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New 401(k) tax break is just around the corner

People with 401(k) plans got a nice tax break last month, but they'll have to wait for some red tape to be cleared out of the way before they can actually take advantage of it.

Thanks to a provision in the Small Business Jobs Act, which President Obama signed into law last month, 401(k) plan participants will be permitted to roll their accounts over into Roth 401(k)s. MORE

Fight private-college tuition inflation

Let's say you're among the 76% of parents recently surveyed by Gallup/Sallie Mae who don't plan to tap your retirement savings to pay for college. The rising cost of tuition is still a big concern, especially if you're considering a private institution.

In that case, you might want to take a fresh look at the recently renamed Private College 529 Plan, which lets parents pre-pay the tuition at more than 270 MORE

Six-figure women on the rise...So?

The number of working women earning six-figure salaries is climbing at an impressive rate. But once you get out of that rarefied atmosphere, women, whether in the workforce or retired from it, still have a lot of catching up to do.

Investment advisers see some bright spots

Nearly 60% of independent advisers think a double-dip recession is unlikely over the next six months, and more than 60% expect the S&P to increase in the same period, according to a survey released recently by Charles Schwab.

But don't go betting the farm on these optimistic findings just yet.  A look at the results from January's survey of advisers shows that they aren't necessarily the best augurs. In that earlier MORE

Scam alert! Investment cons to watch out for now

You'd never fall for an email hawking shares in a diamond mine in Nigeria, but what if your own trusted broker tried to sell you a stake in a vodka enterprise in Moscow?

You might not be so suspicious. These so-called "off the book deals" — offered by an adviser you consider reliable, in an off-the-record kind of way — are among this year's top investor traps, according to the National American MORE

Your Midyear Tax Checkup, day 3: Three write-offs to plan for

You may not like thinking about taxes this far out from April 15, but you like saving money, don't you? To the tax planners go the spoils. So all this week we've been highlighting things you can do now to make the next tax day more bearable, if not enjoyable.

So far, we've covered how to estimate your tax bill for the year to see if you'll be square and how MORE

Your Midyear Tax Checkup, day 2: Sell investments strategically

Having hit the midpoint of 2010, we're doing a week-long spree of tax planning posts this week (check out the earlier one on figuring out if you'll be square with Uncle Sam). As any tax pro knows, a little foresight can go a long way toward making your next April 15 a little more pleasant.

Today's topic: Investing strategy.

If you sold an investment in '07, '08, or early '09 for MORE

Vanguard fires shot in ETF price war

Vanguard announced last week that it is dramatically expanding its lineup of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by adding 20 new entries. The newcomers will include an ETF version of its $19 $91 billion Vanguard 500 Index fund (VFINX) — the very first index fund for individual investors — which has been long delayed due to a licensing dispute with Standard & Poor's. With that issue evidently resolved, this ETF will MORE

Investors are treating Wall Street like Detroit

It was only a decade ago that the U.S. stock market was considered the place where average Joes could achieve the American Dream, much like workers viewed Detroit's once-gleaming auto industry. But after the technology bubble burst in 2000, the market's reputation was tarnished — and folks started to favor flashier foreign stocks instead.

That may have been understandable back then, since U.S equities weren't just laggards following the tech crash; MORE

Most-hated-fee contest: Round 4

If you're sick of getting nickel-and-dimed, now's your chance to express your aggravation. In preparation for a story about 15 irritating fees — and how to avoid them — MONEY asked readers for the most frustrating fees they've been charged by banks, airlines and other businesses. We received 2,000 responses.

Now we're crowning the biggest loser: The Most-Hated Fee of All. This week, we're asking you to narrow down the field MORE

Most-hated-fee contest: Round 3

Sick of getting nickel-and-dimed? Sure you are. In preparation for a story about 15 irritating fees — and how to avoid them — MONEY asked readers for the most frustrating fees they've been charged by banks, airlines and other businesses. We received 2,000 responses.

Now we're in the process of crowning the biggest loser: The Most-Hated Fee of All. This week, we're asking you to narrow down the field of 15 MORE

Most-hated-fee contest: Round 1

When it comes to getting nickel-and-dimed, there's plenty of competition. In preparation for a story about 15 irritating fees — and how to avoid them — MONEY asked readers for the most frustrating fees they've been charged by banks, airlines and other merchants. We received 2,000 responses.

Now, in order to channel our readers' righteous indignation, we'd like to crown the biggest loser: The Most-Hated Fee of All. Over the next MORE

Should personal finance writers be liable for bad advice?

After I argued last week that Congress ought to force financial advisers to do a better job for their clients, a reader posted a related question: Would personal finance journalists have to meet these higher standards as well? He followed up with an email:

George, for this fiduciary responsibility that you are advocating — shouldn't it also apply to you and the other columnists who post advice on CNNMoney? MORE

Senate wimps out on financial-advice protection

One of the official goals of the financial-reform bill that the Senate passed Thursday is "to protect consumers from abusive financial services practices." For all those lofty intentions, however, senators missed an obvious opportunity to safeguard individuals from harmful investment advice.

Where the Senate failed to act was in the standard of care that a financial adviser owes his or her clients.

Investors ill-served by financial reform amendment

Last month, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Wall Street titans they needed to put their clients' welfare above their own. But legislation introduced by Collins on Thursday looks as if it would gut the very safeguards Collins and other senators say they're trying to enact.