These newsgroups are for Q&A and discussion of issues relating to investments. This may range from issues that some would more precisely consider savings (e.g. U.S. Savings bonds, money market accounts) to issues that some would consider speculation (new ventures, options, futures). It also includes meta-issues (i.e. discussions about the misc.invest.* hierarchy), relevant FAQs and Welcome messages. While tax issues related to investment may be acceptable here, issues that are unrelated to investment (e.g. who is a dependent) do not. Likewise, consumer issues (e.g. how do I buy a new car) do not belong here.

Crossposting or multiposting to more than one of these newsgroups is strongly discouraged, and should rarely be necessary. Postings should always go in the most specific group, and nowhere else. If a posting appears to address multiple issues, it should usually be divided into multiple postings, each going to its own, appropriate newsgroup; sometimes, it should go only into misc.invest[.misc]. For example, the question of whether an individual is better off investing in stocks or mutual funds belongs in the general discussion group, and not in misc.invest.stocks nor in misc.invest.[funds|mutual-funds]. The obvious exception is for general FAQs and Welcome messages that apply to the entire hierarchy, and to start meta-discussions about the hierarchy. In any event, all multi or cross postings should include a FOLLOW-UP TO heading to a single newsgroup, frequently but not always misc.invest.misc.

Absolutely no form of advertising is allowed unless the charter for the specific newsgroup in question explicitly allows for advertising. For this purpose, the posting of a newsletter or newsletter excerpt containing a solicitation, or clearly intended to create interest in a newsletter is considered an advertisement, even in cases of free newsletters (email or otherwise). Likewise a posting whose sole legitimate purpose is to notify people of a Web page or other on-line source (ftp site, etc.) of a for-profit business is considered an advertising. However, inclusion of one such pointer in a signature lines of an otherwise substantive, acceptable postings, or in independently posted FAQs, is not considered advertising.

All people posting to any of these newsgroups are expected to comply with all applicable laws. This charter should not be construed as obligating the systems/businesses carrying these newsgroups, or any proponents of this charter, or any other participants in the newsgroups to engage in any filtering of possibly illegal postings. Note, however, that other laws may affect the obligations of businesses carrying these newsgroups. The policy of Buyer Beware applies fully.

CHARTER: misc.invest.financial-plan (moderated)

• The financial planning process
• The role of the financial planner
• Financial statements
• Development, implementation and review of financial plans
• Software tools for planning

• Tax planning and strategies
• Current and proposed developments in tax law
• Taxation as it relates to a comprehensive financial plan

• Budgetary,savings, credit and debt planning
• Time value of money
• Investment planning
• General discussion of investment alternatives
• Investment risk
• Investment timing
• Asset allocation
• Fundamental & technical analysis
• Savings and investing as related to a comprehensive financial plan

• Life insurance
• Health insurance
• Homeowner's insurance
• Automobile insurance
• Liability insurance
• Disability insurance
• Insurance as it relates to a comprehensive financial plan

• Pension plans
• Profit sharing plans
• IRAs
• Retirement income needs
• Mentally preparing for retirement
• Medical and long term care issues
• Retirement planning as it relates to a comprehensive financial plan

• Wills and letters of instruction basics
• Types of property ownership
• Trust fundamentals
• Estate taxation
• Estate preservation and distribution
• Estate planning as it relates to a comprehensive financial plan

2. It is never correct to crosspost or multipost and article to this newsgroup and any other newsgroup in the misc.invest.* hierarchy. This does not apply to meta-issues, such as RFDs.

3. Attorneys, accountants, investment counselors, insurance professionals, financial planning professionals, and other interested persons would have a forum to discuss their interrelated problems and experiences.

4. General discussion concerning the different types of investments would be welcome, however recommendations of specific stocks or investments should not be allowed. This group could easily be cluttered with "get rich quick" schemes, and there are many other forums designed for this purpose.

5. Discussions regarding existing or proposed legislation relevant to this newsgroup would be welcome.

6. Solicitations, especially for specific financial products or services, would not be welcome. Commercial references in the signature lines are acceptable, as long as the body of the post makes a substantive contribution.

7. To prevent possible overcrowding, *extensive* discussion in any *one* topic of tax, law, investing and insurance should be limited to the specialty newsgroup involved.

The ordering above is for convenience only and does not reflect a preference ordering among the various topics.

The Role of the Moderator

9. The moderator will use his or her discretion to decide when discussions drift too far from the topics above, or if a participant would further benefit from posting in a specialty newsgroup, such as misc.taxes or misc.legal. The moderator may return a post, suggesting a more appropriate newsgroup, post warnings when discussion starts to drift off-topic, and may close down discussions when they are clearly off- topic. The moderator will post a notice notifying the group of such actions.

10. The moderator will have the discretion to add editorial comments to a post that he or she feels is inaccurate. For example: You can't contribute to an IRA if you're covered by a pension plan. [Moderator: This is wrong and a common misconception. See the FAQ.]

Moderator Selection and Replacement

12. A moderator may designate a back-up moderator during vacation periods, as long as the group is given adequate notice.

13. A sole moderator may appoint one or more co-moderators. Moderators may share their duties in any manner mutually acceptable. In the event that the group has multiple moderators, all references to the sole moderator in the above paragraphs shall apply to all of the moderators, collectively, if the context permits.

CHARTER: misc.invest.marketplace

Acceptable notes include the advertisement of newsletters, books, other information sources (including free or not-for-profit sources), services, investors wanted, employment ads in the investment field (both jobs available and jobs wanted), and offers to buy or sell certain types of investment products, specifically intangible investment products (stocks, bonds, limited partnerships, etc.), and precious metals (including coins whose value is essentially in their metal content, but not including coins whose value is numismatic). Ads for other items, including real estate and other tangible personal property are not allowed by this charter.

It is never correct to crosspost or multipost an ad (or essentially similar ads) to this newsgroup and any other newsgroup in the misc.invest.* hierarchy. An ad may only be posted here if it is acceptable by this charter, and not acceptable in any other misc.invest.* newsgroup.

No ad may be posted more than once per month, nor many any business post more than one ad per month, unless the previous ads have either been explicitly canceled by the original poster, or distributed with an expiration date that has passed before the second ad is posted.

CHARTER: misc.invest.mutual-funds

CHARTER: misc.invest.options

CHARTER: misc.invest.stocks

CHARTER: misc.invest.technical