As the economy weakens and prices soar on everything from gas to groceries, Americans are looking for quick ways to cut their expenses and hold on to more cash. Fortunately there are plenty of ways to chop your spending without a lot of time or hassle. Some of these cuts will save you just a few dollars, while others can net ...

The current financial crisis has thrown terminology from the business pages onto the front page of newspapers, with jargon now abounding everywhere from the water cooler to the back of a taxi. Here is a guide to many of the business terms currently cropping up regularly, as well as some of the more exotic words coined to describe some of ...

The Pension Protection Act, which both strengthens employers’ existing pension obligations and discourages them from undertaking new obligations, also makes a broader point to US workers: “The overall message of the bill is, you’re on your own,” says James Lange, a lawyer, CPA and author of Retire Secure. Even so, the 2006 law has also made it less daunting for workers ...

How well are America's workers prepared for financial uncertainties and for the eventuality of retirement? In their own estimation, millions of employees haven't found a secure path to a bright future, whether that future begins in a retirement 40 years from now or at the end of the month, when the bills come due. Those are the disturbing findings of a ...

Ripple effects of a dour economy are making this college application season as nerve-wracking for some admissions officers as it is for applicants. But for savvy families, there may be new opportunities. "A lot of schools are going to be concerned about meeting their requisite enrollment thresholds," says Barmak Nassirian of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers. "They ...

There's nothing like a little hard-won experience. Personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani got out of $100,000 in credit-card debt in three years. Now the author of books like "Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom," she writes and speaks about how others can follow her example. BusinessWeek's Ben Steverman recently spoke to Khalfani about the "bling-bling lifestyle" that leads young ...

With all the doom and gloom over housing, you might be surprised to know that this is a fantastic time to get a mortgage. Not if you have poor credit, to be sure. But you can get a great deal on a 30-year, fixed-rate, conforming loan these days if you have a solid FICO score, a manageable debt burden, and proof ...

Investment losses, job loss or downsizing, an upward adjustment on your adjustable rate mortgage, and higher prices on everything from gas for your car to rice for the table are only some of the current factors that could derail your financial planning for your golden years. When your income is not covering all your expenses, it can be tempting to simply ...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - New rules adopted by the Office of Thrift Supervision today will help protect consumers from certain abusive credit card lending practices that can result in excessive fees and interest rate charges. The rules were developed in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Board and National Credit Union Administration, which are expected to adopt the same regulations later ...

Have questions about planning for retirement? Our Money Mentors have some answers. They aren't financial pros. They're ordinary folks who, as retirees, manage their own finances. Their nest eggs, excluding their homes, vary from a couple hundred thousand dollars to $2 million. The one thing they have in common is experience as retirees — and the desire to share the lessons ...

Everyone has at least one frugal friend who always crows about how much money he saves by clipping coupons or frequenting discount stores. And while this friend’s behavior/bragging is a great reminder of how you should be more financially savvy — especially when the U.S. economy isn’t in the best shape — he may overlook some simple savings strategies that you’ve ...

Tax season is right around the corner and several military families will attempt to file their taxes on paper. However filing taxes on paper is a long and cumbersome process. If an individual taxpayer chooses to file without the help of a certified public accountant (CPA), the process can take hours. And, if mistakes are made the repercussions can take the ...