Excerpt: As the financial crisis continued to unfold and the stock market crashed last week, we saw an increasing number of news stories and TV segments aimed at trying to help everyday people sort this out and assess what it all means for their future. Part of this effort should include a better understanding of traditional, or open-end, mutual funds that are the only investment product available in many 401(k)s and are also the preferred choice for many investors outside of retirement plans.  MORE >>