All Money & work Q&A

It doesn’t make me feel any better, but I discovered the other day that the $8,000 I owe in total on three different credit cards puts me in good company -- I am the typical American.  Any thoughts about how to reduce my debt?

Bill, White Plains, N.Y.

About two years ago I rolled over about $100,000 of 401K money from a previous job into a conservative mutual fund. I am 50 years old, and grateful that it's earning 2.3% interest, rather than sitting in an aggressive fund where it could be down 10% to 30%. On the other hand, I don't feel as though it is earning as much as it could. What would you do with it? I have other retirement money—another $400,000 or so—in diversified funds—that has taken a beating. Would you recommend I keep this money as is or move it to something else? Thank you.

Karen, Eden Prairie, MN

Everyone who gives financial advice says the first thing I need to do is create a budget. Is that really true?
Katie, Columbus Ohio

Exploring your dream job and taking that leap of faith to another career can often impact those close to you. How can you work with and involve your family in this process?

What advice do you give people who recognize they are miserable in their job, but are afraid to lose the security of their paycheck?

After test-driving their dream job, what are some of the questions you ask your clients to contemplate in deciding whether or not their dream vocation is right for them?

Create a New Work Life

I am finding myself very frustrated in trying to find work. The consensus seems to be that I am overeducated, overqualified, overtrained and over-age. The age issue is not something I can do anything about. I am 59 years old. I do not consider myself old, but as time continues to pass, I am feeling older all of the time.

By training I am a chiropractor, a Diplomate of the ACA specialty Council on Nutrition, and a board-certified Clinical Nutritionist. Due to an injury I suffered almost five years ago, I am unable to practice chiropractic. I am able to work at the computer, however, and have had 22 articles published in peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed journals during the last five years. The publishing of such articles has netted me $0.00, although I love the work. I have worked very hard for my education and paid a heavy price for my degrees. I keep wondering when the world will catch up. In the meantime, I continue to seek a job that will aid my poor wife to support our family. Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Turn Those Negatives Into Positives

I am a divorced 49-year-old manager in the financial services industry. I will be laid off next March since this New-York-based company is moving most of the operation to Charlotte, N.C. I am currently earning $126,500 plus a bonus and have been with this company for 16.5 years. I'll get about 10 months of severance pay.

Any thoughts on how to market myself to New-York-based firms to showcase my time with this firm as a positive, not a negative? I'm also afraid my salary may make me unattractive to potential employers. How much of a pay cut should I consider?

Job Hunters: Discover Your Life Path

I enjoyed your article Over 40, Seeking New Career very, very much. It really resonated with me. I have been in the software development field for 20 years and I am ready to do something else, I just do not know what to do. It's very overwhelming. How can I even start to identify what my next path should be? Is there anything specific I can do to help myself figure it out?

Expert Advice: Back to School at 50

I'm 49 and would like to go to college and get my degree. Would it be a waste of time at my age considering it will take at least four years to obtain? I have no college experience. I wouldn't even know where to begin. I often hear about older students going back to college, but are they mostly in their older 20s and 30s? Are there many students my age, and do you know of any support groups for people my age that have gone back or will be going back?

Online Universities: Will Employers Take your Degree Seriously?

Do corporations take the online university curriculums as seriously as they do the traditional college classes?

Help! I can't decide between two job offers! While one pays a little bit more, they're pretty much equally attractive to me at this point. I figured I'd be lucky to get even one offer I was happy about, and never figured I'd find myself in this position. How can I choose between the two?ANSWER: First of all, congratulations on your job offers! How wonderful to have a choice. However, I understand your concern. How do you make the right decision? Trying to use logic to figure out the right job to take only gets you so far. That's where your intuition can help.

Expert Advice: Creating a Home Business

I'm interested in creating my own home business. I've seen a lot of ads on TV and in the back of magazines. I also get a lot of e-mails. Are these all just scams, or is there really money-making potential with them?

Two years ago, I started a new job, and I've recently been promoted to a supervisor position. I am now supervising people that trained me and with whom I have become friends. We have socialized at each other's homes and gone drinking and dancing after work. Establishing Authority in a New Position While I don't want to distance myself from them, it is hard to discipline friends. Any suggestions on maintaining boundaries without alienating my buddies?

What do I need to do to ensure a successful retirement?

I’m thinking of retiring at age 65, when I can start collecting Social Security. Is there any reason to keep working?

What do I need to know if I want to retire at age 55?

How do I find the next hot stock, the one that will go public and earn a lot of money quickly?

Is there a reason why people say you shouldn’t buy a mutual fund near the end of the year?

How can I invest in the stock market so that I am not paying unnecessary fees?