Mother’s Day arrives this Sunday, so I hope you’ve prepared for the big day. If you’re looking for a no-cost gift, consider making “Mom Checks” that you can fill out with chores you’d be willing to perform. Mom can then cash them in whenever the spirit moves…
Today is the first day of May, also known as May Day. Depending on your state of mind, that phrase might refer to a distress call, a Marxist celebration, or the day we all dance around the maypole. On this particular Friday, I think we’ve…
We’ve been gratified by the positive feedback we’ve received for last week’s webinar, “The Perfect Storm: How We Got Here and Outlook for Recovery.” If you weren’t able to attend, you can still find it in the archives (see below for instructions). Have a great…
By ELEANOR LAISE We’ve seen the stock-market plunge, the foreclosures surge, the layoffs and the bankruptcies mount. Now comes the inevitable next stage of the economic downturn: a rash of personal-finance books that promise to help readers navigate their way through the rubble — and…
By Albert B. Crenshaw Special to The Washington Post Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Page H06 With the decline of traditional pensions, tax-deferred saving through 401(k) plans, IRAs and the like has become a key element of most Americans’ funding. But tax-deferred isn’t the same as…
By Barbara Kiviat Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 Traders celebrate on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the closing bell after stocks surged more than 11%, the market’s biggest point gain ever Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty It’s time for investors…
By Candice Choi Associated Press writer Posted September 29, 2008 NEW YORK — Before the turbulent economy sends you running into the arms of a financial advisor, make sure you know all your options. In addition to the various types of financial advice on the…
by Barbara Kiviat Thursday, Sep. 18, 2008 You probably have questions. And not “What does CDO mean again?” sorts of questions but more along the lines of “Is it time to hide under the covers?” Here we tackle some popular queries–while emphasizing that just because…
It was May 11, 2007 and the SEC was one day away from the deadline to appeal the March 30 decision to strike down its controversial Rule 202, known officially as the “broker/dealer exemption” and unofficially as “The Merrill Lynch Rule.” The Merrill Lynch Rule’s purpose…
By Jonathan Burton, MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — When choosing mutual funds, few aspects are within investors’ control. Future performance isn’t one of them. But expenses, risk, manager tenure and tax-efficiency are qualities that can be judged before you buy. “Look beyond performance,” said Jim…