Your Money

IPO A GO-GO Dedicated day traders have a new way to get hold of shares in those skyrocketing Internet IPOs. Last week Discover Brokerage Direct became the latest online player to offer retail investors a small portion of stock in initial public offerings, before the new issues leap 500% on their market debuts. To participate, you'll need to have a hefty $100,000 in your account, and a hearty appetite for risk--despite the recent mania, most IPOs turn out to be losers.

IPOs Online
Discover Brokerage
Wit Capital
ETrade
Schwab
Fidelity
W.R. Hambrecht & Co.

SKINNED AND BURIED If you're thinking of prepaying for your funeral, be careful you don't get stiffed. A group of Texans recently sued sellers of funeral (or burial) insurance, alleging deceptive marketing; regulators in Florida are trying to ban sales entirely. Advance planning is fine, but keep in mind that some policies deliver full benefits only if you live to a ripe old age. Others don't cap premiums, so if you do make it to 95, you could spend $30,000 for a $5,000 funeral. Make sure any policy is portable, and try to pay for it in one lump sum.

N0 ESOP FABLE Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash to invest in a company, you might want to find out if its employees are doing the same. According to a new study by Hewitt Associates, firms that offer employee stock-ownership plans (ESOPs) outperform their industry peers handily. Though more firms now offer stock options to lure new hires, 1,000 public companies (and 9,000 private ones) currently motivate workers with ESOPs. They include such companies as UAL, BellSouth, Allied Signal, Merrill Lynch and Procter & Gamble.