In Brief

By Anamaria Wilson

SOCIAL POINTS Investing in socially responsible funds can make you feel good about getting richer--but the trade-off can be a fairly stiff fee. This spring two new socially responsible index funds will debut with lower-than-average management fees. The Vanguard Calvert Social Index Fund will have a .25% expense ratio, and TIAA-CREF's Social Choice Equity's fee will fall in the same range as those of its other funds, between .29% and .49%.

YTD '99 Expense Return Return Ratio Calvert World Values Intl. Equity C -5.21 28.82 2.91 Citizens Index -4.59 27.49 1.58 Domini Social Equity -5.80 22.63 .98 IPS Millennium 14.71 118.80 1.40 Neuberger Berman Socially Resp -5.22 7.04 1.10 Parnassus 11.49 47.74 1.10 SOURCE: MORNINGSTAR

TAX A LOT Have you been remiss in filing your, ahem, 1996 tax return? Well, you might want to get on that, and not for the reasons you think. The IRS estimates that about $2 billion in unclaimed refund money is waiting for 1.6 million delinquent filers. More than 50% of these slackers could get at least $442 back. So file your '96 return and get it to the IRS by April 15. You won't get penalized for filing a late return that merits a refund. One catch--no refund until you've also filed your '97 and '98 returns.

DE-BANKING American Express has bought 4,562 more ATMs, which brings the travel-card company's total to almost 9,000. Some of these ATMs are in less than exotic locales like 7-Elevens and malls. Why? The company is planning to push into lowbrow but high-margin financial services such as wire transfers, money orders and check cashing. You'll be able to dash in for a Slurpee and a cash advance at the same time. There will be no user surcharge for AMEX banking customers and card members. Others will pay a fee that should average about $1.25 per transaction.

--By Anamaria Wilson