I've got an idea for a series that all of the (few?) regulars here can take part in. "All about ___"

[A HERETIC I AM]

Last edited Wed Feb 6, 2013, 10:11 PM - Edit history (2)

Wherein the various regulars in here start threads about subjects they know about, answer question posed in the thread and expand all of our knowledge.

Of course, this may be entirely redundant!! LOL. I suppose it's what we are meant to be doing anyway, I'm just thinking more of a structure where if you wanted to know details about a specific security type, how it works, reference one you're looking at, etc. there would be a thread about it that you could enter and read and ask questions in.

Ideas: (And each of these would be an individual thread)

Mutual Funds
Stocks
Bonds
Exchange Traded Funds
Closed End Funds
Master Limited Partnerships
Preferred shares
Options
IRA's
Roth IRA's (and the specific differences)
401(k)'s
403(b)'s
457 Plans
Plain vanilla investment accounts
Margin accounts
Futures
Commodities
Estate Planning strategies
Wills and Trusts
(Edited to add the following which I shouldn't have forgotten in the first place!)
Portfolio structure and management
Portfolio Diversification
Portfolio balancing and rebalancing
Risk Mitigation
Risk Management
others


I know we have touched on many of these subjects over the years, but I was thinking more on the lines of, if you have particular knowledge or expertise on a subject like that or any others that fall under the heading of this group, please expand on it. Share what you know in detail.

If you are a tax expert or CPA or preparer for example, start a thread about what you do and help us understand better what you do, how you do it and how we can make our lives easier and by turn, yours.

Stuff like that.

I'll put together a starter about Mutual Funds in the coming days. I'm pretty well versed and I have written about them in the past. I'll get into what to look for, how to understand a Morningstar report, the differences between the various types of funds, etc.

We don't get a whole lot of traffic in here, but if we could build a real...sort of library of accurate, unbiased and honest information, it can only help.

Good Idea?

Or should I just go to bed early?!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. I like it. I would read it.

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. Cool!

[Common Sense Party]

3. Yes, you should go to bed early.

You'll probably feel better in the morning.

But I think it's a swell idea. (I just wanted to say "swell".)

I can do a 401 101 article. I can probably cut and paste some stuff I already have written.

I'm about to get into ETF's for the first time. If someone is an expert on those, I'd love to hear it. If not, I can post what I learn as I get my toes wet.

I will leave options and futures to anyone who actually understands that stuff. After I passed the 7 I never wanted to hear about another option as long as I live.

[A HERETIC I AM]

6. Excellent

I was thinking of you specifically re: 401(k) plans.

[lastlib]

4. When I get time, I will post an article on measuring investment performance

I developed a bit of expertise in that area, and it's very helpful to be able to know exactly how you're doing.

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. Great!

I look forward to reading it.

[Common Sense Party]

7. I look forward to reading that, as well!

I want to learn a simple way to calculate my performance.

[Common Sense Party]

8. I just posted a 401(k) article.

It ain't great, but it's a start.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

9. May I?

I'm a newbie here. I'm a very active options trader, and actually specialize in the weirdness that is the VIX (Volatility Index, it actually measures the volatility priced into options on the S&P 500). My main thrust would be to make sure ordinary people stay as far away as possible from this stuff, actually. I would like to do this simply because Wall Street has come up with a buncha ETFs that make it incredibly easy to lose a serious amount of money on trading the VIX, and I'd like to keep folks from handing their money over to sharks like myself. Seriously.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Absolutely!

There is another DU'er who is an options EXPERT but doesn't post that often.

Please by all means put up a thread on your skill set.

This group has no "Host" and I certainly don't mean to play the part of one, as it gets so little traffic we really don't need one (at least I don't think so, anyway), so having said that, if I may suggest that you just keep it factual and clear. If you point out pitfalls in your description, all the better, but I think it is a mistake to .....editorialize, if you will, from a biased perspective.

Perhaps you would agree that accurate and straightforward information is best, as opposed to trying to write such articles with an agenda in mind, one way or the other.

Also, as a formerly licensed (Series 7 & 66) broker, I think it is appropriate to be clear as an author of an informational piece, that you are not giving specific investment advice, nor do you recommend a specific security for purchase, and that potential buyers of any securities should do their best to understand them completely before investing and to request and to READ a prospectus when offered and appropriate for the particular security.


But yes, absolutely feel free when you have the time to share your knowledge on Options.

I am fascinated by them.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

11. Well....

...the problem with not editorializing is that I think it's a vastly terrible idea for anyone who doesn't fully understand what he/she is doing to put money into the VIX related funds, especially but not limited (at all) to VXX. This place gets a lot of traffic, and even though you think this area doesn't, it still gets more than most places on the Internet, and even more so it's gotta be getting more from people who don't have a lot and therefore don't have a lot they can lose.
I know how the sausage is made in these funds, and I still get the shakes if I feel I absolutely must put something into VXX because nothing else will do as a hedge in some situations - now that we have the luxury of having that fund available.
But if you think it's a mistake to say anything against them I won't. The facts will speak for themselves anyway, but it will be a sore temptation to apply a bit of interpretation to those facts, I have to admit.

[A HERETIC I AM]

12. Again, I'm not in charge here nor am I a host of this particular Group on DU

And by traffic, I was referring to this little corner of Democratic Underground not the site entire.

I suppose what I was hoping for was a series of articles that discuss particular security and account types, as opposed to a specific ETF, for example.

You are more than welcome to post anything you want in this group quite frankly, as long as it is in keeping with the theme; Personal Finance and Investing.

I am not trying to discourage you at all, don't get me wrong. If you are knowledgeable about investing in VXX and similar issues, then by all means feel free to put up a thread about it.

If you want to write about Options in general, however, that is what I am talking about not editorializing on. See?

Please, PLEASE feel free to put up a thread about a subject that is of concern to you and/or that you want to warn others about.

It would certainly be a welcome addition.