Personal Finance

Secured Personal Loans, Money Depending Upon Collateral Value

The term secured personal loan is quite common among people across the UK as this loan has gained its importance from ages. The reason for the popularity of loan is that this loan can be used for any purposes.

BizTaxBuzz: Sales Tax Rate Highest in Almost Three Decades

Here's some worrying tax news: the average sales tax rate hit a 28-year high in 2009, according to corporate tax solutions provider Vertex, and it shows no sign of dropping. To top it off, Vertex found that tax authorities are levying more and more new sales and use taxes -- an average of 263 per year.

Aledo schools to cut staff, salaries; hold tax rate election

Teachers and other staff members of the Aledo school district will have their salaries cut next year in order for the district to meet a $3.7 million budget shortfall, and some will even lose their jobs.

Is Medivation a Buy?

You see, InterMune's stock price jumped 65%Â yesterday, on top of a 59% jump last Friday. Medivation's stock price, on the other hand ... Well, suffice it to say that last Wednesday was not kind to shareholders, as the company suffered a 67% plunge. That's almost as big a one-day drop that another biotech firm, Sequenom

Google and China: When Something Means Nothing

"Something should happen soon," CEO Eric Schmidt told reporters yesterday, acknowledging that officials from China and Google executives are in negotiations.

Self-employed? Think about a solo 401(k)

When it comes to 401(k) plans, why let the employees have all the fun? Indeed, self-employed individuals with no employees are great candidates for a solo 401(k), also known as a self-employed 401(k) plan.

Up Close and Personal: Simulation Gives Professionals a New View of Bankruptcy

Participants in the debt simulation in Memphis line up to conduct business at the “bank.� (Photos by Lyn Haralson)

HP and Friends Will Kill the iPad

I think I've mentioned this once or twice before, but it bears repeating until it sinks in: the Apple

Force Protection Can Play Offense, Too

seemed to be falling apart at the seams, I took the opportunity to kick the company while it was down.

Hot Rumors and Forged Deals in Steel

The U.S. steel industry is ablaze this month in a cauldron of molten whispers about purported takeovers. Meanwhile, the pace of noteworthy developments that are verifiable has quickened faster than Rosie the Riveter on a wartime assembly line.

The Problem With America's MBA Programs

Last October, in the throes of the Washington Redskins' worst football season since 1994, I wrote a lengthy critique of team owner Dan Snyder's highly questionable managerial skills. In essence, I likened Snyder's appalling track record to those of leaders at businesses such as AIG

Sell car to pay boyfriend's student loan?

My boyfriend has a $10,000 student loan and I have been helping him to pay the loan over the past few years (still paying every month at a minimum payment). However, I don't want to pay the loan for another six years or so. Two years ago, we bought a car (2003 Infiniti) together, which is worth about $15,000 to $20,000. It is a very nice and powerful (V-8) car, but it uses lots of gas. It also has high insurance premiums and registration fees, and I am paying all of those as well. He loves the car and says he needs it to move around in the city. In my opinion, he can take the bus.

IRA cash available before age 70½

I turn 70½ in November 2011. Can I take out a withdrawal in January 2011 from my IRA account and have it count for that first required withdrawal, or RMD?

4 tips for health care savings

Consumers with health insurance typically don't ask for a price when going to the doctor or the hospital for health care services, experts say.

2 big homeownership expenses to deduct

Homeownership offers many tax benefits. But recently, laws have been modified so that two home-related costs -- private mortgage insurance and property tax payments -- get special treatment at tax-filing time.

6 personal finance tips for today's economy

Special Roles Team Technicians Managers Owners Associates Students Feline Equine Food Animal Exotics

What's Messed Up About Social Security

Social Security's problems aren't as daunting as some make them out to be. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), if indexed benefits "grow ... with prices rather than wages beginning in 2012," the Social Security Trust Fund would never become exhausted. Ever.

Credit Debt Relief - How Obama's Personal Debt Relief Bill Can Help You

You like numerous others should have by now found out the effectiveness of personal debt settlements as being a means of easing your monetary worries.

Living on a freelancer's budget

Pre-market Trading After-hours Trading Winners/Losers/Actives Bonds Currencies Commodities World Markets Subscribe to Real Money Newsletter

3 steps to retirement savings

Small investors can now buy load funds sans the load, a privilege usually reserved for the wealthy.

Credit Card Debt Relief - How Obama's Personal Debt Relief Can Help You

You like many others should have by now uncovered the effectiveness of personal debt settlements as a means of easing your monetary issues.

Winters GBP650m car and home insurance bill

Heavy snow and freezing temperatures led to 335,000 claims for damage to homes, cars and businesses – an average pay-out of £1,805 per claim – according to industry figures.

Death of overlimit fees?

One benefit -- or drawback, depending on your credit habits -- of the new credit card law that went into effect on Feb. 22, 2010, is that an increasing number of issuers are dumping overlimit fees from their consumer cards, according to Bankrate.com's weekly credit card survey. Last week, five abandoned the fee, followed by four this week. Only 16 out of the top 50 issuers we survey still list such a fee.

Where to find income for retirement

As any retiree can tell you, accumulating money for retirement is only half the battle. Figuring out how to convert those savings into a reliable income stream during retirement is what throws many for a loop.

These Stocks Will Keep the Payouts Coming

The past year has been a great one for most stock investors. For those who seek out stocks that provide healthy dividends, however, the market's rally has been bittersweet.