Market Commentary Dr. Robert J. Froehlich Vice Chairman, DWS Scudder Chairman, Investor Strategy Committee

About half of Americans spend more time planning for their annual vacation than thinking about retirement funding.¹
1. Boston Globe, November 6, 2005

Will you outlive your retirement income?  How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio?  Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?

Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics.  Simply click on one of the newsletter topics to the side to read the article in its entirety.

• January 2010

  HOT TOPIC: What's Ahead for 2010?
  Economists expect the economy to grow by a respectable 3% in 2010, but they don't hold out much hope for the employment situation. What else can investors and consumers expect from the coming year?

  Are Target-Date Funds Off Target?
  Target-date funds are not for everyone, so it's important to gather all the facts.

  The Benefits of Social Security
  Take this quiz to assess how much you know about Social Security benefits.

  Love and Marriage and Retirement
  More than 80% of married couples 45 to 72 say they don't agree on when they should retire, what their retirement lifestyle should look like, or whether they will work in retirement.

  Beware the Better-Than-Average Effect
  Economists have found that, on average, people tend to believe that their own lives are improving at a faster rate than most everyone else's.

  When Tea Leaves Won't Do
  Economic indicators can be a good source of clues about trends, but it takes experience and skill to interpret their meaning.

• September 2009

  HOT TOPIC: The Personal Saving Rate: What It Doesn't Mean to You
  The term "personal saving rate" can be misleading. It doesn't define "saving" in the same way that most people do. What should the personal saving rate mean to you?

  A New Way to Diversify
  Exchange-traded funds are unique investments that resemble mutual funds in some ways and behave like stock in other ways.

  One Final Letter
  A letter of instructions can help someone clearly state his or her preferences for many important issues such as organ donation, funeral arrangements, and other details not enumerated in a trust.

  Insurance for Your Whole Life
  If your situation calls for life insurance coverage that extends beyond your working years, it might be time to consider whether permanent life insurance would be appropriate.

  Variable Annuities Add Guarantees
  Investors who would rather not choose between a guaranteed income and above-average investment gains may want to consider variable annuities with living benefit guarantees.

  A Long Look at the National Debt
  To better comprehend the size and scope of the national debt, it helps to measure it against the size of the overall economy.

• August 2009

  HOT TOPIC: Michael Jackson's Eccentricities Did Not Extend to His Estate Plan
  Critics are calling Michael Jackson's estate plan a hit. What did the King of Pop do right?

  Municipal Haste
  Municipal bonds offer an opportunity to earn an income that may be free of federal income tax.

  The Long Road Ahead
  The stock market has had its share of roller-coaster thrills lately, but don’t be tempted to react emotionally.

  Note to Self: Check Beneficiary Designations
  Outdated beneficiary forms have the potential to cause needless grief and hardship for surviving loved ones who are your intended heirs.

  Still Time for Stimulus Benefits
  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offers some short-term tax benefits designed to encourage consumer activity and boost particular sectors of the economy.

  Looking for an End to the IPO Drought
  Even if you never expect to participate in an IPO, it’s wise to keep an eye on the pace of new listings.

• July 2009

  HOT TOPIC: Looking for a Recovery in Odd Places
  Are signs of an economic recovery showing up in hemlines and lipstick sales?

  Get Your Retirement Reality Check
  A retirement needs-calculation goes beyond the commonly suggested target to have 70% of pre-retirement income.

  Higher Education Pays, But So Will You
  It’s likely that admission to the nation’s top colleges and universities will remain competitive, but adequate college savings can help ensure that a student’s opportunity to attend his or her school of choice is not compromised by the lack of resources.

  It's Not Too Late to Consider Life Insurance
  Results from one survey suggest that confidence in financial security tends to increase as life insurance coverage increases.

  Good Care Begins Early
  Ironically, people who avoid important discussions because they don’t want to be a burden are sowing seeds for even greater troubles because they are forestalling preparation and ignoring the risks associated with aging, possibly until it’s too late.

  Stalking the Mighty Consumer
  Economists, traders, investors, and policymakers all take great interest in the financial health of consumers and what they may do next.

• June 2009

  HOT TOPIC: Social Security and Medicare in Crosshairs
  An entitlement crisis has been looming on the horizon for several years. Unfortunately, according to the latest reports from the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, a spike in unemployment has helped to hasten the arrival of these programs’ insolvency.

  Estate of Emergency?
  To help ensure that an estate is distributed according to one's wishes, it’s important to have certain legal documents in place.

  It's Time to Get Real
  During times of market volatility, it can be easy for investors to lose sight of two seemingly immovable obstacles standing in the way of their long-term investment goals: taxes and inflation.

  Inflation Goes to College
  Over the past 10 years, tuition and fees have grown more than 4% faster than the rate of general inflation at public four-year colleges and more than 2% faster than inflation at private four-year colleges.

  Testing Your Liability Limits
  This quiz tests the reader’s understanding of personal liability.

  The Positives of Negative Correlation
  Few asset groups are perfectly negatively correlated, but a portfolio may still be able to benefit from the correlation principle.

• May 2009

  Celebrate Life and the Benefits of Insuring It
  In addition to the protection it can bring, life insurance can also offer some tax benefits.

  A Question of Identity
  Not only is identity theft costly, it can also be a major hassle that affects a person’s credit score for years. The key to preventing ID theft is awareness.

  Exchange-Traded Funds Can Be for Conservative Portfolios, Too
  If you avoided ETFs because they were predominantly composed of stocks, the growing availability of bond ETFs might warrant a second look.

  The Land of Income Mobility
  In America, just about anyone who is dissatisfied with his income has the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and move into a different income bracket.

  Recapping Market Capitalization
  The blurring of lines between large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies is an indication that it may be time to evaluate whether your portfolio holdings have shifted toward or away from your investment objectives.