Yahoo! Finance - Personal Finance

A First: Per-Student Spending Down at Schools

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:42:06 -0400

The amount of money spent per public school student fell in 2011 for the first time since the Census Bureau began keeping records more than three decades earlier, as economic woes finally caught up with ...

7 Ways to Prepare for Retired Life

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:24:16 -0400

When your retirement arrives, will you be ready? Have you sufficiently prepared yourself to make the most of your second act? Some retirees-to-be may find themselves waiting to see what will happen once ...

Class of 2013 guide to student loans

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:51:08 -0400

College graduates are carrying more than just their diplomas this spring as they enter the real world: student loan debt - a lot of it. Seventy percent of the Class of 2013 is graduating indebted, with ...

5 Money Traps to Avoid This Memorial Day Weekend

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:12:23 -0400

While you've probably been worrying about the weather for Memorial Day weekend, we've been worrying about your wallet.

United refinances high-interest debt, cuts costs

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:17:28 -0400

Manchester United says it has refinanced more than $290 million of high-interest debt, cutting the club's interest costs by around $15 million a year. Fresh from winning a 20th English title, United says ...

6 Money-Saving Strategies That May Cost You in the Long Run

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:02:11 -0400

Not everything we do to save money really saves us money. For instance, as all savvy shoppers know, if you clip coupons when grocery shopping, sometimes you're still better off buying a cheaper brand elsewhere ...

Insight: Luxury brands position for U.S. boom

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:09:38 -0400

Most men might balk at spending $600 on a pair of Dior sneakers but for U.S. shoppers like Ephraim, an upbeat 30-year-old, such indulgences are becoming increasingly commonplace. Ephraim is the kind of ...

How to Prepare for a Cyberattack on Your Bank's Website

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:45:41 -0400

For the past year, bank websites have been routine targets of large-scale cyberattacks that rendered the sites inaccessible. Fortunately, these cyberattacks do not put your account information in jeopardy. ...

4 Traits Banks Look For In New Staff

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:22:00 -0400

Trust is the number one trait that banks are looking for in new hires, but there are other abilities that are equally desired.

Underwater Borrowers Becoming Accidental Landlords

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:18:05 -0400

Thirteen million borrowers still owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. "Underwater" borrowers have to pay money into their loans to get out of their homes, and another 9 million ...

France won't force companies to cap executive pay

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:53:15 -0400

The French government is trying to woo executives and entrepreneurs, amid concerns that it has antagonized the businesses needed to reinvigorate the economy. Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced ...

Will card debt scare off student loan lenders?

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

With high card debt, no job and a desire to return to school, will qualifying for a student loan be insurmountable?

Money Tips To Stretch Your Retirement Nest Egg

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:31:00 -0400

Learn the key investment and savings tips you need to ensure your retirement savings last as long as you do.

Get your loan from a car dealer or a lender?

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

If you are ready to buy a new car, don't wait until you're sitting at the dealer's desk to know your monthly payment. Instead, secure your car loan from an outside lender, whether it's a national lender, ...

Prize-linked checking: A chance to win bank cash

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

If you like playing the lottery and need a checking account, a chance at prizes might be just enough to entice you to open one at a particular bank. Prize-linked checking is designed for the game player ...

Can I trade in my leased car for a used car?

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

Dear Driving for Dollars, I want to turn in my leased car early because I have a new job that is requiring me to drive more miles than the mileage allowance. I'd like to replace it with a used car. How ...

How do I safely invest a $500 million inheritance?

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 -0400

Dear Dr. Don, I was recently informed that I could inherit a large sum of money. I am not wealthy now and am inexperienced in such matters. The sum could be as much as $500 million. Obviously, I'm feeling ...

Embattled P&G Chief Replaced By Old Boss

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:54:00 -0400

Robert McDonald's four-year struggle to adapt Procter & Gamble Co. to a new world of more frugal consumers and tougher global competition has come to an abrupt end. Late Thursday, P&G replaced Mr. McDonald ...

Debt Collector Sued Over Tactics

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:09:00 -0400

Fausto Brito, a Bronx truck driver, said he was stunned to learn last summer that his credit was too damaged to obtain a home mortgage. He was told he had been sued in 2006 by Palisades Collection over ...

6 tips on managing your 401(k) plan effectively

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:34:20 -0400

The run-up in stock prices this year could tempt even the most hands-off investor to wade into their 401(k) and make some changes. The Dow Jones industrial average, Nasdaq and Standard & Poor's 500 indexes ...

Average US mortgage rates rise for 3rd week

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:23:04 -0400

Average U.S. mortgage rates rose for the third straight week, hitting their highest levels since mid-March, but still remained close to record lows. Here's a look at rates for fixed and adjustable mortgages ...

New rules for labeling meat go into effect in US

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:13:00 -0400

Shoppers in the U.S. will soon have more information about where their meat comes from after new federal labeling rules went into effect Thursday. The rules require labels on steaks, ribs and other cuts ...

Tobacco farmers notch legislative victory

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:04:31 -0400

Tobacco farmers long on the defensive notched a victory Thursday when the U.S. Senate fended off efforts to eliminate the federal insurance program for the embattled crop. The vote, coming as the Senate ...

Senate votes to cut crop insurance aid for wealthy

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:06:19 -0400

The Senate on Thursday voted to limit the amount of government subsidies the wealthiest farmers receive when purchasing crop insurance. The vote was one small victory this week for critics of a massive, ...

House backs variable rate student loans

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:53:07 -0400

Dismissing a veto threat from President Barack Obama, lawmakers in the House passed legislation that links student loan rates to the ups and downs of the financial markets in a vote largely along party ...

Smooth confirmation hearing for Pritzker

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:54:29 -0400

President Barack Obama's nominee for commerce secretary was questioned briefly about her ties to a subprime mortgage lender that failed in 2001 and her role as a beneficiary of family offshore trusts in ...

7 Fun Ways for Retirees to Make Extra Money

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:34:32 -0400

Retirement can be a difficult transition for many of us. We spend 8 to 10 hours per day working hard, and it's tough to just stop working completely. Of course, we all have plans and projects that we have ...

News Summary: US mortgage rates up, but still low

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:36:33 -0400

RATES RISE: Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week to their highest levels since mid-March. Even with the gains, they remained close to historic lows. THE NUMBERS: The average rate for the ...

JPMorgan names Barry Sommers to head consumer bank

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:49:08 -0400

JPMorgan Chase said it has appointed Barry Sommers, under whom the bank expanded its services to wealthy clients, to head its Chase consumer bank business. Sommers, 44, who previously served as chief executive ...

US rate on 30-year mortgages rises to 3.59 pct.

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:49:02 -0400

Average rates on fixed mortgages rose for the third straight week, hitting their highest levels since mid-March. Still, mortgage rates remained close to historic lows, a trend that should help sustain ...

Pritzker's ties to thrift, tax haven eyed

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:22:32 -0400

President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of commerce is facing scrutiny in the Senate for her ties to a subprime mortgage lender that failed in 2001 and as a beneficiary of family offshore trusts ...

Jobs, housing data show economy has some muscle

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:52:23 -0400

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to resilience in the labor market despite belt-tightening by Washington. The improving employment picture is ...

Skills Gap: Health Care Needs Data Experts

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:10 -0400

Hospitals, health insurers and pharmaceutical companies are all looking to harness big data, but finding the workers isn't always easy. In some cases, companies are making acquisitions to bring talent ...

5 Scholarships for In-Demand College Majors

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:51:19 -0400

Selecting a college major can be one of the easiest - or most difficult - decisions a person can make in their lifetime. Some of you have known you've wanted to become a veterinarian since the day you ...

Why Shopping Can Be Good for Your Health

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:01:50 -0400

When your significant other says it's over, your first instinct may be to seek comfort in a pint of ice cream or a stiff drink. But there are healthier ways of nursing a broken heart -- including shopping. ...

Most NY school district budgets OK'd by voters

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:02:13 -0400

New Yorkers voting on school budgets for next year have approved nearly all of the proposals containing tax increases within state-imposed taxing limits. Budgets that proposed bigger tax increases mostly ...

What Advice Can Parents Give a New Grad for the Work World?

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:48:23 -0400

If your child has recently graduated from college and is now looking for - or has hopefully found - her first "real" job , you may want to impart great wisdom to her. It's a difficult time for ...

Carney: Criticism of IRS response 'legitimate'

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:47:20 -0400

President Barack Obama's spokesman says the White House is facing "legitimate criticisms" for its shifting accounts about who knew what about the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative ...

Keeping your credit score high in retirement

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

As retirement approaches, it's time to review your collection of credit cards to make sure they're still working for you, and to keep debt low

Deutsche bosses seek to win over skeptical shareholders

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:28:04 -0400

Deutsche Bank's bosses tried to convince skeptical shareholders at a lively annual meeting on Thursday that the bank was on the right track again after facing a host of legal problems. Co-chief Executives ...