CDs

Don't Ignore the Dangerous Side of Dividend Stocks

Conservative investors fleeing low-yield, fixed-income investments have flocked to dividend stocks. But they often ignore just how much more dangerous those stocks can be.

Should You Invest Your Emergency Fund?

Smart personal finance rules dictate having an emergency savings fund set aside where you can access it fast. But do you really have to keep enough money for three to six months of expenses in a savings account where it earns almost no interest?

CDs or Annuities: Which Is the Smarter Investment?

For conservative investors, bank certificates of deposit are a time-tested favorite for providing income. But fixed annuities seem to offer similar terms with better rates, so which investment is the smarter way to get the income you need?

Why the 99% May Never Retire

Large numbers of middle-class Americans still aren't in a financial position to make saving for retirement a priority again, but on the whole, they're quite worried about it. Problem is, they may not be worried enough.

A Classic Way to Earn More on Your Savings Is Back

Interest rates have never been lower: That's good news for borrowers, bad news for savers unwilling to take much risk to grow their money. However, there's one safe option many people ignore that has become attractive again -- savings bonds.

Is YouTube the New Radio?

Teens aren't consuming music the way that their parents do -- and it's not just the usual taste-related generation gap. An eye-opening Nielsen survey shows that teens are relying on YouTube to supply their tunes more than any other medium.

How to Stop Low Interest Rates From Ruining Your Retirement

Low interest rates have made life a lot easier for many borrowers struggling to make monthly payments. But for retirees, who have to live off their portfolios, low rates have caused huge problems.

An Investment Puzzle: How to Put Your Assets in the Right Places

Obviously, what you invest in can mean the difference between getting rich and losing your shirt. But where you place those investments can be even more important -- especially if you end up picking winners.

If She Could Save $280,000, What's Your Excuse?

It may seem hard to save money for retirement: Fully 76% of Americans have saved less than $100,000, and 56% have saved less than $25,000. But once you learn how Oseola McCarty managed to set aside so much with so little, you'll see how few excuses you have.

How Retirees Can Get Better Returns on Their Nest Eggs

A retiree named Bob is confronting a dilemma many of his peers face: His nest egg is parked in safe cash investments, like certificates of deposit, and earning barely any interest. What can he do to get a better return? Laura Rowley looks at an increasingly popular alternative.

Escape the Low-Interest Trap With Dividend Stocks

A few years ago, with $1 million invested in CDs, you could have lived off your interest, but with rates at historic lows, now your returns would barely cover a few mortgage payments. This is forcing retirees to find new, fairly safe ways to get those returns. The experts' pick? Dividend stocks.

How to Pick a CD That
Works for You

As the stock market continues to spook investors, many are fleeing to the safety of bank certificates. Here's why they're looking good now and how to pick the right one for you.

Music Revenues Fall 7% Despite a Sharp Drop-off in Piracy

Recorded music sales in America plunged another 7% last year as the sharp 16% drop in CD revenue more than offset gains in digital-media sales, according to new report. Overall sales fell despite the fact that illegal downloads of music have declined markedly since LimeWire was shut down.

Jean Chatzky: Protect Yourself Now From Rising Interest Rates

Interest rates have no where to go but up. When that happens will you be ready? In this video, personal finance expert Jean Chatzky explains what you need to to do now to protect your wealth.

Best Buy says bye bye to discs

RIP, CD: Best Buy to Cut Discs Amid Online Music War

Bowing to reality, Best Buy will slash the floor space it devotes to compact discs and DVDs this holiday season. It's a reflection of the record industry's grinding digital transformation. Meanwhile, Google is getting ready to challenge Apple, the digital music king.

Europe's Debt Crisis: Here We Go Again?

Europe's shakiest economies managed to ride out a sovereign debt crisis this spring with a lot of help from their more stable neighbors and the major central banks. But new data suggests we may soon see a replay of the debt default crisis.

AIG's Bailout
Was Needlessly Expensive

Former AIG executive Joseph Cassano, who led the insurer's ill-fated CDS unit, says he has no idea why the government paid full price to cover AIG's swaps, asserting that he could have "negotiated an appreciably better deal" for taxpayers.

Investors, Don't Write Off CDs Just Yet

In this low interest rate environment, returns on CDs are paltry. But they could still play a useful role in your portfolio of protecting your capital. Here are some tips for using CDs effectively.

BP Puzzled by Big Drop in Stock Price -- Really?

A day after BP's stock took a 16% nosedive, the company maintains that it is "not aware of any reason which justifies this share price movement." BP also defended its financial health as reports questioned whether the company would have to file for bankruptcy.

10 cool ways to spend your summer job money

AIG May Sue Goldman for $2 Billion in CDO Fraud Case

According to The Financial Times, AIG is hoping to piggyback on the SEC's fraud case against Goldman Sachs to recover $2 billion that it paid the investment bank. But what's missing from the article is any evidence that AIG has a case against Goldman.