The Budget Control Act of 2011 left all sides with plenty to argue about for the rest of the year. In addition to gradually increasing the debt ceiling, it's intended to bring down the federal budget deficit by an estimated $2.1 trillion over the next 10 years, focusing on spending cuts rather than increased revenues. The Act also sets the stage for more debate over how to achieve that $2.1 trillion reduction. Here are some of the key provisions of the debt ceiling legislation.
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We'd like to believe that disasters caused by floods or earthquakes are rare. But as we have seen with the recent natural disasters in the United States and abroad, the impact can be financially devastating. If you were to fall victim to a natural disaster, could you pay for the damages out-of-pocket? Will your homeowners insurance provide adequate coverage? Could any of us depend on the government for assistance?
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Transfers of property during life or at death are generally subject to federal gift or estate taxes. Each taxpayer has an applicable exclusion amount, which is the amount of property that can be sheltered from federal gift and estate taxes by the unified credit.
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If you're the parent of a high school student who's looking ahead to college, it's important to have a grown-up conversation with your child about college expectations. A frank discussion can help everyone get on the same page. Here are some talking points.
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Feeling strongly about the societal benefit or harm your money might be supporting doesn't mean you have to forgo pursuing a return on your investments. Socially responsible investing allows you to further both your own economic interests and a greater good.
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In the world of higher education, it's common to hear industry experts say that few students attending college pay full "sticker price," which is the official version of a college's total costs. Yet with nothing else to go on, many students end up basing their college search, and ultimate school selection, on just that--pure sticker price. But this may be about to change.
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Don't Be Nickeled-and-Dimed by Account Fees
Interest rates on deposit accounts, such as savings accounts, interest-bearing checking accounts, and money market accounts have been persistently low, and rates aren't likely to improve any time soon. To make matters worse, financial institutions are under pressure to raise account fees, as they look to recapture some of the revenue lost in the wake of stricter financial regulations. The result is that some account holders now earn less interest on their money than they pay in account fees.
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Over the last several years, investors have grown accustomed to historically low interest rates. Ever since the Federal Reserve Board's target fed funds rate--the rate at which banks lend to one another--hit a high above 19% in mid-1981, the long-term direction of rates has been downward.
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Looking for a good movie?
I highly recommend a documentary that played in theaters titled Inside Job. It's about the financial collapse in the U.S. and includes interviews with some key players involved, explaining the incestuous relationships among banks, rating agencies, government officials and paid consultants.
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Roth conversions, mortgages, and health-care reform were a few of the most talked about topics in 2010. Here's a look at five topics you're bound to hear about in 2011.
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It doesn’t matter whether a loved one dies suddenly or with warning – funeral costs can be daunting. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, which bills itself as the world’s leading funeral service association, the average cost of an adult funeral in 2010 stood at $7,755, and that amount doesn’t include the price of a gravesite, monuments or flowers – not even the cost of an obituary.
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Congratulations! You've adopted a child. Your family is growing, and so are your expenses. Fortunately, the federal government offers some financial assistance.
If you adopt a child, you may be able to claim a tax credit for qualifying expenses you paid. Further, certain amounts reimbursed by your employer for qualifying adoption expenses may be excludable from your gross income.
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If you're just starting out, you might not give much thought to working with a financial professional. You may associate the process with retirement--a retirement that seems so far off that more immediate concerns take precedence. The fact is, though, a financial professional can prove to be a valuable resource to those just starting out. And, while there's never a bad time to seek professional advice, early life-changing events make it especially important to take stock of your financial situation.
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You're on your own now. You've finished school, are working your first real job, and maybe you're even buying a home or getting married. Here are a few tips to help you start managing your finances.
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For most prospective parents, financial issues come fairly far down the list of wishes and hopes for their new baby. Health and happiness typically comes first, and by the time the subject turns to money, the discussion often begins and ends at saving for the baby’s education.
That’s where most families go wrong.
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Health-Care Reform
The primary goals of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (collectively, the 2010 health-care reform legislation) are to ensure that all Americans and legal residents have access to a minimum level of affordable health care, and to help contain the burgeoning costs of our health-care delivery system. The health-care reform legislation invokes a shared responsibility between both state and federal governments, as well as employers and individuals, to contribute toward those ends.
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When you die, your estate goes through a process that manages, settles, and distributes your property according to the terms of your will. This process is governed by state law and is called probate. Probate proceedings fall under the jurisdiction of the probate court (also called the Surrogate's, Orphans', or Chancery court) of the state in which you are domiciled at the time of your death. This court oversees probate of your personal property and any real estate that is located in that state. If you own property located in a state other than the state in which you are domiciled at the time of your death, a separate "ancillary" probate proceeding may need to be initiated in the other state.
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Here's a new twist on an old saying. There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and college costs that go up every year, even during a recession. How can students and parents avoid the "extreme borrowing" phenomenon that can lead to years of burdensome loan payments? They can start by looking for ways to trim college costs so they won't have to borrow and/or pay as much in the first place. Here are some ideas.
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Congratulations! You've adopted a child. Your family is growing, and so are your expenses. Fortunately, the federal government offers some financial assistance.
If you adopt a child, you may be able to claim a tax credit for qualifying expenses you paid. Further, certain amounts reimbursed by your employer for qualifying adoption expenses may be excludable from your gross income.
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Do you ever wonder where your money goes each month? Does it seem like you've gotten sidetracked when it comes to reaching your financial goals? If so, you may want to review and perhaps revise your budget. Doing so can help you determine how you're spending your money, and that might show you what you need to do to get back on track.
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According to an article in The Wall Street Journal ("More Parents Are Becoming 529 Dropouts," November 11, 2009), after the 2008/09 market collapse, some investors--and financial advisors--have reduced their reliance on 529 plans. Some of this pullback can be attributed in part to a broader retreat from the stock market as a whole. But another part can be attributed to parents who have opted to trade the tax benefits of 529 plans for college savings vehicles that don't have a "must-be-used-for-college" restriction. And as parents seek to save for their own retirement too, one such vehicle is a Roth IRA. So, just how does a favorite of the college savings world, a 529 college savings plan, stack up to a favorite of the retirement savings world, a Roth IRA, as an education-funding vehicle?
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When it comes to dealing with freeloading friends and deadbeat relatives, Jeanne Fleming and Leonard Schwarz suggest that you be what they call the three P's: prompt, polite and pointed.
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High school seniors have been scrambling for months to complete their applications for college. Now it's their parents' turn to sweat.
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Many people think about personal finance as an unemotional, detached pursuit, but it's really nothing of the sort. Money is a means to an end, and what you do with it is all about feelings and values. My wish for 2008 is that the luxuries we choose will fill our lives with warmth and that we will get the precious things that we yearn and work for. With that in mind, here are my New Year's resolutions:
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Santa Claus, not waiting until after Thanksgiving, arrived at our local mall in Vero Beach, Fla., on Saturday, Nov. 17. To my reckoning, that made him 2-1/2 weeks late.
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My article last week on my personal college financing dilemma generated a maelstrom of responses.
More than 100 readers e-mailed to provide everything from sage advice to hearty criticism. A few suggested that I should not have written a book on paying for college until I had experienced it myself. To that, I'll say only that you don't need to have a baby to deliver one, but you may need to have one to understand how it feels.
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I boarded JetBlue's flight to Los Angeles with a bagful of mixed feelings. My daughter, Samantha, and I were returning from Boston after a week of college tours. Seven colleges in five cities in seven days - it made a whirlwind European trip seem lazy.
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Just in the past few weeks: My wife, Georgina, and I made new investments with the money from maturing certificates of deposit. Our local telephone bill started coming from AT&T, the new name for BellSouth. The customer service number for our long-distance carrier changed. We switched Internet service providers and have a new account number (I kept my AOL address for work).
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Brett Johnson is meticulous about his car. It's not about looks or handling, mind you. It's about mileage.
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Children are one of life's great joys, but this joy doesn't come cheap. Just ask Scott Leonard, a Redondo Beach, Calif., financial planner and father of three.
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Congressional leaders are moving briskly ahead on bills that would dramatically cut interest rates on student loans for some borrowers.
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Making a financial resolution for 2007? You've got plenty of company. When it comes to top New Year's resolutions, shedding debt usually runs neck-and-neck with shedding pounds, surveys show.
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Health insurance premiums for my wife, Georgina, and me went up almost 30 percent in 2006. For this year, they've already gone up another 13 percent.
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Robert Franek knows a thing or two about the college admissions process and financial aid, as well he should.
As lead author of The Princeton Review's popular guidebook "The Best 361 Colleges," Franek spends about 30 percent of his time on the road visiting schools and talking to administrators, teachers and students.
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1. Track your spending. To secure your financial future you must live within your means - you have to have a budget. Purchase financial accounting software or set-up an accounting method that works for you and keep track of where your money is going. Tracking your expenses is the first step in getting your personal finances in order.
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When shopping for the holidays, gifts must be both appropriate and affordable. The gifts you choose send a message. Inexpensive gifts can be just as meaningful as expensive ones but can make the post-holidays financial impact much easier to handle. Here are some tips on keeping your holiday spending under control and how to make sure the money you spend on gifts is well spent.
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Audrey Nunnery had always done her own housework. But as she got older - she's now 73 - it became tougher to reach the cobwebs in the corners and to vacuum the floors.
One Mother's Day, her daughters arranged for housekeepers to clean her home as a gift. Nunnery, a retired school counselor, says she's never looked back.
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For Matt Morris, the good news and the bad news came in the same envelope - his acceptance letter from the University of Southern California's film school.
It is, after all, one of the most lauded programs in the country. But at $44,000 a year, it's also one of the most costly, and his financial aid grant was nowhere near enough to make it affordable.
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. YOU'VE GOT MAIL
The first stop in finding a last-minute deal should be, of all places, your e-mail inbox. Airlines were the first to offer weekly e-mail "e-saver" notices about last-minute fares, typically available for travel on that weekend. And these days, hotels, travel sites and even bed-and-breakfasts offer their own weekly alerts: Bed-and-Breakfast.com, for example, sends out a fresh weekly listing of discounts of 20 percent or more for as many as 30 member inns in each state.
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Kids can learn an awful lot from other kids when it comes to handling money.
Rest assured, it?s likely to be pretty darn good advice, too.
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On a recent Saturday evening, Sarah Krtek, 16, and Austin Dorrell, 10, wore their best dress-for-success attire for a high-energy party that lasted well past midnight.
But they weren?t pushing curfew for a school dance or a birthday party. They were helping raise more than $1 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
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A.G. Edwards has identified a generation of responsible savers, and the St. Louis-based investment company is making a concerted effort to encourage them.
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The idea of traveling alone, especially in a foreign country, can be a bit scary for seniors. But we are happy to see many readers are willing to try.
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Even when we don't understand something, many of us are often reluctant to ask questions because we don't want to be perceived as "dumb." Seniors in particular might feel that asking too many questions would not be considered "polite."
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Executives don't need golden parachutes when they arrive with golden hellos.
One reason executive pay has soared in recent years is that compensation deals are getting more lucrative at the front end, with fat signing bonuses and initial grants of stock, according to a study released last week by Corporate Library, a pro-investor research firm.
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If you pop open a can of soda and drink only half, what do you do with the rest? Are you so cheap that you save it ? or so wasteful that you throw it out?
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Let?s test your financial literacy. Which of the following tends to have the highest growth over periods of time as long as 18 years: (a) A U.S. government savings bond; (b) a savings account; (c) a checking account, or (d) stocks?
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Stores and on-line retailers are experts at getting us to spend too much. If we understand why we buy, we can break the cycle?stop being manipulated?and save hundreds?even thousands?of dollars a year.
The most common pitfalls and how to avoid them?
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This summer?s high gasoline prices make it more important than ever to save on fuel. Most people know to avoid higher octane fuel than their cars require and to keep their cars tuned up and tires inflated. Here are other money-saving ideas that you might not have thought of?
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It?s one of my most delightful and dreaded shopping excursions: hitting the sporting goods store to buy new gear for my kids.
Delightful, because my three children live and breathe sports, and I love to eye everything from the tube socks to the titanium tennis rackets.
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Sixteen-year-old Ayanna Johnson wants to sell you a cookbook.
Not just any cookbook, but a limited edition with her name etched on the cover.
The ?Ayanna to Australia Cookbook? is colorful and well organized, and it contains more than 230 recipes, including Ayanna?s favorite on Page 71: refrigerator crescent rolls.
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Every holiday season, we receive hundreds of letters at the Emily Post Institute asking about gift-giving etiquette. Here are the questions we get most often?
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If you have been asked to be an executor for a loved one?s will or if you are trying to figure out whom to choose as your own executor, you should be aware of what an executor needs to do.
Most executors are laypeople. Settling an estate basically means collecting assets, paying debts and distributing property. You always can decline the responsibility ?but if you accept, you may be paid professional fees for your time (more than $100 an hour is not unusual) and have the comfort of knowing that you are fulfilling the wishes of the deceased.
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Roomy floor plans, climate-controlled space, secured gates, in and out privileges, handy and convenient elevators ? the standard amenities.
A swanky condo or high-rise luxury apartment?
Guess again. Try storage units slightly bigger than a dorm room closet.
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1. How does gas compare with charcoal for cooking?
True, charcoal adds a wood-fired flavor. But a smoker tray in a gas grill is the great equalizer. Just load the tray with your favorite wood chips. (Don't have a smoker tray? Wrap water-soaked wood chips in aluminum foil, poke some holes and place on the burners.) Of course, gas is faster and cleaner than charcoal. Tony Stone, president of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, puts it this way: "With charcoal, I'm two drinks in before the grill is ready to cook."
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Dear Janet: Do you have room for another story about a different kind of birthday party? I agree that parties have gotten out of hand. For my daughter's 11th birthday, I divided the guests into three groups of three girls each. I gave each group $50, plus the following handout:
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When it comes to motivating kids into action, nothing beats a slogan.
From ?Just Say No? to drugs and alcohol to ?Keep America Beautiful,? simple messages can provide a rallying cry for change. As a child of the 1960s, ?Buckle Up for Safety? still ricochets through my brain 40 years later.
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Financial planning to meet shared goals can strengthen the bond between spouses, but it requires careful thought, flexibility, and commitment.
After making your own money decisions for many years, pooling finances with someone else can be a source of anxiety. Perhaps even more troubling is the prospect of combining incomes and filing a joint tax return.
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No one is born with a fear of or attitude towards money. Fears and attitudes--be they good, bad, or ugly--develop over time. No doubt, your upbringing is a major contributing factor. Past experiences--successes and failures--also play a critical role. Then there's society--whether it comes through the media, common practices, your friends, family, or even the government.
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In my last article, I identified the first 5 of 10 fears that I wrote about in my book, 10 Smart Money Moves for Women. They were the Fear of Being Poor, the Fear of Losing Money, the Fear of Looking Stupid, the Fear of Talking About Money, and the Fear of Making Mistakes and Failing. In this article, I'll complete the list, starting with one of the most important fears to overcome for financial health and security:
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Single parents face the same financial challenges as married ones--only there's just one parent to shoulder it all. Houses cost the same whether the buyer is a married couple or a single mother of four. Groceries cost the same, daycare costs the same, and colleges don't give students a break on tuition simply because they come from a broken home.
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For the first six years of their marriage, Denise and her husband rarely fought about money. But last year, after their first child was born, and Denise cut back to part-time work, the squabbles started.
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Contrary to popular belief, women and money do go hand-in-hand. The current perception is that most women continue to be tentative about managing their finances, either online or off, because historically, men have handled the majority of the family's finances. Not so anymore.
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I have worked in the financial services industry for nearly a decade in many capacities, most recently as a financial advisor for individuals. Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of working with a diverse range of people, from the single mother just starting her own business to the dot.com billionaire. Based upon my experiences, I have learned that the same basic principles and lessons apply to a successful and healthy financial life, whether you're starting out or cashing out. These guiding principles include simplicity, a long-term perspective, and above all, knowing that you have control of your financial destiny, and all the information you need is well within your reach.
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Think about it. Since the time your kids could reach up to the bathroom sink you've been teaching them to brush their teeth everyday, right? Every morning before they go to school and at night before they go to bed. You've also tried to get them to clean up and put away their toys before they go to sleep, instilling a good daily habit of orderliness and organization.
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Carrie Coghill admits she used to spend too much money on her 10-year-old daughter. Like many single working moms, she felt guilty that she couldn't spend more time with her. So saying no at the mall was tough.
But last year, she realized that her free spending carried a high price. Although her daughter was rich in clothes and toys, Coghill noticed she was poor in money skills.
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The cost of college. Four simple words that strike fear in the hearts of parents everywhere. However frightening the skyrocketing costs of sending a child to a top-tier private college, there's good news. The growth of college costs is finally cooling down, and even better, a little planning goes a long way towards contributing to this expense. In this section we'll discuss:
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There are certain benefits that are designed to pay-out at the time of death. In order to resolve any outstanding balances, you will need to gather the proper documentation for each. In this section, we will cover proceeds from:
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The cost of having children can be considerable. From the early costs of the pregnancy and delivery, to daycare, soccer lessons, orthodontist bills, and summer camps--the list never ends.
Life doesn't always give us the luxury of advanced planning for children, but it's never too late to reap the benefits of thinking ahead.
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There's never been a better time for women to take control of their financial futures. Even if financial equality has not been achieved, women are more financially successful and independent than ever before. With that success comes more responsibility to organize and manage their financial health.
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I grew up with a "Jekyll & Hyde" father who was wonderful most of the time, but when he'd get mad he'd explode in a screaming, pounding-his-fist rage. It was never directed at me, I was the golden child, but I watched his temperament change like a light-switch as he'd yell at my mother and brother. We would cower and walk on eggshells trying not to upset him. After my parents retired, my mother had a heart attack and he took care of her for 11 years, refusing all help, despite my constant efforts to hire caregivers who he would throw out. When my mother nearly died from an infection caused by her own waste because he had not kept her clean and taken her to the doctor, I had to step in despite his loud protests.
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As a Smart Money Woman, the things that you do to achieve financial independence don't need to be complicated. When it comes to money, thousands of women I have met over the past year at workshops and conferences have shared their thoughts and concerns about their money lives and futures. What they do with their money is woven into the 10 key areas below. See if any match your expectations, needs, and concerns.
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Jessica has a secret. It takes place at night and she tells no one, not even her family. But she can't stop; like an addict, she's hooked and feels unable to control her behavior.
Jessica, by her own admission, is an Internet shopping junkie. "I can spend $10,000 in ten minutes on the Internet," Jessica says. "E-shopping is quick and easy. Once you get the swing of it, it's hard to stop."
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There's never been a better time for women to take control of their financial futures. Even if financial equality has not been achieved, women are more financially successful and independent than ever before. With that success comes more responsibility to organize and manage their financial health.
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Popping the "P" Word:
Bringing up the topic of a prenuptial agreement with your future spouse might be the most important conversation you have before your wedding. Many people are hesitant to even mention prenups much less discuss them with their future spouses, because of the numerous preconceived notions about them. Contrary to popular belief, prenups can be romantic. What many people don't realize is that a discussion about prenups can actually be an excellent way to learn more about you and your spouse's expectations, hopes and dreams about your life together. They open lines of communication at the onset, which helps create the foundation necessary for a mutually fulfilling relationship.
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Come on, we all know it's true. Our mothers say it. The psychiatrists analyze it. And of course John Gray spelled it out in a series of bestselling books.
Men and women are different.
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According to the AARP, of the estimated 13 million widowed Americans, more than 11 million of them are women. What's more, approximately 500,000 of these women lost their husbands before the age of 55.
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In all of the confusion of this time, it can be difficult to find anything at all, let alone important papers that may be filed away in a safe deposit box or with a family attorney or accountant. But, when you are ready, one of the first things you will need to do is locate certain documents so that you can begin the process of sorting out your finances.
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The basic estate planning techniques are employed to ensure that your wishes will be carried out and that your family is adequately provided for after you are gone. These include:
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It?s 7:30 on a Sunday morning and the neighborhood outside the window is only beginning to stir. Not us ? we?ve been writing in our respective home offices for a while. We?ll keep at it until lunch and then do a little research in the afternoon.
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When Esther Braglia?s sister, Gloria Perrone, died in 2002, Braglia lost not only her sibling but also her traveling companion.
Braglia, 77, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., hesitated about continuing alone. But having enjoyed a lifelong passion for travel ? she has been on 40 cruises and numerous land journeys ? she did want to go on. Just before she died, Perrone had encouraged Braglia to do so.
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Frequent letters and e-mails from new grandparents ask the same thing:
?I became a grandfather for the first time and would like to ensure my grandson?s future,?? a recent letter began. ?Is a Roth IRA the way to go? Or a 529 college savings plan? Any thoughts will be appreciated.??
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Alan Greenspan and Bill Anthes have at least one thing in common: Both have spent the last couple of decades promoting the importance of financial education in schools.
Who has had the greatest impact?
The man you?ve probably never heard of.
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Bill Doliber thought he had a sound college savings strategy until the federal financial aid formula threw him a curve.
The Virginia resident started socking away college education money for a son 17 years ago through a custodial account, which can be opened under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act.
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This is the time of year when many college students get around to popping the question: Can I move off campus?
College kids can come up with all sorts of reasons why they think they need to get out of the dorm, sorority or frat house for the three-bedroom A-frame 30 minutes from the campus library. It?s cheaper. It?s quieter. All their friends already have their names on apartment leases. And, yep, they really do like to cook and clean.
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If you?re making plans for a family vacation this summer, you?ve probably given some thought to all the big costs: Plane tickets. Gasoline. Hotel reservations. Theme park passes.
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I?ve got to admit, I?ve always had a certain fondness for visiting banks ? chatting with the teller, sweeping my hand across the smooth mahogany, eyeing the steel vault, smelling the money.
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The reports, with their bleak predictions for marital success, continue to come in. Most recently, the figures state that 43 percent of first marriages and 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce. What the figures don't tell us, however, is how expensive the divorce process can be and how financially crushing the aftermath is for many involved. But those who have been through it don't need a newspaper to confirm the obvious.
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t?s come down to this: You?ve sorted through stacks of college catalogs with your high school senior and even toured a couple of campuses on glorious autumn weekends. The essays have been buffed and polished, and the applications are ready for the online sendoff.
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Here is a fun way to look at a financial plan ? as a ?permission slip? to follow your dreams.
To the millions of Americans who don?t have one, a financial plan is often perceived as an intimidating document filled with jargon and rows of mind-numbing numbers.
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It has been a while since I?ve devoted a column to reader questions.
A slew of them have been coming in lately about checking the background of a financial adviser.
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Ten-year-olds need access to their money ? 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Right?
It?s enough to make any fourth or fifth grader happy, that?s for sure.
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A young couple fall in love, marry and pledge to care for each other ?for richer or for poorer.?
Then the financial conflicts begin. She?s a saver. He?s a spender. Small battles over credit cards, paying off student loans and buying the first house grow into larger ones until the marriage spins out of control.
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Save on cable, home phone and cell service with Kiplinger's bargain-hunting tips.
In many households, the cable-Internet-phone connection has become a major cash drain. With cable TV, for example, you often are encouraged to buy a costly package to receive popular channels, such as ESPN. As a result, the average viewer pays for 93 channels but watches only 15 of them.
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Dear Janet: My son is 13, and we recently got more structured with his allowance and savings. We increased his weekly allowance to $13. He puts 20 percent in a long-term savings account (for college, car, etc.) and has about $40 a month left over. He feels pressure to spend, but doesn't have any spending goals. Rather than keeping the cash on hand, he would like something like a checking account with a debit card to hold his short-term savings and keep it accessible. He doesn't want to wait for us to take him to the bank every time he needs $10.
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A doctor phones to say that your father, who lives in Arizona, has fallen and fractured his hip. The doctor wants to know your plan for when your father gets out of the hospital.
You visit your mother in Florida, and she appears very thin. She admits that she sometimes forgets to eat.
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Why do some people receive equitable divorce settlements while others get the short end of the stick? The answer lies in the ability to keep emotions in check. Based on my legal experience and interviews with hundreds of judges for my book, here are secrets to getting your fair share?
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Don?t be fooled by the stop-and-go economy. This is a great time to start your own business?
Corporate America?s controversial outsourcing trend isn?t just directed overseas. An increasing number of large companies are contracting out noncore operations to small US businesses and entrepreneurs, especially in such fields as graphic design, public relations, computer services, bookkeeping, payroll services and sales training.
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Typically, students who attend public colleges outside their home states pay about four times the tuition rate that residents pay. Good news: There is a way to go out of state and pay in-state tuition rates.
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More than 70 years ago, sales executive Ray Giles wrote the breakthrough book Turn Your Imagination into Money. In it, he showed how the world?s best businesses began with a flash of imagination.
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Dear Janet: I love your column. I have a question about children's savings and how it affects their ability to get financial aid for college. I know that you can teach children to save or invest through different vehicles, such as a savings account, stocks or IRAs. But if they have saved money, what's the impact on their financial aid application?
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New competition is making the hottest product in leisure travel -- custom vacation packages -- sizzle.
Although Web travel agencies, such as Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity, once dominated this field, many airlines, hotel chains and rental car companies have started participating. These newcomers offer attractive custom package deals to grab consumer attention.
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Want a great whiskey? Shop smartly with these five questions answered.
Q: How does U.S. whiskey compare to Scotch whisky?
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Dear Janet: Regarding your column on parents who throw over-the-top birthday parties for pre-schoolers: excellent article. What I found most disturbing was that an adult would care about being "talked about" for having a traditional party with musical chairs.
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Dear Readers: A friend of mine recently showed me a story in our local newspaper about a popular entertainer at children's birthday parties. He charges $300 for a half-hour show, and parents are happy to pay -- which the author attributed to the "fundamental desperation of suburban parents."
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Robert Goldberg doesn't have many money worries. He's single, earns $62,000 a year as a health care consultant and has few bills. Still, he says, he "continually struggles" with budgeting.
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Dan Rutherford sends this dispatch from guitar camp.
Software programmers speak in code, accountants in numbers. But at Fur Peace Ranch's guitar camp in the Appalachian hills of southeastern Ohio, they speak 12-bar blues in the key of E.
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When a television news program broadcasts stories of terminally ill patients on life support, with families feuding over whether to continue treatment, many people say, ?I hope something like that never happens to me. I would rather be dead.?
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Each year, more than seven million Americans with health problems choose to be treated at home rather than stay in hospitals or skilled-care facilities.
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The government has more than $30 billion in cash and other assets that belong to millions of Americans?including investments and bank accounts?Social Security payments and tax refunds?insurance proceeds?and more.
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Many couples choose not to marry, for reasons ranging from tax considerations to objections from each partner's children. Because these partners lack the legal protection of marriage, they need a document that spells out property settlements and even guardianship of children in case they break up.
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