Morningstar Advisor - December/January 2010 - 79

In the Loop New at Morningstar did a great job for shareholders in those formats. Managers who won our Manager of the Year awards in the past are eligible, as are those who haven’t. We’ll even consider those who fell a little shy of running money for the whole decade.” New Personal Finance Book Out in January Morningstar’s director of personal finance, Christine Benz, has written a new book. Due out in January, 30-Minute Money Solutions breaks down the daunting goal of getting one’s financial house in order. Written in a format accessible to novice and experienced investors alike, the book is aimed at providing readers the necessary guidance in tackling money challenges and building a comprehensive financial plan in easy-to-tackle —continued from front flap— Stocks Forum Draws a Crowd More than 200 investors gathered on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 in Chicago for Morningstar’s fourth-annual Stocks Forum. Attendees had a chance to connect with and learn from Morningstar’s equity analysts and hear from some of the analysts’ favorite corporate executives, including Paul Meurer of Realty Income and Fastenal CEO Will Oberton. It also gave investors and analysts some valuable face time, said Paul Larson, editor of Morningstar StockInvestor. “I always enjoy conversing with subscribers via e-mail, but there is something about connecting in person that made the forum special and enjoyable,” Larson said. “Plus, it’s good to see the output of our work has tangible benefits in the real world. It motivates me that much more to generate positive returns.” Some takeaways from the forum are in this issue’s Investment Briefs section (Page 16) Fund Manager of the Decade Awards Upcoming plan. It’s the ideal money guide for both new and experienced investors from the most-trusted name in investment research, Morningstar. Praise for 30-Minute Money Solutions Benz $24.95 USA /$29.95 CAN One of the most treacherous decades in the past 100 years is winding down, and Morningstar plans to mark the occasion by awarding Morningstar Manager of the Decade awards in January. [ENDORSEMENTs TK] CHRISTINE BENZ is Director of Personal Finance for Morningstar. She is also editor of the monthly newsletter Morningstar Practical Finance and writes a weekly column on Morningstar’s popular web site, Morningstar.com. Benz is coauthor of Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success and author of the book’s second edition. Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz served as Morningstar’s director of mutual fund analysis. She has also served as editor of Morningstar® FundInvestor™, a monthly newsletter for individual investors. Benz has been widely quoted in print and online media, and has made numerous appearances on national radio and television shows. Visit the 30-Minute Solution Resource Center online at www.morningstar.com/ goto/30minutesolutions. Today’s investor faces money challenges that were unimaginable just a few short years ago. How can you meet the demands of housing, college savings, retirement, and other financial goals without spending all of your spare time focused on them? 30-Minute Money Solutions A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances Money Solutions A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances 30-Minute Director of Personal Finance for Morningstar, Christine Benz, gives you the tools for tackling your money challenges with this practical guide. Morningstar’s 30-Minute Money Solutions provides investors at all life stages with an effective roadmap to getting their financial affairs in order by breaking the process down into short, manageable 30-Minute steps. To keep your finances on track, you’ll also receive access to an exclusive web site where you can download worksheets, use financial calculators, find additional money-related articles, and view up-todate lists of the best investments for your portfolio. Written in a straightforward and easy-to-follow style, this reliable resource: • Lays out the tools to get organized, including setting up a system for tracking your money and important financial documents, setting financial goals, and developing a budget and financial plan • Shows you how to match the right investments to your goals—whether you’re making your first investment or have an established portfolio of securities—using time-tested investment strategies and Morningstar insights • Coaches you on how to tend to other important financial tasks, such as estate planning and managing taxes Russel Kinnel, Morningstar’s director of mutual fund research and editor of Morningstar FundInvestor, said in a recent column that winners will be named in three broad asset classes: domestic stock, international stock, and fixed income. “We’re looking for managers who made a lot of money for a lot of people. We want good stewards who have gone above and beyond to do what’s right for shareholders rather than what’s right for their own next paychecks. We look not just at absolute returns but at the risks involved and how well they did relative to their benchmarks,” he wrote. “In addition, we’ll consider comanagers or teams, because we don’t want to exclude those who Jacket Design: Wendy Mount Jacket Photography: Dustin Grove, Morningstar, Inc. Subscribe to our free Finance and Investing eNewsletter at wiley.com/enewsletters Visit wileyfinance.com Christine Benz Director of Personal Finance Foreword by Don Phillips, Managing Director Read Morningstar’s 30-Minute Money Solutions in its entirety for a comprehensive money plan, or read select chapters to meet specific challenges, such as saving for college or reviving an ailing retirement —continued on back flap— increments (and in just 30 minutes to an hour). 30-Minute Money Solutions shows investors how to cover the basics, match investments to goals using time-tested strategies, and more. MorningstarAdvisor.com 79

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Morningstar Advisor - December/January 2010

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