By Malcolm Berko
Published: May 15,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: In 1993, my husband and I purchased two Thomas Kinkade scenic paintings for $28,000. We think they are beautiful and still marvel at the colors and scenes. We are cleaning house, getting rid of lots kitsch and clutter that we accumulated during our past 50 years of marriage and travel, and were [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: May 11,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: Early last year, you recommended Monsanto Chemical. I bought 50 shares in my IRA and 50 shares in my wife’s IRA at $66. We are a little bit ahead, but I have been disappointed in its performance. During the past 12 months, we’ve had a strong stock market, and Monsanto hasn’t done [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: May 7,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: I am 78, my wife is 81 and, like many investors today, we want income. So what do you think of investing in Alerian MLP, which is an Exchange Trading Fund paying 6 percent? I’m angry, disgusted and disappointed that the government keeps interest rates so low. I’ve worked all my life, [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: May 3,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: I’m 41 years old and I have 17 $1,000 U.S. savings bonds given to me over the years by my grandparents, who have passed away, to celebrate various milestones in my life like my 10th, 16th and 21st birthdays, high school and college graduation, my master’s degree, marriage and other events. Two [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 30,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: During the past 25 years, I purchased more than $47,000 in collectable silver coins and beautiful non-silver coins from the Franklin Mint for my retirement because I thought the scarcity and limited edition minting of these coins would drive up their value over the years and because I believed the silver content [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 27,2012
Dear Mr Berko: I bought 100 shares of Sears Holding last year at $69, and it went to $80, and I wanted to sell it but my broker told me he thought it could easily go back to $100 because the economy is improving, increased consumer spending will increase Sear’s revenues and earnings and its [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 23,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: We have two questions. You suggested a reader watch your columns for high-yield convertible bonds and preferred stocks. Our paper stopped printing your column, so we don’t have access to investments paying 9 percent or better. We have $400,000 in a conservative stock trust fund yielding 3 percent or $12,000 in dividends. [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 19,2012
DEAR Mr. Berko : I am 67 and will retire in November of this year. Through my employer, I converted almost all of my 401(k) into a guaranteed income annuity that next January will begin to pay me a guaranteed $1,312.26 a month until I pass away. My wife and I decided to keep $34,000 [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 16,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: Like you, I think the Dow Jones is way too high and that current prices for many stocks are too high. But I have $26,000 I can afford to put at risk in the market. I don’t want to buy commodities or options or invest in fancy computer-trading strategies. I would like [...]
By Malcolm Berko
Published: April 12,2012
Dear Mr. Berko: My IRA has performed poorly this year and last year. I own some of the supposedly better mutual funds, and for the past two years my $88,000 account has only increased in value to $101,000. This is not a good performance, and I need to do better. A friend suggested I invest [...]
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