Historically low rates hurt investors hoping to squeeze a little yield out of a short-term stash—the cash they might need to tap sooner versus later. Ultra-short bond funds, generally considered to be slightly riskier and more opportunistic than money markets or the mattress, showed pluck after the 2008 credit market fallout, but the years since [...]

Whether you’re carrying a few hundred or a few thousand dollars in loans and credit card debt, making a commitment to get out of debt is a noble goal–unless you’re using the wrong payoff strategy. Some self-discipline with the budget and a strategic debt payoff plan will put you in a better financial position, but [...]

 

Dean Catino You’ve decided to engage a financial planner—smart move. But, did you know that anyone can call himself a “financial planner?” So how can you determine who is most qualified to handle your situation and what should you expect in a financial planning engagement? You can ask for a referral from a trusted adviser [...]

Many of us have dreams of volunteering, travel, or just sitting on the porch surrounded by family. Retirement goals vary from person to person. If you want to meet your own retirement objectives, though, you need to take a personalized approach, based on your specific priorities and interests. Here are four steps you can use [...]

 

Steve Beck In the hit comedy, Dumb and Dumber, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels play two guys that are so utterly moronic, that their inanity actually becomes their best asset. Without knowing it, their stupidity guides them past unperceived dangers and smack dab into the middle of unsuspecting success. If only life worked so charmingly. [...]

As Washington politicians debate whether earning $250,000 a year makes a family rich, special education teacher Danny Kofke has come up with a much lower threshold for wealth: The father of two says that his family of four can live well on his $40,000 a year salary—and you can, too. He explains how in his [...]

 

Curt Rosengren I don’t know you, but there is one thing about you that I am 99.99% certain of, and that is that you have mind-bogglingly huge potential,  both in what you can achieve in your career (and life) and the difference you can make in the world. Why do I think that? Because we [...]

 

Scott Holsopple Preparing your finances for your death is a topic many don’t want to talk about. Death is inevitable, however, and if you don’t take the time to plan, your wishes (and your family’s financial security) could be at risk. Everyone should make a few preparations to ensure that decisions are made with the [...]

Many of us put off saving for retirement. But the longer we put it off, the more difficult retirement will become. One of the most important things you can do is to write down your financial goals. Once your goals are written down, they are transformed from fleeting ideas into concrete projects. The written goals [...]

This week, I wrote about when it makes financial sense to quit your job, which might sound like a ridiculous question. In this economy, does it ever make sense to leave a job? Well, yes, it turns out, and sometimes doing so can even be a smart financial move. [In Pictures: 10 Ways to Start [...]

 

Roger Wohlner Deciding when to retire is one of the most important life decisions you’ll ever make. Many people don’t know the basic questions to ask in making this decision. The “traditional” retirement age is 65. This has gone by the wayside to some extent in that the age to receive full Social Security benefits [...]

If you’ve had your home on the market throughout the spring and summer seasons and it still hasn’t sold, you might be starting to sweat. The heat and pressure are on, and it’s probably hard to believe that fall is already here. Once the cold sets in, the number of buyers out there starts sinking like [...]

 

Kelly Campbell A one year certificate of deposit (CD) is currently paying an average rate of 0.85 percent—not even one percent. Interestingly, that same CD was paying closer to 6 percent five years ago. So if you had $100,000 invested in that CD, your return went from $6,000 a year to $850. We all know [...]

Not only do children keep you up at night and drain your bank accounts, but new research from the National Endowment for Financial Education suggests that twenty-somethings continue to inflict financial pain on their parents even as adults. That’s largely because some 40 percent of 20 and 30-something children still live at home, or have [...]

We all know about the shenanigans car dealers try to pull when we buy a new car. They advertise one low price. But before you drive out of the showroom, they’ve somehow added on a list of fees like the “sports package,” the “safety option” and the “destination charge.” Then there’s the sales tax. And [...]