Money ©     Coverage   Help   Search Westlaw   Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009   Section: AllLegal NewsAntitrustBankruptcyE-CommerceEnvironmental LawEstate Planning and ProbateHealth & MedicineIntellectual PropertyLabor & EmploymentLitigationMergers & Acquisitions MAKE MONEY IN 2010 Good riddance, 2009. What will the New Year bring? Economists say the recovery has started-though you may not feel it yet. Here's a look at what to expect in 2010 and how to make the most of the so-called rebound. Your Home page 76 Your Savings & Cre.... The Economy The recovery may be under way, but feeling safe financially will take longer. The Outlook You may not feel as if we're out of the woods yet. But the consensus among the 50 leading economists regularly surveyed by the Blue Chip Economic Indicators is .... Your Investments After this year's monster rally, smaller gains probably lie ahead. The Outlook With the market up more than 60% since March, you're probably feeling a lot better about your portfolio lately than you did a year ago. The worry for 2010: Will the runup .... Your Job Raises should make a comeback, but keep an updated resume handy. The Outlook Despite all the talk about economic recovery, you're probably still anxious about next year's job market-worried not necessarily about your position but maybe your spouse's .... Your Home Prices should stabilize at last, but rebuilding your equity will take time. The Outlook After three years of slumping house prices, the end of the real estate bust may finally be in sight. Home sales are rising, inventories are shrinking, and most ec.... Your Savings and Credit Credit will stay crunchy, but savers willing to shop can find good deals. The Outlook Like most Americans, you're probably pledging to save more next year-already savers are socking away cash at a better pace than they have in years (3.7% of income r.... Cover Description [The following text appears on the cover.] SPECIAL OUTLOOK ISSUE MAKE MONEY IN 2010 INVESTING A SAFE PLAN FOR A WILD MARKET PAGE 72 YOUR JOB SECURE IT-AND A RAISE PAGE 74 SAVINGS NAB THE BEST RATES PAGE 78 REAL ESTATE WHY IT'S THE YEAR TO BUY PAGE 76.... TWO WAYS TO BUILD (MUCH) BETTER BANKS THE FINANCIAL REFORM blueprint that the Treasury Department unveiled in June seemed awfully timid when it came to stopping Wall Street from making bets risky enough to send the rest of us to Skid Row. But Secretary Timothy Geithner and company did co.... Turn on the Home-Equity Tap Again As credit starts up at a trickle, getting a home-equity line can be a smart move-as long as you use it the right way. The home-equity line of credit fueled thousands of extreme kitchen makeovers during the real estate boom. But the housing bust and t.... What You Want for the Holidays In a stay-put real estate market, some of the best gifts are home-improvement tools. NOTHING AGAINST CANDELABRAS, crystal vases, or decorative knickknacks, but gifts of decor from well-meaning family and friends usually come out only when their giver.... "FOR SALE BY OWNER" CAN SIGNAL A GOOD DEAL WITH REAL ESTATE still in a slump, many homeowners are trying to save on those 6% realtor commissions by selling themselves. The upshot for buyers: more wiggle room on price. The sellers of the homes below all say they're willing to negotiate. LILBUR.... HOW TO GIVE WHEN THE GIVING GETS TOUGH DIY fundraising, group volunteering, even picking the right bank: Learn 13 creative ways to maximize your charitable impact without writing a huge check. NANCY MCCAULEY BRANSTETTER, a former communications executive at Ford Motor Co., is passionate a.... Are Bank Stocks Safe? Once rock-solid investments, many have a long way to go to repair their problems. SINCE MARCH, BANK STOCKS have staged a remarkable turnaround. In just seven months the financial sector of the S&P 500, which was battered in last year's credit storm, .... Finding Value in a Market Gone Wild Yes, the S&P 500 has shot up 60%, but good stocks have been left behind by this rally. OFTEN, FOR INSPIRATION, I like to look at the list of new 52-week lows-companies whose shares recently hit their lowest prices over the past year. While some down-.... X-RAY: Wal-Mart The lousy economy helped the giant retailer. Will a recovery hurt? Throughout the recession, wealthier households "traded down" and started to shop at Wal-Mart (WMT) for the first time. As a result, the world's largest retailer saw its market share i.... Stocks: Deal or No Deal? 1 Equities Still Look Like a Bargain... If you compare valuations today with those of the past two decades, stocks still seem reasonably priced after their 60% run-up. The market's price/earnings ratio remains well below the typical P/E when stock pr.... Weaker Dollar, Stronger Returns The greenback isn't what it used to be, but its continuing fall needn't ground your portfolio. THE DOLLAR HAS FALLEN for much of this decade, and lately the decline is picking up speed. Already down more than 15% against the euro since March, the buc.... Letters Thanks for placing anesthesiologist on your "best" list ["The 50 Best Jobs in America," November]. It's a great career. We take often critically ill patients and help them endure surgical stress and physiological changes, keeping them safe and comfor.... Masthead EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Huey CHAIRMAN, CEO Ann S. Moore EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS Sylvia Auton, Howard Averill, Kerry Bessey, Stephanie George, John Squires, Brian Wolfe Money MANAGING EDITOR Craig Matters EXECUTIVE EDITOR Diane Harris ASSISTANT MANAGIN.... Will Your HOMETOWN Be a BOOMTOWN Again? Harvard economist EDWARD GLAESER studies the forces that make some regions thrive and others die ... and what that has to do with the weather in January. SINCE THE CRASH, we've gotten used to thinking of real estate as a market shaped by national for.... Three Holiday Gifts to Give Yourself 1 The book that explains how Wall Street really works Why: Where Are the Customers' Yachts? is a gem by former stockbroker Fred Schwed Jr. Written in 1940, it's just as eye-opening about the vagaries of the investment landscape today as it was then. .... Q: Do you expect to be better off in 2010? The results from our exclusive CNNMoney.com poll YES, A LITTLE 31% WORSE OFF 26% ABOUT THE SAME 28% YES, A LOT 15% "A little better. I recently took over a medical practice, and I expect to earn more money from that soon." NEIL PATEL, 36 Doctor, New .... FORGET THE SCARF, GIVE 'EM CASH JOEL WALDFOGEL Wharton School economist and author of Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays "THE PROBLEM WITH buying presents is that it's economically inefficient. When I spend $100 on myself, there's a good chance I'll get .... Medicare Advantage 1. THE PLANS CAN BE GOOD DEALS This time of year you and/or your parents have some critical decisions to make regarding Medicare (enrollment for 2010 runs through Dec. 31). Among them: Should you go with one of the Medicare Advantage (MA) plans offer.... Together in Debt Q: My fiance, Alan, recently had a heart attack. If we go ahead with the wedding, he will be covered by my health insurance (he has none), but I'll become liable for all his current medical bills. What should I do? A: Like Humphrey Bogart in Casablan.... NO RAISE FOR SENIORS NEXT YEAR For the first time since 1975, Social Security recipients will not get a cost-of-living increase. But benefits have largely kept pace with increases in workers' pay. [The following text appears within 2 charts. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual c.... CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG? Yes, you can head off family clashes over the holidays-if you heed these three principles. WHENEVER YOU MIX extended family, financial outlays, forced jollity, and alcohol, you're risking trouble. Economics carries some lessons about how to prevent s.... RALLY CONTINUES BUT PACE SLOWS Most every type of fund posted solid-though unspectacular-gains last month as the market continues to roll. Funds in the MONEY 70 didn't exactly take a breather. For the fifth consecutive month, the vast majority of our recommended list of mutual and.... CNNMoney.com Help Is at Hand Got questions about retirement, debt, real estate, college, or other financial issues? We have answers. Go to cnnmoney.com/helpdesk. BREAKING NEWS MARKETS VIDEO PERSONAL FINANCE RETIREMENT More news, tips, and tools on our site VIDEO:.... 5 Ways to Pump Up Your Income Your bank, your boss, and your portfolio aren't doing much to boost your bottom line-reason enough to try these additional revenue-raisers. Wish you had a little more money in your wallet these days? Who doesn't? While the Great Recession is over by .... REACH FOR YIELD, BUT SAFELY Know the risks involved when putting your cash into accounts that pay much more than average. With cash rates low, you may be tempted to seek out above-average yields. But is it safe to go with an account paying 1.5% when the average is 0.3%? For ban.... BEST GIFTS AT THE BEST PRICES THESE PERFECT PRESENTS MAY LOOK LIKE THEY COST TOP DOLLAR, BUT YOU CAN GET THEM WITHOUT GOING A PENNY OVER YOUR BUDGET. After a year of recession-induced belt-tightening, your friends and family are probably craving a little dose of indulgence. You n.... Inside WHY CASH MAKES A GREAT PRESENT 22 COVER STORY 68 MAKE MONEY IN 2010 Take action to safeguard your investments, land a raise, nab the best rates, and profit from the housing recovery. BY AMANDA GENGLER, ISMAT SARAH MANGLA, JANICE REVELL, AND DONNA ROS.... Your Wallet and Your Health, 2010 Next year even people with "Cadillac" employer-provided insurance plans will feel more pain. LAST MONTH was open-enrollment season, and my wife and I got an unpleasant surprise. For 2010 we're looking at an annual health-insurance premium that's $1,6.... Stocks Market Hits Major Threshold The Dow Jones industrial average crossed the 10,000 mark in the month ended Oct. 14, breaking through a symbolic barrier that seemed insurmountable during the credit crisis. All the major stock indexes posted gains, with t.... Mutual Funds No, It's Not a Mirage Here's a lesson about performance data: In September, large-cap stock funds had lost 4% over the prior 12 months. For the year ended Oct. 14, they're up 25%. How is that possible? Simple: Today's figures reflect the market's gai.... If They Built the Perfect Bank TIRED OF BEING TAKEN FOR GRANTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO HOLD YOUR DOUGH? HERE'S WHAT A BANK YOU COULD LOVE MIGHT LOOK LIKE-PLUS A FEW THAT ARE STARTING TO GET THE RIGHT IDEA. YOU MIGHT THINK YOUR BANK would be rolling out the red carpet for you right now..... Stick With Your Financial Diet The economic crisis inspired healthier saving, spending, and investing habits. Here's how to keep them up in a recovery. IF THERE'S ONE THING to thank this miserable recession for, it's that a lot of us are now much more thoughtful about our finances.... How to Win at Playing Catch-Up Retirement account still in the dumps? Jump on special rules that let boomers save more. CONSIDER THIS, IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS about any lingering damage to your retirement savings from the financial crisis: Although stocks are up more than 60% since Mar.... Put Santa's Elves on a Budget Use the holidays to educate your children on living within their means. WANT TO GIVE your teens and preteens a gift they'll use long after they've outgrown Guitar Hero and Hannah Montana? Use the holiday shopping season to teach them some real-life b.... Ready ... Set ... Convert to a Roth The income cap on IRA transfers is going away. Here's why you should take advantage of it. YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD that the restriction barring those earning more than $100,000 from converting a traditional IRA to a Roth will soon be history. This mean.... SECOND ACT Lee Gelb, 54 THEN: Starbucks exec NOW: Socially conscious jeweler AS A SENIOR VP of human resources at Starbucks, Lee Gelb could afford to live in grande style, complete with a Porsche Boxster and beachside cottage. But by 2002 she was willing to giv.... © 2009 West, a Thomson business Westlaw Integration Solutions  /  Westlaw.com