Investor Spring Cleaning 2008

It's called your personal investment portfolio for a reason. When it comes to deciding where to put your money, the overriding factor is where your investment goals lie.

Some investors get scared off by the mistaken notion that purchasing stocks, bonds and funds across a wide swath of interests is cost-prohibitive for the typical retail investor. Not so, say money managers

Long gone are the days when all you had to do was hear the word technology or Internet and you knew you had a hot stock pick. Investors have learned a valuable lesson since the the tech bubble burst in 2000 and the Nasdaq lost two-thirds of its value.

How safe are your savings and investments and what happens if any of your financial institutions goes belly up? Here’s a who’s–who, what’s-what guide on who stands behind your money.

A common pitfall of a 401(k) plan is setting it up, blindly plunking money into it over the years, and then suddenly remembering it exists when you're in your 50s. Here’s some advice to help you along the way to make sure your money lasts longer than you do.