We’re in the “Dog Days” of summer — traditionally the hottest, steamiest time of year. But in a few weeks, the temperatures will begin to cool down. Nature isn’t alone in this heating-and-cooling pattern — you can also find evidence of it in the investment world. To be specific, today’s “hot” investments can lose their sizzle quickly — which means that, as an investor, you’ll need to take steps to avoid being left out in the cold.

An investment can become “hot” — that is, its price can shoot up — for any of a number of reasons. For example, a company that provides a well-known product or service may decide to “go public” by making its shares available to investors; when this happens, the stocks become “hot” for a while. read more »

Sept. 7 was Grandparents Day. If you are a grandparent, you probably like to help out your grandchildren. But if you’re thinking of making a financial gift, take your time to explore the options. For example, suppose you want to help pay for your grandchildren’s college educations. You could open an investment account and designate it for college. But you will probably be better off by putting the money in a plan that is specifically designed for college.

Here are two possibilities: read more »