Topics in Money
Updated - Oct. 23, 2009


What You Should Do Now
Now, more than ever, you need to stay on top of your finances.

Your Debt Collection Rights
Four myths you need to know about.

Comparing Options
What to do with extra cash.

Are "They" Ruining Your Finances?
Maybe it's time to examine the things 'they say'.

Emergency Fund
How much is enough?

The ABCs of Frugality
8 simple rules to spending less and enjoying life more.

Raising Money-Smart Kids: Allowances
Giving them first-hand experience in money management.

Networking
Network your way to job security.

A Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting Success
Reach your desired financial destination.

Are You in Need of Financial Bypass Surgery?
Here’s a quiz to determine your monetary health.

Simplify Your Budget
A humorous look at why most budget plans don't work.

Tips for Women on Building Their Credit Score
Managing your own personal finances.


Surviving Tough Times

Managing Stress During a Financial Crisis
Rounding the corner to the good times.

Meal Planning
Save even more time and money by planning your meals ahead of time.

The Cost of Convenience
A little time in the kitchen could save you big time!








Want to Help Dad
Jeremy can't be an enabler and continuously bail his father out of financial problems. Dave says there's a lesson for dad to learn.

Insure the Vacation
A listener wants to know if Dave thinks it’s wise to buy trip insurance for a Hawaiian vacation.

Explain Inflation
Janine has a pretty basic question ... how does inflation work, and how can we stop it?

Knowing When to Sell
Josh wants to know when he knows that it's time to get out of his car loan.

We're Changing Our Lives With Financial Peace
"I thought, Gosh, it would be awesome to have all this paid off and actually have some money to spend and not feel guilty about it," Shaun said.

Credit Cards, Student Loans and Financed Cars ... Oh My!
"I was convinced that this debt would be "no problem"—that we'd pay it off in six months to a year after I started my shiny high-paying job," Rini said.

Passing It On
Costs are going up for Grace's catering business, and she's got to find a way to up the prices without getting customers ticked.

Dave's Take on Term Life
Dave has a reason for recommending term life insurance, and he details it here.

Buy Early
Should a college student with no credit history buy a house, or wait?

Something Better than the 525?
With 2 kids in college and $16,000 saved in a 525 college savings plan, Bruce doesn't know if he should keep the money there.

The Right Time to Buy
Jerry just went through bankruptcy, has six kids and child support, and only makes $26,000. How can he buy a home?

A Collector Counter Offer
Matt wants to give a counter offer to a collector, but he's struggling with something.

Tax Calendar
April 15 isn't the only important day for taxes. This tax calendar provides you with many others to circle.

Tips & Tools
A tax tip a day plus an array of tax tools, terms and training will help you through filing and beyond.

Tax-filing Organization Tips
Get it done right the first time with this advice on free filing, e-filing, documentation and refunds.

Forms & Charts
Search here for all the new tax rates, exemption and deduction amounts, plus estate and gift tax exclusions.

Calculators
11 new tax calculators to help make your tax preparations easier than ever!



Fed: Want a credit card? Prove you can pay the bill
In a new 800-page document released Sept. 29, the Fed requires credit card issuers to confirm borrowers' ability to pay.

Uncle Sam wants you ... unless your credit stinks
You may be ready to serve your country, but if your finances aren't in good shape, you might get washed out.

As time runs out, don't blow first-time home buyer tax credit
Running up credit card bills before closing can jeopardize that $8,000 tax break you were hoping would make you a first-time home buyer.

When the no-interest, same-as-cash deal clock runs out
If you aren't diligent about paying off a balance during the a no-interest period, you face the high-interest gauntlet. Here's what you can do.

For convenience checks, you pay a price
When it comes to convenience checks, your best bet is to proceed carefully. The fees and interest on convenience checks can quickly escalate, and they can be potential targets for identity thieves.

Debt can slow down retirement goals
Debt happens. But how you handle it depends on whether you take charge of it or you allow it to take charge of you.

Credit sin: Does credit save or condemn you?
Will using plastic land you in hot water with your almighty? Depending on the belief system, card use might require some repentance.

How to replace a lost or stolen gift card
The reason so many of us love gift cards -- they're a lot like cash -- is also the reason they can be hard to replace when they're stolen or lost. However, there are steps you can take to reclaim that moolah.

13 ways to get gift cards for less
Use these techniques to pay less than face value or boost buying power of a gift card..



Could you be saving too much?
You might not even realize you're in the slender slice of the population that is retirement-rich.

I-bond rate improves, but be cautious
If you're looking for inflation protection, be wary of the I bond's low fixed rate.

Liquidity fears? Check out no-penalty CDs
Some CDs don't penalize you for withdrawing before maturity, but beware of certain conditions.

Video: Join credit union
You must qualify to join a credit union, but you may find good rates if you borrow or save.

Top savings rates for members only
Some organizations offer special savings rates to members. But are they worth the price?

Economic SOS? Ikea to the rescue!
Humor columnist Jay MacDonald says Swedish home furnishing retailer Ikea has a lesson for the Fed.

The nuts and bolts of charitable trusts
Charitable remainder trusts let you skip the tax man, give to charity and receive an income, too.

Changes loom for cash-back term policies
Return-of-premium policies are expected to cost much more in 2010, or vanish entirely.

Do-it-yourself wills online
The service is available at a range of costs, but is it the right choice for you and your heirs?

Guaranteed income for life -- at a price
Retirees can avoid outliving their money by buying annuities, but they can be complex and costly.

12 hair-raising money tales
Readers share their financial nightmares in Bankrate's annual roundup of Halloween horrors.

Video: Big deductions for your small biz
When you own a small business, you need every tax deduction you can get.

Thank heaven for legal tax havens
No Swiss account? These tax shelters are OK by the IRS and accessible to most taxpayers.

10 biggest bank failures so far
The financial crisis has resulted in scores of bank failures. Here are the largest, by asset size.

States grab unclaimed property
If you haven't kept up with financial accounts, you may lose them to the state. What should you do?

Are your vices foiling your finances?
We do the math on three personal indulgences. You may be surprised at how much you can save by giving one up.

4 ways to fix your retirement
Four ways you can help your retirement recover from 2008's financial disasters.

The basics of estate planning
Everyone has an estate. If you don't plan for the distribution of your assets, the state has a backup plan.


Ask Dr. Don

CD ladder offers best of two worlds
A CD ladder can resolve the dilemma of whether to lock in long on a rate or stay short.

2010 is great time to choose Roth IRA
New tax rules will make 2010 an ideal time to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth.

Low ARM rate may turn ugly later
An adjustable-rate mortgage may look great today, but it could become a trap if rates rise.

Uncle Sam wants slice of prize winnings
A woman who won a trip to Bora Bora will have to share her bounty with the U.S. government.

When does your debt expire?
The statute of limitations on debt varies and depends on the nature of the money owed.


Tax Talk: George Saenz

Figuring depreciation on a rental
The rules for depreciating a home that was converted to a rental can get tricky.

Penalty on required minimum distributions?
There is an exception to the underpayment penalty if you take RMD late in the year.

Fund's share price jolts investor
An investor in a money market mutual fund wonders if the net asset value is incorrect.

Deducting court-ordered COBRA payments
In a divorce, the medical expenses of the ex-spouse may be deductible as alimony.




9 Smart Personal Finance Moves
Keeping in the "know": 9 things to know to improve your finances in 2009.

9 Smart Debt Strategies
Now is the time to pay close attention to your debts. If this credit crunch turns into a credit winter, you could get financial frostbite if you are not prepared.

9 Wise Tax Moves
As the new year rolls in, here are nine new, renewed or slightly altered tax situations that could help you lower your tax bill.

Bankruptcy Do's and Don'ts
There are many things a person can do in the new year to have a smooth and positive bankruptcy experience.

Smart Credit Card Moves
Here's a look at what experts say is coming and what you should do about it.

13 Smart Insurance Moves
Smart insurance moves are all about minimizing risk.

Retirement: 13 Smart Money Moves
If what doesn't kill you really does make you stronger, then retirement investors will rule the roost in 2009.

Smart Moves for CDs, Checking and Savings
Investors hope that 2009 will provide more than a temporary respite from 2008's economic downward spiral.

Bankrate's Financial Literacy

Bankrate's guide to building personal wealth takes an in-depth look at topics essential for building personal wealth and financial success through work sheets, calculators, expert advice and money-saving tips.

This month's topic:
Becoming credit savvy
Learn to navigate the sometimes treacherous credit landscape until 2010, when new consumer protection rules kick in.

Previous Topics:
Debt Management
Unrestrained spending will throw a balance sheet way out of whack.

Protecting Your Identity
Protect your computer, your finances and your family from this disruptive type of deception.

Planning for Your Heirs
Estate planning is something we tend to put off indefinitely, but it's an act of love.

Creating an emergency fund
Strategies for building your cash reserves for unexpected events.

Smart borrowing
These strategies will help you shop loans intelligently.