Gary Ambrose Quotations

Set the ground rules and make sure it feels right.

I would prefer a total stock market fund if it's going to be their only investment, but if it's the first of many funds I'd go with the S&P 500 Index Fund.

People have to minimize the use of home equity for short term financial needs. Get your budget in order. Home equity lines of credit are for long-term financial needs. They were not meant to buy cars and trips and fuel overspending.

Splitting up the portfolio is more than an accounting measure. I've handled cases where the portfolios were really diverse. If I hadn't stepped in, the wife would have been stuck with capital gains that she had no clue about.

Technology funds and small-cap funds are where the volatility is going to be.

You don't want to pick a family that just created a fund they don't have a history in.

They can't give endorsements, but they can at least lead you to three or four people in your geographic area that you can meet with.

If you have a variable rate mortgage, now is the time to refinance and lock in a fixed rate to protect yourself in the long run.

You want to understand what the person across the table from you does for a living and how they do it.