From This Collection

Savings options for college

Jan 26, 2012
My son is 7 (will be 8 soon) and I need to start saving for his college -- fast. I know I should have started sooner but here we are now with fewer than 10 years to go. What are some avenues to saving for college and get a good return? DoVeanna, Tuscaloosa, AL

I-bonds are a worthwhile investment

Jan 25, 2012
There was a time that Marketplace Money was very pro I-bonds. I haven't heard them mentioned in years. This year, when I submitted my tax return, I was given the option to purchase I-bonds with my refund. Thoughts? Rebekka, Los Angeles, CA

Term isn't for life

Jan 24, 2012
My husband and I have had term life insurance since we married. Now that our children are on their own, I'm considering canceling my life insurance. Is this "penny wise and pound foolish"? We no longer depend on my income to pay bills. What other reasons are there for keeping term life insurance? Jane, Shorewood, WI

Free credit reports

Jan 23, 2012
Where can I get an annual free credit report? Thanks. Myra, Pineville, NC

How about a bi-weekly mortgage payment?

Jan 20, 2012
After refinancing my house with a low-rate, conventional 15-year mortgage, I received an offer to set up bi-weekly or weekly payments. What are the benefits and pitfalls of such a plan? Ron, Richmond Hill, GA

When money goals collide

Jan 19, 2012
We have achieved the goal of $10,000 in our emergency fund and now we're looking to put that extra money into retirement. However, in this uncertain market with dwindling returns, we're not sure that a long-term retirement fund is the best place to dump all our eggs. ... We have a fairly good mortgage rate of 4.75 percent. Our question is: Would it be better to focus on paying off our mortgage early while the market is so volatile instead of putting all that money into retirement? Every penny paid off to the mortgage early is money we aren't paying interest on, after all. Cathy, Bogart, GA

Getting Personal: Timeshare terrors

Jan 19, 2012
Tess and personal finance expert Liz Weston of MSN talk to listeners about their personal finance questions.

For public good, not for profit.

Spending in retirement

Jan 18, 2012
I am 63 years old and hope to retire in 2 years. My wife and I have a 403(b) and a 457. Also we each have a Roth IRA and we both are covered by modest pension plans. By a lot of self-education (including Marketplace Money), we have done well accumulating our nest egg, but we're not sure how to transition to using our nest egg. Do you think we need a financial adviser to make this transition? If so, what criteria do we use to choose one? Perhaps more importantly, how do we learn to trust this person with our future? Thank you. Walt, Grove, IL

The Roth 403(b) option

Jan 17, 2012
My wife and I both work for a state university that recently began offering a Roth 403(b) option. I am 52 and she is 47. We both contribute the maximum to the traditional retirement plan and to a traditional 403(b), as well as making the maximum contribution to Roth IRAs. I've used various online calculators to try to determine if we should switch new 403(b) contributions to the Roth option, but the result always comes out to just a couple hundred dollars or less monthly income difference one way or the other. I wonder if I'm missing some significant considerations or if the decision really is just a toss-up for people our age. I'd greatly appreciate some insight on how best to weight this decision. Thanks! Jerry, Hillsborough, NC

Getting Personal: Underwater - should you swim away?

Jan 13, 2012
L.A. Times consumer columnist David Lazarus joins Tess to answer questions about debt mediation services and how to cope with the bank when your home is underwater.
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