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The ABCs of Annuities 12/03/2014 07:00pm • Annuities are the basic financial tool your financial advisor doesn't want to talk about. That's because annuities provide a bedrock income for retirement by shifting money out of the "I want this money to grow" part of your portfolio into the "I don't want to outlive my money" part of your portfo Fight to expand Medicaid begins round 2 in Va. Gen. Assembly 12/03/2014 06:12pm • RICHMOND, Va. - The battle over whether to expand Medicaid to tens of thousands additional low-income Virginians nearly led to a state government shutdown earlier this year, and although the battle is back in the upcoming General Assembly, the showdown may be scaled back. Republican Del. John O'Ban 4 Strategies for Surviving a College Tuition Increase 12/02/2014 07:00pm • For the families of college students, there are three certainties in this world: death, taxes and tuition increases. One of those three -- tuition hikes -- has been in the news a lot recently. The University of California made headlines recently with its approval of a tuition hike that could reach 5 Year-End Tax Tips for Investors 12/02/2014 07:00pm • On top of holiday preparations and celebrations in December, there are some year-end financial tasks that require attention. Many of those tasks on the financial to-do list have a tax component -- specifically, avoiding unnecessary taxes on your investments, or worse, incurring a penalty. Here are The Personality Trait That Dooms Your Investments 12/02/2014 07:00pm • Do you play recreational tennis or golf? Would you bet your retirement savings you could beat Roger Federer or Tiger Woods? Of course you wouldn't. In most areas of your life, you objectively assess your skill level, and make intelligent decisions about the outcome of your planned activities. Overc Investors Can Cut Taxes Through Smart Asset Placement 12/01/2014 07:00pm • Who wants an easy way to squeeze more return out of your investing profits? You can juice your investment returns with smart asset placement. Cutting taxes puts real money in your pockets. Although it's great to make money by investing and pocketing capital gains and dividends, it's even better to Use Winter Break to Get Ahead on Law School Applications 12/01/2014 07:00pm • Students applying to law school are faced with the difficult task of balancing their academic and extracurricular obligations with the time-consuming process of preparing their applications. Balancing these two things is even more important for those students still completing their undergraduate deg Your End-of-Year Financial Checklist 12/01/2014 07:00pm • The month of December often whizzes by in a flurry of gift buying, cookie baking and snow shoveling. But the final month of the year is also a good time to get your finances in order and prepare for the new year. With that in mind, here's a look at end-of-year financial tasks to tackle: 1. Schedul How to Max Out Your Retirement Accounts in 2015 11/30/2014 07:00pm • Contributing to retirement accounts allows you to build wealth, capture valuable employer contributions and qualify for tax breaks, all at the same time. But few savers are able to capture all of the advantages that 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts offer. Here's how to make the most of yo Health Insurance Options for the Self-Employed 11/27/2014 07:00pm • Health insurance options for solo entrepreneurs have broadened since passage of the Affordable Care Act, providing self-employed individuals with the freedom to focus on their professional passions rather than worry about coverage. Last year, a report from the Urban Institute and Georgetown Unive The Dos and Don'ts of 401(k) Rollovers 11/26/2014 07:00pm • Most of the time, your 401(k) chugs along quietly, accumulating money and future benefits. But when it's time to think about transferring your account to a new employer plan, you face a dizzying array of questions and considerations. These do's and don'ts will help you roll over your 401(k) without 4 Reasons Diversification Could Hurt Your Portfolio 11/26/2014 07:00pm • One of the classic axioms of investing is: diversify, diversify, diversify. It is a practical way of minimizing exposure to the potential downfalls of any single investment. In other words, don't place all of your eggs in one basket. Most investors would agree that diversification is prudent. Howeve What You Need to Know About Nontraditional Investments 11/25/2014 07:00pm • It's human nature to be drawn to the shiniest objects and the newest gadgets. These impulses can take hold of investors, too, when investment choices beyond the usual money market products and mutual funds beckon. Indeed, nontraditional or alternative investments are becoming increasingly popular Should You Invest in a Target-Date Fund? 11/25/2014 07:00pm • Once maligned and derided, target-date mutual funds were considered the domain of the lazy investor: a place to park your money and wait for it, usually until retirement age. But if target-date funds stirred up all of the buzz of an aging baby boomer snoozing in an Adirondack chair, new evidence su Ray LaHood: New approach needed to repair America's crumbling infrastructure 11/24/2014 08:37am • WASHINGTON -- Bridges and roads around the United States are crumbling after decades of wear and tear, and a new strategy is needed to replenish the funds for improvement, former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says. With many roads and bridges in disrepair, people are continuing to drive o