Is Your Portfolio Protected from Inflation? from PIMCO Funds. This 1-page, 8 1/2" x 11" report warns that the long decline in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) may be coming to an end, putting portfolios without inflation protection at risk. It suggests investors investigate Treasury Inflation-protected Securities (TIPS), which offer protection because their principal changes in step with the CPI.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

The Technology Boom has Only Just Begun from PIMCO Funds. This 2- page, 8 1/2" x 11" report cites that technology spending has grown almost 300 percent since 1991 while traditional capital spending on industrial equipment has risen less than 50 percent. The report suggests that the technology sector will continue to grow.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

Understanding Real Rates of Return from PIMCO Funds. This 2-page, 8 1/2" x 11" report helps investors calculate real rates of return, factoring in the impact of inflation. Investors should know the information in this report because the real rate of return is not always obvious. For example, if a person who wants to buy a television that costs $1,025 today spends $1,000 buying a one-year bond with a 6 percent yield during a period of 5 percent inflation, he would have a real rate of return of 1 percent. If, however, that investor used the $1,000 to buy a one-year bond with the lower yield of 5 percent and did so during a time of only 2 percent inflation, his real rate of return would have been 3 percent and he could have purchased the TV, according to the report. Got that? If not, order this now.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

The Benefits of Diversification from PIMCO Funds. This 1-page, 8 1/2" x 11" chart report shows how an all stock portfolio fared from September 1987 through December 1998.throughout the six-year bull market compared with a diversified portfolio. It makes the case that a diversified portfolio better handles the brunt of market corrections.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

Maintain a Sound Foundation for Your Portfolio from PIMCO Funds. This 1-page, 8 1/2" x 11" chart report urges investors to build their portfolios by starting with a core stock and core bond fund. It suggests that after selecting a core stock and core bond fund, supplementing your portfolio with more sector-specific investments, such as an international stock fund or a high yield bond fund.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

Maintaining Realistic Expectations from PIMCO Funds. This 1- page, 8 1/2" x 11" chart report reminds readers that over the last decade, the returns of both stocks and bonds have been significantly higher than their historical averages. A bar graph illustrates the point and helps readers realize more realistic expectations from their investments.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

The Importance of Diversification from PIMCO Funds. This 1- page, 8 1/2" x 11" chart report discusses the history of large-cap growth stocks and small-cap value stocks. The history, shown on bar graphs, illustrates the point that investors should have both in their portfolios. While the large-cap funds fared better from 1994 to '99, the small-cap funds outpaced the large-caps from '79 to '94.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

The Importance of Rebalancing from PIMCO Funds. This 1-page, 8 1/2" x 11" chart report points out that a portfolio that is not rebalanced periodically may become riskier over time. Bar graphs show readers the changes from 1993 through 1998 of a portfolio mix of 60 percent stocks and 40 percent bonds.

To order this piece, please call PIMCO Funds at 1-800-426-0107 and request it by title.

Short-term Goals, from Safeco. The 8 1/2" x 11", 4-page report offers advice for saving for short-term goals, such as the purchase of a car. A worksheet helps the reader determine what he or she will need to do in order to make the purchase; then, the report offers ways in which the investor can best invest his or her money to reach the goal within a timeframe. Investing for short-term goals can save money. According to the report: "If you take out a $14,000 car loan to purchase a new car at an interest rate of 8.5% over 60 months, typical terms for anew care loan, you will be paying $287.28 a month or a total of $17,233.80 for the car. Conversely, if you save ahead for the car for three years, you will need to put away $372 a month to reach a goal of $14,000. It means that your total out-of-pocket cost for the car will be $13,392. That's a difference of $3,841.80!"

To order this piece, please call Safeco at 1-800-624-5711 and request it by title.

Personal Investment Guide from Safeco. This 5 1/2 x 8 1/2", 28-page booklet covers investment basics, explaining the asset classes (stocks, bonds and cash equivalents), investment risk and asset allocation, and how to start an investment portfolio. A glossary of 17 commonly used investment terms is especially helpful to the new investor. "The Best Time to Invest" section encourages investors to stay clear of trying to time the market and make a killing. According to the booklet, "...a dollar invested in the stock market, as presented by the Standard and Poor's 500 at the end of 1976 would be worth $15.13 (a 14.5 percent annual return) by year end 1996. But an investor who took that dollar out of the market for the best 15 months of the 1976-1996 time period (only 12.5% of the time) would have only realized $3.85 (a 6.9% annual return." Order this.

To order this piece, please call Safeco at 1-800-624-5711 and request it by title.

Emergency Reserve worksheet from Safeco. This 8 1/2" x 11", 4-page report offers families a do-it-yourself worksheet to determine how much a three- to six-month emergency fund should be and how much a family needs to set aside each month to achieve its goal. Keep in mind, the report notes, the older you are, the more you should have in emergency reserve because of the greater possibility of illness and more financial responsibilities. The report warns that emergency money should not sit idle and offers advice about short-term investments.

To order this piece, please call Safeco at 1-800-624-5711 and request it by title.

Investor Survival Guide, from The Hartford Mutual Funds. A 8 1/2" x 11", 16-page booklet that you'll love. It's full of historical charts, insights and common sense advice presented in a wonderfully user-friendly fashion. You'll learn about bear markets and their history, how the stock and bond markets have performed in the past and just as important, how perseverance can pay off. Order this one today. You'll enjoy it.

To order this piece, call The Hartford Mutual Funds at 888-843-7824 and ask for it by title.

Grow Your Future, from The Hartford Mutual Funds. A 8 1/2" x 11", 8-page pamphlet that makes the case for investing in equities and shows how mutual funds can be used to your investment goals. You'll also find a number of informative charts in this piece, One compares the performance of the S & P 500, with the S & P MidCap 400, the Russell 2000, and MSCI EAFE GDP Index from 1980 through 6/30/01. (The last half of this piece focuses on The Hartford mutual funds.)

To order this piece, call The Hartford Mutual Funds at 888-843-7824 and ask for it by title.

Are You Ready? From The Hartford Mutual Funds. This 8-page, 8 1/2" x 11" pamphlet is about preparing for the next bull market. If you've been avoiding the market because of its negative performance, this piece will make you think. It reads, "What many investors fail to remember during Bear Markets is that they have always come to an end, and that they needed to prepare for the following Bull." There are lots of truth in that statement. Order this today. It's worth reading.

To order this piece, call The Hartford Mutual Funds at 888-843-7824 and ask for it by title.

Realistic Expectations for Stock Market Returns, from The Vanguard Group. This 8 1/2" x 11", 6-page report from the Plain Talk Library helps investors put investment potential into perspective. The recent good times in the U.S. stock market have caused many to have an unrealistic view of investing. The fact is, according to Vanguard, "In the 73 years from 1926 through 1998, the stock market has provided annual returns ranging from a low of -43.1 percent (in 1931) to a high of 54.2 percent (in 1933)."You can get a historical view of the stock market and understand how to manage its inevitable fluctuations in this piece.

To get this information free, call The Vanguard Group 800-662-7447 and request it by title.

Bear Markets, from The Vanguard Group. This 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 28-page booklet from the Plain Talk Library answers the questions: What is a bear market and how can it affect stock and bond process? According to the booklet, the stock market's worst performance history occurred from September 1929 through July 1932, when stock prices fell some 86 percent. How long do bear markets take to recover ? "Following the 1973-1974 bear market, it took nearly eight years for the market to reach its precollapse peak," Vanguard says. Know the signs of impending bear markets and learn how you can survive the inevitable ups and downs of the markets. This booklet offers illustrations of case scenarios, which help individual investors to determine their worst-case losses when the market goes south.

To get this information free, call The Vanguard Group 800-662-7447 and request it by title.

Dollar-Cost Averaging, from The Vanguard Group. This 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 12-page booklet from the Plain Talk Library talks about a strategy that uses simple arithmetic to help you manage the risks of market uncertainty. Financial markets are unpredictable. So, how can you consistently select the best times to buy and sell? This piece suggests dollar-cost averaging because investors who invest regularly and consistently in declining, fluctuating and rising markets tend to benefit the most financially. Learn more about dollar-cost averaging, which is especially useful when investing in IRAs or other long-term investments.

To get this information free, call The Vanguard Group 800-662-7447 and request it by title.

The Vanguard Investment Planner, from The Vanguard Group. This 40-page, 8 1/2" x 11" booklet from the Plain Talk Library is for investors who already know the basics of mutual funds and investing and want direction in their future investments. This step-by-step guide takes you through the processes of determining your investment objectives and preparing your own investment portfolio. It uses worksheets and a questionnaire to help you develop an individual profile, customizing and simplifying the process of investing. The process of sifting through thousands of funds to find the ones that are right for you needn't be a daunting task "if choosing the funds is part of a broader portfolio-building process that starts with a clear statement of investment goals and an appropriate mix of financial assets," say the pros at Vanguard.

To get this information free, call The Vanguard Group 800-662-7447.

Five Myths about Indexing, from The Vanguard Group. This 4-page, 8 1/2" x 11" report from the Plain Talk Library helps readers understand these misconceptions about indexing:"Indexing works only with large-cap domestic funds.The S&P 500 Index will continue to outperform the majority of actively managed stock funds every year.Index funds are safer than actively managed funds.The success of indexing is a self-fulfilling prophecy.All index funds are created equal."Indexing has a place in most investment portfolios as a core portion, or the portion that seeks to match the market; while the remaining portion might be allocated to actively managed funds, with the chance of beating the market.

To get this information free, call The Vanguard Group 800-662-7447.