Author: Russ Wiles, Arizona Republic

Seniors and pre-retirees can take advantage of flexible and lenient new rules on retirement accounts, but in many other ways, things could get tougher.

The government has introduced several temporary changes that could help people shore up their finances and manage their retirement accounts.

Many people invest rationally most of the time, until the stock market starts falling. Follow these recommendations to keep downturns in perspective.

Health outbreaks have pushed down stock prices before, but such scares don’t exert a permanent impact.

It’s hard to envision 2020 turning out as nicely for stock-market investors as 2019 was, but several favorable factors remain in place.

The economy looks like it’s in good shape heading into 2020. But what might go wrong? These are some contrarian and negative signs to beware of.

Consumers said they plan to spend $1,048 on average for gifts, decorations and holiday food this season. That’s up from $1,007 per-capita last year.

Sex and money ranked first and second among five “taboo” topics for discussion among family members and friends, in a TD Ameritrade survey.

“It’s not uncommon to see an employer making 30 to 50 benefits and perks available,” one expert says.

The roughly 20% decline for large stocks in October 1929 actually wasn’t market’s worst month ever, but the drop incited nearly 3 years of selling.