50 Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2012

A new year offers a fresh start. Whether you're ready to ramp up your earning power, start saving more money, or manage what you have more effectively, this 50-step guide is designed to help you improve every aspect of your financial life
How to Set 2012 Money Goals That Work

Most people fail to achieve New Year's resolutions, but these money strategies can help overcome those odds
How to Live Happily on Less
2012: Financial Resolutions Beat Out Health and Fitness

For many of us, money worries take precedence over our own health and fitness goals. As such, finances appear to be the area many people want to fix in 2012
Time to Make New Year's Financial Resolutions

Now is the time to make New Year's financial resolutions. With Europe trying to resolve its debt worries and the U.S. attempting to whittle down high unemployment, prudent moves are in order
How Retirement Savers Can Benefit from New 401(K) Fee Disclosures

A brave new world opens up to workplace retirement savers in 2012
12 Great Money Apps That Save Time and Cash

Chances are, you spent a lot of money on your smartphone and you spend (waste?) hours playing games on it. You can recoup some of your losses with our pick of the most helpful mobile financial applications
Do You Need Longevity Insurance?
Why Big Banks Are Like Drug Dealers

Retirement Benefit Changes Coming in 2012

How to Keep Your Holiday Spending in Check

How Co-Workers Influence Your 401(k) Choices

How to Find the Best Bank Account for You

MORE PERSONAL FINANCE ...

Large-Cap Growth Funds Most Resilient in 2011

Large-cap growth funds have held up better than most other types of stock funds in 2011

Are Leveraged ETFs Ever Right for Retail Investors?

Who are leveraged exchange-traded funds meant for? The answer depends on your level of sophistication and investing time horizon

China ETFs On Sale, But Worth the Risk?

Exchange-traded funds that track China had been high-flyers over the past few years. This year has been a different story, featuring a double-digit percentage drop that has now run into a mild late-year bounce
In This Market, the Appeal of 'Go Anywhere' Funds

These funds give portfolio managers considerable leeway in choosing among different asset classes

How Dividend Payers Boost Returns and Reduce Risk

With bond yields so low, dividend-paying stocks can be a good alternative for income-seeking investors

How to Invest in the Globe's Booming Population

Betting on commodities by buying futures contracts directly can be very risky. So having a core position in a fund that invests broadly in commodity-related businesses with some side positions tied specifically to agriculture and energy is probably the smartest move for the retail investor
Why You Should Invest in 'Global Gorillas'

Global large caps offer a fairly conservative approach to investing in booming emerging markets

Luxury Retailer Stocks Primed for Holidays

Luxury retailers will likely continue to please their stockholders this holiday season, just as they have throughout much of the economic downturn. It is one way that an average investor can benefit from spending patterns of the well-to-do
Why Investors Should Keep Their Eyes on the Cloud

Analysts say cloud computing will revolutionize the way we use technology
When Companies Buy Their Own Shares, Should You?

How One Amateur Investor Spots Stocks Before Wall Street

Beginner's Guide to Understanding ETFs

How to Ride Out Market Swings With Low-Volatility ETFs

Why Mutual Funds Make Sense in a Volatile Market

Dollar Cost Averaging Smooths Out Volatility

Stocks That Prospered in this Volatile Market Year
MORE INVESTING ...

How to Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet

This is the one time of year that most of us look toward the future
Top 5 Personal Coaching Myths

Personal coaching is all the rage. As with any profession, there can be a lot of confusion. To help distinguish fact from fiction, here are the top 5 personal coaching myths
Job Interview? Avoid These 6 Psychological 'Leaks'

Chances are, you are woefully unprepared for that upcoming interview and you don't even know it. Talking points rehearsed? Check. Company and interviewer researched? Of course. Psychological tells analyzed? Uh, come again?
Seven Deadly Words You Should Never Use
How to Land a New Job in 2012

Whether it's rewriting your cover letter, reviewing the way you approach interviews, or rethinking what kind of job will make you happy, here are some tips for landing a new job in the new year.
Why You're Stuck

The Unorthodox Success Strategies of Millionaires
Should you have HARD goals?

Older Workers Seek Entrepreneurship for Career Reinvention

Working Into Your 70s: A Smart Retirement Move

Steve Jobs: 6 Secrets of Success

MORE CAREER NEWS ...

The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012

These cities will meet your retirement lifestyle needs and suit your budget

Retirement Benefit Changes Coming in 2012

Expect more 401(k) fee disclosures and bigger Social Security checks next year. Here's a look at how retirement benefits will likely change in 2012

Working Into Your 70s:
Smart Retirement Move

It doesn't take much imagination to see that retirement at age 65 is increasingly a nonstarter. Extending your working shelf life means extending your savings
How Couples Can Maximize Social Security Benefits

This week, I answer some of the most frequently-asked questions on how Social Security works for married couples

How to Maximize the Higher 401(k) Contribution Limit

Diligent savers will have the opportunity to tuck away extra money in their retirement plan in 2012. Here's how to make the most of the higher 401(k) contribution limit

Ways to Tap Your IRA Early Without Penalty

Here are 10 ways to avoid the penalty on early IRA withdrawals
Vanishing Pensions:
Another Case of Corporate Greed

Each time the market plunges, rarely will you see a story asking why the market risk is born by individual workers; it's just an assumed sub-text that we all must rely on the market, because employers no longer can afford to provide traditional defined benefit pensions. Ellen Schultz isn't buying it

5 Factors That Could Put Your Pension at Risk

Simple mistakes could go undetected and compound for years, potentially costing you thousands. Here's tips on making sure your pension is in shape

Pension-Raiding Epidemic Worthy of Condemnation
Should You Hire a Money Coach?

Older Workers See Entrepreneurship as Top Option for Career Reinvention

Do You Need Longevity Insurance?

How to Catch up After a Retirement Savings Break

Gen Y's $2 Million Retirement Price Tag

Social Security: On Entitlements and Ponzi Schemes
MORE RETIREMENT ...

9 Reasons to Buy a Newly Built Home

To help consumers better understand the advantages of new home buying, a handful of experts compiled the following list of nine reasons to choose a new home over a resale

Will This Home Renovation Pay Off?

Here's the dirty little secret about home renovations: Most of them don't pay off. For anyone trying to decide whether to take on a home renovation, these five tips can help

Net-Zero Energy Houses on the Horizon

An increasing number of builders are integrating more energy-efficient designs into new constructions.
How To Prepare a Home For Sale

Whether your home is priced at $100,000 or $6 million, there are a couple of basic truths to listing a home in today's market. Keep them in mind when preparing to list your home for sale

Making Your Existing Home Work

House hunters are finding themselves discouraged by tighter lending standards and the challenge of selling existing properties.

Dodging the Real Estate Down-Payment Obstacle

Here are seven ways would-be home buyers can get their hands on the down payment cash they need to close the deal on a home
How Renters Could Save the Housing Market

It might seem counterintuitive, but increasing rental activity might be the medicine the ailing U.S. housing market needs to get back on its feet.

Strategies for Dealing with an Underwater Mortgage

Expert Gerri Detweiler explains the pros and cons of several options for those with underwater homes

Why Mortgage Rates Are Rising

An encouraging jobs report and news of progress in the euro debt crisis have given markets a confidence boost
Pitfalls First-Time Real Estate Investors Can Avoid

The Challenges of Investing in Foreclosures

How Many Vacation Homes Can You Own?

10 Cities Where You Can Buy a House for Under $150,000

The Country's Most and Least Expensive Housing Markets

Homeowner Savings Tips: What You Might Not Know
MORE REAL ESTATE ...

10 Ways to Stay Safe While Shopping Online

With more shoppers than ever turning to mobile devices and computers for holiday shopping, many are inadvertently leaving themselves vulnerable to online fraud and scams. Here are 10 ways to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season

Take Advantage of Free Shipping Deals This Holiday Season

Skipping shipping and handling costs for online purchases can go a long way toward helping you stick to a holiday budget.

Working Into Your 70s: A Smart Retirement Move

It doesn't take much imagination to see that retirement at age 65 is increasingly a nonstarter. Extending your working shelf life means extending your savings

Seven Rules of Successful Bloggers

Are you passionate about something? Do you enjoy writing? Are you looking to distinguish yourself in a competitive job market? Would you like to spend a few hours a week writing about topics that excite you? If so, starting a blog may be a smart option for you

How To Navigate the Bank Fee Storm of 2011

Batten down the hatches: Bank fees have been rising for a number of years, but the 'perfect storm' of a weak economy, troubled financial markets and low interest-rate yields produced the 2011 hurricane

The World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces

Employees have spoken, and three technology companies took the top spots in a new survey of the best multinational workplaces: Microsoft, software-maker SAS, and data-storage company NetApp

New Fund Could Help Finance Your Startup

While jobs remain scarce for any one who's looking, one subset of the population suffers from a jobless rate of almost twice the national average: young people. This high rate of unemployment has lead some members of the business community to advocate abandoning the traditional path to employment

Living Together and Keeping Money Separate

Many unmarried couples who live together opt for a strict his/her money system, splitting bills, checking accounts, and other joint expenses down the middle. It might not be the most romantic approach, but personal finance advisers say it's the smartest. Here's why

What You Need to Know About Travel Credit Cards

With travel-linked rewards program cards, points are exchanged for airline tickets, hotel stays, and merchandise. In some cases, points can be turned into cash. These cards reward spenders, but watch the fees and terms

How to Get a Job Using Google

With the economy in a state of slow recovery and an influx of recent grads in the job market, many Americans are searching for work. Among the many career sites available online, Google Search is a key resource for job seekers

Job Outlook Improving for Class of 2012

Employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) say they plan to hire 9.5 percent more graduates from the class of 2012 than they did from the class of 2011

A Hiring Bright Spot: Solar Energy Jobs

In an economy plagued by high unemployment and slow growth, one young industry has an optimistic outlook.

Is Free Checking Going Extinct?

New regulatory reforms aimed at reining in big banks' excessive profits and helping retailers cut costs might actually end up hurting consumers

Santa on a Budget? What to Tell Your Kids

Christmas is around the corner, and it could mean financial trouble for you. Do you ever wonder why he's so jolly? It's because he gets credit for all the toys, games and presents while you get stuck with the bill. If you're struggling financially -- and, frankly, who isn't -- it's time to put Santa in his place

How to Boost Your Reputation and Build an Audience Online

Social media offers the most powerful way to connect with others, allowing you to network with thousands of people (literally!) from the comfort of your own home. Through harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, social media can transform your business, product, service and passion to the next level

An Idea Dysfunctional Washington More Than Happy to Let Die

A perfect example of a sensible, widely praised idea that has nevertheless gone nowhere is Right-to-Rent

Young Adults Suffering More Financially than Older Generations

Today's younger Americans are doing significantly worse economically than those of earlier generations. Meanwhile, the economic situation of older Americans continues to improve

Should You Use a Virtual Credit Card Number?

Virtual credit card numbers aren't new, but even with recent security breaches like the one involving Sony PlayStation earlier this year, surprisingly few consumers use them

The Twentysomething's Guide to Money

What is a money-strapped twentysomething to do? The key, according to personal finance experts, lies in prioritizing all of those competing demands for money. Here's a road map to help sort it all out

Where in the World to Invest in 2011

The world is not an easy place in which to invest these days. To make any headway, investors must exhibit the patient determination of an explorer such as Marco Polo

Stocks That Are Prospering in this Volatile Market Year

Not all stocks perform poorly during a tough year for the market. Some that you might consider yawners in more robust times actually hang in there and prosper

Why Europe Still Deserves a Place in Your Portfolio

Europe might seem too treacherous for investors just now. The region's broader stock market is down more than 20 percent so far this year. But some asset allocation advisers and fund managers believe there is a place for European exposure in a diverse portfolio that can tolerate at least some level of risk

Best Employment Security Plan for Older Workers

The jobless rate for older workers isn't as high as it is for the overall U.S. workforce. But older workers who do lose their jobs tend to remain jobless much longer than their younger counterparts -- if they're able to find work at all

Start Your Own Business in College

Many people know that Google and Facebook were started in dorm rooms. But a business doesn't have to be a household name, or even a dot-com, to make real money. Enterprising students are learning that the best, and most lucrative, jobs on campus can be the ones they create themselves. And they're doing it in ever-increasing numbers

Borrowing From the Family Bank

The best loans may be signed across the kitchen table, not a banker's desk as intra-family loans offer attractive interest rates and tax advantages

Money Strategies for Creative Thinkers

If you're a visual person, standard financial strategies probably don't work for you. Here are nine ideas for creatively-oriented people

New Lower-Cost Reverse Mortgages Option Gaining Ground

The reverse mortgage market has been shrinking steadily over the past few years, but a new lower-cost version of these loans for seniors is starting to get some traction in the market

Small Medicare Premium Hike Improves Senior's Social Security COLA

Good news is hard to come by in this economy, but seniors can celebrate the final numbers on next year's Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and Medicare premiums

How Low-ball Appraisals Are Limiting Housing Recovery

Before the credit crisis, some appraisals seemed to be mere formalities; that attitude helped fuel the boom days. Now, overly conservative appraisal standards -- many unfairly calculated, some observers argue -- may be holding back the housing recovery

How to Handle Awkward Money Situations

Jeanne Fleming and Leonard Schwarz offer strategies for dealing with the most cringe-inducing scenarios including how to handle relatives who ask for loans, splitting the check at the end of the meal, and when, if ever, to lie about money

Can I Afford to Quit My Job?

It's not an easy decision to make. That's why career and money experts recommend putting a lot of effort into preparing to quit before making any big announcements

How to Get the Salary You Want Even in This Economy

Asking for a raise takes common sense and confidence, but most of all, it takes preparation and practice. Here's what experts recommend for the best ways to make chatting with your boss about a raise successful

Practical Steps Average People Can Take to Retire Early

At 31, Robert Charlton had grown disillusioned with his job as a technical writer. 'The idea of doing a desk job for another 30 years seemed painful to me, so I came up with this idea of trying to retire before 45,' he says. 'We never had power jobs. We just both took intelligent steps.' Here are some of those steps

Are American Consumers Relapsing Into Debt Addiction?

After steering clear of credit cards for awhile, consumers are racking up debt again at an alarming pace

Buying Stocks at a Discount Price in Volatile Markets

The volatile stock market provides opportunity for investors. Buying a stock at a discounted price only makes sense, however, if you've snared a bargain that actually pays off in the long run. That is easier said than done

20 Funds That Can Weather Downturns

To help find funds that have a history of strong performance in rough times, we compiled a list of funds, spread among a range of asset classes, with impressive 10-year track records

Ultra Short-Term Bond Investors Fighting Two Battles

6 Ways to Network While You're in College

How to Get the Salary You Want Even in This Economy

The Quitting Quiz

Can I Afford to Quit My Job?

Green Your Commute

How to Complain to Companies and Get Results

Reducing Debt Load Key to Financial Health

Investing in the Globe's Emerging Bright Spots

How to Play Emerging Markets With U.S. Stocks

What the Treasury Market Is Telling Investors

Former Google CEO to Appear Before Senate for Anti-Trust Law Investigation