Personal Finance

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

For many high school students, college looms as the place where they'll form lifelong friendships, take tentative steps toward a chosen career and -- oh -- educate themselves further. Is a college visit necessary to pick a good school?

By Caitlin Uttley

For most people who pursue higher education, a college degree is the end of the line. But for others, it's simply a launching point to a post-graduate education. What do you need to know before you start applying to grad schools?

By Julia Layton

If you apply early decision, you might increase the likelihood that you'll be accepted into your dream college. But will you hurt your chances to receive financial aid?

By Sarah Winkler

Picking the right college is about more than just academics. Everything from the dining hall's menu to the cleanliness of your dorm affects your experience. To get a taste of co-ed life, you'll have to visit the campus.

By Chris Obenschain

A scholarship is a gift of money that funds your college education. You don't have to be a star football player or straight-A student to get one, but you do need some scholarship savvy. Consider this your crash course in securing cash for college.

By Gallagher Flinn

When it comes to credit, a little discipline and diligence go a long way. You could call each of the three credit bureaus and compare their reports side by side, or you can order a 3-in-1 credit report and save some time.

By Dave Roos

For something so relatively easy to obtain, credit can easily cause a careless borrower lots of stress. Here are 10 simple ways to build credit -- and keep it.

By Dave Roos

Minimum wage is supposed to ensure that workers get paid enough to live. So why do some people think it should be abolished?

By Dave Roos

Investing may seem complicated, but there are ways to build your portfolio while minimizing risk. What's the best plan for diversifying your investments?

By Dave Roos

The faster April 15 approaches, the more rushed we are when we prepare our taxes. And that's never good news where mistakes or the IRS is concerned. So which errors do we make the most?

By Jonathan Atteberry

Financial planners will tell you that creating your own personal budget is a great way to help you find your way out of debt. How hard is it to write a budget and stick to it?

By Dave Roos

At some point, you'll likely want to stop working. At some point, you'll also have to figure out how to pay the bills once you retire. Here are 10 tips to help you out.

By Josh Clark

In the late 1970s, all U.S. airlines were deregulated giving carriers the authority to set their own prices. Without regulated fares, budget airlines began to form. But exactly how do they cut costs?

By Ed Grabianowski

A staycation doesn't mean taking the laptop into the backyard and working from hom; it's about relaxing and exploring your own part of the world. So how do you make sure your staycation stays interesting?

By Julia Layton

You can rent to own a high-definition TV for just a few dollars a week, no credit required. It seems like a good deal, especially if you can't afford a new TV. If it's so great, why doesn't everyone do it?

By Dave Roos

It's a piece of advice you've probably heard: Don't pull your credit report too often, or you'll hurt your score. But what's a soul to do when you're shopping around for the best interest rates on a new house or car? How often can you look at your re

By Jane McGrath