The Decade's 10 Worst Fund Disasters

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I had money in the Merrill Lynch Internet Strategies Fund in a traditional IRA. Can I take the deduction for the loss on this years taxes? I was never sure what to do but started recently thinking about it again. Thanks for any information.

Les Krokov of MA 8:38AM October 28, 2012

seems to me, the only people that made money this past decade was the financial advisers and mutual fund managers.

charles of CT 8:03PM February 08, 2011

ETFs allow you to diversify across asset classes. Their expenses are generally lower than mutual funds. If you choose those with enough liquidity relative to your position and you use trailing stop loss orders, you can actually manage your own money pretty effectively.

Sadie of NC 8:12PM April 07, 2010

as with the dot.com disaster, many could see the subprime mortgage meltdown coming from miles away. My wife and I manage our own investments and lost very little in the recent stock market plunge by balancing "growth" stocks with gold and oil investments.

Saul Goode of NC 12:21PM April 01, 2010

The adage "Don't invest in the stock market unless you can afford to lose your money still holds true. Never put all your eggs in one basket/company/fund." still holds true today.
There are to many "hot shots" who think they know how to manage other people's money and in reality they are only working to manage their own commissions/bonuses!!!!!
I am of the opinion that no money manager/fund company should be making money off of my money unless he is making me money. If I lose, he/she should also lose! That means no commissions or bonuses, period, and absolutely no government bailouts..

M Heer of ND 4:20PM February 16, 2010

There is nothing like a disciplined approach. Prevent a disaster with stop-loss orders, and move the selling point up with winners.

Jeff of FL 2:00PM February 13, 2010

Just before the dot.com bust, I invested money with a PRIMERICA agent. I was unaware of what was happening until too late and had lost over half of my money. He put everything in dot.com. I was working for the guy, and he never really advised me to get out. What a bum! Stay away from that company!

Maureen of IA 8:06PM February 12, 2010

the whole system is a scam,put your money under the mattres and srew the system.

joe of CT 2:17PM February 12, 2010

Where is the Congressional Oversight?? Where is the Senate Investigation??
When will we see recriminations and convictions??
Who's ruining this economy??

TWLalor of NY 2:12PM February 12, 2010

The Democrats did such a great job with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. . . buying votes from poor people by offering them cheap loans for housing they couldn't afford. Result: a broken housing market, broken economy, and high unemployment. Now that the pirates have taken over the House, Senate, and White House; what money I have left is being socked away until they leave the ship. . . or destroy it.

DS of CO 11:05AM February 12, 2010