Personal Finance & Money - Planning, Budgeting, Investment, Services, News

ROI

The Deficit: Protect Yourself
Brett Arends examines the risks the burgeoning deficit poses for personal wealth–and what can be done to guard against them.

Education

What's a Degree Really Worth?
The idea that a college grad earns $800,000 or more than a high school grad is based on fuzzy math. The real number is much lower.

Politics and Policy
Taxes: Rates to Rise on Wealthy
Taxes on high-income earners would rise by nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years, under the budget plan. Capital gains and dividends will be taxed at 20% rather than 15%.
- News Hub: Bush Tax Cuts to Expire
Short-Term Bonds May Disappoint This Year
Investors have been shifting cash out of money-market funds into short-term bond funds. While these funds carry a veneer of safety, they're not bulletproof.
Politics and Policy
Support Renewed for Student-Loan Overhaul
Obama reiterated his support for a plan to end private-bank involvement in student-loan origination, proposing to divert the savings to an increase in grants to lower-income students.
Taxes
April 15 Is Closer Than You Think
In addition to the usual complexities, millions of Americans will discover new twists and potholes on the road to preparing their returns this year.
- Vet Your Tax Preparer
- When to Go to a Pro
Marketwatch
Hard Times Can Bring Out Con Artists
The financial crisis spurred scam artists to target people with misleading "free" trials and other ruses; consumers should remain vigilant about where they spend their dollars.
Starting Out
When to Go to a Pro
Preparing and filing a tax return can be a daunting task, but is it worth forking over a couple hundred dollars to have a tax pro do it for you?
Encore
Social Security Payback Pays Off
If you have to take Social Security earlier than anticipated because of a job loss, it may be worth repaying the benefits you needed to take if your fortunes reverse and finances recover.
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Markets
Retirement-Savings Rewind
Some said the president's measures don't go far enough, and his proposals ignore other equally large, if not larger, financial issues.
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Technology
'Phishing' Scams Target Mobile Banking
As mobile-banking applications have increased in popularity, so has the risk of downloading and installing a fraudulent app.
About the House
Cheap Hot Water? Just Add Sunshine
Homeowners are discovering another kind of solar-heating system that can offset two-thirds of your hot-water bill, usually with a couple of panels, an 80-gallon water storage tank and sunshine.
- Video: Harnessing Solar Energy to Save on Hot Water
Art Finance
The Art World's Gordon Gekko
Asher Edelman, a former corporate raider, is shaking up the art market with brash tactics and big plans.
- Photos: Ten Artists to Invest In
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Deals & Deal Makers
Public Pensions Look at Leverage Strategy
Public pension funds needing to boost their returns are turning to one of the oldest investment strategies—using borrowed money to boost performance.
Intelligent Investor
Will New Rules Tame the Wall Street Tiger?
President Obama's proposal to restrict the size and scope of banks certainly is good politics, but more inventive measures may be needed.
- Video: A Few Ideas for Obama on Regulation
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Markets
Exchanges Are Pushing
For Sub-Penny Pricing
U.S. stock exchanges are pushing regulators to allow traders to quote prices in increments smaller than a cent, in a bid to compete with fast-growing alternative platforms like dark pools.
Money
Quest for a Free Workout
In a weak economy, newbies eschew pricey gyms and head to running trails, community pools and donation-only yoga classes
Fund Track
Regional-Bank ETFs Cash In
The sector has outperformed the broad financial arena this year on hopes that smaller lenders' credit losses are easing and that they will be affected less by potential financial regulation.
Cheapskate
New York Living on Less Than $30,000
How the daughter of columnist Neal Templin pulled off living cheaply in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Common Sense

Toyota Recall Should Warn Investors Away
Toyota has a full-blown crisis on its hands following its huge vehicle recall for sticking gas pedals. Columnist Jim Stewart says investors should proceed with caution.
- Toyota's Troubles Deepen
The Intelligent Investor
Investing in the Right Countries
Even if you've already joined the mad dash to diversify into foreign stocks, you may still have a warped view of the investing world.
- Video: Diversifying on a Global Scale
Yoder & Sons
Readers: No Holiday Travel? So What
Readers weigh in on a recent Yoder & Sons column in which the Yoders talked about opting out of their annual holiday trip.
Ask Encore
A Taxing Roth Issue
Ask Encore columnist Kelly Greene answers a reader's question on estimated tax payments for Roth conversion income.
ROI
What the iPad Means for Your Wallet
Apple's new handheld computer is the talk of the moment. But if we can hack our way through the hype, what are the financial implications of this latest techno marvel—for consumers and for investors?
- Digits: IPad vs. Kindle. Who Wins?
- News Hub:Where the iPad Falls Short
In Favre's Favor
Maybe we should all take a leaf out of Brett Favre's playbook. Not the last-minute interception: The delayed retirement. Columnist Brett Arends makes the case for staying in the workforce as long as possible.

The Wealth Report

The Wealthy Sleep More Than You Do
A new survey found that 28% of individuals with incomes of $90,000 or more said they didn't feel well-rested yesterday. That is below than the 35% of those with incomes of less than $24,000. Why the difference? The nonwealthy probably stay up at night worrying about money, the study says.
The Learjet of the Seas
Slum Tours for the Wealthy Come Under Scrutiny
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Family Finance

How to Buy Disability Insurance
Disability-insurance benefits from the workplace and the government are getting harder to come by. Here's what you need to know if you're considering buying your own disability policy.
How to Fix Your Finances in 2010
Retirees Snared by Medicare

Insurance

A Cancer Patient Works the System
James Mannett's ordeal can provide lessons for all of us about how to defend our own financial interests, even when we're at our most vulnerable.
Many Jobless Don't Qualify for Cobra
Polly Want an Insurance Policy?

Investing

Volcker and Reform Defeated
Former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker offers a history lesson, but Congress skips the class.
Big 6-Month CD Yields at 0.53%
Sotheby's Sells Giacometti for Record $104.3 Million

Loans & Credit

How Much Is a College Degree Worth?
Families are evaluating the reasons to pursue higher education and how much tuition they want to pay.
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New BofA CEO Seeks Credit-Card Fix
Tamer Cards for Tougher Times

Taxes

Swiss Bank Data Offered to Germany
Switzerland faced a renewed assault on its private banking system, as Germany considered paying for secret Swiss account data detailing alleged tax evasion by about 1,500 German taxpayers.
Oregon to Tax Wealthy, Businesses
Relief for Alternative Minimum Tax

Retirement Planning

Reluctant Retirement for Older Workers
Although the U.S. labor market is showing improvements, conditions for older workers continue to deteriorate, as a number of workers ages 55 to 64 feel forced to retire before they are financially ready.
A Plan for Retirees
Recession Hits Senior Communities

Columns

R.o.i.
By Brett Arends
The Deficit: Protect Yourself
Ask encore
By Kelly Greene
A Taxing Roth Issue

Real Estate

Thailand Island Hideaway
This home on the island Koh Yao Noi measure about 7,535 square feet, with roofs made of palm leaves and views of intriguing limestone formations in the bay.
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Home-Ownership Level Falls to 67.3%
Regulator Curbs Fannie, Freddie

Autos

Customers Stand By Product, for Now
Longtime Toyota customers remain upbeat and optimistic about the car maker despite the recent recall.
Toyota Heir Faces Crisis at the Wheel
Why $25,000 Is Magic for Cars

Fitness & Health

Subscriber Content Read Preview

Bristol-Myers to Freeze Salaries
Bristol-Myers Squibb is freezing employee salaries for the year, although bonuses won't be affected.
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Genentech Takeover Weighs on Roche Results
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Walgreen Same-Store Sales Fall

Careers

Weak Outlook for New Hiring
There's a reason the Obama administration wants to spend $100 billion to spur hiring: Few companies are doing it.
A Black Mark on Your Job Search
Mistakes Job Hunters Make Online

Cranky Consumer

Services to Stop Our Online Dawdling
Some services record and categorize users' computer activities. Others operate by having users set goals for how much they'll get done in a set period of time. We try RescueTime, Slife, Klok and ManicTime.
Which Knife Sharpeners Make the Cut?
A good sharpening that extends the life of a beloved knife is one of the best investments of these recession. We test five different sharpening services across the country to see who has the edge.
Scoring Second-Hand Super Bowl Tickets
We go shopping for a seat to this year's Super Bowl (face value: $500-$1,000) in Miami and test services from sports ticket brokers.
How to Crash Restricted Shopping Sites
Members-only Web sites that offer huge discounts on designer goods are booming. But are they as exclusive as they claim? We test four leading sites.
Covered Calls Prove Popular
Even if the stock market goes sideways in 2010, a number of investors hope to profit through an options strategy known as covered calls.

Market Data Center

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Data: Dow Jones, Reuters

How to Read this Chart

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Personal Finance Video

Consumer Interest Rates

Loan Types	Rate	Last Week	Chart
1 yr CD	1.51%	down ↓	see chart
6 month CD	1.06%	down ↓	see chart
3 month CD	0.68%	down ↓	see chart
$10K MMA	0.99%	up ↑	see chart
MMA	0.92%	down ↓	see chart

Loan Types	Rate	Last Week	Chart
30 yr fixed mtg	5.11%	down ↓	see chart
15 yr fixed mtg	4.44%	down ↓	see chart
5/1 ARM	4.08%	down ↓	see chart
30 yr fixed jumbo mtg	5.92%	up ↑	see chart
30 yr FHA mtg	5.13%	down ↓	see chart

Loan Types	Rate	Last Week	Chart
36 month new car loan	6.43%		see chart
48 month new car loan	6.56%		see chart
60 month new car loan	6.60%	up ↑	see chart
36 month used car loan	6.99%	down ↓	see chart
48 month used car loan	6.89%	down ↓	see chart

Financial Adviser

Keep Deficits From Damaging Your Wealth
It makes sense to guard against the risks that the looming budget deficits pose. Here's how:
VOICES: Roy Ballentine, On Retaining Top Advisers
Jefferies Wealth Selects LifeYield's Optimization
The private-client arm of Jefferies Group Inc. has selected software maker LifeYield LLC's ROI technology as the optimization engine of its new wealth-management platform.
Wall Street Chiefs May Be Losing the Troops
The Family Business: Financial Advice
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The Intelligent Investor

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Consumer Interest Rates

Opinion: The Obama Spell Is Broken589 comments