Makin' Money

Estate planning isn't simply tax planning or bequest planning. It's also planning for cognitive decline.

There is a lot of theory motivating consumer-driven health plans like the HSA, much of it reminiscent of ideas promoted with the rise of the 401(k) retirement savings plan. Well, three decades later the 401(k) has turned out to be a deeply flawed pension. The same is likely to be true with consumer-driven healthcare plans.

Gold is a "precious metal" with a storied history, but its value lies in the madness of the crowd. It's a speculation, not an investment.

Not only are homemade truffles much cheaper than buying them, your culinary skills will impress your sweetheart.

The student loan debt burden is getting worse. The epicenter of trouble is so-called private student loans. It's time to take action on private student loans.

The French offer parents enormous support.

When it comes to money market mutual funds, you can't trust the pledge not to break a buck -- at least not with your safe money, the money that's supposed to be there in tough times like 2008.

What I like about the insurance money management framework is that it takes seriously the idea that how you save and where you save is all about what you want out of life -- your goals, your desires, your values, your lifestyle.

What if the U.S. economy is becoming the economic engine that keeps the global economy out of recession?

Like it or not, some form of major tax change is coming over the next several years. The reason is well-known: The federal government's dire long-term fiscal situation. The real question is what kind of tax overhaul.