by Millie Kay G. on 2010-07-13 4

Should you use a mutual fund ranking service to help you choose funds for your portfolio? Thats a debate that continues to flare in the investment world, given the many different factions that exist, supporting philosophies of one sort or another. But if youre the type of investor that is interested in mutual fund research and somehow feels compelled to keep up with the investment industry, then you may want to check out Morningstar and its subscription services. Its a way to keep up with the markets and prospective investment opportunities, and a good excuse to see how your portfolio at the discount broker is measuring up against other investments. For years, Morningstar has provided investors with an arsenal to manage their portfolios. So lets compare Morningstars free and premium subscriptions .

Morningstar Ratings: Free Membership vs Premium Service

The Free membership includes an array of tools. For instance, youll be able to access data on more than 13,000 funds and 7,000 stocks. Theres also a useful portfolio manager. It displays information such as the current price of a fund or stock, the price change, the market value, and Morningstars rating for the fund or stock. You can figure out your rate of return or compare your portfolio to a certain index so you get a clearer picture of how youre performing.

In addition, there are fund and stock screeners to help you make the right picks for your portfolio. Interested in finding out more about a stock or company? Youre welcome to search the articles archive. There are a number of video reports that include expert opinions on investment topics. Youll be able to read the latest commentary and free mutual fund news. too. And if you want to learn more about investing topics and do more research, then theres the Morningstar Investment Classroom. You can also earn classroom rewards that you can use toward Morningstar products.

You can interact with other users by visiting the forums and blogs. Heres where you can see whats on the minds of your fellow investors or pose your own questions. Ive found that I learn quite a bit by just hanging around the proverbial water cooler with these like-minded folks. There are a large number of topics under discussion, and you dont have to be a longtime investor to participate. To join, youll need to provide your name, email address, and zip code.

Getting More from Premium

The Premium membership includes the tools and services you have access to for free, plus more. The Premium portfolio manager is beefed up with 10 x-ray analyses and reporting features. Youll be able to see details such as your asset allocation, sector weighting, and fees and expenses. Dont forget to look at the Morningstar Ratings for Stocks. The 5-Star stocks have been shown to be strong performers in the past (but know that past performance is no guarantee of future results). The Portfolio Monitor will let you access your portfolio statements monthly or more often if you choose.

Thanks to the premium fund and stock screeners, youll be able to narrow down those thousands of choices to the right ones for you. Set your screeners to seek out bargains to buy from the best online brokers ; use these tools to check out wealth builders or to mirror the top picks of your favorite investors, if you want.

When youre in the mood for reports, you can go over the analysis of over 100 experts that cover 2,000 funds and ETFs, along with 2,000 stocks. Some of the commentary will cover topics like the risk of a particular pick, the management and stewardship of a company, and valuations.

Premium members can also learn about Morningstars stock and fund favorites, receive newsletters via email, and enjoy discounts on newsletters, books, and more products.

Free Trial for Premium

The Premium membership comes with a free 14-day trial. You can get that by visiting this link. along with $20 off the regular price.

You can choose from several price categories.

• Monthly: $19.95
• 1 Year: $179.00 $159.00
• 2 Years: $299.00 $289.00
• 3 Years: $399.00

If you intend to be a long-term investor and subscriber, then the three-year option will provide the greatest value, as it saves you over 40% over the monthly price. On the other hand, if you cancel during the trial period, you wont have to pay anything. However, just be aware that youll need to provide your credit card information to start the Premium trial membership.

Want to see your portfolio on the go? Check out Morningstar Mobile for BlackBerry and iPhone. Youll be able to access your portfolio and watch lists, check out performance charts, get real-time quotes, and view Morningstar ratings.

In conclusion, whether youre just getting started as an investor or youve gathered years of experience, you might find beneficial portfolio tools at Morningstar. Having the right information in a timely manner can build your wealth, and Morningstar has an array of tools to help you. Compare the free versus premium subscriptions for yourself to see if you like the offerings.