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Presents tips on tax preparation for 2004. Review of when and when not to itemize deductions; Description of tax deductions that are easily overlooked; Consideration of retirement savings ceilings for 2004; Examples of tax preparation mistakes that could prove costly; Details of automobile-related tax incentives; Profile of the alternative minimum tax (AMT), which prevents rich Americans from claiming too many deductions and avoiding income tax altogether.

Presents advice for Americans nearing retirement who have not yet saved enough money to support themselves adequately when they stop working. Report that, according to the General Accounting Office, only around half of baby boomer households are saving enough to preserve their working-age standard of living when they retire; Comments by financial planners on their difficulties in persuading middle-aged clients to cut back on their spending; Examples of people who are trying to save for retirement; Examples of people who have been burned by the belief that they need to save less than is recommended because investment returns will rise exponentially; Claim that the financial services industry has exaggerated the amount most people need to save for retirement; Examples of people hit by unexpected financial setbacks that have made it more difficult for them to plan for retirement; Claim that many people face the dilemma of whether to help their children financially or save for themselves; Tips on how to get started on retirement planning by reducing debt, spending less, saving more, working longer, and creating a backup plan. INSET: MAKING SURE YOUR MONEY LASTS.

Byline: Jane Bryant-Quinn I hope you're getting a really good tax cut because you're going to need the money. More bad news is trickling in from the retirement front. You [...]

Byline: Jane Bryant-Quinn When you've got it, flaunt it--because if you lose it again, you're stiffed. That urgent thought is driving every member of the Republican Congress, as party leaders [...]

Byline: Jane Bryant-Quinn While the accused manipulator, Enron's Andrew Fastow, took his perp walk last week, another and far more important drama was playing out in Washington. This back story [...]

Byline: Jane Bryant-Quinn Among the 1990s fads was a rah-rah team-building game played at management retreats. You had to fall backward from a modest height and rely on your buddies [...]

Byline: Jane Bryant-Quinn It's time to ask yourself the same questions that Congress wants to ask former Enron chief Kenneth Lay: What do you really know about your stock? If [...]

Offers a user's guide to telephone types and services as the telecom industry struggles to meet the changes in telephone usage. Chances that phone service fees will drop as the old land lines are not needed to get phone service; How every line coming into a house such as cable TV or an DSL line or even electric wires are a way to dial out; Belief that a cellphone is the cheapest option for phone service; How the cellular phone companies have inspired more customer complaints to the Better Business Bureau; Suggestion that cell phones should be considered second lines; Information on the long distance discounters and where to find information about them; The birth of VoIP or Internet phoning; How it works.

In 1993, President Clinton proposed a plan for universal health insurance. In beating it back, opponents smoothly assured the public that they supported the idea, in principle-they just wanted to […]

Too many retirement plans to choose from, and too many rules, may be putting savers off To get through congress, any plan for social Security reform will apparently have to [...]

Presents ideas on how to save money on phone bills. Use e-mail when possible; Cancel long distance service and use a pre-paid phone card instead; How to pick a long-distance service; Suggestion to shed extra cost features such as call forwarding; Ignore inside wire maintenance contracts; Exploration of bundled deals; More.

Discusses 529 savings plans for college. Fees which some plans charge; Comparison of plans in different states; Way that these plans help save for higher education.

Looks at the hidden costs in the new Medicare drug legislation. Belief that steering patients into private plans will hasten the day that Medicare goes broke; Reasons why Medicare HMO's need public subsidies; Acceptance of more HMO subsidies which was the political trade-off for getting drug coverage for Medicare; Details on the legislation; Law requirements which state that Medicare will not deliver the drug benefits directly; Which drugs will be covered; Who will benefit; Pay for discount-drug cards; Increase in Medicare premiums; Medigap; Company drug plans.

Answers questions on financial planning. Socially progressive companies for mutual fund investment; Warning pertaining to the opening of an individual retirement account (IRA) for a working grandchild; Direct-purchase or no-load plans and dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) for purchasing stock without using brokerage firms.

The article presents answers to questions regarding starting a Social Security retirement benefit plan, disability benefit and individual retirement account.

The article discusses tips on saving money with regard to income tax returns, with topics including a larger standard deduction for older people, health insurance fines and earned income tax credit.

The article presents questions and answers related to banking service for customers including renewal of life insurance policy, reverse mortgage and Social Security benefits after divorce.

The article offers suggestion for protection of bank accounts from overdraft protection such as not to sign up for bill payments on unsecured connection and not to opt for overdraft program and mentions earnings of banks by overdraft and bounced check fees.

The article focuses on the risk factors while investing income in the high yield junk bond mutual funds, which provide high interest rates.

The article presents tips on how elderly people can make a graceful exit from the stock market.

The article presents questions and answers related to U.S. Social Security including retirement benefits, spousal benefits, and survivor benefits.

The article emphasizes the importance for the elderly to have a talk with their children about their assets and finances as inheritance. Topics covered include the personal and financial information that should be disclosed by an elderly parent to their children according to the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the reason the parents are not advised to tell their children exactly what they are worth.

The article offers insights for people aged 50 years or older on how to deal with the costs associated with getting a divorce in the U.S. as of 2014. It notes the increase in the divorce rate among people 50 and up between 1990 and 2010. Attorney Maria Cognetti advises dependent spouses to choose the monthly payments instead of the lump sum if they do not plan on investing.

The article offers tips on which to prefer renting or buying a house. Suggestions include estimating a retirement budget with and without the home purchase, weighting the income, and considering the environment or place. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of renting or buying a house in the U.S.

The article offers a suggestion on planning ahead for living arrangements and continuing care in later life. It refers to assisted living conditions that can provide mobility and functionality in existing homes such as revising floor plans to accommodate a ramp or a wheelchair passage. It further suggests to sell the house and move to an apartment in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that provides housekeeping, meals, and all forms of parent care.

The author discusses the issues in the pensions industry in the U.S. as of June 2014, particularly how to protect one's spouse financially. She offers several tips on how to avoid leaving one's spouse from financial harm, including leaving a bigger income, ensuring the beneficiary of one's individual retirement account (IRA), and be sure to get married. The opinion of annuityreview.com's Mark Cortazzo on the issues is also cited.

The article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of incurring debt. Topics covered include the relevance of a credit score, FICO scoring which is a debt management platform, and the importance of credit activity for the last six months. Also mentioned are an active credit card which can keep a credit score alive, and credit card payments in excess of 40% of one's monthly income.

The article offers an investment strategy for American senior citizens. Topics discussed include lowering one's risk by holding cash for expense, owning short- and intermediate-term bond mutual funds, and investing in mutual funds which own U.S. international stocks, and reducing one's risk exposure as one ages.

Focuses on advantages of a payroll deduction program on employees. Various payroll deduction plans offered to employees; Companies' enrolling of their workers into a plan automatically; Companies' matching of the amount contributed by an employee.

Offers tax advice to insurance borrowers. Repercussions of not repaying insurance loans; Condition that will force the insurer to terminate an insurance coverage; General tax rule when a cash-value policy is canceled.

Presents investment advice regarding stocks in the United States. Evaluation of the stock performance of high-technology firms; Comparison of volatile and steady stocks; Record of big-growth companies.

Presents guidelines for paying back student loans. Consolidation plans offered by government and private lenders; Ways to extend payments; Smartest way to consolidate.