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10 Year-End Tax Tips 11/30/2017 07:00pm • With the end of the year looming, the window is quickly closing for taxpayers who want to minimize the taxes they will pay next spring. What's more, for those trying to make year-end adjustments to their income and deductions, a tax reform bill being discussed in the District of Columbia has create 5 Reasons to Use Index Funds in Your Retirement Accounts 11/30/2017 07:00pm • Indexing is a passive investment strategy that tracks a benchmark, such as the S&P 500. A S&P 500 index fund attempts to match the return of the S&P 500. An index fund is considered a passive investment because it follows an index. Index funds use computer models to buy and sell investm How to Reset a Retirement Gone Wrong 11/29/2017 07:00pm • Most Americans hit retirement and never look back. In fact, three-quarters of recently retired baby boomers say they are very satisfied with their lifestyle in retirement, according to an Ameriprise Financial survey of 1,000 Americans ages 60 to 73 who have at least $100,000 in investable assets. T 7 things you need to know about health savings accounts 11/29/2017 04:48am • WASHINGTON — Health savings accounts or HSAs are a hot topic these days, primarily because they provide tax advantages and savings options for those who invest in them. HSAs are also often misunderstood and — like other savings vehicles — come with rules and exceptions to those rules. Let’s 13 Ways Social Determinants Affect Health 11/28/2017 07:00pm • The playing field isn't level.Circumstances -- often beyond your control -- influence your survival odds from the time you're born. Neighborhood, income, education, discrimination and environment all affect disease risk, medical care quality and ultimately, your lifelong health. Factors like these, The 'Yes-Brain' Approach to Parenting and Life 11/28/2017 07:00pm • Did you know that your brain has two fundamental states that shape how you experience life in the moment? In my educational workshops and presentations, I invite participants to learn about these two states directly. To do so, I have them close their eyes and simply become aware of the sensations t Justin Trudeau's Apology to LGBTQ People Isn't Enough 11/27/2017 07:00pm • By John Paul Catungal On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to make a formal apology on behalf of all Canadians to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people who have been imprisoned, fired from their jobs or otherwise persecuted in the past because of their sexuality. S How Owning a Home Can Help (or Hinder) Your Retirement 11/26/2017 07:00pm • Is it possible that most Americans are getting a major part of their retirement wrong? According to Census Bureau data, nearly 80 percent of those age 65 or older owned a home in 2017. But it may not be the right living arrangement for everyone. Not only could renting be a better option for some re 11 Strategies for Keeping Your Health Data Secure 11/26/2017 07:00pm • How safe is your health data? How confident are you that your health data is secure? Protecting such personal information is crucial in light of several high-profile data breaches, such as the one in which as many as 145 million U.S. residents had their information hacked from Equifax Inc., which pr What will cost more — and less — in 2018 11/25/2017 10:19am • Social Security payments will rise by 2 percent next year, which means the cost of living, as measured by the Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index, is also increasing. But it's not all bad news for budget-conscious consumers. While certain items will cost more in 2018, inflation may be lower t How to (Finally) Understand Your Credit Report 11/21/2017 07:00pm • From Target to Home Depot to Sony, major data breaches have become an unfortunate, yet common, occurrence. There's a good chance your personal financial information has ended up in the hands of a criminal at least once, if not several times. Yet, nothing has come close to the most recent breach at 5 Hot Investing Apps for 2018 11/21/2017 07:00pm • The ability to easily buy fractional shares by the swipe or touch of a button on a mobile device has made it simple to invest online. Last year, 149.3 billion apps were downloaded, according to Hamburg, Germany-based Statista, and that number is projected to climb to 197 billion by the end of this What the Holidays Look Like After Retirement 11/21/2017 07:00pm • If it's your first year out of the workforce, the holidays may be different this year. Thanks to reduced obligations and increased free time, retirees may be better able to savor the season. "We find that retirees are often more relaxed during the holidays," says Kyle Quinn, managing partner with M 3 Costs That Can Destroy Retirement 11/20/2017 07:00pm • Retirement security is a holy grail that many investors chase. A recent AARP survey revealed that 74 percent of private sector workers are anxious about having enough money to live comfortably in retirement. Although increasing savings may seem like the answer, creating a sustainable retirement str What to Do With That 2 Percent Raise on Your Social Security Checks 11/20/2017 07:00pm • If you're one of the 66 million Americans who receive a Social Security check or Supplemental Security Income, you've probably heard the news: In 2018, Social Security checks will get a raise -- of 2 percent. That doesn't sound like much, but it's the first substantial bump in pay in some time. For