either a load or a no load fund?

The key is the advice you?re getting. And the fact is that many brokerage houses and Registered Representatives tend to be more interested in their profits than yours. Their investment advice is generally centered around Buy and Hold or dollar cost averaging and similar financially questionable recommendations. Hardly ever will you receive advice about when and why you should exit the market, either because of accumulated profits or to limit your losses. Getting out of the market is simply not in their best interest, though it may be in yours.

I must confess that, as a fee based advisor, I am somewhat biased and I prefer no load funds for my clients. I believe that this type of arrangement is best for all parties involved. It allows me to avoid any conflict of interest and to work exclusively for my clients? financial benefit. And the better my clients do, the better I do.

I am able to choose no load funds and make buy decisions solely on the basis of my mutual fund trend tracking methodology. Following its signals, I can get clients into the market or out of it as often as is necessary to maximize profit or protect assets. And because I work with no load funds, other than a very occasional short term redemption fee, there are no transaction charges no matter how many times we move into or out of the market.

If market conditions dictate that we stand aside in a money market for an extended time in order to avoid a bear market (as was the case from 10/13/2000 to 4/28/2003), I can advise that because it is in the best interest of my client. I am always thinking about what will benefit my client, not worrying about lost commissions. (Please see my article “How we eluded the Bear in 2000.”

Bottom line: Load fund vs. No Load mutual fund shouldn?t be the issue. Having a methodical plan and reliable advice as to when to buy and when to sell is far more important and will help you to secure a prosperous financial future.

Exchange traded funds are index funds which have advantages over open-end index mutual funds. ETFs trade all day long on the stock exchanges, may be purchased through any broker, have lower fund expenses than mutual funds, and have less likelihood of generating unwanted taxable gains than mutual funds.
There are a number of reasons, which we’ll discuss, for investing in index funds (Exchange Traded Funds or mutual funds) but let’s start with the fact that the S&P 500 index beats 80% of all actively managed funds. (And, an index fund has lower expenses than an actively managed fund, further enhancing its net return.) If you can invest in an index fund and be in the top 20 percentile of fund returns, that’s a pretty good place to start.
You can construct a well-diversified portfolio entirely out of ETFs. There are Exchange Traded Funds for almost every type of investment you can imagine. Exchange Traded Funds enable you to diversify into assets which you may not otherwise feel comfortable owing because of expertise, risk and/or liquidity issues. They are well-suited for investing in exotic areas such as currencies and commodities. Of course, they’re great for sectors such as small cap or international stocks.
One of the most attractive features of Exchange Traded Funds is their ability to provide you with greater liquidity than if you were to directly own their underlying investments. Take municipal bonds, for example. Most Muni issues trade infrequently and the transaction costs for the individual investor are substantial. Minimum investment size can be another problem. Munis typically have a $1,000 denomination and trade in large blocks. ETFs are the answer to all these issues. You can buy as little as one share of an ETF (generally less than $100) during market hours and at the same cost as for a stock.
You can hedge an investment and/or lock in gains using ETFs. Unlike open-end mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds can be bought on margin and shorted. Investing on margin can magnify your returns and your losses. The ability to short enables you to make money when something goes down in value. Think shorting the dollar or home building stocks. However, to paraphrase TV commercials, these strategies should only be employed by a professional driver on a closed course.
It’s also important to note that you don’t have to short an ETF if you think an asset is going to decline in value. You can probably find an ETF which is structured to generate an inverse return to that asset. ProFunds Group has a number of ETFs designed to perform this way. So, for example, if you think the Chinese stock market will decline, you can purchase a ProFund which should increase in value if you’re right.
All ETFs, even those which track the same index, are not the same. One S&P 500 ETF may weight its stock holdings by market cap, another may weight them all equally. This will result in different returns. Two ETFs which track the technology sector may hold different stocks and/or in different weightings. Since most indexes are not strictly defined, think technology versus S&P 500, there will be a variety of different investment strategies employed.
Different strategies to mimic an index are not good or bad, but they may have different risk levels and will produce different returns. Some ETFs also use leverage to enhance their returns or structure there holdings to magnify any gains (thus, also losses) of an index. You need to know what you’re investing in. To understand how a specific ETF works, visit its website and read its prospectus.
Within five years most investors will have at least one ETF in their portfolio. Also, within five years, there will be more money invested in ETFs than in open end index mutual funds. The advantages of Exchange Traded Funds-liquidity, transparency and lower expenses, to name a few-will force changes in open end mutual funds. Happily, the investor will be the winner in the competition between these two investment vehicles.

Mutual funds are divided into three categories with regards to fees, based on how much you will have to pay in charges, and commissions – load funds, low-load funds, and no-load funds. As you might expect, load funds typically charge fees, including commissions and other fees. Low-load funds also charge fees, but typically not as much as load funds. And no-load funds are not completely free of charge, either. They do typically have fees, but they are usually very low. Bear in mind that even no-load fees will typically charge you a fee if you sell your shares within a certain time frame after purchase.
With mutual funds, the class of shares you buy will usually determine the fees you are charged. Remember, even with no-load funds, there are still certain charges involved. Mutual funds aren’t usually set up for charity purposes, so the fund has to make money, too!
With Class A shares, you will typically be charged load charges up front. This is a sales commission that will usually vary between 2% and 6% of the purchase. For example, if you invest $5,000, and there is a 5% fee, then you will actually only have $4,750 available for the direct purchase of shares. You will also have fees charged annually. These annual fees are called 12b-1 fees, and are charged even by no-load funds.
Class B shares typically have higher 12b-1 fees than Class A shares. These fees will be based on a percentage of the account. The good thing about Class B shares is that the up-front commissions and fees are usually waived, and you can put 100% of your investment money into shares immediately. The same $5,000 you had before will buy you $5,000 worth of shares instead of the $4,750 you could have purchased if you were charged a 5% commission. The important thing to note is that you must hold the shares for a certain number of years to have these fees waived. If you sell before this time is up, you will be charged a fee based on how long you have had the shares. The fee typically goes down by one percentage point per year, so the longer you keep the shares, the less the fee will be.
Most funds convert Class B shares to Class A shares after the period of deferred charge ends.
There are also Class C shares, which are typically about 1% per year, and other classes that may be listed in the fund’s prospectus. The prospectus will tell you the fund’s specific fees and terms for the various classes.
There are typically two types of fees charged by mutual funds. The first category is transaction expenses. This category includes load charges, and the charges that you may incur when selling shares. These are paid by the investor. Operating expenses include those 12b-1 fees mentioned earlier, as well as the management fees for the fund. These amounts are subtracted from the fund’s return, and come out of the total made by the fund before any money is distributed to investors. A good mutual fund typically has an expense ratio of less than 1.5%.
Something to bear in mind when choosing a fund is to look at the fees as only one part of the big picture. Many investors, especially beginners, head straight for no-load funds because they don’t want to be charged so much in fees. But a fund with high fees might vastly outperform a similar fund with lower fees, thus bringing you much more money, even after the fees are considered.

Legal funding is cash funding made directly available to the plaintiff before his/her lawsuit comes to its final settlement. It could be advance funding made available before arbitration, a trial or hearing, or it could be funding made available during the appeals process.
It is also called as Lawsuit funding, Law funding, Lawsuit cash funding, Lawsuit pre-settlement funding, Lawsuit loan or Legal financing.
If you are a plaintiff involved in a lawsuit, and are represented by an attorney, you may be eligible for a Legal funding or Lawsuit funding on your pending lawsuit settlement.
Usually, the financial hardship of plaintiffs is the result of being injured and not being able to work. As you can understand, if they are not working, it may lead to drastic sudden reduction in income. This situation can cause a serious blow to individuals and their families struggling to survive economically. If they are not getting any salary they cannot pay their monthly bills. These bills may be the direct result of the injury such as medical and rehabilitation costs.
David vs. Goliath: Most of the times legal battle between plaintiffs and defendants is like a clash between David vs. Goliath. Because very often defendants, are represented by attorneys hired by big insurance companies. Even if, law is on your side, deep-pocket defendants can buy time with legal ploys and delays, and manoeuver to frustrate the plaintiffs. They exploit the cumbersome process of law to their legal advantage.
For example, even if a defendant has no legal grounds for an appeal, well-financed defendants can delay settlement of a lawsuit for months or even years or by filing appeal after appeal. Plaintiffs are very often pressured financially, because medical bills and other expenses – not to mention lost wages – add up to a budget stretched beyond its limits.
There is a famous saying – If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.
But here legal funding or lawsuit funding can be a great help. Plaintiff and his attorneys get a timely financial help in form of legal funding at a critical time and now they are ready to negotiate from a position of strength.
Legal Funding is no risk lawsuit funding: For plaintiff it carries no risk.
1. Because application and approval process is free and a good legal funding company will not charge any kind of upfront fees.
2. Legal Funding or Lawsuit funding are non-recourse transactions. Plaintiff pays back only if he/she wins or settles the lawsuit. If the plaintiff does not win their case, they do not owe any money to legal funding company. The money that was advanced by lawsuit funding is not owed. Any fees that may have accrued are not owed. You pay back legal funding only if you win or settle the case. No Win- No Pay Back, Period.
Legal Funding levels the playing field. There is no reason for plaintiffs to settle for less than their lawsuit is worth. Legal funding or Lawsuit funding is no-risk and a win-win help for plaintiffs involved in lawsuits.

Why invest in Mutual Funds?

Let us first define the concept of Mutual Funds. These are funds where money is collected from investors to form a common pool and then deployed into various asset classes (equities, debt instruments etc.) to meet some stated investment objective. When you buy shares of a company, it makes you a part owner of the company and its assets. Likewise if you subscribe to a mutual fund you become a part owner of the fund?s assets.

Mutual funds, as an investment option is really advantageous compared to other investment avenues particularly when the capital to be invested is small and the scope for an investor to carry out detailed market research is minimal. The advantages are as follows-

1) Diversification of Portfolio: Mutual funds invest in a well-diversified portfolio of securities. This enables an investor to hold a diversified portfolio irrespective of his invested amount.

2) Diversification of Risk: As investments are made in a well-diversified portfolio, the risk of investing directly in one/two shares or other debt instruments also gets reduced. Any loss in particular companies or sectors gets off-set by gains made in other companies or sectors

3) Benefit of SIP: SIP stands for Systematic Investment Plan. This allows an investor to invest regularly with whatever small amount one can invest, without worrying to time the market.

4) Professional Management: The persons running a fund are professionals who have got the skills of managing the money as well as technical tools and the much-needed research works behind them. So one can be sure that the money is in safe hands.

5) Reduced Transaction Costs: When one invests directly, he has to bear all the costs such as brokerage or custody of securities. Here the mutual funds enjoy ? Economies of Scale?, as the funds pay lesser costs due to trading/investing in larger volumes.

6) Liquidity: Mutual funds are highly liquid. One can sell the units to the fund, if it is an open-ended or one can also sell the units in a stock exchange, if it is a closed-ended fund.

7) Wide Investment Objectives: Usually one can opt for growth or dividend options from the same scheme of a mutual fund. If one wants to accumulate wealth, he can go for the growth option and if he needs regular income out of his investment he can choose the dividend option.
Various Services: Mutual fund companies provide various services e.g., one can easily transfer/switch their holdings from one scheme to another. Buying/selling of units can also be done through internet, email or other means of communication. The fund houses also provide updated market information.

Although certain disadvantages are there, but investing in a mutual

fund is worthy. The shortcomings are a) there is no direct control over the decision of fund managers in day-to-day running of various schemes; b) investors have to be happy with the common portfolio of the scheme irrespective of one?s personal risk appetite. However taking into account the various benefits that an investor enjoys in a mutual fund makes it a much better option than the other investment avenues.