ASK THE EXPERT

Post your money-management or consumer-oriented questions here, and we´ll find a financial counselor, certified public accountant, banker or other expert to provide the best answer. (Answers will be e-mailed to you and may be posted on this site or in the magazine. No names or addresses will be used.)

RESPONSES

Should a Newly Divorced Mom Use Her Savings to Start a Business?

I´m a member of a new women´s investment club. What are some guidelines that we can use for choosing a stock to invest in?

Is it a good idea to pay off your mortgage when you become a widow?

I´m collecting disability because of a bad back. Do I have to pay taxes on that money? Friends have told me yes... and no.

How does Medicaid work, and is it possible to transfer assets to become eligible for nursing-home coverage?

I need to have my business bonded by an insurance agent. I released all my business information to them; now they want me to conduct a personal finance audit of assets and debits. I can´t find the correct form to use. Can you help me?

Can my husband´s bad credit affect my credit score? And will I be responsible for his debt, if he can´t pay it off?

Neither my husband nor I are covered by life insurance at work. I´d like to buy some, so that my kids will have some security and money for college, in case anything should happen to us. Where do I begin?

I´ve been laid off for more than a year now, and I´ve been able to keep up with my bills, but the money is running out. Can I change my mortgage to a 30-year and pull out some of my equity so that I can go back to school to get a teaching degree?

I am 18 and I have no credit. What´s the best way for me to establish my own credit history?

How Does a CD Work?

What happens when you go to a credit counselor?

With all the doom and gloom about the economy and on Wall Street, is this a good time to buy stocks?

"I have recently won $30,000. I am torn between putting the money in my boys´ 529 college fund or paying off our house. Should I split it—or do my house first? All our other debt is under control."

With interest rates so low right now, am I missing a good bet if I don´t refinance my 30-year mortgage, which carries an 8.5 percent rate?

My Father Requires Long-term Care. Is There a Way to Preserve His Assets and Still Get Him the Care That He Needs?

I´m currently unemployed (24 years old and single), but I will be moving from Minnesota to Washington, D.C. in a month for a new job. I´m worried that I don´t have enough money to pay a rental deposit and other moving costs. What should I do?

How Do I Calculate the Number of Exemptions I Should Claim So That I Don´t Have to Pay Taxes at the End of the Year?

Whom Should I Select as an Executor for My Estate?

I´m an 18-Year-Old New Jersey High School Student with a Part-time Job That Doesn´t Pay Very Well, and I Have No Money Saved for College Yet. What Can I Do?

I´m 50 Years Old, Divorced and in Love with a Wonderful Man. Does It Make Financial Sense to Marry Again?

What Tax and Investment Issues Should I Consider for a Large Inheritance?

How Do I Make a Good Impression at My Next Social Business Function?

Where Can I Find Financial Aid to Help Me Pay for My Kids´ College?

I Don´t Have the Money to Pay My Taxes. What Do I Do Now?

Will Uncle Sam Give Me Money to Start My Business?

Help! How Do I Get Out of the Hole I´m In?

Help! How Can I Reduce My Holiday Spending?

How Will I Ever Save Enough for All My Long-Term Goals?

My Bonus Is Bigger Than I Expected! What Do I Do Now?

NYSE vs. NASDAQ?

What´s the Best Way to Invest $1000?

Can This Divorcee´s Finances Be Saved?

What´s the Best Way to Spend Our Tax Rebate?

QUOTABLE

I don´t know much about being a millionaire, but I´ll bet I´d be darling at it.

--Dorothy Parker

A woman who earns $45,000 a year will make $2 million in her lifetime. What are you going to do with your millions?

--From "Making Bread: The Ultimate Financial Guide for Women Who Need Dough"

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