The 60-plus set can't afford to retire
08.03.10
More people say they just don't have the money to retire these days.
Like many households, Wener and Tieun Vieux have suffered a few financial jolts of late. Question: Should I contribute more to my 401(k) than I have to in order to get the company match? --Terry, Kennett, Missouri
Question: In your article in the January issue of Money, you recommend buying total market index ETFs. But I don't find being able to trade ETFs like stocks throughout the day to be an advantage for me. For example, if I buy the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF I will have to pay commission when I buy and sell, whereas I can buy their Total Stock Index mutual fund with no fee. I don't understand why ETFs are better than mutual funds.
With proper care, a good watch lasts virtually forever. But you don't need to spend a bundle to own one. In a stay-put real estate market, some of the best gifts are home-improvement tools.
Question: Is there a listing that would allow me to see how my 401(k) plan compares with other companies' 401(k)s? --Debbie W., Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Is the daily indulgence of Starbucks and McDonald's coffee replaceable? High-flying shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters seem to indicate so.
Talk about a recession double whammy. It's bad enough that you've been working harder with less prospect of getting a raise. Now it feels as if you can't even afford to get sick.
The number of people who have created entirely new categories in retailing can probably be counted on one hand.
Question: . I was laid off recently and want to roll over the substantial balance in my 401(k) into an IRA. But I don't know whether to do the rollover now and risk locking in losses or wait until the market recovers and then roll it over. What do you think? Steve, Wichita Falls, Texas
Students can now pay their college loans and save with Sallie Mae.
Lisa and Bruce Brown are fortunate enough to have plenty of assets to protect. Foremost of these is their children: The Browns are the proud parents of four-year-old Emma, and they have another baby on the way. The Oakland couple also have considerable assets of the financial variety. Thanks to diligent saving and smart property investments, the Browns have a net worth of nearly $2 million. Horror stories of $2,000 phone bills are rare, but thousands -- even millions -- of people could be wasting money on outdated telephone services.
President Obama has said he'd like to lower the tax load on families making less than $250,000 and to raise it on people who make more than that.
The secret lives of America's debtors
08.03.10
Americans are loaded up with credit card debt. What's worse is that some husbands, wives and even children hide those money woes from their families. The results are often devastating.
The price you pay for frothy assets
08.03.10
As the 10th anniversary of the bursting of the tech bubble is upon us, you've probably read a slew of stories about what an awful decade this has been for stocks.
Should I fire my financial adviser?
08.03.10
Question: Last year I put my money with an adviser for an annual fee of 1% of assets and told him my only criteria for evaluating him will be whether he beats the market. I have refrained from telling him where to invest, when to invest, etc. as I view that as his job. He "got into the rally late" last year and underperformed the broad indexes by 10% to 12%, although we did have a decent fourth quarter. This year he's off to a horrid start, however, and we are already 3% worse than the broad indices. I try not to be a knee-jerk investor and know that every adviser has his ups and downs, but I'm wondering....Is it time to pull the plug? --Mike, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Don't get angry at the markets
08.03.10
Get out your calendars, folks. It's time to celebrate -- or perhaps mourn -- the 10th anniversary of one of the epic financial events of our time: the peak of the great stock market bubble, in March 2000. That's the month the Nasdaq, Standard & Poor's 500, and Wilshire 5000 all reached new highs, then headed south, big-time. (The Dow industrials peaked that January, but who cares? It's just a crummy 30 stocks.)
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Rat out a tax cheat, collect a reward
08.03.10
If you knew coworkers, former bosses or exes who cheated on their taxes, would you turn them in? The Internal Revenue Service can make it worth your while.
Spending a school fund
08.03.10
If your child skips college, is he entitled to the money you've saved for him? Money's ethicists weigh in.
Student loan provider offers online savings
08.03.10
Students can now pay their college loans and save with Sallie Mae.
The 60-plus set can't afford to retire
08.03.10
More people say they just don't have the money to retire these days.
Why diversification will work again
08.03.10
Diversification, the notion of spreading your investments among different baskets of assets that don't rise and fall in unison, has long been considered one of the safest and surest moves you can make with your portfolio. After all, if any one basket falls apart, most of your brood should remain intact.
The retired couple's guide to livin' the dream
08.03.10
Question: My husband and I have been happily married for 28 years. Careful spending and sound planning over time has provided us with a very comfortable financial future. Although we're compatible in many ways, our outlook differs when it comes to enjoying our money. I'm more of a saver and I hate to shop. I'm already retired, and when my husband retires in a year we'll begin drawing on our retirement savings. Can you suggest some tips on how we can communicate effectively about spending our money? How do we assure that we'll both have the independence to decide how we want to spend "our share" without judgment? --Margaret M.