WSJ.com: Money


    Shop for Dividends in This Bull Market
    Wall Street has rallied a long way since the dark days last winter. But there are still plenty of blue chips offering big dividend yields.

    Investors Dial Back Risk as Year-End Nears
    Signs of wariness are appearing in financial markets as investors worry that the end of the year could bring challenging trading conditions.

    Online Gambling Poses Tax Conundrum
    Are your losses from online gambling deductible? It's no sure bet -- the legality of online gambling in the U.S., and the tax law surrounding the activity, is not really clear.

    Banks Ease Up on Overdraft Fees
    U.S. banks are easing how much they charge customers on overdraft fees, according to new data, but the move isn't likely to derail a sweeping round of new regulations.

    Should Homeowners Sell Now?
    To qualify for a big tax deduction, a Massachusetts homeowner must decide soon.

    Retiring in a Bear Market
    Here's a formula for a comfortable retirement: Wait for stocks to plunge 30%. Watch your neighbors panic. Then quit your job. Sound scary? That's the idea, writes Jonathan Clements.

    Venture Funds Sweeten Terms
    Venture-capital funds are cutting fees as they scrounge for cash amid a bruising fund-raising environment.

    IPO Candidates Look to New Year
    After a strong end to 2009, new issuers (and their underwriters) expect a busy 2010. An early estimate of 100 turns to a more ambitious estimate of 150.

    Van Eck Plans Egypt, Kuwait ETFs
    Analysts say fund firm is meeting investor demand for regional exposure and noncorrelated returns.

    No Refund Check? Verify Address.
    If you are expecting a federal income-tax refund and still haven't received it, check to see if the government has your correct address.

    Age Bias at Work Is Harder to Prove
    Age-discrimination claims against employers have skyrocketed in recent years, but a Supreme Court ruling has made it harder for employees to win such cases.

    Saving on Car Insurance
    Getting auto insurance in your 20s can be pricey. Buyers in the market for an auto policy need to factor in the cost of their vehicle, their policy needs and their credit history.

    Trade in Your Used Gadgets
    Need some extra money for holiday shopping? Consider trading in old electronic gadgets online and in some stores.

    More Stocks May Not Make a Portfolio Safer
    Not putting all your eggs in one basket is the most basic principle of investing. It also may be the hardest to get right.

    Dividend Payers Return to the Fore
    Stocks with payouts had been trailing their yield-free rivals for most of the year, but are now pulling ahead. And the trend may last.

    Looking to Energize Returns?
    Share prices have plunged and payouts have slowed, but some analysts say investors should reconsider jumping back in.

    Handing Down Retirement Assets
    Ask Encore answers a reader's question on ensuring his heirs get retirement-plan assets.

    Diamonds: An Investor's Best Friend?
    The growing demand for tangible assets has led to the launch of a number of diamond investment funds this year, which believe they can achieve double-digit returns for investors.

    Gift Cards Will Never Trump Cash
    Roughly $95 billion worth of gift cards will be sold in the U.S. this year, up about 10% from the previous year. But there's a cheaper, more-convenient alternative: cash.

    Who's in Charge? At Mutual Funds, It Matters
    Change in managers often goes unnoticed, but it shouldn't. The industry is all about records and reputations

    Better Paydays Ahead
    Many employers are planning to reinstate merit increases in 2010. But some experts say base salaries are unlikely to return to pre-recession levels anytime soon.

    The Million-Dollar Penny
    Investors are driving up prices of high-end coins, fine art and wine as less-rarefied items languish.

    Choosing the Right Medicare Plan
    Older people may want to reconsider sticking with their existing Medicare plans this enrollment period.

    Calling Food Hotlines
    Cranky Consumer calls the customer-service numbers of four big food companies.

    Bond Yields Turn Against Life Insurers
    Cash-rich life insurers are having trouble putting their money to work as rising prices in the corporate-bond market are driving down yields.

    Pimco's New Job Raises Concerns
    Bond powerhouse has many hats; its new job sizing up risk on insurers' home-mortgage bonds.

    Money to Spare
    For these three firms, large cash profits signal strength and prosperity.

    More States Jump on Tax-Amnesty Bandwagon
    Twelve states are offering short-term amnesty deals to taxpayers, up from an annual average of two or three states per year. Another 10 or 15 states are likely to follow suit in 2010.

    Wall Street's Alphabet Soup
    No other institution spews out acronyms and initials quite as prolifically as Wall Street. They may sound innocent, but many of them are full of wacky complications and incomprehensible risks.