What’s the Right Retirement Age Anyway?

For decades, 65 has been that magic age for “retirement” – leaving a longtime job and riding off into the golden years with visions of vacations, grandkids and hobbies dancing through graying heads. But a variety of social, economic and personal factors are turning...

Yes, You Need a Personal Brand

Brands aren’t just for cattle or cans of soup anymore. Whether you’re a job applicant, entrepreneur or professional in virtually any field, you need a way to stand out from the crowd in this increasingly busy digital world. That’s why marketing experts and coaches...

Renting: The New American Dream?

Owning a home, with or without a white picket fence, has always been a cherished part of the “American Dream” of stability and security. But in the world after the great housing collapse, for many people renting may be a more sensible option than buying a home. And...

Mixed Messages on Housing Shadow Economic Recovery

Is the housing market in recovery? Or decline? It depends on who you ask – and when. New figures suggest that the much-touted housing recovery may have flattened after a promising surge in 2013 – a trend that, if true, has significant consequences for the health of...

Long Term Assets Mean Lower Capital Gains Taxes

In the fast paced world of investing, it can seem that progfts come from a rapid-fire sequence of buying and selling – and the less flashy route of holding onto assets for long term returns can seem too cautious and slow. But when tax time rolls around, it’s those...

Gold Glitters, But Does It Build Wealth?

Precious metals, most notably gold, are rebounding in international money markets after a fairly long slump, sparking new interest among investors. But in spite of gold’s storied past and the cachet attached to international gold trading, the bright metal’s value as a...

The Hierarchy of Human Needs Guides Consumer Behavior

“You can’t always get what you want,” sang the Rolling Stones. But, as the next line goes, you might find you get what you need. What people really need has been debated by experts in economics, psychology, and many other fields. But it turns out that a theory from...

Can Bad Credit Crush Job Applicants?

You’ve got the qualifications. You’re dressed for the interview and your resume is state of the art. But in spite of all this, the state of your credit could derail your hopes for that dream job. Increasingly, employers are turning to credit checks to make employment...

International Students Boost the Economy

Tensions may be rising all over the world, but strained international relations don’t seem able to stop students from venturing abr4oad for both short term and full degree study programs. According to recent statistics from the Institute of International Education,...

Exchange CEO’s Suicide Adds to Bitcoin Turmoil

The Bitcoin, pioneer of the digital currency movement worldwide and once the darling of liberty lovers everywhere, has suffered some major setbacks in its march toward acceptance as a real alternative currency. But whether – and how – the Bitcoin weathers those rough...