<prompt> Human: My parents insisted I invest with their advisor at Wells Fargo, and Ive lost about 10 in the last year. Im still unsure if we give the guy a cut or not, Ill ask my dad tomorrow.Honestly, I have no desire to learn about stocks, and would just like something reliable that I can forget about. Hes got me in SP MDY, ISHS International Dividend IDV, Keycorp KEY, and WASCX.This portfolio was made by a Wells Fargo banker in Ohio. Is my friend being mislead?  <response>: Stocks are not reliable in the short term. Stocks have been reliable over long time periods in the past, but past performance is not indicative of future returns.Your friend seems to have gotten caught up in the recent market tumult. She should focus on what they can control - minimizing costs, properly selecting an asset allocation, and increasing their savings rate. If your friend is not taking advantage of tax-advantaged accounts, they should do that before going taxable. Lastly, people with simple financial situations dont need to pay professionals for things they could do themselves.Please read the information found in the FAQ particularly I Have X ... What Do I Do With It?! and the Long-Term Investing Start-Up Kit You may find Your 401k and You: Basic Information and Your IRA and You: Basic Information worth a read as well. 