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SURFING IS EASY. FINDING USEFUL INFORMATION IS HARD.

THE INTERNET HAS LONG BEEN HERALDED AS THE GREAT EQUALIZER, A PLACE WHERE neophyte and expert alike have access to the same information. This is especially true when the information sought is financial. From mortgages to insurance, there are reference sites that can help you handle your finances better, faster and more efficiently (see "All Around the Web," March 1999). But just because a site has the marketing dollars to attract your attention, doesn't mean it has the best offerings. In searching for personal finance sites, we found useful information at some well-known destinations and at others we think of as diamonds in the rough. Here are some of the gems we found.

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INVESTOR GUIDE | www.investorguide.com

Whether you are interested in a particular type of vehicle or you're an all-around investor, this guide offers an array of information that will fill your exact needs. Investorguide offers real-time quotes on stocks and mutual funds, business news from a variety of news sources, an investment glossary and stock analysis. This site also allows you to create a portfolio and review a variety of links to investing sites. For new users, this site offers a tour and answers over 1,000 investing questions in its Answercenter. View a listing of online banks, as well as get tips on online trading and car buying. Investorguide even offers advice on choosing between online and traditional brokers, lists sources for mortgages and managing debt, and answers FAQs on mortgages, financial planning, financial aid, car buying and loans, among other topics.

INVESTING TAXES MORTGAGES & INSURANCE PERSONAL FINANCE

STOCK SENSE | www.stocksense.com

That someone could make sense of the gyrations of the stock market is a feat in and of itself. StockSense isn't a pretty site but it takes you through the valuations and rationales behind stock prices and discount rates, for example. While there are some confusing formulas presented, they are explained through examples and leave you more informed than any talking head on the boob tube could. There's an interactive applet on Risk and Return, which will help you determine and explain your tolerance for risk. The site also includes a Double Quote feature, which permits you to enter a stock's symbol or name and search two company news and quote sites simultaneously. The results are shown in two browser windows. There's also a feature called QuoteTV, which provides quotes and company news about preselected stocks in your browser window.

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THE INVESTMENT FAQ | www.invest-faq.com

The Investment FAQ is a collection of frequently asked questions (and answers) about investments and personal finance, including stocks, bonds, options, discount brokers, information sources, retirement plans and life insurance. This is a great site for investment newbies. It'll walk you through the basics of financial planning, teach you about stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and also clue you in to some common mistakes investors make so that you won't repeat them. The site includes informative articles on everything from analyzing reports to more sophisticated topics, such as Long-term Equity AnticiPation Security, or LEAP. The analyses are informative and well presented. If you have questions about investing, this site is a must-see.

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THE ONLINE INVESTOR | http://investhelp.com

Once you've boned up on the basics or added a new topic to your investment vocabulary, point your browser to this site. For insight into stocks that may be on the rise, check out company spotlight. Each month the site offers an in-depth look at several publicly traded companies and judges them on their merits. A disclaimer states that the site receives no compensation for these spotlights and does not make, buy or sell recommendations, but you should still seek secondary information before taking any action on the companies. The guide to research is a thorough compendium of topics ranging from "how to spot when the bottom arrives" in Net stocks to "how to put stock valuations in perspective." The site also includes a weekly e-mail newsletter, an IPO calendar, an announcement of mergers and more, for the discriminating investor.

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FIND A FUND | www.findafund.com

This site is perfect for both first-time and seasoned buyers of mutual funds. You can view a listing of mutual funds by the fund name or ticker symbol and get quotes. For first-timers who are not familiar with the lingo, Find a Fund offers a glossary of mutual fund terms as well as FAQs on all aspects of mutual funds, such as the fundamentals, buying and selling, taxes, etc. This site also allows you to create a portfolio of mutual funds that you own or are interested in and Find a Fund will e-mail you a monthly update on performance. Find a Fund also offers a "similarity portfolio analysis," examining the similarities between two funds by comparing their sector weightings and individual holdings.

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INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE | www.irs.ustreas.com

In keeping with its new kinder and gentler stance, the IRS has a wealth of information on its site and uses an encouraging tone to present it. You'll find everything from a W-4 calculator with which to figure your federal income tax withholding to an interactive feature called Tax Trials, which gives you insight into deductions, credits and other issues. There's information on tax incentives for higher education, and the latest updates to the tax code. You can also sign up for the Digital Daily, which will keep you in the loop on the latest tax news and changes. Overall, it's an informative site that should be first on your list when you're in search of tax-related information.

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ESSENTIAL LINKS TO TAXES | www.el.com/elinks/taxes

This exhaustive Website has links to online resources offering taxpayer tips and information on income tax preparation assistance, rules, the tax code, financial planners and tax preparers, forms (from W-2 to Form 1040), publications, instructions, deductions and filing. You'll find links to sites that specialize in the tax code, tax law, international taxes, tax software, tax tips, associations and tax newsletters. If you can't find it on this site, it's likely that you'll have trouble finding it on the Web at all.

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1040.com | www.1040.com

1040.com does its best to break down a complex subject. While there seems to be no way--barring legislation--to make our tax code simpler, this site does arm you with all the information you'll need to make sense of your deductions and credits. Find out which travel expenses and taxes are deductible, capital gains tax rates and more at this lean site. Download state and federal forms that are viewable with an Adobe Acrobat Reader. 1040.com is a service of Drake Software, which sells tax software.

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MORTGAGE HOMEPAGE | www.loanpage.com

Mortgage Homepage is a resource-rich site for home owners. On this site you can learn which mortgage is right for you using 20 different criteria (i.e., by state, whether you are looking to refinance, if you have imperfect credit, etc.). Mortgage Loanpage purports to have the largest searchable list of mortgage companies on the Internet. Loanpage.com can link you with thousands of lenders that will assist with both residential and commercial mortgages. Similar to search engines, the site's EZ-Loan feature allows you to fill out one application, which is routed to five different mortgage companies for rate comparisons. You can also shop for the right mortgage by rate. Like other sites, Mortgage Loanpage has a glossary of terms to help you better understand the basics of the mortgage industry.

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QUICKEN MORTGAGE | http://mortgage.quicken.com

With over $1 billion in loans closed, Quicken's mortgage site is essentially an online loan officer. The site lets you customize your search for the exact loan you are looking for, refinance your current mortgage or consolidate your debt through a loan search interview. The site even determines your adjusted gross monthly income (monthly income minus expenses) for loan eligibility. Since your credit history also comes under close scrutiny when you're borrowing money, Quicken gives you the option of applying for a credit report so your loan options will be more appropriate to your situation. You will then be able to compare loans that are available to you and apply online.

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MSN HOMEADVISOR | http://homeadvisor.msn.com