DES MOINES (AP) — With economic pressures mounting, you may think reducing your 401(k) contribution is an easy way to add money to your paycheck. But before you do, consider how it will increase your tax bill. Many people have become so focused on the recent losses of 30% or more in their account balances that they've forgotten a primary benefit ...

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday the largest government economic rescue plan in the nation's history, a $787 billion package of spending, tax cuts and tax credits that's designed to help pull the nation out of what's becoming the worst downturn since the Great Depression. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes everything from money to refurbish public ...

The Pension Protection Act, which both strengthens employers' existing pension obligations and discourages them from undertaking new obligations, also makes a broader point to US workers: "The overall message of the bill is, you're on your own," says James Lange, a lawyer, CPA and author of Retire Secure. Even so, the 2006 law has also made it less daunting for workers ...

If you're 40 or younger, it's tough to predict how much money you might need when retirement is decades away. A few key calculations, however, can help you make sure your savings plan is on track. h4. Saving Depends on Life Stage Rebecca Pace, a Cincinnati-based financial planner and CPA, recommends putting aside at least 10 percent of your income when ...

If you want to spend less time worrying about your money, then it’s time to get your financial act together. These six strategies can help improve your financial situation and simplify your life at the same time. h4. 1. Put Your Savings on Autopilot If you haven’t maxed out your 401k or other retirement plan at work, add an extra $50 ...

1: Medicare doesn't cover nursing home care. Nearly 60% of Americans think Medicare pays for nursing care, and 52% assume that it covers assisted living, according to a 2006 survey by AARP. Not so. Medicare's coverage of long-term care is extremely limited. It'll cover part of the cost of a skilled nursing facility while you recover from an injury or illness. ...

WASHINGTON — Researchers say people are more susceptible to investment scams such as Ponzi and pyramid schemes after going through adverse life events — a job loss, foreclosure or some other financial hardship. So it's not surprising that many experts think the nation's deepening economic crisis is creating a whole new universe of potential scam victims every day. In fact, ...

Have questions about planning for retirement? Our Money Mentors have some answers. They aren't financial pros. They're ordinary folks who, as retirees, manage their own finances. Their nest eggs, excluding their homes, vary from a couple hundred thousand dollars to $2 million. The one thing they have in common is experience as retirees — and the desire to share the lessons ...

How well are America's workers prepared for financial uncertainties and for the eventuality of retirement? In their own estimation, millions of employees haven't found a secure path to a bright future, whether that future begins in a retirement 40 years from now or at the end of the month, when the bills come due. Those are the disturbing findings of a ...

The current financial crisis has thrown terminology from the business pages onto the front page of newspapers, with jargon now abounding everywhere from the water cooler to the back of a taxi. Here is a guide to many of the business terms currently cropping up regularly, as well as some of the more exotic words coined to describe some of ...

When times are tough, companies find cost savings wherever they can. Now some employers are doing away with the 401(k) match, a benefit once considered almost sacred. The list of companies that have suspended or cut back corporate matching in their defined-contribution retirement plans this year is not trivial. It includes General Motors (GM), Frontier Airlines (FRNTQ), car-rental company Dollar Thrifty ...