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Money Lessons from a Scandal's Victim 08/24/2015 08:00pm • When actress and writer Christina McDowell was growing up, life seemed pretty perfect: Settled in an affluent Washington neighborhood, she and her sisters enjoyed private planes, vacations in Nantucket and a household staff to maintain their home and routines. "I was growing and being shaped inside 6 Retirement Tips for Millennials 08/23/2015 08:00pm • If you are a millennial, retirement planning is probably at the bottom of your financial priority list at this point in life. Finding steady employment, paying off student loans, mortgage payments and kids are all likely front and center when it comes to your finances. However, just because you hav 9 Ways to Invest on a Small Budget 08/23/2015 08:00pm • Have a close encounter with Wall Street.Perhaps you've tried to break the pull of Planet Low Budget to invest in something -- anything -- and felt like you were bowled over by a blinding light, as in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." If so, take heart: Cary Guffey understands that simile like no 5 Ways You Can Pay for Retirement in Advance 08/23/2015 08:00pm • In retirement your income is largely fixed. Your Social Security payments will increase only by the annual inflation rate. And you can safely withdraw only about 4 percent of your savings each year, perhaps also adjusted for inflation. Given these constraints, it can be difficult to cope with sudde Is Your Bank Account in the Red? Here's What to Do Now 08/20/2015 08:00pm • Nothing can put a damper on a day quite like logging into your online banking account and seeing a negative number. Unfortunately, account overdrafts are not rare, and they are not inexpensive. Banks collect more than $31 billion annually in overdraft fees, according to research firm Moebs Services 4 Ways to Recover From Summer Overspending 08/20/2015 08:00pm • Summertime is ideal for kicking back and unwinding. If you're not careful, though, that same easygoing attitude can take a serious toll on your finances. Whether it's barreling ahead with extravagant vacation plans or enjoying too many meals out, the result is often the same: a bruised bank account Homeless find new life through local running group 08/20/2015 05:42am • WASHINGTON — It's 5:30 a.m. on a recent Wednesday in Northwest. Under a streetlight at 2nd and E streets, a group of runners convene to share hugs, a few laughs and a quick jog before the sun rises. This isn't just another jaunt: Since 2010, the D.C. nonprofit Back on My Feet has used running Why Real Estate Could Be a Better Investment Than Stocks 08/19/2015 08:00pm • Once you're on track with your financial goals -- such as retirement contributions or repaying student loan debt -- you may find yourself exploring real estate investments in lieu of the stock market. Buying real estate as an investment can be lucrative, but it's also cash-intensive and carries ris 2016 Best Colleges Rankings Coming Sept. 9 08/18/2015 08:00pm • Prospective students and parents looking for the school that best fits their needs can check out the 2016 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings starting Wednesday, Sept. 9. New rankings for National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Coll Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Common Questions Answered 08/18/2015 08:00pm • Lately, there's been an uptick of consumers worried that the federal public service loan forgiveness program is going away, so the Student Loan Ranger thought it might be a good time to separate fact from fiction on that front. First, let's do a little refresher on the program as it stands today. 8 Money Lessons Your Child Should Know Before Leaving for College 08/18/2015 10:00am • All over the country, college students are heading off campus, living away from their parents for the first time. Most parents are still supporting their collegiate offspring, but these young people are embarking on their first immersion into managing their own finances. That presents a challenge Survey: Most Americans not stepping up retirement savings 08/18/2015 08:38am • WASHINGTON — Financial analysts say it’s important not only to save for retirement, but to save more every year. Unfortunately, a new survey says that most Americans aren’t doing that — or saving anything at all. A Bankrate.com survey shows that fewer than one in five Americans — 19 per Your Back-to-School Financial Checklist 08/13/2015 08:00pm • Many of us give ourselves a little more latitude (financially and personally) during summer. We'll have that extra mojito or leave work a little early on summer Fridays without thinking twice. "Here in the Midwest , we're trying to do as much as we can with travel," says Michael Foguth, president The Case for (and Against) Spouses Having Joint Checking Accounts 08/13/2015 08:00pm • If wedding bells were ringing for you this summer, you may be in the thick of trying to figure out how to blend your beloved's financial life with your own. One of the most fundamental decisions a couple faces is whether to treat money as a joint asset or something to be managed separately. Tradit How Back-to-School Shopping Can Hurt Your Credit Score 08/12/2015 08:00pm • Parents are no doubt well aware that hasty back-to-school shopping can do serious damage to their bank accounts, but there's another reason to be mindful of how much money those clothes, books, crayons and markers are costing you. Overspending on supplies could easily wind up hurting your credit sco