Bad Professional

My husband died at age 42, leaving life insurance proceeds to invest. I relied on a "professional" to do this for me. Needless to say, I had lots of up-front costs and it took years to recover. I should have put the money in CDs until I knew more. Now, 18 years later, I am doing all the decision-making. I've been doing better than many pros, and I am looking forward to learning more and doing even better. I appreciate the good returns, but even more important are the greater feelings of independence and confidence in handling my finances.

- B.M., Salmon, Idaho

The Fool Responds: Yours is a great story. It's very smart to take time to learn some investing basics before you hand over your money to others. When you deal with any pros, make sure to get details on all fees you'll be charged and how your money will be invested. Know, for example, that over decades, the stock market's average annual return has been around 10 percent, and compare that with the alternatives presented.

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