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february 2008
www.kiplinger.com
How Much to Save at 25, 35, 45, 55your $1 Million formula p 57
FREE One-on-One Financial Advice p 56
Profiting From Sin Stocks p 27
Boost Your Home’s Value p 85
money
RETIRERICHWe Make It easier
Than ever p 54
investing
living
LISA and SEAN KENNEDY add to the amount they stash in their 401(k) plan each year.
personalfinance
BESt VAluES in PuBlic cOllEgES p 64
3
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
CONTENTS VOL. 62 NO.2
AHEAD13
20 PORTFOLIO DOCTOR
22 OPENING SHOT
INVESTING27
27 THE VIRTUES OF VICE STOCKS
PLUS:
34 TARGET FUNDS UNDER FIRE
PLUS:
37 5 WAYS TO BET ON A SINKING DOLLAR
42 GOING LONG
46 MUTUAL FUNDS
40 MORE ABOUT INVESTING
(40)
(41)
(41)
(44)
(48)
(48)
51
MONEY53
54 RETIRE RICH
PLUS:
64 BEST VALUES IN PUBLIC COLLEGES
PLUS:
70 THE ’08 RACE TO FIX HEALTH CARE
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE // FOUNDED 1947
JIM
BA
STA
RD
O
64
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
74 A HEAD START ON THE ROAD TO RICHES
81 ASK KIM
77 MORE ABOUT YOUR MONEY
(77) (78)
(78)
(79)
(83) (83)
LIVING85
85 REMODELING THAT PAYS BACK
90 HIGH DEF FOR LESS THAN $1,000
92 DRIVE TIME
95 THE LOWDOWN
96 MY STORY
IN EVERY ISSUE6 FROM THE EDITOR
8 LETTERS
ON THE COVER: Photograph by Mark Tucker. Stylist: Shannan Shepard. Hair and makeup: Bridget Henry.
CONTENTSKIPLINGER.COM
WHAT YOU’LL FIND ONLY ONLINEFIND MORE TAX DEDUCTIONS Consult our updated Taxopedia for clear, concise explanations. kiplinger.com/links/taxopedia
WHICH CANDIDATE’S HEALTH-INSURANCE PROPOSAL IS BEST? Read our analysis, then go online and vote. Plus, see our Web recap and share your views. kiplinger.com/links/healthcare08
HOME MAKEOVERS Our before-and-after photos of kitchen and bath redos provide remodeling inspiration. kiplinger.com/links/makeovers
WHO BENEFITS FROM A REVERSE MORTGAGE? Seniors can tap home equity to remain in their home—or even modify the house for wheelchair use. Watch our video at kiplinger.com/video/retirement.
HASSLE-FREE GIFT RETURNS Retailers are using more restocking fees and other deterrents. Learn how to avoid the headaches—or just share your cautionary tale—at kiplinger.com/links/holiday-returns.
REAL ESTATE VALUES Track prices in your area from 2006 to 2007. Find out which homes appreciated in a declining market, or compare the numbers with last year’s predictions. kiplinger.com/tools/houseprices
HOW TO REACH US: Subscriptions. For inquiries about ordering, billing or renewing a subscription, or to report address changes, call 800-544-0155, Monday through Friday between 7 A.M. and 11 P.M. and Saturday and Sunday between 8 A.M. and 6 P.M. central time. Please have your mailing label handy when speaking with our customer-service representatives. You can also write to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, P.O. Box 3292, Harlan, IA 51593-0472, or e-mail us ([email protected]). On the Internet, go to kiplinger.com/magazine. Reprints. PARS International Corp. (212-221-9595, ext. 322; e-mail, [email protected]). Content licensing. Call 202-887-6558 or e-mail [email protected]. mailing lists. From time to time we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products may be of interest to you. If you would rather not receive such solici-tations, send your mailing label to P.O. Box 3292, Harlan, IA 51593-0472 and instruct us to exclude your name.
Log OnGo online to get more from our experts and enjoy expanded articles that include slide shows, tools and videos. Find out what we’re talking about this month at Kiplinger.com:
ALL
OY
PH
OTO
GR
AP
HY/
VE
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4
13
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
AHEAD »
SCARCELY A DAY GOES BY
Colgate-PalmoliveAbbott Laboratories
Nicor
Vanguard Consumer StaplesiShares Dow Jones
US Healthcare
A CUSHION FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES AS THE OUTLOOK CLOUDS, INVESTORS CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM MARKET SHOCK. BY ANNE KATES SMITH
TOPIC A
ALI
SON
SEI
FFER
14
Select Sector SPDR- Utilities
Kraft Foods
SPDR DividendAlpine
Dynamic Dividend
AHEAD
STOCK-MARKET VOLATILITY SEEMS OUT OF CONTROL. WHAT IS THE VOLATILITY INDEX, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FEAR INDEX, AND WHAT CAN IT TELL US ABOUT OUR INVESTMENTS?
WHAT’S THE VIX TELLING US NOW?
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR-SELF?
WILL THE MARKET BECOME EVEN MORE JUMPY?WE
■ GEOFF CONSIDINE SAYS PRE-RETIREES SHOULD KEEP A KEEN EYE ON VOLATILITY, WHICH CAN AFFECT PORTFOLIO WITHDRAWAL RATES FOR YEARS.
INTERVIEW
A WILD RIDE WILL GET EVEN WILDER INCREASING MARKET VOLATILITY ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING. JUST BE PREPARED FOR IT.
JOH
N J
OH
NST
ON
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
16
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
AHEAD
SOME INVESTORS MAY BE
POP GOES A BUBBLEDON’T GET LEFT HOLDING THE (HAND)BAG. AND WATCH YOUR STOCKS, TOO.
Q: My siblings and I own a business that was founded by our late father. It’s been struggling, and we’ve decided to sell it.
The highest offer, by far, is from a private-equity investor. The middle offer is from a direct (and tough) competitor, who would probably fold our company into his.
The lowest offer is from a respected firm in a related field that says it will retain our prod-uct line, brands and employees. It won’t pay us as much because it plans to invest heavily to revive our franchise.
What are the ethical considerations here?
The top two bidders are most likely to slash costs to recover their high purchase price as quickly as possible. If you care most about protecting your company’s culture and brand, your loyal employees, and your father’s legacy, you’ll take the lowest offer—and cross your fingers.
There’s no guarantee that the low bidder, honorable though its intentions might be, will stick to them if conditions worsen in your field. If you take the low offer, consider keeping a stake in the firm or getting a performance-based price escalator so that you may share in the upside if the turnaround works.
Q: A colleague at my office takes his wife on a lot of his business trips. Is this ethical?
Yes, as long as he gets his work done and pays the added costs of her accompanying him—her airfare, meals, side trips for pleasure and so on. If traveling alone, he would still need a hotel room and rental car, so he doesn’t have to reimburse the company for her sharing in their use. If the business travel entails entertaining clients—including their spouses—it is sometimes appropriate for the spouse’s expenses to be cov-ered, too. It’s always best to check with one’s supervisor first.
MONEY & ETHICS KNIGHT KIPLINGER
3 OFFERS FOR A BUSINESS— WHICH TO ACCEPT?
MARKETS
HAVE A MONEY-AND-ETHICS QUESTION YOU’D LIKE ANSWERED IN THIS COLUMN? WRITE EDITOR IN CHIEF KNIGHT KIPLINGER AT [email protected].
FRO
M T
OP:
PET
ER R
OSS
; ALI
SON
SEI
FFER
; CO
URT
ESY
SEC
Put off by tomelike mutual fund prospectuses? You’re in luck. Easy-to-read summaries are on tap for 2008. The plain-English booklets will boil down fund objectives, costs, strategy, risks, returns and taxes. They’ll provide more clarity on fees, includ-ing line-by-line explanations of what funds charge for manage-ment, marketing and other expenses. (www.kiplingerbiz.com/
ahead/fundsummaries)
CLARITY, BREVITY AT LAST
●● From The Kiplinger Letter
18
AHEAD
THE PLAN AIMS TO PREVENT
MATTHEW MOGUL
FAQ
THE PITFALLS OF THE MORTGAGE BAILOUT THE PLAN TO HELP OUT STRUGGLING BORROWERS WON’T DO MUCH TO STEM THE TIDE OF FORECLOSURES.
AS JOB SEEKERS, WE’VE BEEN REMARKABLY LOYAL TO OUR industries. About 60% of professionals with new jobs stayed within their industry during the third quarter of 2007, according to a recent survey. That put the year on track for a record-low level of industry-switching—until trouble broke out in the housing and finance sectors. Now, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas expects a spike in industry crossovers early in 2008, similar to the one that occurred in late 2001 as the dot-com bubble collapsed.
Starting anew can be invigorating, but it’s risky to your earning power. “The secret is to be conversant in the language of the industry you’re moving to,” says Jan Cannon, of Cannon Career Development in Boston. For instance, networking skills means something very dif-ferent in the tech field than it does in public relations, says Cannon. “You don’t want the person reading your résumé to do any of the work—you have to do all the translating.” People who’ve hop-scotched before have an advantage. Twenty-year veterans of a single industry may have to draw on outside volunteer work or other inter-ests to highlight their adaptability. If you have to take a pay cut to get in the door, try to negotiate an early performance and salary review.
It helps to target thriving industries open to newcomers. Harriet Wiggin, 59, was downsized out of her marketing post at a technology research firm in Boston. She hopes to land a similar position in manu-facturing—among the few bright spots in a struggling economy this year. “I think there’s more opportunity,” says Wiggin, acknowledging that challenges await as well. “There’s always a learning curve.”
WORKPLACE
CAREER CROSSOVERS EXPERTS EXPECT MORE WORKERS TO SWITCH INDUSTRIES, EVEN CAREERS, AS THEY CHANGE JOBS IN 2008.
sNinin
pyinf“wsinein
Wrefyt
●● Stock Watch
BIG ENOUGH BLUE
Investors worry that finan-
cial firms, representing one-
fourth of sales for Interna-
tional Business Machines,
will trim orders. But resil-
ient, recurring revenue from
services and software is 73%
of sales. A global presence
mitigates U.S. struggles.
SYMBOL: IBMPRICE: $109EARNINGS PER SHARE:2007: $6.97*2008: $7.98*
To Dec. 10. *Estimate. SOURCES: Morningstar Inc., Thomson Financial.
FRO
M L
EFT:
CO
URT
ESY
IBM
; REE
NA
BA
MM
I
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
■ HARRIET WIGGIN HOPES
TO HOP TO MANUFACTURING
FROM TECH.
20
»
STEVEN LEIBENSPERGER AND
Stocks’ long-term edge.
Rare win for bonds.
»
DESIGNER STEVEN LEIBENSPERGER SHOULDN’T LET HIS FEAR OF RISK COLOR THE WAY HE INVESTS HIS 401(K) MONEY.
STUMPED BY YOUR INVESTMENTS? WRITE TO US AT [email protected].
PORTFOLIO DOCTOR
DESIGNING YOUR FIRST 401(k) PLANWHEN YOU’RE YOUNG, YOU CAN TAKE MORE CHANCES. THINK STOCKS. BY JEFFREY R. KOSNETT
CHR
IS M
UEL
LER
/RED
UX
AHEAD
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
27
»
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
IN THIS SECTIONTarget-date retirement funds 34
Bet on a sinking dollar 37Buy shares in BlackBerry? 40
Insured munis take a hit 41Jeremy Siegel’s ’08 forecast 42
A new breed of mutual funds 44PLUS Update on the Kiplinger 25 48
INVESTING
BY THOMAS M. ANDERSON
THE VIRTUES OF VICE STOCKS
THE
IRIS
H IM
AG
E CO
LLEC
TIO
N/C
OR
BIS
GUINNESS, MADE BY LONDON-BASED DIAGEO, IS THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR STOUT.
28
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
INVESTING // STOCKS»
LUCRATIVE LIQUIDS
Diageo
AmBev
Anheuser-Busch
HARD TIMES WON’T STOP GAMBLERS FROM BETTING, PARTYGOERS FROM DRINKING AND
STEW
AR
T G
REG
OR
Y/G
ETTY
IMA
GES
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02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK AND THE BELLAGIO,
BOTH OWNED BY MGM MIRAGE,
ARE AMONG THE NEWEST HOTELS
ON THE STRIP.
30
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
INVESTING // STOCKS»
HIGH-STAKES STOCKS MGM Mirage
EIGHT THAT PROMISE BIG PROFITSIn addition to being attractive in their own right, these companies have strong market forces behind them. All of them are large, consistent growers (an area of the market currently in favor), and four are based overseas.
Sin Stocks
Data to December 10. *Based on 2008 fiscal-year estimates. †Based on estimated earnings. SOURCES: Thomson Financial, Yahoo.
Altria MO $78 $164 $39 $4.69 17
AmBev ABV 76 47 12 3.40 22
Anheuser-Busch BUD 53 39 17 3.09 17
British American Tobacco BTI 78 80 21 4.82 16
Diageo DEO 87 58 19 4.92 18
Imperial Tobacco Group ITY 105 36 11 6.47 16
International Game Technology IGT 44 14 3 1.66 27
MGM Mirage MGM 93 28 8 2.79 33
Company SymbolRecent price
Mkt. cap. (in billions)
Revenues (in billions)*
Earnings per share*
Price- earnings ratio†
31
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
International Game Technology
UNSEEMLY PRODUCT, GREAT STOCKS
Imperial Tobacco Group
British American Tobacco
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO MUCK AROUND IN SIN STOCKS, HIRE A MUTUAL FUND MANAGER TO DO the dirty work for you.
Only one fund specializes in the entire range of sin stocks. Vice fund, run by Charles Norton since September 2005, invests in alcohol, gaming, tobacco and defense. We hardly consider military-related companies to be sinful, but Norton includes them because they tend to run counter to general economic trends and because most socially screened funds—polar opposites of his fund—shun them. Top holdings include Altria, Diageo and British American Tobacco. Vice gained 21% in 2007 to December 10, compared with the S&P 500’s 8% return. The $177-million fund (symbol VICEX) doesn’t levy sales fees, but it charges a hefty annual fee of 1.75%.
Dan Ahrens, former manager of Vice fund, now runs the tiny (assets of $3 million) Ladenburg Thalmann Gaming and Casino fund. The fund holds just 35 stocks, including Penn National Gaming, Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage. Since its March 2006 debut, performance has been as erratic as a float-ing craps game. In 2007 to December 10, the fund (GACFX) gained 3%. Annual fees are 1.70%.
So-called leisure funds and other specialized funds may also hold healthy doses of sin stocks. Geoff Kuli, manager of Fidelity Select Leisure since October 2006, hunts for reasonably priced, growing companies in the media, entertainment, cable, food and beverage industries. At last report, the fund (FDLSX) had about 15% of its $263 million of assets in gaming stocks. Select Leisure gained 9% in 2007 to December 10. About one-fourth of Rydex Leisure’s $9 million in assets are in casino stocks. The fund (RYLIX) uses a formula to buy equal portions of stocks in the leisure sector. Over the past five years, it returned 14% annualized, beating the S&P 500 by an average of one percentage point per year.
Fidelity Select Consumer Staples recently kept 20% of its portfolio in alcohol and tobacco stocks. The fund (FDFAX), managed by Robert Lee since June 2004, has a three-year annualized return of 18%, which beat the S&P 500 by an average of seven percentage points per year.
The Fund Route to Sin Stocks
n as erratic as a float-
“Leisure funds and other specialized funds may hold healthy doses of sin stocks.”
51
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
INTERNATIONAL STOCKS COASTED
ELIZABETH ODY
Foreign Markets Roar On
EXPLANATION OF TERMSTotal return assumes reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains; three- and five-year returns are annualized. Returns reflect ongoing expenses but not sales charges.
Maximum sales charge A figure without a footnote means the commission is deducted from the money you send to the fund. A figure with an r is the maxi-mum redemption fee charged when you sell shares. Funds that charge both sales and redemption fees are footnoted with an s next to the front-end load.
Expense ratio is the percentage of assets claimed annually for operating a fund.
RETURNS FOR 3,OOO+ FUNDS ONLINEGet the latest data and see the top 25 performers over one-, three- and five-year periods. We group our rankings into eight bond-fund and almost two dozen stock-fund categories and update them monthly. To see the rankings and look up fund information, go to kiplinger.com/links/mutualfunds.
1. Allianz NFJ Intl Value A@ AFJAX 34.1% — — 5.50%s 1.46% 800-498-5413
2. Cullen Intl High Dividend Ret@ CIHDX 30.6 — — 2.00r 1.25 877-485-8586
3. Harbor Intl Instl@ HAINX 30.5 27.8% 27.5% 2.00r 0.85 800-422-1050
4. Thomas White Intl TWWDX 24.6 27.7 26.7 2.00r 1.44 800-811-0535
5. American Century Intl Value A@ MEQAX 22.9 20.9 21.8 5.75 1.40 800-345-2021
6. Dryden Intl Value A@ PISAX 22.0 22.2 20.7 5.50 1.65 800-225-1852
7. Cambiar Intl Equity Inv CAMIX 21.5 19.0 21.2 2.00r 1.50 866-777-8227
8. Templeton Foreign A@ TEMFX 20.9 17.4 18.9 5.75s 1.16 800-632-2301
9. Longleaf Partners Intl LLINX 19.7 18.2 18.4 none 1.61 800-445-9469
10. DWS Intl Value Opps A@ DNVAX 19.7 — — 5.75s 2.05 800-621-1048
CATEGORY AVERAGE 14.6% 18.0% 22.0%
INTERNATIONAL LARGE-COMPANY VALUE FUNDS Ranked by one-year returns
20 LARGEST STOCK MUTUAL FUNDS Ranked by size
@Rankings exclude share classes of this fund with different fee structures or higher minimum initial investments. sFront-end load; redemption fee may
apply. rMaximum redemption fee. †For all share classes combined. **Closed to new investors. MSCI EAFE is Morgan Stanley’s Europe, Australasia, Far
East index. SOURCE: © 2007 Morningstar Inc.
Rank/Name Symbol 1 yr. 3 yrs. 5 yrs.
Max. sales
chargeExpense
ratioToll-free number
Total return to Dec. 10
1. American Gro Fund of America A@ AGTHX $193.9 12.5% 13.9% 15.3% 5.75% 800-421-0180
2. American EuroPacific Gro A@ AEPGX 125.4 24.3 23.2 23.2 5.75 800-421-0180
3. Vanguard 500 Index Inv@ VFINX 123.3 8.8 10.5 12.4 none 800-635-1511
4. American Cptl Wrld Gro & Inc A@ CWGIX 113.3 22.1 20.3 22.8 5.75 800-421-0180
5. American Cptl Inc Builder A@ CAIBX 110.8 13.8 14.0 15.8 5.75 800-421-0180
6. Vanguard Total Stck Mkt Idx Inv@ VTSMX 105.3 8.6 11.0 13.6 none 800-635-1511
7. American Invstmt Co of America A@ AIVSX 90.7 8.9 11.1 12.8 5.75 800-421-0180
8. American Inc Fund of America A@ AMECX 88.5 6.6 10.5 13.1 5.75 800-421-0180
9. American Washington Mtl Inv A@ AWSHX 84.3 7.8 10.3 12.2 5.75 800-421-0180
10. Fidelity Contrafund** FCNTX 80.3 20.7 17.6 18.2 none 877-208-0098
11. Dodge & Cox Stock** DODGX 65.7 5.4 11.9 15.9 none 800-621-3979
12. American New Perspective A@ ANWPX 61.8 20.1 17.6 19.3 5.75 800-421-0180
13. Franklin Income A@ FKINX 61.6 6.9 9.8 13.9 4.25s 800-632-2301
14. American Balanced A@ ABALX 61.0 8.6 8.3 10.5 5.75 800-421-0180
15. Fidelity Diversified Intl** FDIVX 57.5 20.3 20.8 23.8 1.00r 877-208-0098
16. Dodge & Cox Intl Stock DODFX 53.5 17.7 21.4 27.6 none 800-621-3979
17. Vanguard Windsor II Inv@ VWNFX 51.6 8.4 11.7 15.2 none 800-635-1511
18. Vanguard Wellington Inv@ VWELX 50.8 10.0 11.3 12.4 none 800-635-1511
19. American Fundamental Inv A@ ANCFX 49.8 15.7 16.5 17.9 5.75 800-421-0180
20. Davis New York Venture A@ NYVTX 49.8 8.7 12.1 14.9 4.75 800-279-0279
S&P 500 WITH DIVIDENDS 9.0% 10.6% 12.6%
MSCI EAFE 16.5% 19.1% 22.3%
Rank/Name Symbol 1 yr. 3 yrs. 5 yrs.Assets†
(in billions)
Max.sales
chargeToll-free number
Total return to Dec. 10
Kiplinger.com
53
»
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
IN THIS SECTION Best values in public colleges 64
The race for health-care reform 70 Make your child a millionaire 74 After the California wildfires 78 Telecom-bundle deals 83
A REAL-WORLDRETIREMENT PLAN
MONEY
ROB FALCONE CONSIDERED SEVERAL ROLLOVER OPTIONS TO KEEP HIS 401(K) SAVINGS GROWING AFTER HE SWITCHED JOBS.
PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER ROSS
MONEY // COVER»
RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS ARE UNDERGOING AN EXTREME MAKEOVER. AFTER
BY MARY BETH FRANKLIN
6 Simple Ways to Retire Rich
54
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
LISA AND SEAN
KENNEDY WILL
AUTOMATICALLY
INCREASE THE
AMOUNT THEY
CONTRIBUTE TO
THEIR RETIREMENT
ACCOUNTS
EACH YEAR.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK TUCKER
»
56
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
* KipTip
NUMBERS TO KNOW IN 2008
SIMPLE WAY #1: SIGN UP
SIMPLE WAY #2: GET HELP FROM THE PROS
* Ki Ti
IRA AND ROTH IRA
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS:
$5,000, plus $1,000 if you’re 50 or older
401(K) CONTRIBUTION LIMITS:
$15,500, plus $5,000 if you’re 50 or older
INCOME CEILINGS FOR ROTH IRA:
$169,000 if you’re married and filing jointly
$116,000 if you’re single
INCOME CEILING TO CONVERT
AN IRA TO A ROTH IRA: $100,000
* KipTip
FAST RETIREMENT SAVINGS FACTS FOR ’08
MONEY // COVER
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02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
How to Make a Million STRATEGIES FOR SAVING AT EVERY AGE
The road to $1 million starts early, but there’s hope, and help, for late bloomers. The table below shows how much you need to save each month to accumulate $1 million by age 65, along with strategies to fit retirement saving into the rest of your life. At age 25, you’re starting from scratch. At ages 35, 45 and 55, we assume you already have money in savings on which you’re earning 8% annually. Even if you can’t save quite this much now, our step-by-step guide will help you set priorities for every stage of life.
35YOU’VE SAVED $0
WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE PER MONTH $671
YOU’VE SAVED $50,000WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $304
YOU MAY BE STARTING A FAMILY OR PREPARING TO BUY
A HOME. BALANCE YOUR SHORT-TERM NEEDS WITH
YOUR LONG-TERM SAVINGS GOALS.
Although you have added responsibilities, don’t
neglect retirement. AIM TO SAVE 15% OF YOUR
GROSS INCOME (including an employer match) in
your 401(k). If one parent leaves work to care for
the kids, consider opening a spousal IRA.
Shift your assets to 90%
STOCKS AND 10% BONDS.
INVEST IN A 529 COLLEGE-
SAVINGS PLAN. Many states offer a tax deduction for
your contribution, and qualified distributions are
exempt from federal taxes.
25YOU’VE SAVED $0
WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE PER MONTH $286
YOU’RE JUST STARTING YOUR CAREER, SO THIS IS YOUR
CHANCE TO BUILD A SOLID FINANCIAL FOUNDATION.
TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE.
Contribute enough to your company 401(k) plan to
CAPTURE YOUR EMPLOYER
MATCH. If you don’t have a retirement plan at work,
fund an IRA.
You’ll be investing for 30 years or more, so you can afford to KEEP 100% OF YOUR
ACCOUNT IN STOCKS.
PAY DOWN CREDIT CARDS AND
OTHER HIGH-INTEREST DEBT. That will free up money to
save for a house.
SET UP AN EMERGENCY FUND equal to three to six months of take-home pay. Stash it in a readily accessible account in an online bank that pays
interest of 4% or more.
YO
UR
AG
E
45YOU’VE SAVED $0
WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE PER MONTH $1,698
YOU’VE SAVED $50,000WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $1,298
YOU’VE SAVED $100,000WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $861
YOU MAY BE JUGGLING THE NEEDS OF A GROWING
FAMILY AND AGING PARENTS, BUT DON’T TAKE A BREAK
FROM RETIREMENT SAVINGS.
You can CONTRIBUTE UP TO
$15,500 TO A 401(K) or similar workplace-based retire-
ment plan this year or $5,000 to an IRA. Roll over
retirement savings from previous jobs into an IRA.
Adjust your asset allocation to 80% STOCKS AND
20% BONDS.
Your kids can get grants or loans for college, but
there’s no financial aid for retirement. DON’T PUT YOUR
KIDS’ COLLEGE COSTS
AHEAD OF RETIREMENT.
55YOU’VE SAVED $0
WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE PER MONTH $5,466
YOU’VE SAVED $50,000WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $4,859
YOU’VE SAVED $100,000 WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $4,253
YOU’VE SAVED $200,000WHAT YOU NEED TO SAVE
PER MONTH $3,040
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR PEAK EARNING YEARS
TO TOP OFF YOUR SAVINGS.
ADD AN EXTRA $5,000 IN
CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS to your 401(k) savings and
an extra $1,000 to your IRA.
As you near retirement, reallocate your portfolio
to 70% STOCKS AND
30% BONDS.
Estimate your retirement expenses and your
projected income. If you’re coming up short, CONSIDER
WORKING A FEW MORE YEARS.
FRO
M L
EFT:
SH
UJI
KO
BA
YAS
HI/
GET
TY IM
AG
ES, D
AV
ID S
ACK
S/G
ETTY
IMA
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, RYA
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IMA
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, AR
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SK
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Y/JU
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60
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
SIMPLE WAY #3: CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
SIMPLE WAY #4: CONSIDER A ROTH
IF YOU START AT AGE 22, SAVE $100 A MONTH AND EARN AN 8% RETURN
UNTIL YOU’RE 65, YOU’LL HAVE
$450,478IF YOU START AT AGE 32, SAVE $100 A MONTH AND EARN AN 8% RETURN
UNTIL YOU’RE 65, YOU’LL HAVE
$194,654
* KipTip
THE MAGIC OF COMPOUNDING
MONEY // COVER»
61
Turn Savings Into Retirement Income RETIREES HAVE MANY CHOICES, BUT NOT ONE OF THEM OFFERS THE PERFECT SOLUTION
BABY-BOOMERS ARE ABOUT TO START
tapping a lifetime of retirement savings.
The $16-trillion question is how to turn
that pile of cash into an income stream
you can’t outlive.
The quick answer: There’s no quick
answer. “Any retirement solution will be
only a piece of the puzzle,” says Jonathan
Shelon, co-manager of the new Fidelity
Income Replacement funds. Heavy hitters
Fidelity and Vanguard have recently come
up with solutions that will appeal to
different groups of retirees.
FIDELITY’S APPROACH. Fidelity’s new
funds offer a unique approach that com-
bines asset allocation with withdrawals.
Essentially, they are mutual funds with an
expiration date. You select a target date,
currently from eight to 28 years, and
receive monthly payments until the fund
is exhausted. Payments are set for a year
at a time, and may rise (or fall) in subse-
quent years depending on market perfor-
mance and payout rates.
Because of the set time frame, payouts
are larger than the typical 4% initial annual
withdrawal rate recommended for retir-
ees, who must take a cautious approach to
try to make their money last a lifetime.
But the limited time frame also means the
funds are depleted by a preset date, so
this option is not appropriate for all your
savings.
Instead, you could use them as an
income bridge or for specific spending
needs, such as a travel budget. For exam-
ple, say you’re 55, work part-time and plan
to collect Social Security at 65. You could
use Fidelity’s 2018 Income Replacement
fund to supplement your income for the
next ten years. If you invested $200,000,
you would receive $19,160 the first year,
spread out over 12 equal monthly pay-
ments, based on the fund’s initial payout
rate of 9.58%.
That rate would gradually increase to
100% of the fund’s balance in the final
year. But the actual dollar amount could
fluctuate from year to year depending on
market performance. (The longer your
time horizon, the smaller your initial
payout rate. The 2028 fund with a 20-year
timeline, for example, pays out 6.10% the
first year.) You can cash out your funds or
switch among them at any time.
VANGUARD’S STRATEGY. Vanguard’s
soon-to-be-available managed-payout
funds take a different tack. They are
designed to provide retirees with current
income without consuming capital so their
portfolios can continue to grow. “Our
shareholders are interested in having the
flexibility in their later years to meet
unexpected expenses or to leave money to
family members,” says Ellen Rinaldi, head
of Vanguard’s retirement services.
Investors may choose from among three
managed-payout portfolios with distribu-
tion targets ranging from 3% per year,
for those primarily interested in growth,
to 7%, for retirees who need more income.
The low-cost funds, with estimated an-
nual expenses of 0.34%, will invest mainly
in Vanguard domestic and international
index funds, as well as inflation-protected
securities and money-market funds.
INCOME FOR LIFE. Both companies ad-
dress retirees’ concerns about generating
steady income while protecting against
future inflation. But neither tackles the
biggest financial risk of the 21st century:
living longer. Aside from a traditional
pension or Social Security benefits, only
an insurance product, such as an immedi-
ate annuity, can guarantee income for life.
But the trade-offs are giving up control
of your assets and leaving nothing for your
heirs—neither of which is popular with
retirees. In 2006, immediate annuities
accounted for less than 1% of sales of all
insurance investment products.
The newest generation of annuities
is more attractive. You can change your
payout amount, withdraw funds for an
emergency or guarantee payments to
your beneficiaries if you die prematurely.
But each of those features reduces the
amount of your monthly check.
It’s up to you to create your own plan
for retirement income. You have a growing
number of choices, and there are a lot of
right answers (for an overview, see the
box below). MARY BETH FRANKLIN
CREATE YOUR OWN PENSIONHow much annual income can a 65-year-old man who invests $100,000 expect? Here are the first-year figures from a variety of retirement-income sources, as well as the trade-offs between income and flexibility. The annuity payments listed here are fixed for life. Investment payouts could rise or fall with market performance.
Retirement Income
*Guarantees payments for life and pays death benefits to heirs if you die within 20 years. SOURCES: Fidelity Investments, New York Life.
4% initial withdrawal from portfolio $4,000 No Yes Maybe
Fidelity Income Replacement 2036 5,090 No Yes Maybe
Annuity with 20-year guaranteed payout* 7,020 Yes No Maybe
Life-only annuity 8,062 Yes No No
Income sourceAmount per year
Guaranteed income for life?
Control of assets?
Legacy for heirs?
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
62
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
SIMPLE WAY #5: ROLL IT OVER
SIMPLE WAY #6: SELL COMPANY STOCK
For more tips on saving for retirement
and figuring out how much you can
spend once you quit, visit kiplinger.com/
yourretirement.To see if your savings are on track,
check out the interactive tools at fidelity
.com/myplan and nationwide.com/
retirability.
* On the Web
EASY TOOLS TO SEE HOW YOU’RE DOING
MONEY // COVER»
64
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
MONEY // COLLEGE»
PRICES HEAD NORTH
BY JANE BENNETT CLARK
IT COULD JUST BE THE BEST PUBLIC COLLEGE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF, WITH PRICES SO
BEST VALUES IN PUBLIC COLLEGES
65
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCEPHOTOGRAPHS BY JIM BASTARDO
AT SUNY GENESEO, THE MIX OF OLD IVY
AND A NEW SCIENCE CENTER ATTRACTED
STUDENTS MAUREEN GILLARD AND ROB BROOKS.
66
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
MONEY // COLLEGE»
DIVERGING TRENDS
THE BEST VALUES IN PUBLIC COLLEGESKIPLINGER’S BASES ITS COLLEGE rankings on a combination of outstand-ing academic quality plus an affordable price tag.
We start with nationwide data from more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities, which are provided to Peterson’s/Nelnet. We supplement Peterson’s data with our own reporting.
We narrow the list to about 120 schools based on several measures of academic quality—including the per-centage of the 2006–2007 freshman class scoring 600 or higher on the verbal and math components of the SAT (or scoring 24 or higher on the ACT), admis-sion and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, which most schools reported for the student cohort entering in 2000.
We then rank each school based on cost and financial aid. We look at total cost for in-state students (tuition, man-datory fees, room and board, and esti-mated expenses for books); the average cost for a student with need after sub-tracting grants (but not loans); the aver-age cost for a student without need af-ter subtracting non-need-based grants; the average percentage of need met by aid; and the average debt a student ac-cumulates before graduation. In the ta-ble, aid refers to need-based assistance.
To determine out-of-state rankings, we run the academic-quality and cost numbers again, this time using total costs for out-of-state residents and average costs after aid.
In our scoring system, academic qual-ity carries more weight than costs (al-most two-thirds of the total). To break ties, we use academic-quality scores and average debt at graduation.
67
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
In-state rank/NameUndergrad.
enroll.
SAT (V/M)* or ACT
Student/ faculty ratio
4-yr. grad. rate
6-yr. grad. rate
CostsTotal After aid Rank
CostsTotal After aid
Average debt at
graduation
Quality In-state Out-of-state
N/A information not available. *Verbal/Math. SOURCE: Peterson’s Undergraduate Database. Copyright © 2007 Peterson’s/Nelnet LLC. All rights reserved.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 17,124 72%/81% 14 71% 84% $13,430 $5,902 4 $29,078 $21,550 $14,487
2. University of Florida 35,110 60/69 21 51 78 11,216 6,520 3 25,801 21,105 15,045
3. University of Virginia 14,676 79/85 15 84 93 17,225 4,702 7 36,475 23,952 12,726
4. College of William and Mary (Va.) 5,734 84/83 11 81 91 17,449 5,992 6 35,010 23,553 14,524
5. New College of Florida 746 96/76 11 53 63 11,605 3,985 31 29,458 21,838 15,334
6. SUNY Geneseo 5,358 79/87 19 64 79 14,966 12,320 1 21,226 18,580 17,000
7. University of Georgia 25,437 59/62 18 41 75 13,754 7,732 18 28,858 22,836 13,478
8. SUNY Binghamton 11,523 59/80 20 67 79 16,000 10,973 2 22,260 17,233 15,167
9. University of Washington 27,836 45/59 11 46 74 15,730 7,230 21 31,476 22,976 15,900
10. University of California, Los Angeles 25,432 69/80 17 57 87 20,969 10,025 13 40,037 29,093 15,996
11. University of California, San Diego 21,369 55/76 19 50 78 19,180 9,146 17 38,248 28,214 15,170
12. Georgia Institute of Technology 12,361 71/92 14 29 76 13,936 9,076 58 31,660 26,800 14,895
13. North Carolina State University 23,730 35/57 16 36 71 13,417 6,509 16 25,615 18,707 14,719
14. University of Mary Washington (Va.) 4,183 62/49 16 70 76 13,226 10,026 12 23,106 19,906 12,800
15. Florida State University 31,347 39/44 22 42 66 12,355 8,911 32 25,486 22,042 13,290
16. University of Michigan 25,555 94 15 67 87 19,657 11,711 14 40,511 32,565 23,533
17. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ. 21,997 43/62 16 47 76 13,527 9,307 26 25,905 21,685 19,807
18. University of California, Berkeley 23,863 72/81 15 58 87 23,466 11,925 11 43,086 31,545 14,751
19. University of Wisconsin–Madison 30,055 91 13 43 78 15,510 11,681 23 29,760 25,931 20,282
20. University of Delaware 16,296 44/58 12 62 76 16,898 11,662 8 28,148 22,912 17,200
21. University of California, Irvine 20,719 38/61 19 42 80 19,667 9,328 41 39,287 28,948 13,587
22. James Madison University (Va.) 16,013 28/33 16 62 80 14,340 8,601 19 25,060 19,321 11,932
23. College of New Jersey 6,094 62/75 13 61 81 21,549 12,063 5 28,772 19,286 19,459
24. University of Texas at Austin 37,037 54/68 18 42 75 17,046 10,746 35 33,920 27,620 16,800
25. Texas A&M University 36,580 42/57 20 35 77 14,971 8,176 9 23,311 16,516 16,027
26. Truman State University 5,524 86 16 41 66 13,477 10,517 10 18,087 15,127 16,656
27. Appalachian State University (N.C.) 13,447 30/36 17 35 64 10,897 6,186 20 20,639 15,928 14,838
28. University of Maryland, College Park 25,373 68/78 19 50 76 17,848 12,405 24 32,087 26,644 17,731
29. University of California, Santa Barbara 18,212 49/55 17 58 78 21,013 10,793 30 40,633 30,413 15,808
30. University of Connecticut 16,347 45/58 17 50 72 18,236 11,793 43 32,180 25,737 20,030
31. Miami University (Ohio) 14,551 81 16 66 80 20,294 15,609 33 34,121 29,436 22,255
32. University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign 31,472 87 17 59 81 20,526 13,995 25 34,612 28,081 15,413
33. Clemson University (S.C.) 14,096 54/69 15 44 75 17,031 13,531 34 28,961 25,461 17,556
34. Indiana University, Bloomington 29,828 30/38 18 48 71 15,271 8,443 66 29,750 22,922 19,756
35. University of South Carolina 18,648 39/50 17 41 65 15,166 11,721 59 27,594 24,149 19,360
36. University of North Carolina at Wilmington 10,759 26/37 18 37 57 12,330 8,667 51 22,293 18,630 15,620
37. Ohio State University 38,479 82 13 35 68 17,358 10,833 45 29,967 23,442 18,130
38. Western Washington University 12,838 33/32 19 30 65 13,344 7,172 55 24,418 18,246 14,887
39. University of Wisconsin–La Crosse 8,306 64 24 21 64 11,320 7,144 38 18,894 14,718 16,793
40. University of North Carolina at Asheville 3,609 47/41 13 28 54 11,244 7,138 53 22,234 18,128 14,211
41. Cal. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo 17,777 38/62 20 21 69 14,868 13,074 15 23,004 21,210 14,032
42. St. Mary’s College of Maryland 1,948 64/57 12 63 72 21,844 17,844 40 31,178 27,178 17,125
43. University of Pittsburgh 17,246 57/64 16 44 67 22,176 14,903 44 31,686 24,413 N/A
44. University of Nebraska–Lincoln 17,371 59 19 22 63 13,688 8,821 61 23,708 18,841 16,909
45. Pennsylvania State Univ. at University Park 36,613 37/58 17 48 84 21,384 16,689 46 32,252 27,557 23,500
46. Rutgers, State Univ. of N.J., New Brunswick 26,691 41/60 16 46 71 21,373 12,483 36 30,541 21,651 16,283
47. Purdue University (Ind.) 31,290 30/45 14 31 64 15,996 7,103 75 30,804 21,911 20,102
48. University of California, Davis 23,458 35/54 19 42 80 21,150 12,078 57 40,218 31,146 12,701
49. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 32,113 69 15 32 61 18,122 10,526 63 29,752 22,156 24,995
50. University of Texas at Dallas 9,375 58/73 19 30 56 16,425 12,027 37 25,725 21,327 16,895
COLLEGE RANKINGS CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >>
For more on affordable education, check out our Best Values in Colleges and Universities Center. Go to kiplinger.com/links/college08.
68
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
MONEY // COLLEGE»
In-state rank/NameUndergrad.
enroll.
SAT (V/M)* or ACT
Student/ faculty ratio
4-yr. grad. rate
6-yr. grad. rate
CostsTotal After aid Rank
CostsTotal After aid
Average debt at
graduation
Quality In-state Out-of-state
N/A information not available. *Verbal/Math. SOURCE: Peterson’s Undergraduate Database. Copyright © 2007 Peterson’s/Nelnet LLC. All rights reserved.
51. University of Central Florida 39,545 34%/44% 28 31% 57% $12,650 $9,225 85 $26,851 $23,426 $12,876
52. Louisiana State University 24,583 65 21 27 59 12,895 7,665 56 21,195 15,965 16,354
53. University of Missouri–Columbia 21,551 66 18 38 68 16,572 10,418 54 27,228 21,074 18,983
54. University of Iowa 20,738 64 15 38 66 14,503 10,031 74 27,675 23,203 20,234
55. SUNY Purchase 3,754 37/23 15 32 47 13,383 8,638 52 19,643 14,898 16,058
56. SUNY Fredonia 5,046 23/31 16 49 63 14,922 11,772 27 21,182 18,032 22,303
57. University of Colorado at Boulder 26,163 68 16 38 66 17,421 10,244 91 35,583 28,406 17,141
58. Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology 20,440 59 15 32 68 13,854 10,706 68 24,612 21,464 27,324
59. University of Arkansas 14,350 64 17 30 56 14,021 10,068 50 22,475 18,522 18,170
60. University of Alabama 19,471 46 19 35 63 12,518 9,038 77 23,336 19,856 18,653
61. Michigan State University 35,821 62 17 36 71 17,222 11,733 81 31,082 25,593 22,147
62. Salisbury University (Md.) 6,791 21/27 16 47 67 15,216 10,534 49 23,304 18,622 18,330
63. Northern Arizona University 14,526 22/24 16 26 48 11,634 7,524 71 20,619 16,509 17,563
64. University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire 10,031 57 19 19 59 11,455 7,287 62 19,028 14,860 16,953
65. University of Massachusetts, Amherst 19,823 34/43 17 46 66 18,759 11,595 60 29,337 22,173 14,094
66. University at Albany (SUNY) 12,457 26/42 20 50 62 16,050 11,283 28 22,310 17,543 11,856
67. Missouri University of Science and Technology 4,515 83 14 15 60 15,732 9,972 70 26,388 20,628 17,820
68. University of North Carolina at Greensboro 12,921 16/18 17 38 51 11,891 7,492 89 23,159 18,760 19,146
69. University of Vermont 10,082 44/46 15 49 65 21,014 10,244 83 36,898 26,128 23,328
70. College of Charleston (S.C.) 9,820 57/59 13 41 58 17,272 14,406 67 28,226 25,360 16,761
71. Murray State University (Ky.) 8,601 45 16 36 57 11,780 9,597 65 13,858 11,675 15,010
72. Ramapo College of New Jersey 5,188 36/46 17 39 59 21,475 14,126 22 27,046 19,697 15,937
73. University of Tennessee 20,619 74 15 29 57 13,578 10,781 82 25,820 23,023 18,254
74. SUNY New Paltz 6,263 30/31 13 28 54 14,220 11,791 39 20,480 18,051 1,900
75. SUNY Oneonta 5,596 16/28 17 37 53 14,756 10,965 48 21,016 17,225 12,100
76. University at Buffalo (SUNY) 18,165 30/47 15 33 58 16,285 13,974 42 22,545 20,234 19,062
77. George Mason University (Va.) 18,221 25/31 15 33 52 15,958 10,880 86 28,150 23,072 15,791
78. SUNY Brockport 6,916 26/16 18 29 56 14,596 10,938 47 20,856 17,198 19,082
79. University of South Florida 34,438 26/32 19 21 47 12,347 8,000 94 25,045 20,698 17,995
80. University of New Hampshire 11,971 24/33 17 53 73 20,036 17,588 84 32,996 30,548 23,928
81. Florida International University 31,712 28/28 17 19 47 14,922 9,855 93 27,320 22,253 4,489
82. University of Minnesota, Morris 1,740 56 12 40 59 16,602 10,717 29 16,602 10,717 15,490
83. Georgia College & State University 5,141 24/25 16 22 45 13,346 10,487 97 25,968 23,109 15,128
84. Colorado State University 21,283 51 18 34 63 13,791 8,326 100 27,231 21,766 16,887
85. University of Arizona 28,442 28/36 19 32 58 13,418 7,387 95 24,652 18,621 17,392
86. University of Oregon 16,529 30/32 18 39 65 14,935 10,704 92 27,691 23,460 18,813
87. University of Oklahoma 19,600 72 20 19 56 14,675 10,845 76 23,789 19,959 19,206
88. Auburn University (Ala.) 19,367 54 18 32 62 14,400 9,887 87 24,900 20,387 21,256
89. SUNY Cortland 5,960 18/11 17 37 57 14,989 11,439 64 21,249 17,699 N/A
90. Washington State University 19,554 25/32 14 32 63 15,094 9,228 88 25,408 19,542 18,754
91. Longwood University (Va.) 3,787 19/14 20 41 61 15,134 10,199 78 23,454 18,519 17,781
92. Arizona State University 41,815 26/34 23 27 55 13,241 7,589 98 25,273 19,621 15,894
93. West Chester Univ. of Pennsylvania 10,821 14/18 13 26 59 14,466 14,466 69 22,322 22,322 17,500
94. Oklahoma State University 18,737 60 19 26 59 13,821 9,704 90 23,246 19,129 19,180
95. Mississippi State University 12,630 47 14 25 56 12,929 8,634 80 19,420 15,125 19,780
96. Rowan University (N.J.) 8,430 22/35 12 39 63 20,160 14,350 72 27,468 21,658 16,253
97. SUNY Plattsburgh 5,567 16/17 17 31 54 14,461 10,235 79 20,721 16,495 17,596
98. University of Idaho 9,127 43 20 20 54 12,264 9,119 96 22,344 19,199 20,002
99. University of California, Riverside 14,792 15/29 18 38 65 20,555 9,877 99 40,175 29,497 14,965
100. Illinois State University 17,885 53 19 33 62 16,755 9,321 73 24,075 16,641 17,015
69
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
IVY-LEAGUE ALTERNATIVE
COLETTA HAGAN, ELIZABETH ODY AND STACY RAPACON HELPED COMPILE THE DATA FOR THIS SPECIAL REPORT.
OUR RANKINGS FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL FOUR-YEAR SCHOOLS WITH BROAD-BASED curricula. As a result, schools that offer great value but focus on special or narrow academic programs are excluded.
For example, the academies for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Navy offer top academic quality; they charge no tuition and pay students to attend. But appli-cants to the federal academies must generally obtain congressional or military nominations and serve in the armed forces after graduation.
Cornell University, best known as a member of the Ivy League, is another exception. Four of Cornell’s colleges—Architecture, Art and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; and Hotel Administration—are part of the privately endowed university, which we consider a private in-stitution. But three of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges are land-grant state schools that charge much lower tuition. New York State residents who attend the colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecology, and Industrial and Labor Relations pay about $19,000 a year for tuition and fees.
MORE GREAT COLLEGE VALUES
* KipTip
81
ASK KIMKIMBERLY LANKFORD
Mistaken Identity
Is my broker safe?
Insurance when you’re sick.
PE
TER
RO
SS
“Check your statements to see whether the card issuer is using a
different version of your name.”
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
» MONEY
82
GOT A QUESTION? ASK KIM AT KIPLINGER .COM/ASKKIM, OR WRITE ASK KIM, 1729 H STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20006. KIMBERLY LANKFORD IS THE AUTHOR OF ASK KIM FOR MONEY SMART SOLUTIONS (KAPLAN, $18.95).
» MONEY // ASK KIM / YIELDS / TELECOM / CREDIT
TOP-YIELDING MONEY-MARKET ACCOUNTS
To December 10. †Internet only. #Not a toll-free number. SOURCE: © 2007 Bankrate.com, a publication of Bankrate Inc., 11760 US Highway 1, N. Palm Beach, FL 33408;
800-327-7717, ext. 11410; www.bankrate.com.
GG.HKA(
UPDATESONLINEFor the latest savings yields and loan rates, visit kiplinger .com/finances/yields.
Kiplinger.com
1. Countrywide Bank (Cal.) 5.35% $10,000 countrywide.com 866-846-4480
2. E*Trade Bank (Va.)† 5.25 1,000 etrade.com 800-387-2331
3. UmbrellaBank.com (Ala.)† 5.17 1,000 umbrellabank.com 866-242-0065
4. Corus Bank (Ill.) 5.16 10,000 corusbank.com 800-989-5101
NATIONAL AVERAGE 3.30%
1. Apple Bank for Savings (N.Y.) 5.21% $500 theapplebank.com 800-722-6888
2. Corus Bank (Ill.) 5.16 10,000 corusbank.com 800-989-5101
3. E*Trade Bank (Va.)† 5.15 1,000 etrade.com 800-387-2331
4. Countrywide Bank (Cal.) 5.10 10,000 countrywide.com 866-846-4480
NATIONAL AVERAGE 3.49%
1. Apple Bank for Savings (N.Y.) 5.26% $500 theapplebank.com 800-722-6888
2. ThirdFederal Savings & Loan (Ohio) 5.10 500 thirdfederal.com 888-844-7333
3. Capital One (Va.) 5.10 5,000 capitalone.com 866-369-2737
4. Intervest National Bank (N.Y.) 5.03 2,500 intervestnatbank.com 212-218-8383#
NATIONAL AVERAGE 3.78%
To December 12. ‡EE savings bonds purchased after May 1, 2005, have a fixed rate of interest.
Bonds purchased before May 1, 1995, earn a minimum of 4% or a market-based rate.
Bonds bought between May 1, 1995, and May 1, 2005, earn a market-based rate from date of purchase.
SOURCE FOR TREASURIES: Bloomberg.com, U.S. Treasury.
TOP-YIELDING CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
YIELD BENCHMARKS YieldMonth-
agoYear-ago
U.S. series EE savings bonds‡ 3.00% 3.00% 3.60%
U.S. series I savings bonds 4.28 4.28 4.52
Six-month Treasury bills 3.24 3.70 5.07
Five-year Treasury notes 3.49 3.80 4.55
Ten-year Treasury notes 4.10 4.25 4.50
1. TIAA-CREF Instl. Money Market/Retail 4.83% $2,500 tiaa-cref.org 800-223-1200
2. Fidelity Money Market 4.78 25,000 fidelity.com 800-544-6666
3. Vanguard Prime Money Fund/Investor 4.76 3,000 vanguard.com 800-635-1511
4. Fidelity Cash Reserves 4.74 2,500 fidelity.com 800-544-6666
NATIONAL AVERAGE 4.19%
30-day yield to Dec. 5
Minimuminvestment
Web address
Toll-free numberTAXABLE MUTUAL FUNDS
1. Alpine Municipal* 3.50% 4.7%/5.4% $2,500 alpinefunds.com 888-785-5578
2. Vanguard Tax-Exempt 3.46 4.6/5.3 3,000 vanguard.com 800-635-1511
3. DWS Tax Exempt Money Fund 3.34 4.5/5.1 1,000 dws-scudder.com 800-621-1048
4. American Century Tax Free 3.25 4.3/5.0 5,000 americancentury.com 800-345-2021
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.99% 4.0%/4.6%
30-day yield to Dec. 4
Tax. eq. yield 25%/35% bracket
Web address
Toll-free numberTAX-FREE MUTUAL FUNDS
Minimuminvestment
Recent annual yield
Minimumamount
Web address
Toll-free number6-MONTH
Recent annual yield
Minimumamount
Web address
Toll-free number1-YEAR
Recent annual yield
Minimumamount
Web address
Toll-free number5-YEAR
*Fund is waiving all or a portion of its expenses. †Internet only. SOURCES: Money Fund Report, iMoneyNet Inc., One Research Dr., Westborough, MA 01581 (508-616-6600;
www.imoneynet.com); Bankrate.com.
Annual yield to Dec. 10
Minimumamount
Web address
Toll-free numberDEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
1. OneUnited Bank (Cal.)† 5.30% $1,000 oneunited.com 877-663-8648
2. UFBDirect.com (Cal.)† 5.22 none ufbdirect.com 888-580-0049
3. Corus Bank (Ill.) 5.12 100 corusbank.com 800-989-5101
4. Flagstar Bank (Mich.) 5.10 none flagstar.com 800-642-0039
NATIONAL AVERAGE 0.90%
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
83
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
JEFF BERTOLUCCI
WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING
HOW DO I CANCEL MY PARENTS’ CARDS?Q: Both of my parents have passed away. I ran a credit report on them and several credit cards came up. I haven’t found the actual cards, and I don’t know the account numbers. How can I cancel these cards?
Your parents’ credit report should provide a phone number for each credit card listed. Call the number and explain your problem. The issuer should be able to locate and close the account if you supply some basic information, including the name, Social Secu-rity number and address of the cardholder. You may be asked whether the estate is in probate, and the issuer may request a certified copy of the death certificate.
If the credit card has a balance, you will likely be asked to pay it from the estate. “The general rule,” explains Martin Shenkman, an estate-planning attorney in Teaneck, N.J., “is that the debt is of the estate and the estate must pay.” If the estate does not have adequate cash to clear the outstanding balance, you may have to sell some assets.
If that is still insufficient to cover the amount owed, you and any other heirs are not liable. Your parents’ debt is not passed on to you, and the credit-card issuer will write off the amount as uncollectible. However, paying off credit-card debt does take precedence over distributing bequests that are specified in a will. “If the bequests are made first and the debt cannot be paid, the executor of the estate is personally liable,” says Shenkman. JOAN GOLDWASSER
As of December 10; rates are adjustable. (P) Platinum card. (G) Gold card. *If you do not qualify for this interest rate, the issuer will offer a higher-rate card. †Depending on balance. ‡Rewards may expire after two years. SOURCE: Bankrate.com, N. Palm Beach, Fla. Banks may offer lower introductory rates.
Wells Fargo Bank (P) 7.50% $19 $39†/$35 800-932-6736
Capital One Platinum Prestige (P) 7.90 none 39†/39 800-548-4593
Pulaski Bank & Trust (G) 7.99 50 35†/35 800-980-2265
LOW-RATE PREMIUM CARDS
IssuerRecent rate*
Annualfee
Late/Over limit
Toll-free number
CREDIT CARD Q&A
American Express Blue Cash 12.49% none up to 5% 800-223-2670
National City Everyday Rewards Visa 14.24 none up to 4%‡ 888-622-4932
Chase Freedom Visa Signature 17.49 none up to 3% 888-215-3049
CASH REBATE CARDS
IssuerRecent rate*
Annualfee
Rebate terms
Toll-free number
LLO
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Save With a Triple Play
●● TELECOM UPDATE
85
»IN THIS SECTION
HDTVs for less than $1,000 90Car-leasing myths debunked 92
The lowdown on do-not-call lists 95
BY JESSICA L. ANDERSON
REMODELING THAT PAYS BACK
LIVING
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
86
A COMPETITIVE EDGE
UPDATE YOUR KITCHEN
LIVING // HOME»
AS THE HOUSING MARKET HAS VEERED OFF COURSE, SO HAVE MANY HOMEOWNERS’
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KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
HIRING HELPGet at least three bids on any project
you’re considering. The middle bid is
probably your best bet—the low one
may not include all the costs, and a high
bid often means the contractor doesn’t
have time to take on your job. Contrac-
tors won’t give you the names of clients
who hated their work, so in addition
to their references, check the Better
Business Bureau’s complaint records
(www.bbb.org).
* KipTip
87
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
DREW AND JULIENNE STATHIS SPENT $37,500 ON AN UPSCALE BATHROOM REMODEL THAT INCLUDES A JACUZZI, NEW SHOWER AND TOP-OF-THE-LINE FIXTURES. THEY HOPE IT WILL MAKE THEIR HOME EASIER TO SELL. PHOTOGRAPHS BY LISE METZGER
88
» LIVING // HOME
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
Cabinets.
Countertops.
Sinks.
A BETTER BATH
Cabinets and sinks.
Toilet and tub.
89
REPLACEMENTS
Windows.
02/2008 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE
The table shows the national average price tag, and the percent-age recouped at sale, for 17 popular projects. If your area has a lot of new homes on the market, your return will be less because buy-ers would rather purchase a new house with builder incentives than a remodeled home. Costs are based on figures from HomeTech
Information Systems, which develops software for estimating re-modeling costs. The percentage of cost recouped at resale is based on estimates by members of the National Association of Realtors. The payback varies by region. Single-city reports for 60 cities are available free at http://costvalue.remodelingmagazine.com.
HOW MUCH WILL YOU GET BACK?●● REMODELING AND RESALE
REMODEL
Project Price% recouped
at sale
Minor kitchen, midrange $21,185 83%
Bathroom, midrange 15,789 78
Major kitchen, midrange 55,503 78
Attic bedroom, midrange 46,691 77
Basement, midrange 59,435 75
Major kitchen, upscale 109,394 74
Bathroom, upscale 50,590 68
Home office, midrange 27,193 57
REPLACEMENT
Project Price% recouped
at sale
Fiber-cement siding, upscale $13,212 88%
Vinyl siding, midrange 9,910 83
Wood windows, midrange 11,384 81
Vinyl windows, upscale 13,479 81
Foam-backed vinyl siding, upscale 12,132 80
Vinyl windows, midrange 10,448 79
Wood windows, upscale 17,383 79
Fiberglass asphalt roofing, midrange 18,042 67
Steel roofing, upscale 33,151 66SOURCE: Remodeling magazine’s “2007 Cost vs. Value Report”
Siding.
Roofing.
90
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 02/2008
MAYBE YOUR DEN IS ALREADY
SCREEN, STYLE AND EXTRAS
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» LIVING // TECH