The most wonderful time of the year? Not for your checking account. According to the National Retail Federation, the average holiday shopper spends $750 on gifts and décor at Christmas time. But where do they get the extra dough?
If you just received a year-end bonus, congratulations. With money tight and the economy uncertain, those extra dollars can be hard to come by. Now, how do you use that hard-earned bonus wisely? Here are eight suggestions.
Senators and Representatives who are thinking of touching the "third rail:" How many constituents are calling your office today to say, "Yes, I want you to cut the Social Security COLA"?
New products are being developed, and new policies are being formulated not on the basis of how people ought to behave, but based on what they actually do and not do.
We're looking at elevated unemployment for years to come. As it stands, virtually every cliff outcome invokes considerable fiscal contraction next year. That's what's waiting for us once we get over the cliff. In fact, it's been here all along.
Interested in re-election in 2014? You can pack your bags for home if you vote for the chained CPI. It doesn't matter what party: if you are a Democrat, the Republican candidate will hammer you for cutting Social Security.
How have the U.S. middle classes even vaguely been able to sustain their living standards? Answer: by taking on unpayable debt that chokes the financial system and throttles economic growth. It's an appalling situation and it's not set to change.
Many economic indicators suggest a fairly robust economy, believe it or not. We have spent the past year and a half listening to the presidential candidates tell us how bad everything is, but statistics say otherwise.
Still, one may legitimately ask: "Is it ethical to give someone else a present I was given but don't need or want?" The answer may surprise you: Yes, it is right to regift. In fact, we have a duty to do so. Here's why.
In a time when families are struggling to make giving part of their budget, with donations still 11 percent below pre-recession rates, kids' generosity is more heartening than ever before. Here are some ways for kids to give back -- with or without money -- at every age.
The holidays are a perfect time to continue encouraging youth to grow and learn through toys and gadgets that are fun and trendy, but also happen to be full of learning potential.
For the good of our economy, lawmakers would do well to focus on a compromise that works for the majority of small business owners and American consumers. Small business owners and their customers need fiscal certainty right now.
Even if you haven't heard back from your colleges, it's time to think about paying for college. If you're new to this discussion, you need to come up to speed in a hurry.
Whether your Social Security benefits are garnishable or not depends on who you owe. Banks and other financial creditors, for example, can't touch your Social Security checks. But if Uncle Sam is collecting on a debt, some of your benefits are fair game. Here's what you should know.
It can be an overwhelming task to determine the best way to manage savings to fund a retirement over an uncertain lifetime, especially for those in the middle market. Here are a few golden rules of advice for individuals to follow to ensure they live comfortably during their golden years.
It's always tempting to spend more money than we actually have during the holidays, so I reached out to my dear friend Suze Orman and asked her for some simple tips and ideas to keep us all from going over that financial gift cliff for the holidays! Her advice, as always, was right on the money.
Richard Barrington, 2012.19.12
Theodore R. Daniels, 2012.19.12