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10 Financial Moves to Make When Interest Rates Rise 01/21/2019 07:00pm • After many years of low rates, the U.S. Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate nine consecutive times in the last three years, including four times in 2018 alone. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve forecasts two more increases for 2019. Short-term interest rates track the current federal funds How Bond Investors Can Cope With a Bear Threat 01/21/2019 07:00pm • Depending on which pundit sounds off on which day, we're in a bear market, a volatile market, a market correction, a market comeback -- or some sort of mystery market that not even a crystal ball and 10 university economists can crack. You can almost hear the sigh in Angelo DeCandia's voice when th How to Set Up Your First 401(k) 01/21/2019 07:00pm • New employees have many expenses competing for their limited paychecks. Student loan bills, food, rent and utilities can easily consume a starting salary. But 20-somethings have one very important thing going for them. Young people are in the best position of their lives to start saving for retirem Furloughed federal workers are warned of employment scams, bogus loans 01/21/2019 03:52am • WASHINGTON — As federal workers and contractors miss paychecks, consumer experts are warning them to be wary of scam artists who might seek to exploit their troubling situation. The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection said anyone in financial distress should watch out for bogus loan 3 Tips for Investors in a Government Shutdown 01/17/2019 07:00pm • If you're worried about how your investments will fare during a government shutdown, you shouldn't be, at least if you're in your portfolio for the long haul. But that doesn't mean that even investors who don't invest specifically in potentially affected companies or sectors that rely on government How to Get a Mortgage With Bad Credit 01/17/2019 07:00pm • You've found your dream home and made an offer. Now comes the hard part: getting a home loan to finalize the purchase. Applying for a mortgage means putting your finances, including your credit score, in the spotlight. A bad credit score could add an extra wrinkle or two to the mortgage approval pr When $1 Million in a 401(k) Is Really $600,000 01/17/2019 07:00pm • That $1 million in your 401(k) account looks mighty good. It's more than you've ever had in your life, and that money will fund your retirement. But it's not quite yours. Your retirement account is tax-deferred, not tax-free. And Uncle Sam hasn't been paid yet. "Some people have this notion that whe After the 'yes': Advice for the newly engaged 01/17/2019 05:06am • WASHINGTON — "To everything there is a season," the Bible tells us, and that includes engagements. While some of you have been stressing about baking pies, shopping for gifts and then exercising off all that pie, others have been dropping to a knee, Putting a Ring on It and making big plans. Can Practicing 'Minimalism' Improve Your Financial Health? 01/16/2019 07:00pm • When it comes to her lifestyle, Chelsea Ricketson finds that practicing minimalism doesn't just help her mentally or spiritually -- it helps her financially. "When you become an entrepreneur, you get quickly creative about: What do I need to spend money on and what don't I?" says Ricketson, 30, who How Do Corporate Credit Cards Work? 01/16/2019 07:00pm • Companies use corporate credit cards so that employees can charge authorized business expenses such as hotel stays and flights without relying on their own credit cards or cash. A corporate card usually carries a company's name as well as the name of the employee designated as the cardholder. Broad 6 CEOs on the Hot Seat in 2019 01/16/2019 07:00pm • These CEOs need a turnaround, fast.Which CEOs are in the hot seat in 2019? The chief executive role has inherently high turnover, but most of the C-suite bigwigs below have committed sins of omission, commission, or have simply been on the throne too long without satisfactory results materializing. Why Corporate Bonds Are Risky With Higher Interest Rates 01/16/2019 07:00pm • Bond buyers are told to stay in the shallower end of the yield curve to avoid unnecessary duration risk in a low interest-rate environment. Less discussed are the credit quality of these investments. When interest rates are near zero, corporations and other entities pile on debt. The difference in Should College Students Have Credit Cards? 01/15/2019 07:00pm • Parents might be apprehensive about giving their college student access to a credit card, but if they don't, it could cause problems down the line. Those who delay building a strong credit history may have trouble qualifying for credit cards and loans or even renting an apartment later on. With pla 4 Ways to Spot a Stock Market Peak 01/15/2019 07:00pm • No one's going to time things perfectly. But can you spot a stock market peak within, say, just a few months of its occurrence? On Wall Street, that sort of skill, more or less, translates to a superpower. There are four key ways to spot a stock market peak: -- A yield curve inversion.-- Declining 10 of the Biggest and Best ETFs to Buy Now 01/15/2019 07:00pm • These ETFs are widely held.Investments come in all sizes, but the biggest and most widely held assets on Wall Street are popular for a reason, offering strategies and exposures that are in high demand among a large group of investors. While every portfolio is unique, often that is a function of asse