(MONEY Magazine) – COVER STORY 126 THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN AMERICA by Marguerite T. Smith and Sheryl Nance-Nash Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C. tops MONEY's eighth annual ranking of the nation's 300 biggest metro areas. -- Box: Why the living is easy in the Raleigh area. Page 128 . -- Table: Ranking the top 300 places in the U.S. Page 132

FEATURES 70 HOW TO BE A SMARTER -- AND RICHER -- FUND INVESTOR by Walter L. Updegrave, Prashanta Misra and Mark Bautz What you need to know about fund safety, fees and other key issues -- Box: SEC chief Levitt wants more cops, more disclosure. Page 74

80 WHEN TO GET PUSHY WITH YOUR BANK by Vanessa O'Connell Odds are your bank will raise CD rates and cut fees -- if you ask.

86 A MOTHER CHOOSES LIFE by Elizabeth Fenner A breast cancer patient, who refused radiation to protect the child she was carrying, is now racing the clock to find affordable treatment.

100 FIVE STOCKS THAT THRIVE ON INFLATION by Michael Sivy Even modest gains in consumer prices can boost these stocks and funds.

106 LESSONS FROM THE CLASS OF '83 by Anthony Cook Advice for the first generation that may be worse off than its parents

120 WHO NEEDS BONDS? PROBABLY NOT YOU by Jerry Edgerton A new study shows how you can earn more by sticking to stocks and cash.

DEPARTMENTS 5 EDITOR'S NOTES A lesson in greed for all investors 7 YOUR LETTERS A better life overseas beckons our readers and their kids. 12 NEWSLINE What some investment newsletters aren't telling you -- Timelytips for home buyers and sellers -- Best new books -- Clinton's service corps 25 BUY, SELL OR HOLD Defensive investments that can gain as much as 28% 29 MONEY HELPS Taming estate taxes with trusts -- Zero-coupon CDs 33 IDEA OF THE MONTH How to make money unloading your old stuff 36 MONEY MONITOR Five safe investments that pay out 7% or more a year -- The dangers of giving college kids credit cards -- Finding cheap car financing 44 FUND WATCH These midcap funds are poised to soar. -- When to sell a loser 60 WALL STREET Five firms investing in their own shares promise big profits. 148 SMART SPENDING Today's top cruise bargains -- Radio collectibles 157 MONEY PRO Six buys from one of the country's hottest stock pickers 160 FORECAST Stocks are cheaper now than they've been since 1992.

Cover photograph by Jake Rajs

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