The markets rebounded strongly in 2009 following the second worst year in stock market history. Investors who followed our advice by adhering to the timeless principles presented below would have weathered the storm well.

• I will understand my own circumstances and formulate an investment plan based on my needs, not in anticipation of market trends.

• I will remind myself that investing is not a form of entertainment—if I have an urge to gamble, I will go to Las Vegas.

• I will stick to my plan.

• I will not attempt to pick winning stocks.

• I will ensure that my holdings are adequately diversified within each asset class I own.

• I will focus on minimizing my investment-related costs.

• I will stay abreast of changes in investment-related tax laws.

• I will not purchase any financial instrument I do not understand.

• I will ignore money managers or others selling products rather than advice.

• I will ignore market prognosticators.

• I will take full advantage of my qualified retirement plans by making the maximum allowable contributions I can live with.

• I will hold my least tax-efficient assets in my tax-deferred accounts.

• I will rebalance my portfolio infrequently, but at regular intervals regardless of the current state of the markets.

• I will not allow the price I have paid for a security to influence my future investment decisions—except for tax considerations regarding capital gains and
losses.

• At year end I will harvest tax losses simply and without ever deviating from my portfolio’s target allocations, by selling and buying index-type funds within the same asset class.

• I will appreciate the simplicity of the AIS approach; instead of worrying about factors that are not within my control, I will establish my plan and turn my attention to enjoying life.

Also in This Issue:

Quarterly Review of Investment Policy
Managing Inflation Risk
The High-Yield Dow Investment Strategy
Recent Market Statistics
The Dow-Jones Industrials Ranked by Yield
Asset Class Investment Vehicles