Dear Dagen: Getting a Grip on Your Portfolio

There are no easy answers for this lousy market.

And there is no one plan or asset allocation everyone can use -- the financial equivalent of a pair of pants with an elastic waistband.

However, there are the basics that investors must remember as the market plunges -- or soars, depending on the day. The basics vary depending on your age bracket, but the key is sticking to them, bull or bear market. ...