Q. I have substantial IRAs to deal with since my husband passed, and I must decide what to do. I do not want to invest it in the stock market. My tax adviser has suggested IRA CDs. What can you tell me about these and what they would mean for me? He also suggested laddering them. What is a money market and can I lose money in it?

A. We agree with your tax adviser that if you want a safe and secure place for your Individual Retirement Account, CDs are the way to go.

A CD (certificate of deposit) is an investment where you buy a certificate that matures in a defined period of time -- one year, three years, five years, 10 years. There are many terms to choose from. When you buy a CD, you will be guaranteed an annual percentage yield (APY), or interest rate. You can see what CDs are paying now by looking at Interest.com's CD rate comparison charts. Be sure to look at the "national" rates, because that's where the best-paying CDs are listed.

The interest rate that you get when you buy the CD will not change. This is why CDs are regarded as a safe investment. Not only will you earn money, but you can never lose any.

As far as laddering goes, check out our calculator that explains the technique. It is a simple concept calling for you to buy CDs of varying terms so one is always maturing, allowing you to reinvest at a higher rate. It is definitely the way to go, as it gives you flexibility with your money and you will earn more on your investments.

The one disadvantage of CDs is that you often cannot cash them in before their maturity date without paying a penalty -- often three months' worth of interest. However, when a CD is part of your IRA, that penalty is sometimes waived.

A money market account (MMA) can help get around these issues. A money market account is just like a savings account, except that it usually earns a higher interest rate, although your access to it is limited to maybe four or five withdrawals a month. But the money is yours whenever you need it. When you open your account, it will state the interest you will earn. It's a variable rate that will move up and down with the financial markets, hence the name "money market" account. You cannot lose money on an MMA, but the APY could go down. It could also go up.

You should also know that the FDIC insures bank IRAs up to $250,000 per account. So your money could not be safer.

And listen to your tax adviser. It sounds as if he has your best interests at heart.