Personal Finance

You might be happy about that scholarship or fellowship you just got, but don't jump for joy just yet -- you may have to pay a portion of that money back to the government. Do you owe Uncle Sam part of your financial aid package? Find out here.

By Linda C. Brinson

A good budget can help you save for a new car, a college education or a comfortable 30 years' worth of retirement money. How can financial planning software make it easier to keep your budget in line?

By Jessika Toothman

Knowledge is power, and online banking provides up-to-the-minute information about the status of our bank accounts. It can also help you set up a budget -- and stick with it.

By Molly Edmonds

Your neighbor just got a cute new car. If only you could too. But how would you pay for a new ride? By doing what most car buyers do -- apply for a car loan.

By Elizabeth Sprouse

Online money transfer is where the old-fashioned concept of wiring money converges with the modern technology of electronic funds transfer.

By Brian Boone

If you don't fill out a FAFSA -- or if you miss the deadline -- you're throwing away free money. Your school and federal government can help you pay for college, but you've got to do your part by crossing each "t" and dotting each "i" before June 30.

By Bambi Turner

Your financial aid history encapsulates all of the outside aid you've ever received for school, from grade school on up. How can that record affect you, long after you've stopped hitting the books?

By Susan L. Nasr

Every year, millions of American adults head into college classrooms to improve their job skills or upgrade their resumes. Higher education may be pricey, but the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit can help alleviate the financial burden.

By Dave Roos

As a college student, you're on your own for the first time and will have to pay for a place to live, food, books and more. The easiest way to handle this is by opening a bank account.

By Chris Landers

Getting in to the college of your choice requires a lot of filling out forms, writing essays and personal interviews. College Admissions Assistance will help you do it, for a fee. Should you sign up?

By Nathan Chandler

ATMs are quick and convenient -- but they can be costly, too. How can you get cash fast without the fees?

By Christopher Lampton

What does it take to make a remarkable piece of jewelry or to deliver a moving theater performance? Sure, a mastery of the fine arts requires talent and skill, but it also takes discipline and knowledge. An MFA can prepare you for the art world.

By Echo Surina

Applying for student loans can seem like a daunting task when you're just getting started. But with a little bit of planning and patience, your efforts can really pay off.

By Colleen Cancio

Feeding your paycheck into a computer on a street corner just doesn't feel as safe and secure as dealing with a flesh-and-blood teller standing near a bank vault. But are your feelings deceiving you?

By Jane McGrath

Describe yourself. Tell us your greatest weakness (skillfully turned into a strength, of course). How would you bring about world peace? We’re just kidding on that last one, but the person opposite you at your graduate school interview may not be.

By Marie Willsey

Unless you (or your parents) are independently wealthy, your search for the right college will probably begin with a search for all available financial aid options. If you plan to be a full-time student, you'll have a few more options to choose from.

By Janice Clark

Planning on using the leftover cash from your student loan to pay for a brand new computer for school? Not so fast. The type of financial aid you receive may dictate how you can use those last remaining dollars.

By Jonathan Strickland

With college tuition soaring toward the quarter-million-dollar mark, competition for financial aid is fierce. How much will grades affect your chances obtaining merit-based and need-based aid?

By Julia Layton

Your financial aid has been credited to your college account, but now there's money left over. So when can you expect your refund check, and what do you need to know before you spend your leftover cash?

By Cristen Conger

Financial aid can help reduce the expense of college. So how do you determine how much assistance you're eligible for?

By Jessika Toothman

You're sold on the convenience of getting your college degree from the comfort of your couch and computer. Now how exactly are you going to pay for it?

By Meredith Bower

So, you want to be a lawyer. You've got a stellar GPA, and you've chosen the law school you want to attend. There's only one thing left to do before you can complete your application: take the LSAT. Why does this test instill fear and dread in so many students?

By Bambi Turner

It won't be long now before the banks come looking for that money they lent you to go to college. How do you pay it back? It all depends on what kind of loan you have.

By Stephanie Crawford

If you want to be a doctor when you grow up, you'll have to get past the MCAT first. The Medical College Admissions Test is the most brutal aspect of the medical school admissions process, but you can crack it with a little help and a little practice.

By Dave Roos

When embarking on a college career, it pays to be curious. The more questions you have, and the more comfortable you are asking them, the better you'll be able to evaluate the colleges you have in mind.

By Sara Elliott