top stories in News Reel
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Retire Here, Not There: Tennessee
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10 Things Hollywood Won't Tell You
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PLAYWhy Facebook Stock Won't Soar Like G....
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The 5 Biggest Muni Defaults Ever
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Cut Travel Costs With Free Gas
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PLAYBlackRock Manager Still Sees Opportu....
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7 Ways to Cut Moving Costs
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Grad School: Higher Degrees of Debt
how to
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How to buy ... currencies; Many ways to invest in foreign exchange, but beware of pitfalls
MarketWatchLOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Foreign currency investing is no longer exclusive to the world's most sophisticated traders. Individual investors can now join a club that has been the rarefied domain of hedge funds, professional speculators and ...
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How to buy ... investments of all types; MarketWatch series aims to make decisions smarter, cheaper, better
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Folk humorist Will Rogers proffered a simple strategy for investing: "Don't gamble," he's said to have advised. "Take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it ...
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How to buy ... options; Using a trader's tool to generate investment income and hedge portfolios
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Puts, calls, strike price, in-the-money, out-of-the-money — buying and selling stock options isn't just new territory for many investors, it's a whole new language.
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How to hire a financial planner
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — I have given countless talks over the past 15 years to groups of people interested in hiring financial advisers or working better with the helpers they have, and I typically poll my audience to learn about their ...
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How to buy ... stocks; Tuning out Wall Street's 'noise' and listening to your own voice
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Stock tips spill from everywhere: on television, at parties, in the gym. Email boxes are full of pitches for can't-miss money-makers to buy right now. Even your own scouting efforts spot stocks whose solid ...
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How to buy ... hedge funds; Exclusive investing club has its privileges, but often carries a high price
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Hedge funds don't beat around the bush. These specialized portfolios are the darlings of the investment world, attracting top managers, institutions, pensions and wealthy individuals to their fold. The business ...
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How to buy ... annuities; Guaranteed income holds appeal, but beware of fees and restrictions
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Annuities come in many styles, but they share a common trait: The mere mention of them brings worried frowns to financial planners. That's because many of these investment-cum-insurance products come with steep ...
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How to buy ... investment real estate; Beating a path to income-producing property, and what to avoid
MarketWatchCHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Investing in real estate most likely won't produce the get-rich-quick results promised by many a late-night infomercial. But for investors willing to do some homework, make a good purchase and properly manage a piece ...
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How to buy ... futures; Speculative commodity and financial plays also hedge volatile markets
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Futures have a checkered past. The futures market is often seen as a casino, a legal betting parlor for speculators of the kind portrayed in the 1983 movie "Trading Places."
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How to buy ... commodities; Trading and investing in one of the market's most volatile sectors
MarketWatchSAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Commodities investing is volatile, promising big gains and capable of big losses. But this volatility can work in your favor in a broad investment portfolio, where a small amount of commodities can offset risks ...
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How to buy ... mutual funds; Why quality and consistency matter more than recent performance
MarketWatchSAN 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 ...
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How to buy ... ETFs; Popular investment vehicles have advantages but also costly pitfalls
MarketWatchBOSTON (MarketWatch) — Exchange-traded funds have gone mainstream as individual investors and financial advisers alike have embraced the flexibility of low-cost, tax-efficient portfolios.
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How to buy ... bonds; Market's size, choices beg question: Go solo or seek funds' expertise?
MarketWatchCHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Bonds are typically seen as a lower-risk accessory to a stock portfolio, a cardigan sweater tossed over a party dress.
How to Manage Household Expenses When You're Married
SmartMoney.comSharing a checking account may be one of the hardest things about sharing a marital bed. In fact, three in 10 Americans who've combined finances say they've deceived their spouses or partners when it comes to money matters, ...
How to Set a Retirement Budget
SmartMoney.comRetirement could last more than 30 years. That's a long time to spend your savings. With the proper planning and a solid budget in retirement, however, you can stretch your dollars for years longer than your budget-averse peers. ...
How to Catch Up on Retirement Savings (if You're Starting Late)
SmartMoney.comMore than 40% of baby boomers are at risk of not being able to pay for basic retirement expenses such as housing and out-of-pocket health care costs, according to a 2010 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. But it's not a ...
How to Evaluate Your Finances; Before getting down to picking investments, get an overview of what you have and what you want.
SmartMoney.comTo diversify your portfolio effectively, you need to take a look at the big picture and understand what you have and how it is allocated today. Getting a good grip on your assets and your investments will help you make better decisions ...
How to Determine if You Should Move in Retirement; Deciding to move in retirement requires weighing several factors.
SmartMoney.comMost of us have fantasized about moving to "paradise" when we retire: the beach or the hillside that we love or the vacation spot that never disappoints. But moving in retirement is no small decision, and the best way to start the ...
How to Decide Where to Move in Retirement; Settling down for retirement is a good time to start anew, but where?
SmartMoney.comOnce you've decided that you want to consider relocating for your retirement, you have a fair bit of homework to do. You'll want to study up on the key factors that will affect your lifestyle and your budget and determine which ...
How to Pay for College; The rising costs of higher education are showing no signs of letting up. In order to make it through, you must have a plan.
SmartMoney.comThe rising costs of higher education are showing no signs of letting up. For students attending a public college or university in the state in which they live, tuition averages $7,000 per year. Private colleges run around $37,000 per year, ...
How to Pick the Right Mortgage; A guide to sifting through mortgage options to find the right one for you.
SmartMoney.comManaging your biggest asset—your home—is really about managing your mortgage, your biggest debt. That's why you'll want to select a loan that fits both your budget and your lifestyle. Keep in mind that reducing your borrowing ...
How to Be a Smart Home Buyer; When home values are slipping or going sideways, being a smart buyer can make all the difference.
SmartMoney.comThe "American Dream" of homeownership turned into a nightmare after 2008. Big mortgages, job losses and plunging home values left many buyers over their heads in debt and struggling to stay afloat. But buying a house can still be ...
How to Verify Your Financial Adviser; Finding the right financial adviser requires more than just a good relationship. It should be open and fair.
SmartMoney.comHaving a good financial adviser in tune with your specific situation is vital. But, like any business or professional relationship, you should be diligent about with whom you chose to work. Here are steps for both finding the right fit as ...
How to Know Which Assets are Safe; A truly diversified portfolio will have a mix of risky and safe assets. Here's how to gauge which ones are safe.
SmartMoney.comThe financial crisis of 2008-09 didn't just change the landscape of Wall Street; it changed the way many people think about money. It drove home that neither the stock market nor the housing market is a perfectly safe investment.
How to Manage Tenant Disputes; No matter how much you personally like your tenants, your relationships with them must remain strictly about business.
SmartMoney.comNo matter how careful you are at selecting your tenants, you will pick bad ones from time to time. That nice young couple will break up, leaving one who can't afford the rent, or the old lady in 1B will turn out to have a no-good ...
How to Assess Insurance Needs as a Landlord; As a residential property owner with tenants, you may need more than a standard property policy.
SmartMoney.comA landlord needs insurance, and plenty of it. As property owners struck by tornadoes and hurricanes can attest, disasters do happen. But you don't have to have a catastrophic tornado to be ruined. Calamities, natural and man-made, can ...
How to Evaluate a Reverse Mortgage; One of the few ways to extract home equity, a reverse mortgage can also be complex and expensive.
SmartMoney.comA reverse mortgage can be one of the best ways to weather a financial storm at the end of life for senior citizens. Reverse mortgages are also one of the very few ways that older Americans can use a significant portion of the equity they ...
How to Sell Your House in a Down Market; Tips and strategies to make your house stand out in a swamped market.
SmartMoney.comFew more difficult financial challenges exist than selling a house at a time when too many homes are for sale already, including many foreclosed properties. Depending on your situation and where you live, you may be braced for a long wait ...
How to Prepare for Home Repair; Before jumping in to a home improvement project, be sure that the work is cost-effective and worthwhile.
SmartMoney.comNothing maintains your home's value better than maintaining your home. And there is plenty of maintaining to do; it seems like homes always need repair or attention. Expect to pay up to 3% of your house's value a year on regular ...
How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft; Take charge of your own information to keep yourself safe.
SmartMoney.comGiven the high profile cases of hackers breaking into credit-card payment systems and stealing data, you can't prevent all identity theft. But there are many steps that you can take to reduce the risk that someone will fraudulently ...
How to Buy a Home; In both up and down housing markets, it pays to be disciplined.
SmartMoney.comEven with unsteady home values and tough home loan requirements, home ownership remains a desirable goal. But since you only have so much money, you have to make choices. Keep in mind that the smartest choices are made with your head, not ...
How to Lend Money to a Family Member; Just because you know the borrower personally doesn't mean your loan shouldn't be detailed and recorded.
SmartMoney.comA loan from a friend or relative may be easier to get but having a personal relationship with the lender doesn't let you avoid Internal Revenue Service rates and requirements. Borrowing more than $10,000--even from the bank of mom and ...
How to Save for College
SmartMoney.comWith some private college tuitions topping $50,000 per year, it can take decades to save for college before school and pay the final bill after graduation. But thanks to benefits in the tax code, saving specifically for college and other ...
How To Manage Important Documents; Your personal and financial documents should be easily findable when you or anyone else need information.
SmartMoney.comAlways prepared is more than just a motto for the U.S. Coast Guard. Given how scattered our digital lives have become, it's important to have a good system for storing and managing your important papers. That way, you, a relative or ...
How to Buy Gold; Many advisers believe that gold deserves a spot in your investment portfolio because it is a diversifier.
SmartMoney.comIn times of financial panic, inflation, and even deflation, people come out of the woodwork touting the safety of owning gold. These so-called gold bugs believe that gold is the only true currency, especially in times of extreme stress.
How To Buy a Used Car; Before you visit the used-car lot, arm yourself with information from a variety of websites.
SmartMoney.comThanks to increased demand coming out of the economic downturn, prices on many late-model used cars have risen, increasing the importance for consumers to get the best value for their money, with no surprises.
How to Write a Will
SmartMoney.comToday is always the best time to compose your Last Will & Testament, because, well, you know what they say about tomorrow. According to a December 2010 survey from FindLaw.com, roughly 55% of Americans don't have a will, which ...
How to Lease a Car
SmartMoney.comSome experts say car leases are a great way to drive a car with affordable payments and without too many strings attached. Others claim it's a waste of money, even a borderline scam. Either way, taking out a lease for your next car ...
How To Pay for a Wedding; The Big Day doesn't have to be The Big Pay.
SmartMoney.comGetting married can be cheap. Think drive-thru chapels or visits to town hall. Weddings, on the other hand, are expensive. Families spent, on average, almost $27,000 per wedding in 2010 according to The Knot. And with most couples waiting ...
How To Teach Kids About Money; It's never too early to start talking dollars...and sense.
SmartMoney.comParents are often scared to talk to their kids about money. Some lessons mean admitting mistakes; others signal unattainable goals. But the consequences of not imparting those lessons on your own kids could be more dire than ever. Unlike ...
How to Choose a Beneficiary
SmartMoney.comChoosing a beneficiary is the cleanest and clearest way of leaving someone money after you're gone. But the process also requires consideration of both the amount of money at stake and the beneficiary's ability to handle a ...
How To Settle Your Debts; Debt settlement is not an option to take lightly, but could be considered in certain situations.
SmartMoney.comWhen you can't pay your bills and don't expect to be able to do so any time soon, settling the debt -- working out an agreement with the lender to pay a reduced balance or structure a payment plan -- may be an option worth ...
How To Shop For Car Insurance; Car insurance policies are priced on six different coverage areas. All six prongs influence the price you pay.
SmartMoney.comIn case you had any doubt: it is illegal to drive a car without car insurance. According to the Insurance Information Institute, each of the 50 U.S. states have different laws concerning driving with no insurance. It is, however, illegal in ...
How To Manage Your 401(k); From contributions all the way to rollover, a smart approach to managing your 401(k) will help you prepare for retirement.
SmartMoney.comFor seven out of 10 people who participate in a company 401(k) plan, their 401(k) investment is their largest source of retirement savings, according to a 2010 study by Charles Schwab. Understanding how to manage your 401(k), from ...
How To Refinance Your Mortgage; Be sure to take into account your new interest rate, how long you'll stay in the house, and the length and type of loan.
SmartMoney.comComing out of the financial crisis, millions of homeowners refinanced their homes with record low interest rates. (Well, those who could, at least.) Refinancing accounted for more than half of all mortgage applications from mid-2009 to ...
How To Choose a Bank; The big bank around the corner is not always the right one for you.
SmartMoney.comAs free checking accounts become scarce, low interest rates persist and negative headlines about banks remain constant, choosing where to bank is getting tougher. Still, a good bank is a necessity and sits at the center of most of your ...
How To Insure Your House; Many Americans may find they don't have enough coverage.
SmartMoney.comYour house is likely one of your most valuable assets and, depending on the age of your home, its condition, and where you live, the cost of insuring your house can vary significantly. Many Americans may find they don't have enough ...
How To Invest in a Bond; Bonds are touted for their minimal risk and frequent interest payments, but you still have to be careful.
SmartMoney.comInvestors tend to view bonds as the safe portion of their portfolio. And while bonds are usually less volatile than stocks, they aren't foolproof. Like many other investments, bonds also require investors to take greater risk for ...
How to Buy Umbrella Insurance
SmartMoney.comAfter years gathering assets from cars and homes to art and investment accounts, you might be surprised to learn that most insurance policies don't actually protect all of your belongings. Just one lawsuit from an injury or accidental ...
How To File an Insurance Claim; For all you pay in premiums, there is nothing more deflating than having an insurance claim denied.
SmartMoney.comAmericans shelled out almost $900 billion in health, life, auto and homeowners insurance premiums in 2010, according to SNL Financial. In turn, the insurance companies pay about 70 percent, or more than $600 billion, in claims. But perhaps ...
How to Choose a Bond Fund; For most individual investors, bond mutual funds are the easiest way to invest in fixed income securities.
SmartMoney.comBonds and bond funds are an important part of a balanced investment portfolio. For most investors, the cost of building a diversified bond portfolio is prohibitive. Bond mutual funds are cheaper and more efficient.
How to Save on a New Car
SmartMoney.comShopping for a new car is exciting. Actually buying a car of your own choosing, however, can be more of an ordeal. Once luxury options have become standard and companies are now marketing hybrid and electric cars at multiple price points, ...
How To Rollover a 401(k); You don't always have to move an old workplace plan, but making the move can help you better keep track of your finances.
SmartMoney.comThe average person holds 11 jobs from the age of 18 to 44, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and for many of us that means 11 or more workplace retirement accounts. Because not all employer plans require you to leave the plan ...
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The Stealth Wedding: Saying 'I do' in a Public Space
A new wedding trend trades "walking down the aisle" for a walk on the wild side.
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Arends: That 60/40 portfolio of stocks and bonds your adviser is pushing might not work.
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The Corner Office
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General Dynamics Changes Tactics
The defense contractor faces a tough enemy: potential cuts in defense.