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Laddering fixed income products, such as certificates of deposit and bonds, is a good way to lessen your exposure to interest rate fluctuations. If your ladder stretches out over five years, you'll generally see a significant difference in the spread between the short-term rates and the longer-term rates.

As investments on the shorter end of the ladder mature, the cash is reinvested at the longer end, where presumably, the rates are considerably higher.

But in a prolonged low-rate envir… Continue

It took me 50-odd years to behold my own grizzled countenance in the mirror and admit, as comedian Wanda Sykes likes to put it, "I old."

The "50" part seems absurd to me. My jump shot remains unstoppable and I disgust my cardiologist.

It's the oddness of the past half-century that leaves me grinning like an Osmond.

See that? Osmond. Like you would know what I mean.

Around age 40, your reference points start to slip. Little kids give you concerned looks when you say things like "Heeeeere's Jo… Continue

Q:
Dear Bankruptcy Adviser,
My house is currently in foreclosure. The bank refused to work with me to restructure my mortgage so I could continue to make payments and keep the house. I am considering Chapter 13 bankruptcy in an attempt to save the house, but the bank refuses to make the payments low enough for me to afford. Please tell me if there is anything I can do.
-- Gina


A:
Dear Gina,
Chapter 13 is a reorganization of your debts in which you will pay back none, some or all… Continue

One way companies borrow money is by issuing bonds. When you buy a corporate bond you're loaning money to the company. In return, you receive periodic interest payments until the bond matures and your principal investment is returned.

Risk
Corporate bonds run the gamut when it comes to risk. Top-notch companies with pristine credit earned through strong balance sheets and long histories of repaying debt in a timely fashion issue bonds, as do struggling companies that might become… Continue

Q:
Dear Tax Talk,
My credit cards were stolen. I lost $14,841. Can I claim it as a deduction for income tax?
-- Martin


A:
Dear Martin,
If your credit cards are stolen, you can claim a theft loss for tax purposes. If they're lost, it is hoped you'll find them before they're stolen. For tax purposes, a theft loss is treated similar to a loss from a casualty, such as a hurricane.

For a theft loss, you should be able to show all the following:

* When you discovered that your proper… Continue