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Hey, retirees: Looking for a way to bring in more money? Give back all the Social Security checks you have received so far. But you had better do it fast, since this loophole could soon close. An often-overlooked provision allows Social Security recipients to withdraw their original application ...Read More

By AMY HOAK A growing number of homeowners are choosing to pay down their mortgages at a faster rate–even if it means a substantial jump in their monthly payments.Between January and June, 26% of homeowners who refinanced chose a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, according to data from CoreLogic, a ...Read More

By RUTH SIMON Sarah Larson had been trying for months to get a break on her mortgage payments when a letter from her bank arrived in March. Sitting at the dining-room table of her Minneapolis house, the 33-year-old acupuncturist ripped open the envelope and pulled out a list ...Read More

In this year of financial overhaul, consumers are getting relief from all kinds of potentially costly practices, from unexpected overdraft charges and gift-card expiration dates to money-market mutual-fund risks. But the new regulations, which include the Credit Card Act and new rules from the Federal Reserve and the ...Read More

A college degree has proved to be a better shield than a high-school diploma in a tough labor market, but the investment can be daunting for students and parents. A new study shows which colleges are most worth your money. View the entire post here: Top 20: Colleges That ...Read More

When most people hear the word “budget,” they groan about all the numbers and spreadsheets involved in setting financial goals. Instead they procrastinate and continue spending without any specific savings goals. Case in point: I recently postponed a meeting with my financial planner because I didn’t have the ...Read More

By ANNIE GASPARRO Christophe Vorlet As 2009 came to a close, financial advisers geared up for an expected flood of clients looking to convert their traditional individual retirement accounts to Roth IRAs this year. Journal Report Read the complete Wealth Adviser report. WSJ.com Podcast Hear Annie Gasparro, a ...Read More

Business Secretary Vincent Cable has insisted the coalition government is not split over planned increases to non-business capital gains tax. The move could see second home sales taxed at a rate of 40% or 50%. Senior Tory MPs have attacked it as a tax on the middle classes ...Read More

They say the time to buy is when there’s blood on the streets.But if you’re tempted to brave the red ink flowing in countries like Spain and Italy right now, be aware of what exactly you are buying.Some European countries’ stock markets are heavily dominated by a few ...Read More

(Please see Corrections & Amplifications item below)Would you like a tax break for hiring a worker—say, a student, or even your spouse or child? Then Uncle Sam may have a deal for you. In March, Congress passed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment—or HIRE—Act, but the law was ...Read More