How to Gather, How to Sow What?

Here's your chance to ask a lot of questions - and get a lot of answers.

Every week, Work & Money runs Q&As, a column on page B4 in which readers put the questions to personal finance writer Guy Halverson, and he digs out the best answers. It's one of the most informative columns in the paper, and one of the most popular features in our section.

It goes right to the heart of this section's mission: gathering useful ideas that will help you sow and reap in the realms of work and money. Whether your goals involve a charity or a child's education, we hope each week's articles speak to your needs.

But the Q&A column has one big problem: too small.

We have space for two questions, and we get lots more. Our solution is to expand the idea and, occasionally, spread it across two full pages.

So take your best shot. Write us with your questions about annuities, IRAs, living trusts, and mutual funds. The stickier the question, the better; and the simpler the question; the better. Guy will seek out some of the best financial minds in the country and extract their wisdom for you.

For example: If you have $500 and want to know how to start an investment plan and save for your retirement, Guy can show you how. You don't need thousands to get started or to end up with a secure nest egg.

If you've been laid off and wonder whether to use your 401(k) money to pay the bills; if you've inherited a bundle o' bucks and wonder how to put it to work; if you've traditionally relied on your husband to make the money decisions and want to take a greater role; if you want to know the name of the top-performing stock mutual fund... We'll get those answers and put them in the paper so everyone can benefit.

Send the questions via a variety of venues. Write a letter to:

Guy Halverson

The Christian Science Monitor

500 Fifth Ave., Suite 1845

New York NY 10110

Or send e-mail to one of two addresses:

work@csps.com

or:

halversong@csps.com

If you're shy, don't worry. We'll identify you by your initials and home city. Or if you want to be ultrasure of anonymity, just ask us to go with "name withheld."

And remember: there are no stupid questions, just people who choose to remain in the dark by not asking where the light switch is.