Retirement & Financial Planning Report

In this recession, states and cities are suffering from lower tax revenues. This weakness, in turn, might make it more …More

Rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages have just dropped to around 5.3 percent. If you haven’t refinanced your home loan recently, …More

If you support multiple charities, do so by donating appreciated securities to a donor-advised fund. Many community foundations and most …More

If you invest in a property tax lien, you’ll have to wait for your return, perhaps for a long period …More

When most students apply for college financial aid, they must list the income and assets of the student and the …More

If you have variable-rate federal student loans (Stafford and PLUS loans originated before July 1, 2006), the interest rates on …More

With property values down sharply in many areas, some homeowners are appealing their property tax and winning large reductions. That’s …More

Many Americans have so-called "blended" families now. In such a family, one or both spouses has children from a previous …More

Don’t create a revocable living trust for tax benefits, because such trusts don’t save estate or income tax. So why …More

If you’re helping to support someone in this recession, you might be entitled to a dependency exemption. In 2009, this …More

Many seniors anticipate selling their homes to raise retirement funds. However, in the current weak housing market it may be …More

Mutual funds holding junk bonds (known as “high-yield” bonds) were up 23% in the first half of 2009, on average. …More

To protect yourself against inflation, keep 10-15 percent of your portfolio in "hard assets," which tend to do well when …More

Many people believe that distributions from 529 plans are tax-free if the money is spent on higher education. That may …More

Should you select a 529 college savings plan on your own or should you use a financial professional? There are …More

Many people believe that distributions from 529 plans are tax-free if the money is spent on higher education. That may …More

Should you select a 529 college savings plan on your own or should you use a financial professional? There are …More

The federal estate tax exemption is now $3.5 million and there’s no indication it will fall to a lower amount, …More

Most states offer 529 college savings plans in which the payoff stems from investment results. After a year like 2008, …More

If you’re renting a house or a condo for a summer vacation–or if you’re exchanging homes with another family this …More

Closed-end funds, which trade like stocks, often sell at a discount or premium to the shares they hold. Last fall, …More

A traditional rule of thumb for retirement planning is to take 100 minus your age and allocate that percentage of …More

Two types of debt will give you mortgage interest deductions. * Home acquisition debt: Such loans are taken to buy, …More

When you get a margin loan from your broker, you’re gaining access to a low-interest line of credit secured by …More

If your income is $100,000 or less this year, on a single or joint tax return, you have two Roth …More

Seniors aren’t the only ones who must take minimum required distributions (MRDs) from retirement accounts. Anyone who has inherited an …More

Although some colleges have increased their financial aid packages, higher education is still a major expense for many families. What’s …More

Late each year, investors are advised to take losses on securities such as stocks and stock funds. However, this strategy …More

Before investing in real estate, look around. Find out if there are owners as well as renters in the neighborhood, …More

There are three ways to acquire vehicles for your personal use: Pay cash. This choice makes the most sense if …More