On big equity deals it says its sales people place more stock with non-Brazilian investors than the bulge-bracket firms do.

ECONOMIST: Finance after the crisis: Pactual

Mr Dell added that the new touchscreen products would cost more to produce than their non-touch equivalents, suggesting they should fall within the price bracket Dell targets, rather than the super-low end of the market that it had opted out of.

BBC: Dell looks to future tablets as consumer sales slump

Roth's advantage over non-Roth alternatives shrinks or disappears if you assume that your tax bracket will be lower in retirement than it is now, says Joel Dickson, an economist at the Vanguard Group.

FORBES: Investment Guide: Taxes

Milberg, whose Erisa Expertise LLC sells software that compares Roth with non-Roth outcomes, says that Charles could easily wind up better off with Roth even if his tax bracket goes down a bit in retirement.

FORBES: 50 Years Old