ArtBistro

It's one of a heap of financial worries that come with a layoff: What happens to your company-sponsored retirement plan? The answer depends on how long you worked for the company, the amount you saved up and whether the money's in a 401(k) or a pension plan. For the most part, federal regulations protect retirement savings, even if a company goes ...

According to a study of college students at the Ernst & Young International Intern Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, 59 percent of these young leaders expect to be millionaires within their lifetime. What's more, 5 percent of them expect to hit the million-dollar mark while in their 20s. And the super-rich are a growing group. The top 0.1 percent of the ...

When times are tough, companies find cost savings wherever they can. Now some employers are doing away with the 401(k) match, a benefit once considered almost sacred. The list of companies that have suspended or cut back corporate matching in their defined-contribution retirement plans this year is not trivial. It includes General Motors (GM), Frontier Airlines (FRNTQ), car-rental company Dollar Thrifty ...

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 ...

Ever wonder how much money you can save by cutting your commuting costs? How about enough to pay for two trips to Ireland plus several major home improvements? As chief of marketing for the Maryland Transit Administration, Buddy Alves set out to see how much money he and his wife could save on their commute from the Baltimore suburbs to their ...

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 ...

Baseball fans love to see what a big hitter might unleash at bat. Babe Ruth, the Great Bambino, won an astounding seven World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. He had a career slugging percentage of .690. The home-run race in 1998 between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa caught the attention of every kid with grass-stained ...

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, DC /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 today. ...

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 ...

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 ...

The best way to cut down the work on tax day is to be organized before tax day. Some simple tips: h4. Income Keep track of your income. Collect 1099s, save invoices, and deposit slips. As you deposit this money, make a note who it is from so that you don't have to look at it and wonder later. Make a ...

The following is a general list of what you can and cannot deduct on a Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business). h4. Can: supplies, materials and labor - excluding yourself If you traveled for your self-employed business you can deduct the expenses if the trip: Travel, meals, expenses related to the production of goods Advertising: cost to produce, postage etc. ...

I've done my own taxes for years now. As an artist, at least a portion of my income has come under self-employment. I would love to pay someone to do this for me, but there was a mound of work just to prepare it for the accountant. By the time I got all of that information in order, added up, divided ...