5 families, 5 financial fixes
All survived the stock market's trial by fire, yet fears of getting burned again linger. By taking a few smart steps, they can reach their goals with ease.
Don't be so aggressive
Brian and Denise Allison with their children, Joshua, Jacob, Benjamin and Katelyn.
When Brian Allison started investing, he was unmarried and decades from retirement. So he snapped up growth stocks for his IRAs.
Brian is now in his forties, as is his wife, Denise, and the couple have four children, ranging from a 4-year-old to a high school junior.
And they're less sure that their aggressive investing style -- 93% of their retirement savings in stocks, heavily favoring expensive yet fast-growing companies over cheaper, less glamorous ones -- makes sense anymore.
Nor are they sure they'll have enough money for college and retirement and still "live life along the way," says Denise. "I could diversify by opening more IRAs," says Brian, "but is that the best way to do it?"
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Last updated January 02 2011: 8:47 PM ET
How to invest in 2011