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Practical Tips to Afford the Holidays, Student Loans 11/29/2016 07:00pm • With Thanksgiving behind us, we've officially begun our sprint into the holiday season -- and all the pressures that come with it. Finding the right gift is tough, but affording them can feel impossible if you're struggling with student loans. While your wish to have your loans gone for good may not A Checklist for Your Retirement Money 11/28/2016 07:00pm • Retirement money is a tricky subject since there are so many variables. Some people have all the resources they need, but others struggle to pay for retirement. The age when workers leave their job might range from 55 to 75. And some retirees can reasonably expect to live into their 90s, while othe 5 Bad Risks You May Be Taking With Your 401(k) 11/28/2016 07:00pm • A 401(k) plan is one of the most powerful weapons you can have in your retirement savings arsenal. According to a 2015 report from Deloitte, 75 percent of American workers participate in their employer's 401(k) or a similar defined contribution plan. While this type of plan can pave the way to a la Why Fund Investors Are Dumping Junk Debt 11/28/2016 07:00pm • Junk bonds took a little tumble recently. Should investors be worried? There's no immediate cause for concern, but longer term a lot rests on how the oil market performs. Here's the skinny: Jitters. Even before the election, bond investors had the jitters. In the three weeks through Nov. 11, the SP Do's, don'ts for late-start college savers 11/28/2016 06:00am • Calling it "wishful thinking," Cheryl Thibault opened a college savings account after her daughter had already graduated high school and started working as a dental assistant. "She made the choice she didn't want to go to college right away," says Thibault, who lives in Idaho. "So I opened an acc Life Settlements: Should You Sell Your Life Insurance? 11/27/2016 07:00pm • You've probably seen the TV ads: turn your unneeded life insurance policy into cash. These "life settlements" serve policyholders who no longer need their life insurance for any of various reasons. Maybe the children have grown, the spouse has died, or investments have grown large enough to provide 10 Retirement Savings Goals for 2017 11/27/2016 07:00pm • Most people know they should be saving for retirement. But finding the motivation to save can be a challenge. Consider these strategies to tuck more money away for retirement in 2017. Save your raise. If you get a raise in 2017, aim to put at least a portion of it in a retirement account. "If you r How to Invest in Chinese Tech Funds 11/22/2016 07:00pm • As a country, much of China's rise to power comes from its large reliance on manufacturing that dominates so many industries worldwide. In less than 30 years, China has shifted its trajectory from one of the poorest nations to one where human capital accounts for 11 to 15 percent of China's GDP gro New Federal Regulations Could Help Families Decide About College Debt 11/22/2016 07:00pm • A few weeks ago, the Student Loan Ranger outlined some recently published regulations that were created to address the spate of large institutions suddenly closing. The point of these new regulations was twofold: to ensure that defrauded borrowers can access relief and to create a kind of early war 5 Reasons to Plan a Trip to Chicago This Holiday Season 11/21/2016 07:00pm • With the Chicago Cubs' historic World Series win sending Chicagoans and visitors into a festive frenzy, the holidays in the Windy City will certainly be filled with throngs of tourists with vibrant celebrations in full force. Whether you want to shop, ice skate or admire bright light displays, here 5 Things You Need to Make a Successful Offer on a Chicago House 11/21/2016 07:00pm • The best way to up your chances of snagging your dream home in a market as competitive as Chicago's is to make an offer that a seller can't refuse. To do that, you need to make sure you're well-informed about the process and have your finances in order. To help Windy City buyers seal the deal, U.S. How Counties Where Best Colleges Are Located Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election 11/17/2016 07:00pm • For some students, the political landscape surrounding a school is an important part of the college decision process. By taking a county-level look at voting results, students can often get a glimpse of the political climate on and around campus. Overwhelmingly, the top 50 Best National Universitie 7 Ways to Avoid Holiday Financial Stress 11/17/2016 07:00pm • Black Friday sales are springing up online and in your local stores. But you still have time to pull together a financial plan for the holidays that will keep your bank account in the black. Carve out some time in the next few days to do the following, and you should be in good financial shape for Final vote keeps Safeway distribution center in Prince George's Co. 11/17/2016 11:26am • WASHINGTON — Prince George's County Council has approved a measure that endorses an $850,000 loan from the Maryland Department of Commerce as part of an incentives package that will keep a Safeway distribution center in the county. The vote was only administrative. State law required the county Shining a Light on Elder Financial Abuse 11/16/2016 07:00pm • Many of us have heard about it or even have our own stories. Often, it is discussed within families and by friends in hushed tones about "so and so" having lost some or all of their savings in a scam or as a result of being victimized. The "it" is elder financial abuse and the extent of its occurre