What should I invest my Roth IRA in?

Calvert does several socially responsible mutual funds. You can look them up, and see what they are buying for each fund (both their philosophy, and the companies currently in the fund) and see if that meets your approval. Mutual funds are the easiest way to go, because you don’t really have to follow them. Buying individual stocks, unless you have a broker you trust (hah!) or are willing to do lots of research on your own, is more like gambling than investing.

You should do lots of research and figure out what’s best and then you can give your clients at Green Bee some pointers.

Nice one, Jess : )

I strongly recommend the Motley Fool

Good info al around.

@Tao: The only folks who get rich at Motley Fool are the Motley Fools. The site is fun to browse in, but given today’s markets, no advice is helpful.

@emilyrose It is great that you have a Roth IRA.

As to what to invest in….

I am of the belief that you should pay a professional for advice. You should not make these decisions on your own. Managing your money w/out professional advice is akin to mangaging a medical problem w/out a doctor.

That being said, if you are insistent on not using a CFP (certified financial planner), I would recommend that you place your money in a money market/savings account or in a mutual or bond fund that has a long history of solid performance. I would suggest that you avoid individual stocks.

As it requires a certain skill set to “pick” mutual funds, factoring in your risk tolerance and your socially conscious parameters, a CFP is really your best bet….

@gailcalled

That’s a matter of perspective Gail. The average “managed portfolio” tanked by over 55% within the last 6 months, Motley Fool reference portfolios only tanked by roughly 25%. Further, there has never been a better time to pick up good solid stocks at a better value.

As Warren Buffet so eloquently put it, when everybody is scared and sells, buy. When everybody is happy and buys, be scared. Or something to that effect.

Everybody suffered tremendously, Fools a little less.

Most socially-responsible investing funds post the criteria by which they judge. Like you said, some don’t limit themselves all that much. Others are stricter. I think it’s useful, because investor activism from larger institutions has more teeth in my opinion.