Index Investing For Dummies

by Russell Wild

Overview

A recommended, proven way to broaden portfolios and profits

Recommended by finance experts and used extensively by institutional investors, index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide unmanaged, diversified exposure to a variety of asset classes. Index Investing For Dummies shows active investors how to add index investments to their portfolios and make the most of their money, while protecting their assets. It features plain-English information on the different types of index funds and their advantage over other funds, getting started in index investing, using index funds for asset allocation, understanding returns and risk, diversifying among fund holdings, and applying winning strategies for maximum profit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470294062
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/31/2008
Series:	For Dummies Books
Pages:	338
Sales rank:	678,489
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Russell Wild, MBA, an expert on index investing, is a fee-only financial planner and investment advisor and the principal of Global Portfolios. He is the author or coauthor of nearly two dozen nonfiction books.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: The (Mostly) Nonviolent Indexing Revolution 7

Chapter 1: What Indexing Is and Isn’t 9

Chapter 2: A Short History of the Index and Index Investing 19

Chapter 3: Why Indexing Works — and Works So Darned Well 33

Chapter 4: Why Everyone Isn’t Indexing 45

Chapter 5: A New Era Begins: ETFs and Alternative Indexes 59

Part II: Getting to Know Your Index Fund Choices 73

Chapter 6: The Basic Index Investing Components 75

Chapter 7: Investing in Stock Indexes: Your Gateway to Growth 95

Chapter 8: Investing in Bond Indexes: Protecting Your Principal 133

Chapter 9: Diversifying Your Portfolio with Commodity, REIT, and Other Indexes 151

Part III: Drawing a Blueprint for Your Index Portfolio 171

Chapter 10: Finding a Happy Home for Your Money 173

Chapter 11: Developing Your Broad Investment Goals 185

Chapter 12: Fine-Tuning Your Index Selections 197

Chapter 13: Mixing and Matching Passive and Active Investing 209

Chapter 14: Making Your Final Investment Decisions 225

Chapter 15: A Bevy of Sample Index Portfolios 233

Part IV: Ensuring Happy Returns 245

Chapter 16: Buying and Holding: Boring, But It Really Works 247

Chapter 17: Seeking Additional Assistance from Professionals Carefully 259

Part V: The Part of Tens 269

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Deal with the Temptation to Beat the Market 271

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Screw Up a Perfectly Good Index Portfolio 277

Chapter 20: Ten Q & As with John Bogle, Father of Index Investing 281

Part VI: Appendixes 287

Appendix A: A Select List of Index Mutual Funds 289

Appendix B: A Select List of Exchange-Traded Funds 297

Appendix C: Helpful Web Resources for the Smart Index Investor 315

Index 321