Does anyone have suggestions about "socially responsible" investments in mutual funds?

[baby_bear]

My beloved father died on Easter and left me with an inheritance IRA that I must reinvest. I am a scientist with zero knowledge about finances/investing.
I believe I should concentrate on mutual funds since individual equities would require so much time and effort and knowledge. I want to invest ethically but smartly so I can make charitable donations in my father's name over time.

Any ideas, fellow DUers?
Thanks
baby_bear

[elleng]

1. Googled:

https://www.google.com/search?q=socially+responsible+mutual+funds&oq=socially+responsible+mutual+funds&aqs=chrome..69i57.13237j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

[Common Sense Party]

2. Socially responsible funds usually lag behind their peers, but if they let

you sleep at night, it may be worth the underperformance.

[cerveza_gratis]

3. OK, go with low fees

Vanguard is usually good for low-fee mutual funds - which is definitely something you should look for. Each % of fee is a % off of your annual return. I don't know how their social responsibility criteria stack up against yours. But financially, it looks like it gets decent returns.

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0213&FundIntExt=INT

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. There is a BIG drawback for the novice investor using firms like Vanguard and Fidelity....

and that is you get EXACTLY what you pay for.

Sure, low fees are great and all, but the fact is, total return is what matters, NET of fees.

If you pay .11% and realize 6% a year, what difference do the fees make if you can get 8 or 9% net of fees? Not to mention being able to get actual counseling as to what is best for you or what fund does what and which one does which?

I have seen many, many times on DU posters touting Vanguard as the be all to end all in Mutual Fund investing. The fact is, the reason their fees are so low is that they a) do very little trading in their funds, which makes them little more than glorified ETF's and b) if you want to actually talk to an advisor, you're either going to have to meet an account minimum (well into 6 figures) or pay for the pleasure outright.

Nothing is free. Vanguard does what it does very well, but they won't give you ANY GUIDANCE AT ALL unless you pay for it.

The fact is, most people do not have the time nor the patience to learn how to read a Morningstar Report and how to act accordingly.

[DinahMoeHum]

4. A few websites you should look into. . .

Green America:
http://www.greenamerica.org

Green America publishes "Green Pages". Here's a snapshot of their financial guide:
http://www.greenpages.org/listing/guide/financial


If you want to take the plunge and go into stocks, go to Sustainable Business-dot-com.
Here's their "Green Investing/Progressive Investor" page:
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/progressiveinvestor.main

Good luck, good hunting, and many happy returns.

[jeffrey_pdx]

6. Some advice some one once gave me

If you buy stock in some company, you are not actually giving them money. You are buyings shares previously bought. If thats a problem, don't buy them, ifts not you are just betting on the return. Thats something everyone has to decide for themselves.