Kiplinger’s idea of a good Christmas present for a teenager is helping them start a retirement account. We kind of think the average teen is going to have a hard time understanding why that’s a “better” gift than, say, a game system, but the underlying idea is sound. As long as your teen worked at some point in 2007—even babysitting counts—he can open a Roth IRA. But other people (that means you) can fund it, up to the amount the kid earned in wages.
investment
Call For Advice: Reader Wants Discount Brokerage Recommendations
By 11.8.07
Onoodles writes, “I’ve managed to put away 20k into a Roth IRA. I started it directly through one mutual fund and now I’m looking to move it to a discount brokerage firm to diversify. So my question is, which one is the best?!” For a general overview and comparison of leading brokerages, we suggest looking into SmartMoney’s 2007 Broker Survey from a few months ago. And note that by going with a discount brokerage firm, you’ll likely be trading better customer service, research tools, and trading tools for cheaper fees.
Take Action On Money Tips You Read Online
By 10.16.07
David over at MoneyNing urges us to all take action on the money tips we read online—not just read them and then forget them, or dismiss them as unrealistic, or tell ourselves they don’t apply to us. “We read the tips, agree that it makes so much sense, then we sit there and flip on TV to watch other people make money while we spend money watching them.”
Retirement Plans For Those Who Don't Have One
By 10.6.07
If you’re a freelancer, or work for a small company, or for some other reason don’t have a healthy start on a retirement plan, Smart Money has some suggestions for how to jump-start your investment before you hit your golden years.
What Should You Do With A Windfall?
By 9.14.07
Mighty Bargain Hunter offers some advice on what to do with your next windfall—it doesn’t have to be a lot of money, just a little more than you planned for in your budget, leaving you happily able to pick and choose how to spend or invest it.
Interactive Map Of Global Credit Crisis
By 8.12.07
Now you can follow the subprime meltdown around the world with this handy interactive graphic from Financial Times. It’s grimly amusing to click the “show all” radio button and then drag the slider back and forth from “Pre-Jun 25” to “Week of Aug 6”.
Baby Boomers a Bust vs. Investment Fraud
By 7.18.06
The LA Times, the Seven-up to our morning NYT Seagram’s, details the rise of investment fraud against baby boomers. The phenom is slightly ironic because the age segment is supposed to boast a higher financial acumen than previous generations. Some of the pernicious tactics con men use to lure victims into their scams include:
