Businesses you can start with no money
Starting a business is often a pricey ordeal. But low- or even no-cost ideas exist for aspiring entrepreneurs with unique and marketable talent. Take inventory of the skills you already possess, recommends Holly Reisem Hanna, founder of a career blog called, “The Work at Home Woman.” List your past jobs, education, training, passions, skills and talents to help identify vocational... READ MORE
Talk to your kids about their inheritance
Many parents fail to get their financial affairs in order, neglecting to take care of such things as wills, living wills and powers of attorney. But even those who think they’ve covered all of their estate-planning bases often leave one of the most important tasks undone: They fail to talk to their adult children about the money they’ll be leaving them someday. For many, I’ve... READ MORE
How corporate tax cuts may affect stocks
Stocks rose for months on hopes that tax cuts will fuel a surge in corporate profits and dividend increases. But despite some volatility lately, you haven’t missed the rally — it should last well into 2018, especially for the parts of the market that may benefit the most. One way to cash in is with shares of small and midsize firms. Such companies tend to pay taxes at higher... READ MORE
Ways to boost your retirement savings
Saving enough for retirement is a challenge for most people. So why do so many ignore the incentives and tax advantages that are there for the taking? Perhaps they don’t know about them, or maybe they need reminders. With that in mind, here’s a list of steps to take to boost your retirement accounts. Take your employer’s matching contributions. If your employer matches... READ MORE
Five cheap stocks to buy for $20 or less
Stocks with low share prices can be a cost-effective way for small investors to diversify their portfolios. But even after a bumpy few weeks, the market remains near all-time highs and is as expensive as ever, making quality cheap stocks more and more difficult to find. Before a rising market tide lifted almost all boats, it wasn’t too tough to find stocks for less than $10 that... READ MORE
International funds are poised for growth
Inflows to long-term mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on international stocks have been increasing this year, and also outpacing flows into funds invested in U.S. stocks, according to data from the Investment Company Institute. The trend reflects optimism on the part of investors that a broad global economic resurgence that began last year will continue in 2018. And... READ MORE
Protect your assets in this volatile market
After a long stretch of calm and a relentless rally, the stock market recently took a breather. No one should be surprised — unless you’re surprised it took so long for this bull market to take some downtime. Stock market corrections, typically defined as a loss between 10 percent and 20 percent from the peak, occur about every two years, on average. The last one began in May 2015,... READ MORE
Simplify finances — for you and your heirs
Simplifying and organizing our financial lives can make things easier for us while we’re alive and for our survivors when we’re not. This task becomes more urgent as we age. Our financial decision-making abilities generally peak around age 53, researchers have found, while rates of cognitive decline and dementia start to climb at age 60. Over time, we tend to become more... READ MORE
Store card could torpedo your credit score
When a sales clerk cheerfully asks, “Would you like to save 20 percent on your purchases today by opening a card with us?” you may think you’re getting a bargain. But the reality sounds a lot less cheery: “Would you be interested in a low-limit card that could damage your credit standing?” Credit expert John Ulzheimer warns that opening a new store card could hurt your... READ MORE
How to make your encore career count
Marci Alboher is vice president of Encore.org, a nonprofit that encourages baby boomers to use their skills and experience to help their communities. She’s the author of The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life. Here is an excerpt of a conversation with her from Kiplinger’s: Kiplinger: Are there particular fields that lend... READ MORE
Money 2025
