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How Much Should You Save for Retirement? 02/28/2017 07:00pm • Figuring out how much to save for retirement is one of the most important financial decisions you'll ever make. Yet as Americans, it turns out we aren't very good at putting enough money away for the golden years. According to a recent 50,000-respondent Merrill Lynch/Age Wave study, only 27 percent Navigate Tax Refund Seizures for Student Loan Repayment 02/28/2017 07:00pm • We've received dozens of questions the past few weeks regarding tax refund garnishment. This is a topic we've covered in the past, but considering the volume of student loan borrowers reaching out to us for help this year, let's take another look. The following questions are real but may have been e 3 Lifestyle Decisions to Make Before Retirement 02/28/2017 07:00pm • If you want to retire comfortably, it's crucial to start saving as early as you can. By investing in your work-sponsored 401(k) account, adding to your savings with an individual retirement account or brokerage account, minimizing debt and watching your expenses, you can set yourself up for retirem 9 Estate Transfer Issues to Avoid 02/27/2017 07:00pm • As Benjamin Franklin famously quipped, nothing is certain in this world except death and taxes. While no one likes to think about their own mortality, developing an estate plan can be a loving way to continue caring for your family even after you are gone. The basics of an estate plan could include 6 Steps to Contest an Error on Your Credit Report 02/27/2017 07:00pm • Nothing gets your heart rate going quite like discovering an error on your credit report. Whether it's a line of credit you never opened, a closed account that is registering as unpaid or a bankruptcy that isn't yours, an error can spoil your credit history and damage your credit score. To correct How to Get Reliable Retirement Planning Advice 02/26/2017 07:00pm • The Trump administration is seeking to delay and perhaps dismantle the fiduciary rule. Originally scheduled to take effect in April, this rule would have legally required financial advisors handling 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts to make recommendations in the best interest of their Facts About Borrowing Specialized MBA Loans 02/26/2017 07:00pm • More b-school students are turning to specialized MBA loans to fund their postgraduate education. Renata Arauz-DeStefano, a 27-year-old student at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, decided to borrow specialized MBA loans over graduate PLUS loans to pay for school. "Like a How to Invest in Stocks 02/26/2017 07:00pm • In popular culture, the stock market is thought of as a machine for wealth creation. Many people know or have heard of someone who's made a fortune buying and holding stocks. But finding the next Apple (ticker: AAPL) is harder than it seems. Still, while no how-to list can show you definitively how Apply to Law School With Multiple Transcripts, Early Recommendations 02/26/2017 07:00pm • Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a monthly feature that provides law school admissions advice to readers who send in questions and admissions profiles. If you have a question about law school, email me for a chance to be featured next month. This week, I will answer ques Financial Conversations to Have as Your Children Grow Up 02/26/2017 07:00pm • Regardless of your own wealth and assets or confidence in your individual financial knowledge, passing along money and investment principles to your children starting at a young age and continuing throughout their early adulthood can help prepare them for a sound financial future. This education is Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses: What to Know Before You Cash In 02/26/2017 07:00pm • Credit cards with big sign-up bonuses are everywhere these days, and they're grabbing a lot of attention. That's understandable. The lure of getting 50,000 or 100,000 reward points just for signing up for a credit card can be considerable. Cash-back fans have plenty to get excited about, too. They Why You Shouldn't Raid Your Retirement Fund for a Child's College Education 02/23/2017 07:00pm • It's a classic debate between money managers at the local coffee shop or watering hole: Should parents looking for college cash use their retirement plans to get the money? One issue is already clear -- increasingly, parents want their children to take on more of the financial responsibility of col Canadian Co-op Programs Blend Classroom, Work Experience 02/23/2017 07:00pm • Sarb Majumdar, of Singapore, is a fourth-year management engineering student at the University of Waterloo in Canada. But if you go to Waterloo and search for him right now, you won't find him. He's in Toronto this term, working full time as a software developer. Majumdar is one of the many co-op st 3 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score 02/22/2017 07:00pm • A good credit score goes a long way to a brighter financial future, but there's still a lack of understanding about what goes into this figure. In a Capital One Credit Confidence Study from January, 53 percent of 2,300 survey respondents say they are very confident when it comes to understanding cre The 9 Best Municipal Bond Funds for Tax-Free Income 02/22/2017 07:00pm • Line your pockets with municipal bonds.Municipal bonds, which are issued by government entities such as states and counties, enjoy a special place in the hearts of income investors for one simple reason -- they let investors keep more cash. Municipal bonds are typically exempt from federal taxation.