Personal Finance Articles

Many people with Medicare believed that their 2010 premium would be frozen at 2009 levels, but it’s jumped by 15%.
The reason?
It’s because of an unusual meeting of the rules governing Medicare and Social Security.
Each year, the Department of Health and Human Services sets the premium for Medicare Part B, which covers physician visits and outpatient [...]

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The U.S. federal estate tax has been repealed.
This came about under a 10-year bill that steadily increased exclusions from the tax before fully repealing it in 2010.
That’s obviously good news for most Americans.
However, there is one issue that many people might not know about.
The negative consequence is that Americans who don’t update their wills could [...]

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If you’re nearing retirement, it may be time to consider whether you should take social security benefits early, on time, or late.
To make such a decision, it’s important to know how Social Security works.
Full benefits are available as early as age 65, depending on your date of birth.
You may receive benefits at age 62, but [...]

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More people have access to the Roth individual retirement account (IRA) as a result of changing tax rules. The question, then, is: Could you benefit?
A Roth IRA differs from a Traditional IRA in regard to taxation. With a traditional IRA, contributions are tax deductible, but you pay taxes on withdrawals. With a Roth IRA, you [...]

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Some companies use fear-mongering tactics to sell living trusts to people who don’t need them.
So how do you know if you’re really a candidate for a living trust?
The primary advantage of a living trust - which is a legal entity that holds legal title to certain of your assets - is that assets in the [...]

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Dividend-paying stocks may have been left behind by this year’s stampede toward higher-risk investments - making them a potentially good option for investors seeking income.
Today, many investors seeking income invest in cash equivalents such as bank accounts, certificates of deposit or longer-term bonds. These vehicles often pay little interest, leaving investors at the mercy of [...]

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The decline of the greenback has captured the attention of newscasters around the globe.
Its effect on the economy is a mix of positives and negatives.
If you’re an investor, though, there are a number of ways to potentially profit from the falling dollar - if you’re up to speed on what’s out there.
Following are a few [...]

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You might have heard of the so-called slow food movement.
It’s a strategy that encourages consumers to take the time to cook meals at home.
But the slow food movement has also spurred a new concept.
It’s called the slow money investing strategy.
The premise of the ‘slow money’ strategy is that investors should consider putting some of their [...]

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High-yield bonds are a potential option for a retiree’s portfolio.
They have the potential to generate solid income.
It’s also important to note, however, that high-yield bonds doesn’t come with risks.
High-yield bonds are also referred to as junk bonds.
That’s because they’re rated below investment grade, or “junk” in Wall Street jargon.
A bond receives a below-investment-grade rating because [...]

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With the stock market near record volatility levels, many investors have turned to physical gold, referred to as bullion.
But is it right for your investment portfolio?
Bullion is acquired in small bars or coins, and investors seem to be enamored with the shiny metal.
Bullion purchases by individuals nearly doubled last year, to 862 metric tons.
In fact, [...]

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