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Financial Disasters Big and Small

Tue, 28/08/2007 - 07:49 by Selena Maranjian

Here we go again -- it's time for the same old financial advice: Create and fill an emergency fund for yourself! You never know when disaster will strike. You may find yourself with expensive health issues or a sudden job loss. Sock away about three to six months' worth of living expenses, and invest that money not in the stock market, which can swoon without notice, but in safer, less volatile options like CDs and money market accounts.

The Power of Branding

Thu, 23/08/2007 - 07:57 by Selena Maranjian
Here's a new way to try to get your kids to eat their broccoli: Wrap it in the golden arches packaging of McDonald's (NYSE: MCD). Very funny, you might be thinking. Har, har. Well, wait a second -- this wasn't a silly suggestion I just made up. It's based on the results of a recently reported study.

The Best First Credit Card

Sun, 19/08/2007 - 15:00 by Elizabeth Brokamp
We could argue all day about whether kids need credit cards. The concept of need is pretty subjective, especially when it comes to kids -- one day they'll claim to "need" a new iPod, and the next, it's trendy kicks or the latest game system. But many parents and their progeny are already sold on the benefits of plastic (especially for emergencies), making them ripe pickings for bad-guy credit card companies. Don't let yourself or your child fall prey to one of the lousy lenders.

Big-Time Risk on Short-Term Money

Fri, 17/08/2007 - 08:02 by Dan Caplinger
You're supposed to earn higher returns when you take on more risk. But with one type of bond fund, you actually get paid less.

Drug Costs Giving You a Headache?

Thu, 16/08/2007 - 10:05 by Bill Barker
Prescription drugs have made life better for innumerable people. From mood-boosting antidepressants to slumber-inducing sleep aids, from beta-blockers to regulate your blood pressure to anything you can get your hands on to quell your rumbling stomach, many now rely on a constant source of medicines. But swallowing a fistful of life-preserving and life-improving drugs every day can get quite expensive.

How Insecure Is Your Credit Card?

Wed, 15/08/2007 - 10:34 by Selena Maranjian

Let's pause for a moment to thank the nice folks at Javelin Strategy & Research. Why? Well, because they took the trouble to survey the credit card world to see which cards are the most secure for consumers. In the battle against identity theft, there are three chief areas that card issuers need to address: prevention, detection, and resolution.

A Taste for Credit

Mon, 13/08/2007 - 09:43 by Elizabeth Brokamp
Sending a child to college this year? You need to do more than buy dorm room goodies, top up cell phone minutes, and encourage serious studying. You need to prepare your undergrad for the onslaught of

The Great Rebalancing Debate

Tue, 31/07/2007 - 16:54 by Selena Maranjian

Some topics are more controversial than you may think -- like rebalancing portfolios. I've long been familiar with the concept, but I hadn't taken the time to think through the arguments.

Ride a Roth to Riches

Sat, 28/07/2007 - 09:38 by Shannon Zimmerman
This year's tax-filing deadline has, thankfully, come and gone, but it's always a fine time to begin (or continue) fully funding a Roth for the 2007 tax year -- and beyond. Plain and simple, if you wa

Don't Make a Million-Dollar Mistake

Thu, 26/07/2007 - 09:37 by Shannon Zimmerman
In an earlier commentary, we ran the numbers and found that a 22-year-old investor with $20,000 could surpass the million-dollar mark by the time he or she reached age 62. Provided this portfolio only

Impressive, no?

Sure, but what if you're not 22 anymore? Not to worry: Even if you're older -- 42, say, rather than 22 -- and looking to play catch-up without that kind of money in the bank, you, too, can be a millionaire. Really.