charles schwab

Financial Literacy Gets a Hip-Hop Makeover

Long filled with messages of outlandish lifestyles and expensive habits, hip-hop has lately been promoting more frugal choices. From "Mo Money, Mo Problems" to the virtues of shopping secondhand in "Thrift Shop," the genre's done a 180.

Donor-Advised Funds: A Timely, Tax-Wise Way to Give to Charity

Time is running out to make tax-deductible charitable contributions for 2012. If you'd like to donate at least $5,000 before the end of the year, you may want to consider doing it through a donor-advised fund, which provides special tax bonuses, flexibility and anonymity.

Year-End Tips to Trim Your 2012 Tax Tab

Year-end tax planning is trickier this time around: Unless Congress compromises, all the Bush tax cuts will expire when 2013 arrives, and many popular tax breaks that expired at the end of 2011 may not get revived. Here's how you can lower what you owe the IRS, regardless of what happens in Washington next month.

Brokerage Credit Cards: Can One Boost Your Portfolio?

It's easy to understand the allure of brokerage credit cards. They're cash-back cards that route the the kickbacks into a brokerage account for capital appreciation. Free money creating more free money: What could possibly go wrong?

Investing on the Go: There's a Host of Apps for That

There are mobile apps to help us with just about every chore, and investing is no exception. Whether you want to track a basic portfolio or delve into corporate reports and balance sheets, options are available.

5 Things to Watch Next Week: Potter Mania, Earnings

There's no such thing as a summertime lull when earnings season is upon us. Next week will bring plenty of headlines -- among them box office receipts for the last Harry Potter film and quarterly results from Apple, Cintas, and Microsoft.

Retirement Savings, Part 3: Alternatives to Employer Plans

First, we covered how to manage employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s. Next, we explored what to do if you've lost your job, and with it your access to a plan. In part three, we explore options for the unemployed, self-employed and those who are otherwise locked out of employer-offered retirement plans.

Lessons from Dad: What the Super-Rich Teach Their Kids

All parents aim to bestow their wisdom on their children -- but if your dad is an investment guru, you might want to listen extra carefully. In this Father's Day special report, DailyFinance asked the adult children of these icons about what they had learned about money and life from their dads.

Recession Sobers Once Spendthrift Teens

Guess what the recession hath wrought: A little teen sobriety. According to a new survey, nine out of 10 teens say they were "affected by the recession," causing major shifts in perspective that include a greater appreciation for what they have and an increased awareness of financial hardship.

First the Wii, Then the iPhone, Now There's Kapitall

Investing website Kapitall opened to the general public on Thursday, offering sleeker technology and easier tools to appeal to the so-called Facebook generation. The idea: To make investing more alluring. But while the site is attracting new users, will it be a winner?

Most 401(k) Investors Shun Free Good Advice

According to a new study, fewer than 10% of 401(k) investors with access to free professional investing help through their company plans take advantage of it, and as a result, many are missing out on the positive impact that good advice could have on their financial returns.

The Best Brokers For Mobile Investors

What are the best brokerages for mobile investors? The industry advisory firm Corporate Insight surveyed the mobile trading features of 21 brokerages, looking at a variety of platforms and loads of other features. See what firms come out on top.

Why the Hindenburg Omen Is Hooey

Investors might be atwitter over the so-called Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator flashing a red alert for an imminent market crash. But the odds of it being right are long to non-existent, experts say.

Financial Advisers Get More Optimistic About Stocks, Jobs

Independent investment advisers remain fairly bullish in their outlooks for the economy, the job market and stock market performance over the next sixth months, even as their clients have become more pessimistic, a recent survey by discount brokerage Charles Schwab has found.

Bond ETFs Shine for Their Flexibility and Safety

Stock market volatility has driven many investors out of stocks and into bonds and other fixed-income investments. Bond ETFs have snared a big chunk of the money for their flexibility and safety.

Free Trade: No-Commission Trades for ETFs are Here to Stay

It looks like no-commission trades for exchange-traded funds are here to stay. Several of the largest ETF brokerages -- including iShares, Invesco Powershares and Charles Schwab -- say they don't plan to charge commission anytime soon.

Is Your ETF Heading for the Investment Graveyard?

With nearly 900 exchange-traded funds holding more than $780 billion in assets, life in the ETF arena is a matter of survival of the fittest. With all these niche products, how can you tell if your ETF is a survivor or a soon-to-be financial failure?

Merrill Lynch Starts Online Brokerage

The Merrill Lynch division of Bank of America is starting an online brokerage, and stocks in TDAmeritrade and Charles Schwab each fell when the news came out. The change will occur June 21, and the service will be called Merrill Edge.

In Bank and Brokerage Stocks, Red Flags for the Market?

The drooping stocks of investment banks and brokerages have been diverging from the wider market in the last few months. Back in 2007, a similar trend preceded the market crash. Now, the sector's pattern could hold a wider warning for investors.

ETF Basics: How to Dissect an ETF Fact Sheet

You're thinking of investing in an exchange-traded fund, but what are the odds you're really going to read the whole prospectus? Not great. But don't buy blind: If you know what to look for, you can get much of the most important information from the fact sheet.

Legal Briefing: Schwab Settles Suit for 25¢ on the Dollar

While Goldman Sachs allegedly defrauded Wall Street's elite, it was Main Street investors who were duped by Charles Schwab. Schwab put more than $700 million of its clients' money in what it said was a "conservative" fund, but was really a high-risk bet on mortgage-backed securities.

Lessons From Mint.com's Tax-Time Meltdown for Schwab Users

Popular online personal finance portal Mint.com has had problems for months getting account info for Schwab customers. As tax day approached, that annoyance became maddening, even though it wasn't all Mint's fault. Such is business on the Web today.

Today's 401(k) Investors Are in Control

Thanks to the financial crisis, 401(k) investors have changed strategies, moving in and out of stocks, raising their bond holdings and making more use of investor tools.