The FDIC has a new website - MyFDICInsurance.Gov - where you can check to see if your savings and checking deposits are fully insured. They also have some public service ads - starring Suze Orman and FDIC chairman, Shelia Bair, explaining FDIC...

A few weeks ago, I asked readers to share their practical tips for personal finance newbies. Here’s a summary of responses...

On the way home from the bank today, I heard a news story on the radio about the new Social Security Benefits Calculator, located over at SSA.gov. You can use the estimator, if...

I think it’s important to focus on simple, achievable goals.  As such, here are my top five financial priorities and principles - Priorities - I will maintain adequate cash reserves, sufficient to replace my income for 12 months. I will remain debt...

I’ve been away from blogging for a few weeks, busy with work.  I want to thank those of you who reached out to say “hi” via Twitter or email.  You guys rock.  Things have settled down now and I should be back to my normal blogging routine. A few...

I am so excited. I am going to take my oldest daughter to the bank and help her open her first savings account! She’s ten now, having recently celebrated her birthday, and she has some birthday-checks to cash.  One of our local banks offers a...

I once sent a credit card company $5 per day, every day, for a month.  Seriously. The year was 2005 and I was in full on debt reduction mode.  Pumped up by the comments left by my readers – and ready to be debt free – I spent most of my waking-hours...

My wife and I both have contributions to the retirement plans offered by our employers deducted from our paychecks.  In addition to those pre-tax retirement contributions, we also make monthly contributions to our Roth IRAs. For me, the annual...