Personal Finance

Mortgage underwriting rules eased for seniors with assets

2013-05-24 19:57:00

WASHINGTON — Here's a heads-up for the growing ranks of seniors whose post-retirement monthly incomes aren't sufficient to qualify for a mortgage under today's tough underwriting standards: Thanks to a rule change by the largest players in the...

SEC accuses city of Victorville, others of fraud in bond sale

2013-04-30 00:00:00

Ever since the Department of Defense shut down George Air Force Base in 1992, the high desert town of Victorville has struggled to reinvent itself. The city encouraged massive residential and retail development. It invested in two new power plants....

Lifestyle is keeping budget goal out of reach

2013-04-26 19:54:00

Dear Liz: My husband and I are recovering from a job loss four years ago. We used up all our savings and home equity. My husband is now employed, but we are struggling to keep ahead even with a salary of about $100,000. I was a stay-at-home mom for the...

Rich get richer in recovery, but net worth of lower 93% declines

2013-04-23 16:17:00

WASHINGTON -- The richest 7% of American families saw their average wealth soar 28% from 2009 to 2011, while the remaining 93% of households lost 4% of their net worth over that same period, according to a new report. The analysis of Census Bureau...

Wealth of nearly all Americans fell after the recession

2013-04-23 19:23:00

WASHINGTON — The richest 7% of American families saw their average wealth soar 28% from 2009 to 2011, while the remaining households lost 4% of their net worth over the same period, according to a new report. The analysis of Census Bureau data...

Consumer agency urges standards for financial advisors to seniors

2013-04-19 00:00:00

WASHINGTON — Older Americans can be confused by dozens of special designations for financial advisors for seniors, and government officials should set strict standards for training and conduct to prevent abuses, according to a new federal report....

Fee-only planners can help keep investment costs low

2013-04-21 00:00:00

Dear Liz: You always mention fee-only financial planners and I'm not sure about the true meaning. My husband and I have a financial planner who charges us $2,200 per year, but we got a summary of transaction fees in the amount of $6,200 for last year....

Agency wants more rules governing financial advisors for seniors

2013-04-18 12:00:00

WASHINGTON -- Older Americans can be confused by dozens of special designations for financial advisors for seniors, and government officials should set strict standards for training and conduct to prevent abuses, according to a federal report released...

Rolling back the tax breaks for supersized nest eggs

2013-04-12 18:19:00

President Obama's budget proposal included a number of proposals to increase tax revenue not by raising rates but by cutting back on tax breaks. The Wall Street Journal's editorial board singled out one such measure for ridicule Friday: a cap on an...

Thatcher critics recall labor battles, Irish strife [Talkback]

2013-04-08 13:06:00

LONDON -- It perhaps goes without saying that the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did not prompt universal mourning. She could be a polarizing figure, nowhere more than in working-class communities of northern England, Scotland and Wales,...

Tips for investing in exchange-traded funds

2013-04-05 22:07:00

Exchange-traded funds have taken Wall Street by storm in the last few years. But the boom in ETFs may leave some investors confused about how to make the best use of the portfolios, which come in a dizzying array of flavors. Here's a practical...

Exchange-traded funds gain on traditional mutual funds

2013-04-05 22:08:00

In the early 1990s, executives of the now-defunct American Stock Exchange hatched a revolutionary idea: a hybrid mutual fund-type investment that would trade like a stock. But in an era when hot-handed mutual fund managers had rock-star status, the...

Mark T. Carberry has joined Neal Gerber Eisenberg LLP as a partner in its securities and commodities litigation practice group, and will bring his extensive expertise to bear in representing clients in a slate of civil, regulatory and enforcement matters in actions across the country.

2012-11-30 11:57:00

Paul Lindvall has joined Savant Capital Management as a financial advisor. He will be responsible for managing the needs of Savant's retirement plan clients including the design and ongoing plan consultation and service.

2012-09-06 11:05:00

The mutual fund industry is defending 401(k) retirement plans.

2012-06-07 16:05:00