All Money & work Articles

Most people hate filling out tax forms almost as much as they hate forking over dough to Uncle Sam. That's why you should use the simplest tax return you can, especially if you're still filling out your forms by hand. But choose carefully. While all the personal income tax forms -- 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ -- are designed to get the appropriate amount of your money to the Internal Revenue Read more...

In residential real estate, 2009 arrives much the same way that 2008 did: via a rocky road with deepening potholes. While more homebuyers are swooping in and picking up great deals, and sales are slowly increasing in many markets, the ongoing excess inventory of foreclosed homes continues to depress the market. While potential buyers are getting very low mortgage rates, they also are facing Read more...

The findings of an FDIC study of bank automatic overdraft programs -- also called courtesy overdraft or bounce protection -- are no surprise to consumer advocates. For years, studies by consumer groups of automatic overdraft programs have shown them to be short-term loans that cost consumers billions in fees, while often denying them the ability to make an informed choice. The difference this Read more...

Earlier is better when it comes to working on your taxes, for both you and the Internal Revenue Service. By getting a head start on tax preparation, you avoid the last-minute rush, when many filing mistakes are made. And the sooner the tax agency gets your return, the sooner it can process it and get your refund on its way to you. Here are eight ways to get a jump on your taxes long before the Read more...

If 2008 was the year of foreclosures and when "underwater" entered every homeowner's lexicon, 2009 will be the year of refinances and mortgage modifications. In hindsight, the mortgage mess seems inevitable: Absurdly loose credit from 2002 to 2007 led to a bubble in house prices, scores of subprime lenders went out of business in 2007 as the risks caught up with them, and the misery Read more...

If you're worried about the dramatic ups and downs in the U.S. stock market, you can still count on one thing for sure: You're not alone. Plenty of people have panicked and sold off their mutual funds, raided their bank accounts or taken other ill-considered steps they may well regret later on -- or at least that's the perspective of financial planners, who unanimously advise against hasty Read more...

Do you think your job is safe? Think again. For 2009, the widespread advice of career and job-placement professionals is this: Prepare for the prospect of jumping or being pushed from your job. Reach out now and to everyone -- your next job is likely to come through someone you already know. If you get opportunities for training, take them. And even while you're looking Read more...

There are many things a person can do in the new year to have a smooth and positive bankruptcy experience. Yes, I know people might be upset that I am hoping people file bankruptcy, but I have nothing to be defensive about. Our society does not benefit from having people who cannot pay their bills and have to run from creditors. Getting a fresh start benefits all of us and is much better than Read more...

There is no longer any dispute that the world is going into a recession. The only question is how long and how deep: 1970s-style or 1930s? But just because business is bad doesnt mean it stops completely. Just as plants renew themselves in a frosty winter, so the economy often does the same during a prolonged contraction. During the 1930s, new industries such as consumer electronics and Read more...

"If you fear change, leave it here." --A quote from a tip jar at a coffee shop Do you dream about a life where you have impact, contribute to others and maintain a great lifestyle? As you get closer to fulfilling this dream (or any others), don't be surprised if doubt and fear surface. But rest assured that there are simple and practical steps you can take. The number Read more...

See also: career, clients, dream job, fear, money

A new federal housing law has raised the ceiling on the amount of money seniors can obtain from a reverse mortgage and lowered the fees charged for the loan. Previously, with federally backed loans, the amount a homeowner could borrow had to stay below the dollar limit the county set. But the new law, which takes effect on January 1, 2009, sets a national limit at $417,000 and up to $625,500 Read more...

In a weakening economy, thousands of businesses are closing up shop and laying off employees. A company's impending bankruptcy can have devastating consequences for fearful employees, says Lisa Lane Brown, author of "The Courage to Win: A Revolutionary Mental Toughness Formula." "If you let fear turn into panic, you are vulnerable to making poor decisions about your career Read more...

What should you do about big losses in retirement accounts? The typical 401(k) account balance fell between 19 percent and 25 percent this year through mid-October, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Conventional wisdom suggests that you stay the course and not sell out of downtrodden investments, only to see them rebound when the economy recovers. Selling out at Read more...

Although he may never have uttered the words, humorist Will Rogers is credited with one of 2008's most quoted lines, which goes something like this: "I'm not as concerned about the return on my money as I am the return of my money." CDs and investments Most people are probably wishing they'd buried their money in certificates of deposit with so-so yields sometime in late 2007. Read more...

By any standard, chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay is having a very good year. He premiered a new show, "Grill It!" on the Food Network, where he's already seen on "Boy Meets Grill," (for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy), "Throwdown! with Bobby Flay," and "Iron Chef America." He opened a new restaurant, Bobby's Burger Palace; added judging duties Read more...

More than 150 years ago a popular phrase urged Americans with unlimited financial prospects, "Go west, young man, and grow up with the country." Today it's more like, "Go south, old man and you may outlive your money in Mexico -- or Costa Rica." Retirement abroad used to be the purview of the well-to-do -- a luxurious reward of exotic locations, expanded horizons, Read more...

Henry "Bud" K. Hebeler says that if we expect to reach our financial retirement goals, we're going to have to put the kibosh on extraneous spending and make savings a priority in our lives. It seems simple enough, but for many Americans, giving up flat-screen TVs, luxury vehicles and the penchant for dining out is about as palatable as swallowing a spoonful of castor oil. For Read more...

Deflation is a word on the lips of more financial experts these days. The term refers to a fall in prices (despite no change in product quality or quantity) and is the opposite of inflation. But like inflation, deflation can have a devastating impact on individual pocketbooks and the broader economy. On the surface, deflation sounds great. Most consumers cheer when gas prices fall or Read more...

Divorce isn't just emotionally wrenching, it can be financially disastrous for both husband and wife. And in marriages where one spouse has worked and the other hasn't, the ramifications are steeper, especially in regard to retirement savings. "It's very different for a dual wage-earning couple versus a couple with a single wage-earner," says Lili Vasileff, a Certified Financial Read more...

At what point should you start collecting your Social Security benefits? The answer may not be as easy as you think. Many people don't realize that when they begin taking Social Security benefits determines the percentage of benefits they will actually receive. The key to the answer lies in what is considered your "full retirement age." It used to be that you could retire Read more...