Phillip Bennett, boss of collapsed futures trader Refco, admits $2.4bn ...

In all cases, it's handy to have some kind of tool that helps you view your consolidated portfolios as a whole. You can do that using tools like portfolio X-ray on www.morningstar.com. Fidelity offers a similar facility on its client Web site.

Q: My father has a joint tenant account with me. It is not tax-deferred. We would like to sell some of the stock and invest it in a fairly safe investment that will grow, or at least maintain its value, when compared to inflation. The money is not needed now, but we are holding it for the day it will be needed. Do you have any recommendations for a fairly safe investment that is tax-free and will have a reasonable growth? A.G., by e-mail

A: There are two investments you might consider. One is a mutual fund that invests in relatively short-term tax-free bonds. read more

Unscrambling the debt mes

Chris Erickson said falling home prices and mortgage rates have convinced him it's the right time to buy.

The way the market is going is good for me, said Erickson, 28, who figures, with his $50,000 income as a maintenance worker for the city of Lake Elsinore, he could buy a house that cost as much as $250,000. He has been attending auctions of houses repossessed by lenders. But so far, he said, the houses he's liked have been bid up beyond his limit.

Real estate agents and builders say they are seeing more entry-level buyers like Erickson venture back into the housing market, hoping for deals. But many find they are still priced out, even though less than a decade ago, their incomes would have qualified them to become homeowners.

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