Most personal financial advisors recommend that investors maintain a diversified investment portfolio consisting of bonds, stocks and cash in varying percentages, depending upon individual circumstances and objectives. Because bonds typically have a predictable stream of payments and repayment of principal, many people invest in them to preserve and to increase their capital or to receive dependable interest income.

Like any other investment, you should match the portfolio with your desired return, risk tolerance and investment time horizon. The higher your desired return, risk tolerance and the longer your time horizon the greater the portion of your portfolio should be in equity investments such as common stocks. Since IRAs are generally long term investments equity investments are generally appropriate for a portion of the account.

SGS bonds provide regular income via coupon payments. SGS bonds are considered safe investments as they are backed by the full faith and credit of the Singapore Government. The probability of a default is negligible. For more on SGS bonds, you may go to www.sgs.gov.sg

Only US Government bonds offer a higher degree of safety as an investment. In addition, many municipal bonds and funds are insured by a third party to increase their degree of safety. Finally, there are services that rate bonds from investment grade to junk, so investors can make an informed decision. Over the years, municipal bonds have demonstrated the ability to continue to pay income in difficult economic conditions.

formalities that need to be adhered to, and there are some situations where it isn’t advised. Check out

The law also does not permit IRA funds to be invested in life insurance contracts. See Code section 408(m) for additional investment restrictions. Finally, IRA trustees are permitted to impose additional restrictions on investments. For example, because of administrative burdens, many IRA trustees do not permit IRA owners to invest IRA funds in real estate. IRA law does not prohibit investing in real estate, but trustees are not required to offer real estate as an option.

Insurance contracts and collectibles. Also you may not have any “self dealings” without a DOL

Yes, self-directed IRA's can invest in the Fund. This can be done at TD Waterhouse, Pensco Trust, and a growing list of other firms. Please call (800) 899-4718 and ask to speak to an Investor Relations Manager for more details.

Yes. You can only buy $30,000 worth of I Bonds per person each calendar year. The purchase limitation for I Bonds isn't affected by purchases of any other Treasury securities. The purchase amount of the securities you transfer, deliver as gifts, or de-link to another TreasuryDirect account holder is applied to the recipient's annual purchase limitation in the year the transaction occurs.

There are no restrictions to non-residents purchasing SGS bonds. For all SGS bonds issued after 28 Feb 1998, interest earned by non-residents who do not have any permanent establishments in Singapore are also exempted from tax. For further assistance, call our helpline at 6557 2853 from 8am to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays (excluding public holidays).

Please note the minimum and incremental investment amount varies from bond to bond. Please consult us for more details.

If you have enough money to contribute to your 401(k) plan and a Roth IRA, you may invest in a Roth IRA if your income level allows you to do so. Generally speaking, you should contribute to your 401(k) at least up to the amount that your employer matches your contributions. Beyond that level, it may make sense to invest the maximum allowed in a Roth IRA.

How did your GrQ/8 long & short portfolio perform each year from 2001-05? I really like your system, but want to see how it did in the tough years of 2001, 2002. After a few years, I have decided that daytrading is not for me. It seems the real money is made by sitting. Is it possible to get Porfolio Archives prior to March 06? I would like to see the performance of your hedge fund portfolio in 04 and 05.

We have many investors who invest qualified funds in our trust deeds. It depends on the nature of the account you are considering. Please check with your investment adviser as to your ability to do this. Also, we can refer you to institutions that will accept qualified funds and allow you to self direct those funds into trust deed investments.

Any investment carries risk. You could lose all of your money by investing into the stock market. This will happen if the company you invested in declared bankruptcy. But history has shown that equity investing provides the best return over long period of time. Higher risk normally comes with higher return. We do not encourage you to put all of your IRA money into the stock market. But it does bring you good money if you invest wisely. Take our investment result as an example.

Each year, the amount you can contribute to an IRA or 401(k) is governed by IRS rules. For 2006 the maximum amounts are $4,000 for an IRA and $15,500 (or 20% of annual compensation, whichever is less) for a 401(k). There are penalties for withdrawals before age 59½, as well as rules that dictate when you must begin withdrawing money.

A company sponsored retirement plan with a matching contribution by the employer is normally the best choice. Visit our Roth IRA Analyzer to find out which IRA may be best for you based on your situation.

We have programs for cash and rollover investors, depending upon how much you have to invest. Contact Us for more information on these other programs.