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Personal Finance Archive5 Tips for Safe Online Shopping Shopping online is a great way to find deals (as I wrote recently). But, if you're not careful, you could be putting your personal information at risk of being stolen by identity thieves.Michael... Get the Best Medicare Advantage Plan Thanks for your step-by-step guide to picking a Medicare Part D prescription-drug plan. I would like to look for a Medicare Advantage plan during open-enrollment season this year instead of a Part D... 5 Ways Funds Charge Too Much While investors, regulators and politicians have been gnashing their teeth over the misdeeds of assorted financial institutions and the shortcomings of some of their products and services, they've... Leave Your Kids a Tax-Free Legacy EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the September 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here. Let's say you have a traditional IRA, and you'd like... How Do I Tap My IRA? I'm about to turn 59½ and would like to withdraw money from a traditional IRA to pay my daughter's college tuition. I've been focusing on adding to the account for all of these years. What do I... Putting IRA Withdrawals Back Into Your Account I know that required minimum distributions from IRAs have been suspended for 2009, but I had automatically received my regular IRA payments in a lump sum at the beginning of the year. Can I put the... 7 Red Flags for Home Buyers In most states, home sellers must disclose any defect they know about that could affect how desirable -- and marketable -- their home is before they sign a purchase contract. Even in the six states... 2010 Retirement-Account Contribution Limits I know Social Security beneficiaries will not receive a cost-of-living increase in 2010 because the inflation rate has been so low. (see A Bailout for Seniors). How does the lack of inflation affect... 15 Key Questions on the Health Care Bill As Congress moves closer to a health bill -- one that will affect the lives of almost all Americans and businesses -- key questions come to the fore. 1. Will there be a bill this year? Probably.... Some Medicare Rates to Rise
What is going to happen to rates for Medicare Part D prescription-drug plans next year? Can I switch plans?Prices for both Medicare Part D prescription-drug plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans... Investor Psychology Glossary ANCHORING Anchoring is he tendency to work from a point of reference -- no matter how irrelevant that point may be. For example, you might have been looking for weeks at a stock trading for about... Make the Most of Your Benefits
While the country debated the future of health-care reform last summer, employers wrestled with what to do about the soaring costs of providing health insurance for their employees. The average cost... 7 Deadly Sins of Investing Editor's note: This story originally was published in the March 1998 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.If you want to irk a financial planner, try this: Don't take money out of your fat... 10 Green Myths Debunked If you're like most consumers, you're more than happy to buy green -- as long as it also saves greenbacks. A recent study by the Shelton Group found that consumers who purchase eco-friendly... 8 Ways Warehouse Clubs Are Better Online Make no mistake: You pay a hidden price for shopping at a warehouse club. You race for a parking space. You struggle to navigate the plus-size cart around a maze of merchandise and bargain hunters.... 3 Ways to Avoid Overdraft Fees In the galaxy of annoying fees, overdraft charges are among the most irritating-and hardest to avoid. A study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. found that three-fourths of banks automatically... The Social Security Catch-22 Editor's note: This article is from the 2009 issue of Success With Your Money. Order your copy now.It sounds like a cruel joke. After a lifetime in the workforce, you call it quits at 62 to claim... Online Brokers Offer IPO Access Initial public offerings tend to be exclusive affairs. Underwriters usually give the first crack at new stock issues to large institutions, such as pension funds, banks and money-management firms.... On the Horizon: New 401(k) Investment Rules Employers that offer 401(k) plans, and firms that administer them, face more paperwork and administrative headaches as new rules on investment choices take effect in the coming months. But it's good... The New Roth Rollover Rules Explained I've been getting a ton of questions from readers about the new Roth IRA rollover rules that take effect in 2010, when anyone will be able to convert their traditional IRA to a Roth regardless of... What's Behind the Death-Panel Hype? I've heard a lot about "death panels" in the health-care legislation and how they will ration care for the elderly. What does the bill really say? In reality, the U.S. House of Representatives... Take Advantage of These Stimulus Breaks Soon The economic-stimulus plan that President Obama signed into law February 17 includes several tax breaks that will expire in the next few months. Some of these breaks are for big purchases, which may... Your Retirement: Create a Plan B WHERE YOU ARE: You lost 30% or more of your retirement savings in the market crash. WHERE YOU WANT TO BE: Able to retire comfortably within the next five to ten years. HOW TO GET THERE: ... Charitable Giving in Rocky Times EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the July 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here.As you tighten your spending, you may be tempted to cut back on... How to Check an Insurer's Complaint Record What are the most common types of complaints state regulators receive about insurance companies?The National Association of Insurance Commissioners gathers complaint information from state insurance... Kids, College and Insurance My daughter will start college in a few weeks and I'm wondering what I need to do about insurance for her.You should contact your insurer before your child goes to college. You may need to make a few... How Credit Score Affects Insurance Premiums Our auto-insurance company increased our premiums by $150 per year based on our credit score. Can it do that?It certainly can, in most states. In fact, many insurers changed their pricing models over... How Military Members Can Benefit From a Roth Is a Roth IRA a good retirement plan for a 19-year-old who is in the Navy?It definitely is. Instead of getting a tax break for contributions now, with a Roth you can withdraw the money (including... New Credit-Card Rules Take Effect Soon I understand that some of the provisions of the new credit-card law will go into effect this month. Which rules are they, and what changes have credit-card companies been making since the law was... Too Late to Get Cash for Your Clunker? I read that the government's Cash for Clunkers program ran out of money. Is it too late to take advantage of the program?That's a good question, and car dealers are trying to figure out the answer... Get the Best Rate on Health Insurance Is there anything I can do to improve my health-insurance application to get a better deal on a policy? There's a lot that you can do ahead of time that can help you present the strongest case on... Workers on Their Own More Than Ever Despite recent gains in stock prices, ravaged retirement savings are a big worry, both for employees and for employers that want to help their workers save for retirement. It will take years to... 10 Investments You Don't Need With so much flotsam littering the investment universe, we usually limit ourselves to pointing you toward the few stocks, bonds and funds worthy of your portfolio. But occasionally there come along... 20 Ways to Waste Your Money Whether a newbie or seasoned budgeter, nearly everyone has spending holes -- leaks in your budget that drain money with you hardly noticing.These small drips can add up to big bucks. Once you find... Early-Warning Signs of Credit Trouble It's becoming more difficult to pay my bills. At what point would it help to talk with a credit counselor?Credit counselors actually wish people would visit them earlier than they do. "If people wait... The Long-Distance Caregiver EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the May 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here.Visiting her mother a little more than a year ago, Ann Hofkin... Score Big Savings on Health Coverage Washington is buzzing about pending changes in the health-care system, and a bill could pass before the end of the year. In the meantime, if you're facing a layoff, graduating from college and losing... Social Security Payments Could Shrink for Some If there is no cost-of-living increase for Social Security benefits this year, could my Social Security payments actually decrease because of increasing Medicare premiums?Yes, there is a chance that... 14 Great Summer Reads Compiled by Tina Korbe Sales of romance novels are up, a quirky indicator that the economy is down because the books provide depressed investors with a welcome diversion. But the following books,... Best 529 College-Savings Plans Sure, most 529 college-savings plans took a beating in the bear market, but they are still a great way to save for college. That's because the earnings are tax-free if they are used to pay qualified... Four Financial Rookie Mistakes When you're starting out, you may not make the smartest choices with your money because you simply don't know better.Wallowing in ignorance can be costly. But learning to manage your money well will... An Annuity That Pays Now and Forever EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the May 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here.In financially uncertain times, nothing sounds better than a... Health Savings Account Rules for Retirees My wife and I turn 65 this year and will sign up for Medicare. Will we still be able to use the money in our health savings account? You sure can. Even though you can't contribute to an HSA after... The New Rules of Credit Cards Paul McNamee has four credit cards, which he generally pays off in full each month, and always on time. So the Ellicott City, Md., computer scientist was taken aback when he recently received letters... What to Look for in a Medigap Policy I will be 65 soon and have decided on a medigap policy that costs $120 per month. I read your 3 Things to Avoid When Trying to Cut Health Costs column a few weeks ago, which suggests not focusing too... Scams Exploit Hard Times When Nancy Dix received a letter promising to help her prevent foreclosure on her home in Ansted, W.Va., she jumped at the chance. The letter, from an organization called Mortgage Rescue, said all... Find Health Coverage Before Medicare EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the April 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here.It's bad enough that your retirement savings are evaporating.... Impact of a Paycheck on Retiree Benefits EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the April 2009 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. To subscribe, click here. With the abysmal stock market and slashed savings, you may be... What You Need to Know About CDs 1. Interest rates are low -- but so is inflation. CD rates dropped when the federal funds rate nearly hit zero in mid December. But with annual inflation at 0.2%, your CD's buying power is greater... 3 Things to Avoid When Trying to Cut Health Costs Everyone's looking for ways to trim expenses now, and I've been getting a lot of questions from readers about strategies for reducing health-insurance costs. But I've also seen people make big... Ban Hedge Funds? What are they smoking on Wall Street? First the bankers grouse that they need to pay multimillion-dollar bonuses to their employees with taxpayers' money. Now hedge-fund managers express outrage... The Strongest and Weakest Housing Markets It's no secret that the real estate market has been hammered. Nationwide, median home values dropped 18% in 2008, according to the most recent data from Fiserv Lending Solutions, a home-price... The Trouble With Budgets For the first six years of our marriage, my husband and I lived paycheck to paycheck. And for six years, we loathed the cycle. We wanted to get a handle on our spending and start saving some money.... Streamline Retirement Enrolling in an employer's retirement plan is becoming more and more automated, which means saving for your life after work is even easier. In some cases, when you start a new job, you might not have... Health Insurance for New Grads My daughter is graduating from college this month, but she hasn't found a job that offers health insurance. Can she stay on my policy? It depends on where you live. In the past, children were... 10 Ways Moms Can Make the Most of Your Money Recently I was a guest on a radio show about kids and money, and a number of adults called in to talk about their own family experiences as children. One woman had grown up with a father who had a... Refinance, If You Can Refinance your mortgage now and you may capture the lowest interest rate of your lifetime. But unlike a couple of years ago, when it seemed all you needed was a pay stub (if that) and an eager... Dr. Doom Lightens Up Nouriel Roubini -- sometimes known as Dr. Doom for the gloomy, though hauntingly accurate, economic forecasts he's made over the past several years -- is using the d word a lot less than he has been... More Stimulus Misconceptions I still receive a ton of questions about the economic-stimulus package and how people can get their money. My 7 Misconceptions About the Stimulus column dealt with some of those issues, and Kevin... 5 Things to Know About the Making Work Pay Tax Credit 1. Don't look for a check in your mailbox. Rather than resurrect the multi-million dollar bureaucracy used to deliver tax rebates in 2008, President Obama's version of cash-to-taxpayers stimulus is... Tax Savings for All Taxpayers Once you take advantage of every possible tax-saving opportunity on your 2008 tax return, we can let you in on a dirty little secret: The best chances for savings come before you put pen to paper ...... Carmakers Sweeten the Deal Editor's note: This story has been updated.Faced with sales so bad they're breaking records, automakers have pulled out all the stops on incentives. The average inducement was $3,169 per vehicle sold... The Bankruptcy Solution Stephanie Monson was horrified when she learned that her husband had racked up more than $45,000 in credit-card bills. The debt forced Monson to file for personal bankruptcy -- and led to the... What You Need to Know About Paying Your Taxes 1. Even the pros make mistakes. Just ask Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who admits he failed to pay more than $34,000 in self-employment taxes between 2001 and 2004. Or Rep. Charles Rangel... "I Owe More Than My House Is Worth." Michelle Jacobson worries that her home's value won't bounce back.When Michelle Jacobson bought a brand-new, three-bedroom house on an oversize lot in Northwest Las Vegas five years ago, she thought... The Past Is Still a Guide The witty Danish physicist Niels Bohr once said: "Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." The future is, of course, unknowable. No one has ever been there. But our lives require... Do You Qualify for Housing Help? How can I find out if I will qualify for help with my mortgage under the Obama administration's plan?The administration's housing plan provides two types of assistance that are designed to help make... How Grads Can Compete in the Job Market After being taught to believe they can be anything, many members of Generation Y never dreamed they'd be doing nothing. But this recession has been quite the wake-up call. In February, unemployment... The 2008 Versus '09 Credit for Home Buyers Does the tax credit for first-time home buyers need to be repaid? I have heard different stories and need to have this clarified. My son recently bought his first home. Will he receive a check for... A New Tax Break for Car Buyers The 2009 stimulus package signed into law by President Obama includes a valuable tax break for people who buy new cars, pickups, motorcycles and motor homes.If you buy between February 17 and... 10 Financial Myths Busted Before the economic rout, you could rely on certain iron laws of personal finance. For example, it was a given that house values didn't fall. Money-market funds never lost a dime. And no matter how... Say 'No' to Debit Cards for Teens Even as consumers try to unload credit-card debt -- and card issuers try to unload high-risk borrowers -- some banks are still trying to get teenagers hooked on plastic. "Call it plastic on training... Why It's Hard to Fight Brokers In her stage act, Tissa Hami, a stand-up comic who was born in Iran, boldly skewers stereotypes about her ethnicity and her Muslim religion. (Those who disapprove will be taken hostage, she jokes.)... Watch Out for Stimulus Scams I've been seeing lots of ads suggesting that the government will be sending people big checks, usually of more than $12,000, as part of the stimulus plan. Is the Treasury Department really going to... Cut the Cable Cord I canceled my cable subscription a year and a half ago, and I honestly haven't missed it that much -- especially considering that by cutting the cord I've slashed the $60-a-month bill and saved more... 10 Tax Terms You Need to Know Does preparing your income-tax return remind you of taking a final exam in a foreign language that you don't understand? We can help. Think of Kiplinger as your Berlitz guide to taxes. We've... How the Self-Employed Get Stimulus Money Self-employed workers don't have taxes withheld from their paychecks. How can they get their stimulus money? Most taxpayers who file an individual return will receive $400 in stimulus money in 2009... Is Your Pension Still Safe? John Sidorenko has hit a few speed bumps along his route to retirement. In December 2007, Delphi Corp., the financially troubled auto-parts manufacturer, shuttered the Columbus, Ohio, plant where... How Will I Get My Stimulus Money? Since Congress passed the economic-stimulus bill February 13, a lot of people have asked us how they will get their money. Some of the details will be worked out in the coming weeks, but here's what... 8 Lessons From the Meltdown Investment counselor Larry Swedroe joked recently that the financial crisis offers enough lessons to fill up a doctoral seminar. With apologies to Larry and begging the indulgence of readers, whom I... Should I Lend $50,000 to My Brother-In-Law? My brother-in-law got laid off, and his job search isn't going well. He has approached me for a $50,000 loan to help his family get by (they have almost no savings). I am well off and can afford it,... Helping Family in Hard Times EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in the December 2008 issue of Kiplinger's Retirement Report. A stock market gone wild. A deepening recession. Rising unemployment. This is a heck... How to Spot the Next Bernie Madoff As a young sporting-goods executive, Larry Leif first became acquainted with Bernard Madoff in the late 1970s, when his boss invested his company's pension with the now-notorious money manager. After... Surprise in Store on Greenhouse Gas Curbs Will California and other states get the nod to tighten auto emissions standards? We think not, even though it's widely expected after President Obama's directive that the Environmental Protection... Three Health Insurance Mistakes to Avoid I just switched to a new health insurance plan through my employer, which took effect on January 1. It's the first time I've had a high-deductible plan and a health savings account. What do I need to... Staying in the Game This recent note, from a friend who is a wise and experienced individual investor, captures well the mood of today's shellshocked market participant:"In my smaller and smaller trading account, I try... Life Insurance for Less Count life insurance among the many products and services that are on sale. A 40-year-old male nonsmoker can buy a $500,000, 20-year term-life policy for as little as $345 per year if he's in perfect... Obama's Top Foreign Policy Challenges Barack Obama takes office with an enormous amount of international goodwill, in part because many nations are hoping for a more constructive, less one-sided relationship with the U.S. The risk is... Fighting a Foreclosure Nearly 2.4 million homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure since the housing market turned south in 2006, and that number is expected to climb to six million before the bust is over. First to... Clean Up Your Credit With all the financial upheaval over the past year, including the subprime-mortgage mess and the rescue plan for banks toppled by risky loans, it wouldn't be surprising if you were tempted to think... Revive Your Retirement The Incredible Shrinking Nest Egg sounds like the title of a cheesy Hollywood horror movie. But it might as well be reality TV for millions of American investors in or near retirement. Many of them... What Went Wrong at Dodge & Cox? In the sales-driven mutual fund world, there's a lot to like about Dodge & Cox, the sedate San Francisco fund manager. The firm keeps a low profile. It doesn't advertise, market products or chase... Avoid the Next Madoff Scam The only thing worse than investing in the stock market last year was investing with Bernard Madoff, whose alleged Ponzi scheme is said to have cost investors as much as $50 billion.Many of the... The 11 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions Every year, the IRS dutifully reports the most common blunders taxpayers make on their returns. And every year, at or near the top of the list, is forgetting to enter a Social Security number or... 30 Best Travel Sites The bear market is putting the squeeze on the travel industry and travelers are reaping the benefits. As customers cut down their vacation budgets, airlines, hotels, and cruise lines are extending... 12 Things to Look Forward to in 2009 Get the &*$^% out of here, 2008 -- and take your stinkin' credit crisis, gas price spikes, financial scandals, lax regulators and failing auto companies with you. It's been a long, long time since... Holiday Entertaining on a Budget Want to throw a party this year, but you're short on cash? No problem! You don't have to break the bank to host a great get-together. After all, it's the company of friends that matters, not how much... The Fragile State of Home Prices Home prices around the U.S. are still falling. But in a sign that the worst may soon be over, sales of homes are ticking up in many areas. The question is, will the housing recovery be derailed by... Six Reasons to Buy Stocks Now Many investors are angry, frustrated and disillusioned with stocks. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some people have decided to swear off stocks forever. Others may be wondering how much more pain... No IRA Payouts Required in '09 Seniors whose retirement accounts have been battered got half a loaf from Congress this week when lawmakers suspended the rule that requires Americans 70½ and older to withdraw funds from their nest... A Sweet Deal on a Roth IRA Conversions Employees who make (or who have made) after-tax contributions to their employer's retirement plan, listen up. You can now take that money and convert it to a Roth IRA tax-free.To qualify for a Roth... Yes, You Can Say No to Your Kids Lately I've been doing a lot of radio and TV interviews on the subject of how parents should tell their children they'll be cutting back on gifts this holiday season. Reporters covering this story... Year-End Tax Moves Will Lower Your Bill After a rocky 2008, your nest egg may be a little smaller and your gas bill may be a little bigger. But there is one reliable way to save money: taking steps to trim your tax bill. Once you've... What's Cheap Now? These days, you can get a great deal on almost anything, from TVs to toys to travel. The recession has prompted many retailers, hotels and cruise lines to slash prices. Even high-end brands that are... Tax Planning for Your First Job Now that you've entered the full-time workforce, you'll enjoy getting steady paychecks, and so will your partner ... Uncle Sam. Becoming a wage earner means becoming a taxpayer, too. You'll owe... 10 Holiday Money Mistakes With the sour economy, holiday budgets are tight this year. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, 76% of Americans plan to cut back on spending this season, particularly on gifts and travel.... |
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