Berko

Investor wonders if he is on the right track

D ear Mr. Berko: I’m 45, married and have two children, and I’m worried about my investments. We have $48,000 in savings earnings less than 1 percent, $42,000 in a Roth earning money market and $205,000 in my 401-k; 50 percent is in Pimco Total …

Berko: Art is quite similar to the stock market

Dear Mr. Berko : In 1993, my husband and I purchased two Thomas Kinkade scenic paintings for $28,000. We think they are beautiful and still marvel at the colors and scenes. We are cleaning house, getting rid of lots kitsch and clutter that we accumulated …

On the market for Monsanto

D ear Mr. Berko: Early last year, you recommended Monsanto Chemical. I bought 50 shares in my IRA and 50 shares in my wife’s IRA at $66. We are a little bit ahead, but I have been disappointed in its performance. During the last 12 …

Nuance Communications a stock to hold on to

Dear Mr. Berko: Sometime during the first couple months of 2010, my two brothers and I each bought 400 shares of Nuance Communications at about $22.50 on the advice of our broker whom you recommended to us nearly 10 years ago. I trusted him; so …

Low interest rates strangling retired folks

D ear Mr. Berko: I am 78, my wife is 81, and like many investors today, we want income. So what do you think of investing in Alerian MLP, which is an Exchange Trading Fund paying 6 percent? I’m angry, disgusted and disappointed that the …

Stay away from high-yield junk bonds

D ear Mr. Berko: I know from previous columns that you don’t approve of investments in those high-yielding mortgage stocks like American Capital Agency, CYS Investments, Hatteras Capital and others paying 15 percent to shareholders. My broker suggested that some friends and I buy a …

Savings Bonds no longer worth the hassle

Dear Mr. Berko: I’m 41 years old and I have 17 $1,000 U.S. Savings Bonds given to me over the years by my grandparents (who have passed away) to celebrate various milestones in my life like my 10th, 16th and 21st birthdays , high school …

Memorabilia is no home run

D ear Mr. Berko: An old neighbor began collecting baseball memorabilia in the early 1990s and died last year at 83. My husband and I enjoyed his baseball “ trophy room,” where he kept his substantial collection of autographed baseballs, autographed bats, baseball cards, signed …

Coin purchases don’t live up to claims

D ear Mr. Berko: During the past 25 years, I purchased more than $47,000 in collectible silver coins and beautiful non-silver coins from the Franklin Mint for my retirement because I thought the scarcity and limited-edition minting of these coins would drive up their value …

Healthy dose of market skepticism a good idea

D ear Mr. Berko: My broker wants me to buy 300 shares of Pitney Bowes at $17.50. Does this make sense, considering that post office mail volume is falling? What is your opinion on Pitney Bowes? My broker is bullish on the market but I’m …

Help possible for student loan debt

D ear Mr. Berko: I am writing for two reasons. Given the right economic conditions, I will retire in 10 years at 67 but may have to work a little beyond that. I have a poor pension; our joint Social Security will be about $1,800 …

Troubling times for Sears, so sell your shares

D ear Mr Berko: I bought 100 shares of Sears Holding last year at $69 and it went to $80 and I wanted to sell it but my broker told me he thought it could easily go back to $100 because the economy is improving, …

Escaping all fates but 1

D ear Mr. Berko: I own a very profitable manufacturing plant here in Phoenix that has 37 employees, which I built from the ground up, and you are the reason for my success. Your column was published in the Jonesboro Sun when I attended the …

Invest in regional bank stocks

D ear Mr. Berko: Like you, I think the Dow Jones is way too high and that prices for many stocks are too high. But I have $26,000 I can afford to put at risk in the market. I don’t want to buy commodities or …

Berko: No best way to make investment in copper

Dear Mr. Berko: My IRA has performed poorly this year and last year. I own some of the supposedly better mutual funds, and for the past two years, my $88,000 account has only increased in value to $101,000. This is not a good performance, and …