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Mutual Funds/Expert Profile
Expertise
Author of "Keys to Investing in Mutual Funds" (Barrons), "Ultimate Mutual Fund Guide" (Probus), "How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett" (JKLasser), and "The Reverse Mortgage Advantage" (McGraw-Hill). Former financial columnist for Gannett News Service.
Experience in the area
Author of 20 books; winner of 1996 Personal Finance award from Investment Company Institute and Washington University. Formerly on staffs of Money and Sylvia Porter's Magazine. Had a radio program (on WEVD) about mutual funds and a newsletter, FundDigest.
What do you like about this subject?
Mutual funds are like life: complex, somewhat unpredictable, treacherous, and absorbing.
What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?
I'd like to write a general book about investing, urging the average investor to put most of his or her money in life-strategy funds. Most portfolios that I look at are godawful messes.
Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:
Recently the historic Morningstar rating of a famous, much praised index fund, Vanguard Small Cap Index, was 1.6 stars--between "lowest" and "below average." Index funds are wonderful, but some are not so wonderful as others.
Something controversial or provocative about this subject
The recent list of 62 "best funds" in the Wall Stret Journal was, as I wrote, "mechanistic and moronic."
Average Ratings
Recent Reviews from Users
K = Knowledgeability C = Clarity of Response T = Timeliness P = Politeness| User | Date | K | C | T | P | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jim | 09/27/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| robert | 09/19/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Warren: Thank you very much for your ..... |
| RL | 09/19/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you |
| Tony | 09/18/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | THANKS, so much, exactly what I needed ..... |
| Fred | 08/13/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you so much for that detailed ..... |
Recent Answers from Warren Boroson
2009-09-27 conservative funds:
Dear Jason-- First, diversify. With $16,000, you can invest in more than one fund. Maybe three or four. Second, consider Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond. (Vanguard's bond index fund is a mid-term
2009-09-25 portfolio performance:
Dear Jim-- Over six months, almost anything can happen. But hardly any diversified, moderately aggressive portfolio would beat the S&P 500. One reason: That portfolio has expenses. The S&P 500 doesn't
2009-09-20 portfolio performance:
Dear Jim-- Visit a large library, go to the reference desk, and ask to see a copy of Morningstar Mutual Funds. Are you familiar with it? Look up your funds. The thin booklet will give you a fund's
2009-09-18 Mutual Fun Liabilites:
Dear Tony: Off the top of my head, I'd venture that liabilities include the cost of accounting...the cost of having a company hold the securities the fund has bought...the cost of rent... the cost of
2009-09-17 Third Ave Real Estate Value Fund:
Dear Robert: I notice that most of the real estate funds are now doing well, including Vanguard's REIT index. The stock market is supposedly six months ahead of the news--ie, shrewd investors start
Answers by Expert:
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