By David Goodboy

Worry-free finances = a happy, productive retirement, right?

Well, that goal is easier to accomplish than you think. It only takes a little sacrifice... and as much planning as you can muster.

I'm going to tell you about five tips that should make your golden years that...

It's hard to believe it's almost 2013. I actually love the end of the year because I adore the holiday festivities. But, believe it or not, I also look forward to the credit housekeeping chores I do every December.

That probably sounds strange, but I enjoy it because I like...

Although many voters have traditionally seen the Republican Party as "pro-business" and the Democratic Party as "pro-consumer," the reality on the ground isn't quite so clear.

Democrats in Washington are courted by the same business lobbyists as their GOP counterparts. And Republicans, for their part, are well aware of the...

In recent years, many Asian economies have been booming while European and North American ones struggle. But the tables might be about to turn, according to data from the Asian Development Bank.

In its July 2012 Asian Development Outlook Supplement, the financial and policy institution forecasts 6.6 percent

Normally, when a person dies, her assets get passed to her spouse and children, even when she doesn't have a will. It's the natural progression of things. But what happens if you can't marry your partner?

Estate planning creates a special challenge for gay and lesbian couples. The federal government...

Parents aren't always great role models. However, our mother and father are usually the first people we look to as we're trying to learn new things -- driving a car, hitting a baseball, playing an instrument, whatever.

When it comes to money, it's no different. That's why, in honor...

By Christian Hudspeth

Most college graduates will tell you it's hard enough to complete four (or more) long years of packaged noodles, 10-page papers and excruciating final exams.

Things often get harder for new graduates after school's over, especially when it comes to finding a job. The unemployment rate...

The credit card bill.

Whether you love it or hate it, if you've got a card -- and 2010 Census Bureau projections estimate that 181 million Americans do -- you likely see one in your mail or inbox every month.

Some card holders won't feel the stinging...

Saving for retirement can be a sore subject for Americans approaching their golden years.

With so much gloom-and-doom surrounding Social Security -- a 2011 report from the Social Secuirty Board of Trustees said Social Security will be insolvent by 2017 -- a self-funded retirement is more of a...

During his NFL playing days, Warren Sapp made headlines for his relentless pursuit of quarterbacks, his colorful interviews and his on-field antics. But in April 2012, Sapp made news of a different type when he filed for bankruptcy.

According to the filing, Sapp owes more than $6.7 million to creditors,...

A higher credit score means more money in your pocket. It's as simple as that.

A typical credit card for someone with poor credit may have an interest rate of 20 percent. If you carry a balance of $5,000 on that card and make payments of $150 each month, you'll...

Retirement is supposed to be "the golden years," but make a few tax-planning mistakes along the way and your nest egg can become a golden egg for the government.

Unfortunately, taxes don't get less complicated when you retire. In fact, they get more baffling. Adding to...

Have you ever received an email or phone call promising the investment opportunity of a lifetime, if you'd only be so kind as to share your bank account information and social security number? If so, then you were a potential victim of financial fraud, a crime that comes in many...

It's probably the most important retirement question you can ask. But, unfortunately for you and for financial advisers, there's no right way to answer it. How should I allocate my assets?

Your decision may mean the difference between relaxing on that yacht or chasing the mailman for your social security...

Did your paternal grandfather live to 97 and great aunt on your mother's side hit 93?

While you may be delighted with your wonderful genes, you should also be concerned about something that every retiree and pre-retiree worries about constantly as they grow older: outliving your retirement nest-egg.

So...

You've no doubt heard by now that the ongoing NBA lockout has taken a sharp turn for the worse. First, the pre-season was cancelled. Next, we lost the first two weeks of regular season games.

Then on Monday, the NBA Players Association rejected the NBA owners' latest deal...

And...

The U.S. Department of Energy released their 2011 yearly estimates of heating costs around the country, and not surprisingly, the numbers were higher than years past.

Those who heat their homes with natural gas can expect to spend an average of 3 percent (or $19) more this winter. Households using...

With another tough winter looming in the future, many aging baby boomers are dreaming of the day that they can pull up roots and spend their retirement years in a cheerier place. For many, that means Florida or Arizona. But for a growing number of retirees, the net is being...

Wall Street has a long history of con artists and crooks who bend and break the rules to benefit themselves. This usually leaves regulators scrambling to close the loopholes and specify grey areas in their regulations in order to prevent copycat con men.

There are only a few things...

Bankruptcy advocates would like you to believe that simply filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is the miracle solution to all of your debt problems.

Indeed, the way bankruptcy is sometimes portrayed, you'd think an attorney would just fly in through your front door...