In the last four years or so, there has been explosion of newly created exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the financial marketplace. What are these investment products, and how are they different from the more familiar mutual funds? Read the full article

Once in a while, I write about things that are only vaguely related to personal finance. Today I found a really neat site that allows you to visualize the popularity of US baby names. Ever worry that your child won’t be the only “Emma” in her class? Read the full article

The Senate bill passed today provides aid for homeowners on the brink of foreclosure, relief for beleaguered mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and something else: tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and a deduction for homeowners who normally aren’t able to itemize their deductions. Read the full article

Well, it seems late in the year for this, but today I received the first phony IRS e-mail of the season. The message appears to be a “phishing” scam in which I’m suppose to click on a fake IRS link provided in the message. Clicking the link would take you to an official-looking site that would collect confidential information – most likely, the thieves are looking for Social Security numbers. The IRS has noted a number of e-mail and telephone scams involving IRS impersonators; the stimulus rebates this year provide another premise for identity thieves to use as they "reach out" to potential prey. Read the full article

Today I’d like to offer a simple explanation for how life insurance “works.” This discussion will also lay a foundation for discussing the difference between term and permanent life insurance. The first post in this series, on the reasons someone might need life insurance, is worth reading if you're not sure whether you need life insurance. Read the full article

One solution to soaring gas prices: walk there. A new website that rates how walkable city neighborhoods are gave Boston the number three slot. The site has a nifty mapping feature tied into Google Local that rates “walkability” on the basis of proximity to amenities: parks, restaurants, grocery stores, and the like. Read the full article

Yesterday the Labor Department released updated regional figures for inflation from June 2007 to June 2008. Nationally, the CPI-U, which measures inflation for all urban consumers, was up 5%. Read the full article

If you have a longer-term CD that is now coming to maturity, you've probably been disappointed to discover how much interest rates have dropped since you last locked in your CD rate. What are the best options for those with short-to-medium-term cash to invest these days? Read the full article

As I've noted elsewhere, there are some data that suggest that the frequency of ID theft may be on the decline. However, there are also indications that the volume of stolen financial data has swelled to such levels that cybercriminals are dropping their selling prices for stolen data. Read the full article

Well, this is a bit creepy. Earlier today I wrote about American Express' arrangement last year with IndyMac Bankcorp and another lender to let mortgage holders make their monthly payments with credit cards. I made a point of saying that IndyMac was still in business. Oopsie - they were in business yesterday, but not today. Read the full article

Many homeowners struggling to keep up with mortgage payments are probably using their credit cards to make ends meet. Now, apparently, people who can't pay their mortgages have a new alternative: they can charge their monthly mortgage payments to a credit card directly. I wish I were making this up, but I'm not. Read the full article

A couple of months ago, I discussed a loophole in the Social Security law that allows current retirees to pay back the benefits they've received (without interest) and restart the Social Security clock at a higher benefit level. Recently, I discovered two additional unusual Social Security strategies. Read the full article

It wasn't that long ago that mortgage lenders were eager to extend credit lines to anyone with a pulse and a property title. Alas, the industry's mood has turned with the swooning of housing prices: frugal caution has displaced wild abandon. Many homeowners, unaware that their lines of credit could be curtailed summarily, have been unpleasantly surprised. Read the full article

The Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends Project reported last week that Baby Boomers, who turn 44 to 62 this year, are slightly (but significantly) more pessimistic about their lives than other adults. Read the full article

Everyone has heard of life insurance and most people have some; it’s not an exotic concept. Yet for the average person, buying life insurance means signing the most complex contract you'll ever enter into. This will be the first of a series of short primers on life insurance: why people need it, how it works, how much to buy, what kind to buy. Read the full article

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