For most Americans, taxes are due on:

January 1.
April 1.
April 15.
December 31.

The astute investor is aware that:

Investment risk is limited to the fortunes of the specific security purchased.
Computers make investment decisions scientific and eliminate much of the risk.
Actual outcome of any investment may differ from the expected outcome.
When trading on-line, brokerage commissions are always negotiable.

If a mutual fund manager increases his/her cash position, it can be said:

The manager is anticipating a bear market.
The manager is anticipating a bull market.
The manager is trying to reduce the fund’s taxable gains.
The manager is aggressive.

Long-term care insurance:

Is only for the very elderly.
Can help protect assets from the cost of a nursing home stay.
Is not necessary since Medicare always covers long-term care.
Is always available regardless of your past health history.

Credit cards:

Are a cost effective way of financing investment purchases.
Have interest payments that are not tax deductible.
Typically have lower interest rates than home equity loans.
Often have 3 month grace periods on new purchases.

A prudent investor:

Does not have to consider the tax effect of long-term gains.
Evaluates his/her investments on an after-tax basis.
Studiously avoids income-shifting among funds.
Knows that a drop in the dividend payout signals a stronger firm.

The January Effect:

Is the influence on the market of the mutual funds’ performance reported in December.
Is another name for the Superbowl anomaly believed to affect stock prices.
Is the result of several studies regarding inexplicably higher returns during January.
Supports the predictabilityof cyclical prices determined by chaos theory.
(Portfolio Construction, Management and Protection by Robert A. Strong, p. 182.)

The net asset value (NAV) of a bond fund:

Cannot be determined.
Changes as interest rates change.
Is determined by the average coupon rates of the bonds in the fund.
Will not change as bonds in the fund are bought or sold.