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With 2011 fast coming to a close, it's time to think about what's next -- if you dare. We've got the good news, the bad news, the key points to watch and some good advice on getting through 2012 with your finances intact.

At this time last year, maybe you thought the economy would be a bit more gracious by now. No such luck. But as we reflect on the year that was, here are six financial lessons that 2011 taught us all.

When it comes to retirement, apparently even the well-to-do are wallowing in anxiety. A new survey of the affluent from Wells Fargo & Co. reveals that the wealthy are losing sleep over their lack of preparation for the good old days down the road, much like the less monied crowd.

A reader named Sally bought a property that has since fallen in value. If she sells it for less than she paid, what effect will it have on her taxes? DailyFinance's Laura Rowley has the answer.

Those Girl Scouts aren't just about selling cookies -- the green-sashed entrepreneur who supplies your Thin Mints is also preparing to be the boss. The GSA now offers 13 merit badges to teach its more than 3 million members financial literacy -- everything from good credit to savings and investing.

Attention Storage Wars fans: Though the hit cable-TV show does give viewers an idea of what goes on at the auctions, it doesn't give the entire picture. The odds of you striking it rich at a storage auction are slim, and there are plenty of ways for the novice buyer to lose his shirt.

Simon Baker plays a not-quite-psychic sleuth on The Mentalist and a shady brokerage boss in the new film Margin Call. But in real life, he's not trying to read the tea leaves of Wall Street to manage his money: His working class upbringing made him a very conservative money man.

The world of personal finance is a lot like Halloween: Filled with treats if you're good (and clever), but rife with tricks if you're not careful. Here's some advice that will keep your money tree from getting TPed, and help you bring home a pumpkin full of sweet rewards.

In these tough times, why would anyone pass up money for nothing? Inquiring minds at FINRA want to know -- because many of us are. According to research by Aon Hewitt, nearly 30% of 401(k) participants are not contributing enough to scoop up their full employer match.

Americans are growing even more distrustful of their financial institutions. The latest figures from the quarterly Chicago Booth/Kellogg School Financial Trust Index showed that only 23% of those surveyed said they trust the country's financial systems, down from 25% in June.