Index funds

After a brief uptick, the percent of households owning stock is back down to where it was at the start of the financial crisis, according to new numbers from the Investment Company Institute.

If watched closely, is it wise to jump between aggressive stock funds and bond funds during market runs such as the bull run so far this year? The year-to-date return is 18 percent for my strategy. My Fidelity account has rules regarding moving between funds, so I have to navigate those rules also. Marty, Cincinnati, OH

We now want to invest some of our emergency fund that we believe is a little inflated, due to fears of the economy. I've looked around at fee-only advisers, but they all state that you should have at least $100,000 to start investing; otherwise, they don't feel like you are qualified to work with. What should we do with our money? We have about $15,000-20,000 that we want to invest, but we want to do the right thing. Could your staff help with some options? Thank you, Joshua, Riverside, CA