Introduction 1Part 1: Getting Started with Funds 7Chapter 1: Making More Money, Taking Less Risk 9Chapter 2: Fund Pros and Cons 23Chapter 3: Funding Your Goals and Dreams 39Part 2: Evaluating Alternatives to Funds 57Chapter 4: Selecting Your Own Stocks and Bonds 59Chapter 5: Exchange-Traded Funds and Other Fund Lookalikes 69Chapter 6: Hedge Funds and Other Managed Options 79Part 3: Separating the Best from the Rest 89Chapter 7: Finding the Best Funds 91Chapter 8: Using Fund Publications 107Chapter 9: Buying Funds from the Best Firms 137Part 4: Crafting Your Fund Portfolio 155Chapter 10: Perfecting a Fund Portfolio 157Chapter 11: Money Market Funds: Beating the Bank 179Chapter 12: Bond Funds: When Boring Is Best 199Chapter 13: Stock Funds: Meeting Your Longer Term Needs 229Chapter 14: Specialty Funds 251Chapter 15: Working It Out: Sample Portfolios 263Chapter 16: Applications, Transfers, and Other Useful Forms 287Part 5: Keeping Current and Informed 307Chapter 17: Evaluating Your Funds and Adjusting Your Portfolio 309Chapter 18: The Taxing Side of Mutual Funds 327Chapter 19: Common Fund Problems and How to Fix Them 343Chapter 20: Information Sources: Fund Ratings and Forecasters 353Part 6: The Part of Tens 367Chapter 21: Ten Common Fund-Investing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 369Chapter 22: Ten Fund-Investing Fears to Conquer 375Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Hiring a Financial Advisor 381Appendix: Recommended Fund Companies and Brokers 391Index 393
Eric Tyson is the best-selling author of Personal Finance For Dummies, Investing For Dummies, and co-author of Real Estate Investing For Dummies and Taxes For Dummies. Tyson is a nationally recognized personal finance counselor, writer, and lecturer.