In Brief

By Julie Rawe

MUTUAL-FUND TAX DODGE On average, domestic mutual funds lose 2.5% of their total returns to capital-gains taxes, and few companies advertise their aftertax performance. Vanguard has become the first big firm to do so; others may follow. Until then, tax-minded investors--those investing outside an IRA or 401(k)--can find about 30 funds that are actively managed to minimize the tax hit. Here are a few top performers:

TOP TAX-MANAGED FUNDS

Total Return Lost to Fund One Year* Taxes

Standish Small Cap 57% 0% Tax-Sensitive

Eaton Vance 40% 0% Tax-Mgd Intl GrA

Bridgeway Ultra- 37% 1% Large 35 Index

Vanguard 37% 1% Tax-Mgd Cap App

*Through 9/30/99 Source: Morningstar

DIE ONLINE Yes, e-death was inevitable. You can now buy an 18-gauge-steel Pieta model casket with velvet interior for $845 at eCasketz.com Even when you tack on as much as $500 for overnight delivery, you'll end up paying less than the $2,400 some mortuaries charge. But the Net has its limits--you'll still need help getting into that casket. Undertakers have tried to recoup dollars lost to cut-rate casket sellers by raising their service fees, up 9.6% over the past two years, to an average of $1,182. These fees account for about a fourth of the typical funeral's cost, which has nearly tripled in the past 20 years, to $5,020.

THE RISING COST OF DEATH Average cost for an adult's funeral*

'80 $1,809 '85 $2,737 '91 $3,742 '95 $4,624 '98 $5,020

*Not including cemetery charges Source: National Funeral Directors Association

LOSING YOUR NAME In 1997 some 350,000 people called Trans Union, one of the three big credit bureaus, to report identity theft. It's a growing problem, and Travelers now offers its policyholders identity-fraud insurance. For $25 a year, the policy provides up to $15,000 in coverage for lost wages, expenses and legal help needed to clear up credit reports and red tape--something self-employed or hourly workers may consider. To be safe, check your credit report every six months and shred financial data before dumping them. For more safety tips, see www.consumer.gov

--By Julie Rawe