The Breakdown of Wall Street Alchemy

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