Looking to secure your retirement with a healthy nest egg? Like most investors, you've probably gotten a bad case of whiplash surveying an increasingly volatile stock market. Just take a look at its recent performance: The Dow Jones industrial average reached a milestone by passing the 14,000 mark in mid-July and, within just one month, dropped below 13,000 due to concerns in the credit markets triggered by the ongoing subprime lending crisis. These developments have left legions of individual investors dazed and confused. But one thing's for sure: those who invest for the long haul fare much better than market-timers or investors driven by herd mentality. That's why our editors worked with Chicago-based mutual fund research firm Morningstar to create a list of consistent top performers. Welcome to our unveiling of the inaugural Moneywise 100 -- be's guide to the best mutual funds across 10 categories. Our criteria include the following: Three- and five-year total returns in the top quartile of their respective categories No loads and a minimum initial investment of $2,500 or less A turnover rate and expense ratio less than the category average Fund manager tenure of three years or more In addition to actively managed funds, we highlight a range of index funds plus a few select diversified exchange-traded funds. So whatever you're looking for, you can find the fund to match your objectives on the following pages. Doing so may get you a bit closer to sandy beaches during your golden years. Fund Name Ticker Symbol 3-Year Return 5-Year Return Expense Ratio Minimum Initial Investment Website Large Cap Janus Contrarian JSVAX 0.262 0.22 0.0094 2500 www.janus.com Columbia Marsico 21st Century Z NMYAX 19.1 18.4 1.01 0 www.columbia funds.com RiverSource Diversified Equity Inc R4 IDQYX 19.9 17.3 0.93 2000 www.river source.com Excelsior Value & Restructuring UMBIX 17.6 16.9 1.05 500 www.excelsior funds.com Hartford Value HLS IB HBVOX 16.8 16.5 0.89 0 www.hartford investor.com Fifth Third Multi Cap Value Instl MXEIX 16.4 16.4 1.29 1000 www.53.com 1st Source Monogram Income Equity FMIEX 17.6 14.7 1.15 1000 www.1stsource .com Neuberger Berman Partners Tr NBPTX 18 14.5 0.99 1000 www.nb.com T. Rowe Price Spectrum Growth PRSGX 15.4 14.2 0.81 2500 www.trowe price.com American Funds New Economy F ANFFX 14.9 14 0.79 250 www.american funds.com Mutual Shares Z MUTHX 16.4 13.8 0.76 1000 www.franklin temple ton.com Neuberger Berman Socially Resp Tr NBSTX 14.5 13.5 1.13 1000 www.nb.com T. Rowe Price Value TRVLX 15.4 13.4 0.87 2500 www.trowe price.com Manning & Napier Tax Managed A EXTAX 15.5 13.3 1.2 2000 www.manning napier advisors .com T. Rowe Price Value Adv PAVLX 15.2 13.2 1.02 2500 www.trowe price.com Robeco Boston Partners Inv BPLIX 15.9 12.8 1.11 2500 www.robecoi nvest.com Seligman Large Cap Value I SLVIX 15.6 12.8 0.97 0 www.selig man.com T. Rowe Price Growth Stock PRGFX 12.4 11.9 0.7 2500 www.trowe price.com Neuberger Berman Guardian Tr NBGTX 14.3 11.8 1.04 1000 www.nb.com Oppenheimer Equity Y OEQYX 13.1 11.5 0.72 1000 www.oppen heimer funds.com Mid Cap Hodges HDPMX 22.2 24.2 1.42 250 www.hodges fund.com FBR Small Cap FBRVX 19.2 23.2 1.38 2000 www.fbrfunds.com RiverSource Mid Cap Value R4 RMCVX 21.9 19.7 1.16 2000 www.river source.com Janus Orion JORNX 20.7 18.3 0.99 2500 www.janus.com Columbia Mid Cap Value Z NAMAX 19.9 16.9 0.87 0 www.columbia funds.com Roosevelt Anti-Terror Multi-Cap BULLX 16.4 16.4 1.28 1000 www.anti- terror fund.com Fidelity Value FDVLX 17.7 16.1 0.66 2500 www.fidelity.com Heartland Select Value HRSVX 18.9 16.1 1.25 1000 www.american value investor.com Westcore Mid-Cap Value WTMCX 18 15.8 1.23 2500 www.westcore.com Janus Enterprise JAENX 16.2 15.8 0.99 2500 www.janus.com Janus Adviser Mid Cap Growth S JGRTX 16.4 15.5 1.15 2500 www.janus.com JHT Value Trust Ser I JEVLX 18.9 15.4 0.83 0 www.jhfunds.com Small Cap Royce Value Plus Service RYVPX 19.8 25.1 1.26 2000 www.royce funds.com Royce Value Service RYVFX 21.5 23.6 1.31 2000 www.royce funds.com Perritt Micro Cap Opportunities PRCGX 17.8 20.8 1.29 1000 www.perrit tmutualfunds.com Columbia Small Cap Value II Z NSVAX 17.1 16.5 1.02 0 www.columbia funds.com Gabelli Small Cap Growth AAA GABSX 16.3 16.1 1.44 1000 www.gabelli.com Pennsylvania Mutual Inv PENNX 16.4 16 0.87 2000 www.royce funds.com Excelsior Small Cap UMLCX 14.4 15.5 1.22 width="51">500 www.excelsior funds.com Westcore Small-Cap Opportunity WTSCX 16.2 15.5 1.3 2500 www.westcore.com Foreign Stock Janus Overseas JAOSX 38.8 25.3 0.91 2500 www.janus.com Fidelity Canada FICDX 29.4 24.9 0.97 2500 advisor.fidelity.com Janus Adviser International Growth S JIGRX 37.8 24.3 1.23 2500 www.janus.com Dodge & Cox International Stock DODFX 26.3 23 0.66 2500 www.dodgeand cox.com AllianceBernstein Intl Growth Adv AWPYX 26.3 22.6 1.13 0 www.alliance bernstein.com RiverSource Intl Select Value R4  26 21.2 1.3 2000 www.river source.com Thomas White International TWWDX 29.4 21 1.44 2500 www.thomas white.com SSgA International Stock Selection SSAIX 24.9 20.1 1 1000 www.ssgafunds.com Manning & Napier World Opportunities A EXWAX 24.3 19.8 1.16 2000 www.manning napier advisors.com New Century International NCFPX 25.3 19.5 2.42 1000 www.newcentury portfolios.com Sextant International SSIFX 24.7 18.6 1.02 1000 www.saturna. com American Funds EuroPacific Gr F AEGFX 23.4 18.4 0.78 250 www.american funds.com Elfun International Equity EGLBX 25.1 18 0.18 500 www.gefunds. com /elfun GE Instl International Equity Inv GIEIX 24.5 17.6 0.56 0 www.geam.com source: morningstar inc. morningstar makes every effort to ensure the accuracy AND COMPLETENESS of this data, but cannot guarantee it. Top funds in each category, ranked by FIVE-year returns. open to the public. returns through june 30, 2007. Fund Name Ticker Symbol 3-Year Return 5-Year Return Expense Ratio Minimum Initial Investment Website Sector Hartford Global Comm HLS IB HBGCX 0.247 0.285 0.0089 0 institutional. hartfordlife.com Alpine International Real Estate EGLRX 33 27.6 1.17 1000 www.alpine cef.com Matthews Asian Technology MATFX 20.1 19.5 1.39 2500 www.matthews funds.com Buffalo Science & Technology BUFTX 11.7 17.4 1.03 2500 www.buffalo funds.com Schwab Health Care SWHFX 15.4 17.3 0.84 100 www.schwab.com T. Rowe Price Health Sciences PRHSX 12.1 14.8 0.87 2500 www.trowe price.com VALIC I Health Sciences VCHSX 11.2 14.1 1.16 0 www.aig valic.com JHT Health Sciences Trust Ser I JEHSX 11.1 13.9 1.16 0 www.jhfunds.com JHT Financial Services Trust Ser I JEFSX 14.8 13.4 0.91 0 www.jh annuities. com Core Bond Managers Bond MGFIX 5.6 6.6 0.99 2000 www.managers invest.com American Funds Bond Fund of Amer F BFAFX 4.9 6.5 0.6 250 www.american funds.com Westcore Plus Bond WTIBX 4.8 6.1 0.55 2500 www.westcore.com Baird Core Plus Bond Inv BCOSX 5.1 5.9 0.55 2500 www.rwbaird.com Wells Fargo Advantage Corp. Bond Adv SCBDX 4.1 5.7 1 1000 www.wellsfargo advantage funds.com Oppenheimer Core Bond Y OPBYX 4.6 5.6 0.55 1000 www.oppen heimer funds.com Thompson Plumb Bond THOPX 3.3 5.6 0.72 2500 www.thompson plumb.com Baird Aggregate Bond Inv BAGSX 4.3 5.1 0.55 2500 www.rwbaird.com Dodge & Cox Income DODIX 4.1 4.9 0.44 2500 www.dodg eand cox.com Analytic Short-Term Govt Inc Instl ANSTX 4.2 4.4 0.6 2500 www.an investor.com Sp ecialty Bond Fidelity Advisor High Income Advantage I FAHCX 13.1 18.6 0.81 2500 advisor.fidelity.com Fidelity Capital & Income FAGIX 12 17.1 0.75 2500 www.fidelity.com Loomis Sayles Bond Ret LSBRX 10.5 13.2 1 2500 www.ixis advisor funds.com American Funds American Hi Inc Tr F AHTFX 9.3 12.6 0.68 250 www.american funds.com Oppenheimer Strat Income Y OSIYX 8.8 10.2 0.58 0 www.oppen heimer funds.com American Funds Capital World Bd F WBFFX 6.5 9 0.89 250 www.american funds.com Domestic Equity Index DFA U.S. Large Cap Value II DFCVX 17.4 14.5 0.16 0 www.dfaus.com Schwab MarketTrack All Equity SWEGX 14.7 12.8 0.5 100 www.schwab.com T. Rowe Price Total Equity Market Idx POMIX 12.6 11.7 0.4 2500 www.trowe price.com Schwab Total Stock Market Index Inv SWTIX 12.4 11.6 0.53 100 www.schwab.com Vantagepoint Broad Market Index I VPMIX 12.3 11.5 0.44 0 www.icmarc.org TIAA-CREF Instl Equity Index Instl TIEIX 12.3 11.4 0.08 0 www.tiaa-cref.org Schwab 1000 Index Inv SNXFX 12 10.9 0.49 100 www.schwab.com Schwab Instl Select S&P 500 ISLCX 11.7 10.6 0.1 100 www.schwab. com GE Instl S&P 500 Index Inv GIDIX 11.5 10.5 0.15 0 www.geam.com Columbia Large Cap Index Z NINDX 11.5 10.5 0.14 0 www.columbia funds.com International Equity Index       DFA Intl Value II DIVTX 27.5 23.4 0.27 0 www.dfaus.com STI Classic Intl Equity Index A SIIIX 22 17.4 0.91 2000 www.sti classic funds.com T. Rowe Price International Eq Index PIEQX 21.9 17.3 0.5 2500 www.trowe price.com Bond Index Schwab Total Bond Market SWLBX 4.2 4.6 0.53 100 www.schwab.com Columbia U.S. Treasury Index Z IUTIX 3.2 3.7 0.38 2500 www.columbia funds.com Schwab Short-Term Bond Market SWBDX 3.3 3.6 0.55 100 www.schwab.com ETFs–U.S. Diversified iShares Russell Midcap Value Index IWS 19.1 n/a 0.25 n/a www.ishares.com iShares Dow Jones US Basic Materials IYM 18 n/a 0.48 n/a www.ishares.com Materials Select Sector SPDR XLB 17.3 n/a 0.24 n/a www.spdr index. com iShares NYSE Composite Index NYC 16.6 n/a 0.25 n/a www.ishares. com Rydex S&P Equal Weight RSP 14 n/a 0.4 n/a www.rydex funds.com